Beachway Parking - still a problem ; the stiff fines don't seem to be making a difference

News 100 blueBy Staff

July 24th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Parking - took his chances

That sign says the fine for parking could be $250.

What the city calls “ an abundance of illegal parking” near Beachway Park, has resulted in the parking lots s being reconfigured with one entrance and one exit to maximize legal parking spots.

A drop off area has been created as well

Parking ambassadors are available on weekends to help direct drivers and will close parking lot entrances when they are full.

We encourage drivers to continue to abide by all signed parking regulations such as no stopping and no parking in loading zones.

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Stage 3 does open things up - it also calls for more in the way of individual responsibility.

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

July 24th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Meed Ward with chain Sept 23-19

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward residing at a virtual meeting of city council.

As part of a media release Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “I know the Stage 3 reopening is welcomed news to many of our businesses and I encourage you to open only when you’re ready and have taken measures to protect the health and safety of staff and customers.

I urge both residents and businesses to be cautious and diligent, and do everything possible to safeguard each other and especially members of our community with more vulnerable immune systems, as more services reopen.

I urge residents to continue following all health directives, including physical distancing, wearing masks if you can inside public spaces, using hand-sanitizer and frequently washing hands, as well as staying home when sick. These measures will be especially critical in larger gatherings.”

Drewlo complex

Large apartment complexes like this require a little extra vigilance to stop the spread of infections.

The Mayor has reached out to the organizations that represent apartment building owners and condominium corporations asking them to adhere to the mandatory mask bylaw,

Those buildings with a large number of occupants could become “pinch points” for infections.

The move to Stage 3 does open things up – it also puts more of the responsibility on the individual to ensure that the really simple preventative measures are followed.

It is your health and safety that is at risk and you are the person that can put it at risk.

This is not over yet.

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

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Stage 3 means children can use the playground equipment - note - it will not be sanitized by the city.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

July 24th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A real summer for Burlington seemed to have to wait until we got into Stage 3 – Playground equipment can now be used.  Restaurants will invite patrons inside and parks will be more accessible.

Beachway Chld-Fest-2013-Family-sand-castle-1024x733

Events like this on the beach aren’t going to be part of this summer.

That playground equipment is not being sanitized and standard health practices with heightened awareness such as staying home if sick, washing hands and not touching faces should be strictly followed. Parents and caregivers are advised to pack hand sanitizer as well as sunscreen.

Anyone using the playground equipment should still practice physical distancing of two metres with anyone not from their household or their social circle.

If a playground structure is busy, residents may want to consider one of Burlington’s many other parks or come back at another time.
Other Summer Activities

• Parks are open for casual use, such as exercising, picnics, kicking or throwing a ball

• Mountainside, Nelson and LaSalle Pools are open for leisure swims and lap swims with online pre-registration and payment only. Splash Parks at Nelson and Mountainside Pools are now open as well

Kids + water = fun and noise - all part of the Halton Children's Water Festival. A full day of fun at a cost of $5 per student.

Kids + water = fun and noise.

• Spray pads at parks are open

• Lowville Park is open. New, as of July 30, entry to Lowville Park will require pre-registration through parkvisit.ca/burlington. Reservations and use of the park remain free

• Redesigned summer camps are open. The next registration date is July 27 at 9 a.m. View camps at burlington.ca/summer

• Redesigned Adult 19+ and Adult 55+ programs are open. View programs at burlington.ca/summer.

Safety Precautions

• All City recreation programs are operating with public health safety precautions including increased cleaning (outdoor amenities like playgrounds are not sanitized), screening and reduced program capacities in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19

• Permits for picnics will not be issued in an effort to mitigate large gatherings at this time

• Physical distancing of two metres is still in place on public property with anyone not from your household or social circle and in groups of less than 10.

The Regional Public Health Unit will issue a report at the end of next week – we can expect a bit of an increase iin the number of people reported to be infected.  If that number is very high the provincial government may decide that we are not yet ready for Stage 3 and roll us back to Stage 2.

The virus is transferred from person to person – it is up to us to do everything we can to ensure that we each, individually, are not part of that transfer process.

Or are we going to be really, really stupid and drink the KoolAid?

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West Nile virus positive mosquitoes found in Halton Region

News 100 redBy Staff

July 23rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A batch of mosquitoes trapped this week in Oakville has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This is the first batch of WNV positive mosquitoes for Halton this year.

The Public Health Unit is swamped with COVID19 matters – then we are reminded that West Nile Virus has returned.

WestNileVirus_transmission“Halton is committed to reducing West Nile virus in our communities through education and preventative programs such as larviciding,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “Until the hard frosts of fall set in, Halton residents should continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites and remove mosquito breeding sites.”

Urban areas are more likely to have mosquitoes that carry WNV. The types of mosquitoes that transmit WNV to humans most commonly breed in urban areas such as bird baths, plant pots, old toys, tires and other locations that hold water.

Residents can take the following steps to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes:

• Cover up. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly-woven fabric.
• Avoid being outdoors from early evening to morning when mosquitoes are most active and likely to bite, as well as at any time in shady, wooded areas.
• Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by getting rid of all water-filled containers and objects, where possible. Change the water in bird baths at least once per week.
• Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET or Icaridin.

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Hospital increases COVID19 testing capacity - drive thru clinic opened

News 100 redBy Staff

July 23rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

Joseph Brant Hospital is increasing its COVID-19 testing capacity by opening a new drive-thru clinic.

The clinic is dedicated to testing individuals who are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, but who are concerned they may have been exposed or require testing. The Joseph Brant Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre will continue to operate as a testing centre for individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital is a little like the provinces economy: a little the worse for wear and tear and in need of a fix up. Problem is the economy has to get much better before the hospital refurbishment can go forward,

Drive thru clinic is accessed via the North Shore Road entrance

The Drive-Thru Testing Clinic is located on the hospital grounds, easily accessed off of Joseph Brant Hospital’s entrance on North Shore Blvd. Appointments are required and can be booked online by visiting covidtesting.josephbranthospital.ca or calling 905-632-3737 x 6550.

To fast-track appointments, we encourage people to book their testing online. Testing is available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The clinic will operate as follows:

• Signage will direct patients upon arrival
• The health care team will perform the COVID-19 swab test while you are in your car
• Patients will be sent home with information on self-isolation and how to view their test results
• If heat warnings are in effect on clinic days, out of precaution, we ask patients to not bring children and frail adults in cars who are not being tested, as well as pets

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, it is recommended that you book an appointment at the Assessment Centre calling 905-632-3737 ext. 6550 or booking online. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department:

• Severe difficulty breathing
• Severe chest pain
• Feeling confused or unsure of where you are
• Losing consciousness

Children under one year will not be swabbed at the drive-thru clinic and should be referred to their family health-care provider for testing.

COVID-19 test results are available within 3 to 7 days, and can be accessed in the following ways:

• Go to covid-19.ontario.ca and select “Check your lab results” (you must have a valid Ontario photo health card to use the website)
• Register for MyChart using your Ontario Health Card
• Contact your family doctor

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Back to School for the Public School Board - Part 1

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

July 23rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

We are busy enough with the six feet thing; we’ve never washed our hands as often and there is a leeriness about going out for dinner and being inside the restaurant.

Can we invite friends of long standing over for dinner – perhaps sitting outside on the patio and cooking on the BBQ would be Ok.

Add to all that the concern with getting the kids back to school.

Are the schools going to open? What will the class schedule be and how am I going to find dare care if I need it.

Slide on subjectParents are frustrated – they want information – but the school boards don’t have much in the way of information they can share.

The Halton District School Board met in a Special Session yesterday. In a four part series, this being Part 1, we will tell you what we have learned.

The Halton Board is to meet with the Ministry of Education on Tuesday of next week (they have a two hour time slot) to present to the Ministry how they have responded to the three scenarios the province set out.

They are Conventional, Remote and Adaptive – Conventional being kids in the school, in classrooms all day with fewer kids in each class; Remote being everything will be done on-line with close teacher involvement in what is being called synchronous learning – everyone learns the same thing at the same tome – on-line.

3 delivery models

These are the models the Ministry set out. HDSB prefers the Adaptive and will be taking their ideas to the Ministry next week.

The school boards now have all kinds of technology to manage teaching in this manner.

The Board at this point doesn’t have much to go on other than trying to read the tea leaves and figure out where the Ministry of Education is going to go.

Intent to return elem

Once the Board knows which students are going to return – and then which form of instruction they prefer classes can be organized.

The Halton Board’s understanding is that they will know very early in August which model the Ministry has approved.  August 4th was a date mention – but nothing is carved in stone at this point.

With the model in hand the Board then needs to know what parents plan to do.  Will their children return to school orwill they opt for remote learning.

If they plan to attend what is their preference – conventional classes or the adaptive model.

The Board also needs to know how many teachers are going to return to a classroom.  Director of Education Stuart Miller did say that the Board has a solid list of occasional teachers they can call upon.

French is likely yo be limited.

Extra curricular and co-curricular are likely to be limited as well.

The Board and the trustees are critically aware of how important the “extras” are – they are concerned at this point in opening up classrooms and teaching students with mathematics and literacy being the focus.

Group of students MMR

This is student life. How do you change it? This group represents what a classroom size is likely to be.

Among the unknowns: are teachers going to have to wear PPE?  Will students be expected to wear masks?  What happens if an infection hot spot develops?  The Board is in constant contact with the Medical Officer of Health.

Classroom cleaning has to be included in the schedules.  The additional costs can only be guessed at today – but they are very real.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that at this point – most questions don’t have an answer – nothing can be decided upon until the Ministry approves the teaching model.

Until then, treat all this as background and begin thinking about what you are your family want to do.

 

 

 

 

 

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The back to normal we all want is not here yet: stay vigilant and be careful - it is your health and safety we are talking about.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

July 21st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

News anal BLUEWe are approaching something that is a little closer to normal.

Burlington enters Stage 3 of the Emergency Measures on Friday with a bylaw in place that makes face masks mandatory.

What can you do – what can you not do?

What can open Stage 3

What will we see in the way of new infections in ten to 15 days?  Will there be an increase?  How severe will the increase be?

Much of this depends on how we behave individually.

The disastrous situation at the Long Term Care Centres is pat.  Hard lessons have been learned and hopefully plans are being prepared to ensure that never happens again.

The lesson that the civic leadership is pushing very hard – and spending a lot on to get out to the public –  is that we are not at normal yet.

Fig 5

Data from June 25th: The number of infections is increasing – even while we were in stage 2.

Infection by municipality

July 16th, 2020. This is the most recent report before we moved in Stage 3 – now that we are in Stage 3 how big an increase will there be. If it gets too big the province could push us pack into Stage 2

Far from it. Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health commented during a recent Regional meeting at which the wearing of masks was heavily debated that she felt we were going to be dealing with this pandemic well into 2021.

We have the traditional fall flu season to deal with – along with COVID 19 – the two viruses can apparently live together.

The province is about to have in place a much more sophisticated tracking application in place that will allow the public heath people to quickly identify any hot spots and be able to take quick action.

Hamidah Meghani

Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health

The balance of July, all of August and the early parts of September might lull us into a false sense that we have this virus beaten.

The truth appears to be that we are far from beating it – the scientists are learning something new about the dynamics of the virus and the way different demographics are impacted.

 

 

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Mayor eases up a bit - taking some 'hours/days' off

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

July 21st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Meed Ward style

Mayor is taking a bit of a break but is steps away if an issue arrives.

A Gazette reader called the Office of the Mayor to follow up on an issue that the Mayor had expressed some interest in – but was told that the Mayor would not be making appointments for two weeks.

We popped a note off the Mayors Communications person asking if the Mayor was taking some vacation; the Mayor’s Office sent our note along to the city administrations Communications department who said the following.

“The mayor will have some upcoming hours/days off but continues to work on all emergency related and time sensitive matters.

“The deputy mayor schedule is published, and we have two deputies serving whenever the mayor is not available.
Q3 deputy mayors are Councillors Nisan and Sharman.

Mayor Meed Ward is not in quarantine.

So there you have it – the Mayor is healthy and apparently taking a break.

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Masks a must on the GO system as of today.

News 100 blueBy Staff

July 21st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Donning nose and mouth coverings are now a must on GO Transit and UP Express. Here’s what you need to know, as everyone does their essential best for the safety and health of fellow customers and transit staff.

Covering up is now a must on GO Transit and UP Express.

Starting today (July 21), all passengers on GO trains and buses, as well as UP vehicles, must wear face coverings.

The change isn’t expected to be too daunting, as many customers – as many as nine in 10 – were already routinely wear the added layer of protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metrolinx officials say there will be some riders who will not be able to wear face coverings due to pre-existing conditions, as well as children under two. The transit agency is asking everyone to understand those situations and says no customers will be left behind.

GO masked

From Station Attendants to Transit Safety Officers to even Commuter Train Operators, all Metrolinx staff wear face coverings on the job. (Anne Marie Aikins Photo)

Transit staff will be on board trains, buses and in stations informing customers about the need to wear a face covering.

Mandatory face coverings are the latest part of a comprehensive health and safety strategy at Metrolinx.

On-board safety measures continue to expand and evolve as the province moves through a phased return to normal.

They now include rolling out dividers between train and bus seats, hand sanitizer dispensers, and a comprehensive vehicle and station cleaning regiment that has staff constantly wiping down touch-points.

Metrolinx says that while they are closely monitoring ridership throughout the network and making every effort to adjust services to give customers space to spread out, there is going to come a point as the province moves into Stage 3 and more people travel to work and play, when physical distancing is just not possible.

Since late May, the Chief Medical Officer of Health has asked everyone in the province to wear a face covering in areas where physical distancing isn’t always possible, such as on public transit.

So today is the day, no matter the weather, to add that extra layer of protection, before heading on the GO – or to UP Express.

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Most of the province is now in Emergency Measures Stage 3: challenge now is to keep the infection levels low.

News 100 blueBy Staff

July 20th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Halton is one of seven regions in the province that will move into Stage 3 of the Emergency measures on Friday.

The decision was made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and is based on positive local trends of key public health indicators, including lower or low transmission of COVID-19, ongoing hospital capacity, public health capacity to conduct rapid case and contact management, and a significant increase in testing.

Premier July 20 media event

Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance.

The details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance.

The following public health units will be allowed to move into Stage 3 on Friday, July 24, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.:
Durham Region Health Department;
• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
• Halton Region Health Department;
• Hamilton Public Health Services;
• Lambton Health Unit;
• Niagara Region Public Health Department; and
• York Region Public Health Services.

Toronto Public Health, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and Peel Public Health will remain in Stage 2 until local trends of key public health indicators demonstrate readiness to move into Stage 3:

“Entering Stage 3 does not mean the fight against COVID-19 is over” said Deputy Premier Christine Elliott. We all must remain vigilant and continue following public health advice to ensure the progress we have made so far in stopping the spread will not be undone.”

“I’m impressed by how seriously business owners are taking the public health advice and how easy they made it for their customers to take precautions,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance. “By providing plenty of space to physically distance, keeping hand sanitizer by the door, and maintaining records for contact tracing, they’re playing a vital role helping fight COVID-19. We’re all doing our part and making it easy for others to do the same.”

As the province carefully reopens, the health and well-being of Ontarians remains a top priority. The government is strongly recommending everyone to continue following public health advice, including practicing physical distancing with those outside your household or social circle, wearing a face covering when physical distancing is a challenge or where it is mandatory to do so, staying home when ill, and washing your hands frequently and thoroughly.

For regions in Stage 3, gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 50 people indoors and a maximum of 100 people outdoors, with physical distancing in place. Gathering limits apply to all social gatherings and events, as well as some higher risk activities and venues. Gathering limits do not apply to settings such as beaches, parks, restaurants and bars, but measures to enable physical distancing may limit capacity at any given time.

Some municipalities have implemented additional restrictions or requirements, such as mandatory face coverings in commercial establishments and all indoor public places.

The province has set up a Workplace PPE Supplier Directory, where employers can find suppliers who sell personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to support a safe reopening of their workplaces.

Testing is available at any of the province’s 144 assessment centres currently open. To find your closest assessment centre, please visit Ontario.ca/coronavirus.

For questions on restrictions that will remain in place during Stage 3, review the Stage 3 Emergency Order on the emergency information portal or call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.

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Halton is expected to enter Stage 3 of the Emergency measures; announcement to be made later today

Newsflash 100By Pepper Parr

July 20th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Doug Ford MAr 17

Premier Doug Ford at a Press conference

It is not yet “official” but the word is that Halton Region, that is Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills will be moved to stage 3 which usually includes allowing lager groups to gather and restaurants to serve meals inside.

The full story after the Premier speaks at 1:00 pm

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Mandatory mask wearing now in effect. Where will the enforcement come from?

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

July 20th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Today the temporary bylaw requiring people to wear a face mask becomes effective.

The first thing to appreciate is that requiring you to wear a mask is serious.

Washing your hands frequently. Keeping that six foot social distance between you and people who are not part of your bubble and keeping away from locations where there are likely to be large numbers of people

Those are the essentials.

Mator in a maskLate in June ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stole took it upon herself to convince her council colleagues to implement a face mask by law.

After many, many hours at city council and many more the Regional council two bylaws were passed.

Both basically the same with Burlington setting aside $10,000 provide masks for people who could not afford them – the Regional Council took a pass on that one.

Last Friday Canadian Tire Fairview announced they were going to donate 14,000 masks – we assume the donation is to the city but have not been able to conform that.

Kwab Ako-Adjei, Director, Corporate Communications & Government Relations informed the Gazette that “we are working on a plan for free masks. We will announce that plan once it’s complete.

“In the meantime, we have let residents know that many bricks and mortar stores and online retailers sell masks, and many small businesses that sell them on social media platforms like Facebook.”

So – as of now there is a bylaw requiring you to wear a mask and no known program on enforcement and no known program to distribute masks to people who can’t afford one.

Why isn’t there a program in place?

The drive behind the need for the masks was ward 4 Councillor Stolte and the Mayor.

Not a word from either of them on how this is going to play out.

The bylaw puts the onus on the commercial sector.

The politicians appear to expect the commercial and retail sector to require you to wear a mask before you enter their premises. There are a lot of exemptions in the bylaws.

The pandemic has been tough enough on the commercial sector – the city now expects them to turn people away – really?

Walmart is sending emails to their customers telling them they have to wear a mask.

Marylus logolongo logoWalmart logo

 

Marylou’s is reported to be requiring people to wear a mask and selling you one for $2 if you don’t have one.

Longo’s took the position that you had to wear a mask if you wanted to shop in their supermarkets.

Let’s see how things work out at the end of the day.

Burlington is still at Stage Two of the Emergency regulations – many had expected to be at Stage 3 which would open up a lot of the commercial sector.

We will learn later today what the province decides to do – whatever they decide to do will be based on the number of new infections and that number is determined by you and me.

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Donated masks might be available to the public by Monday.

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

June 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Shawna and daughter

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte with her daughter modeling masks made by community members.

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte advised people via her Facebook page that 14,000 face masks have been donated to the city and that she is looking into setting up distribution centres.

The city administration is working on a plan.

No work on what the other Councillors are doing.

The mask initiative was Stolte’s from the get go – she brought it to the Council table in June – she had to arm wrestle with the Mayor to keep control of her project and once the two women got that worked out off they went to Regional Council learned that the city for the most part was complying with the Regional Bylaw which goes into effect on Wednesday – the city’s goes into effect on Monday.

There is a lot of toing and froing going on here.

Related news stories:

Mayor and Councillor arm wrestle over who will lead the mask initiative.

Mayor comes around: masks play a large roll in limiting the spread of the infection

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Region releases the details of their mask bylaw.

News 100 blueBy Staff

July 17, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The amount of time spent by the various municipalities is stunning. The mask by laws are temporary and will be reviewed again at the end of September.

The Region met earlier in the week while the 24 members of the Regional Council debated the xx of the bylaw.

When Mayor Meed Ward get to the end of the long series of debates held at Standing Committee meeting could only impress. Meed Ward declared the Burlington bylaw was the “gold standard”. The Region didn’t see it that way – they opted out of the idea of matching the $10,000 Burlington set aside for the purchase of masks.

While an inordinate amount of time was spent on what is an important issue – masks are a part of the new normal we have to follow if we expect to keep the number of new infections as low as possible.

We publish the Regional Bylaw which we understand is not yet on the Regional web site, as a matter of record.

Region meeting July 15

Regional Council sitting virtually – communicating via ZOOM.  The yellow box around a person indicated who is speaking.

THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF HALTON BY-LAW NO. 47-20
A TEMPORARY BY-LAW TO REQUIRE THE WEARING OF NON-MEDICAL MASKS/FACE COVERINGS IN ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLACES IN THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF HALTON.

WHEREAS subsection 11(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001 (the “Act”), provides the general authority for municipalities to pass by-laws for the “health, safety and well-being of persons”;

AND WHEREAS the spread of COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020;

AND WHEREAS an emergency was declared in the Province of Ontario on March 17, 2020, pursuant to Order in Council 518/2020 for the purposes of section 7.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, and has been extended pursuant to section 7.0.7 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, due to the health risks to Ontario residents arising from COVID-19;

AND WHEREAS on March 23, 2020, the Regional Chair declared a state of emergency in support of the Province’s efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, made pursuant to subsection 4(1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act;

AND WHEREAS the Province of Ontario has enacted Ontario Regulation 263/20 under subsection 7.0.2(4) of the 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/instructions of public health officials;

AND WHEREAS physical distancing (keeping distance from one another and limiting activities outside the home; when outside the home, staying at least 2 metres (or 6 feet) away from other people whenever possible) is difficult to maintain in enclosed public places;

AND WHEREAS a by-law requiring persons to wear a non-medical mask/face covering in enclosed public places is deemed a necessary, recognized, practicable, and effective method to limit the spread of COVID-19, and thereby help protect the health, safety and well-being of the Halton Region community;

AND WHEREAS a by-law requiring the Operator of an enclosed Public Place that is open to the public to adopt a policy to require persons entering the enclosed Public Place to wear a non-medical mask/face covering is deemed a necessary, recognized, practicable, and effective method to limit the spread of COVID-19, and thereby help protect the health, safety and well-being of the Halton Region community;

NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF HALTON HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:

1. THAT:

a) every person must wear a Non-Medical Mask / Face Covering when inside an enclosed Public Place within the geographic area of the Region of Halton;

b) such a Non-Medical Mask / Face Covering shall cover their mouth, nose and chin.

2. THAT every person that is the parent or guardian accompanying a child that is five
(5) years old or older in an enclosed Public Place shall ensure that the child wears a Non-Medical Mask / Face Covering.

3. THAT a “person” shall include any occupant within an enclosed Public Place and shall include, but not be limited to, any owner, operator, employee and worker in the enclosed Public Place and any customer, patron or other visitor in the enclosed Public Place, subject to the exemptions below.

4. THAT no person shall be required to provide proof of any of the exemptions set out below in Section 6.

5. THAT:

a) the Operator of an Public Place that is open to the public, shall adopt a policy as required under this By-law to ensure that no member of the public is permitted entry to, or otherwise remains within, any enclosed space within the Public Place, unless the member of the public is wearing a Non-Medical Mask/Face Covering, in a manner which covers their mouth, nose and chin;

b) the Operator of the Public Place shall, upon request, provide a copy of the policy for inspection by any person authorized to enforce this By-law.

6. THAT this By-law and the policy shall have the following exemptions from the requirement to wear a Non-Medical Mask/Face Covering in enclosed Public Places within Halton Region:

i. the person is under three years of age chronologically;

ii. the person is under three years of age developmentally and they refuse to wear a Mask or Face Covering and cannot be persuaded to do so by their caregiver;

iii. the person has an underlying medical condition where wearing a Mask or Face Covering would inhibit the person’s ability to breathe in any way;

iv. the person may experience a negative impact to their emotional well- being or mental health;

v. the person has a developmental disability which inhibits their ability to wear a mask or face covering;

vi. the person has a disability whereby the wearing of a mask or face covering would limit their ability to reasonably communicate with others or otherwise present a hardship for a person or persons assisting the individual;

vii. the person is unable to place or remove a Mask or Face Covering without assistance;

viii. persons temporarily removing their Non-Medical Mask / Face Covering when necessary for receiving services (such as having a meal), or while actively engaging in an athletic or fitness activity; and

ix. employees and agents of the person responsible for the Public Place within an area designated for them and not for public access, or within or behind a physical barrier;

7. THAT no person shall be discriminated against for not wearing a non-medical mask / face covering due to an exemption.

8. THAT this By-law and the policy, subject to the about exemptions, shall require that employees wear a Non-Medical Mask / Face Covering when working in the enclosed space within the Public Place.

9. THAT this By-law and the policy shall not require employees or members of the public to provide proof of any of the exemptions set out above.

10. THAT the Operator shall conspicuously post at all entrances to the Public Place clearly visible signage containing the following text:

ALL PERSONS ENTERING OR REMAINING IN THESE PREMISES SHALL WEAR A NON-MEDICAL MASK OR FACE COVERING WHICH COVERS THEIR NOSE, MOUTH AND CHIN AS REQUIRED UNDER THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF HALTON BY-LAW 47-20.

THE FOLLOWING PERSONS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO WEAR A NON-MEDICAL MASK / FACE COVERING IN ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLACES WITHIN HALTON REGION:

i. the person is under three years of age chronologically;

ii. the person is under three years of age developmentally and they refuse to wear a Mask or Face Covering and cannot be persuaded to do so by their caregiver;

iii. the person has an underlying medical condition where wearing a Mask or Face Covering would inhibit the person’s ability to breathe in any way;

iv. the person may experience a negative impact to their emotional well-being or mental health;

v. the person has a developmental disability which inhibits their ability to wear a mask or face covering;

vi. the person has a disability whereby the wearing of a mask or face covering would limit their ability to reasonably communicate with others or otherwise present a hardship for a person or persons assisting the individual;

vii. the person is unable to place or remove a Mask or Face Covering without assistance;

viii. employees and agents of the person responsible for the Public Place within an area designated for them and not for public access, or within or behind a physical barrier;

Please be respectful of the rights of individuals who are exempt from wearing a mask in conformity with the exemptions provided in the By- law.

To report an incident of noncompliance, contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CALL 311.

11. THAT the Operator shall ensure that all persons working at the Public Place are trained in the requirements of the policy and this By-law.

12. THAT every person who contravenes any provision of this By-law is guilty of an offence, and on conviction, is liable to a fine as provided for in the Provincial Offences Act.

13. THAT the following definitions shall apply in this By-law:

a) “Non-Medical Mask/Face Covering” means a mask, balaclava, bandana, scarf, cloth or other similar item that covers the nose, mouth and chin without gapping;

b) “Operator” means a person or organization which is responsible for or otherwise has control over the operation of a Public Place;

c) “Public Place” means all places that the public has access to within the following:

a. premises or any portion thereof which are used as a place of business for the sale or offering for sale of goods or services;

b. churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, or other places of worship;

c. community centres including indoor recreational facilities;

d. libraries, art galleries, museums, aquariums, zoos and other similar facilities;

e. community service agencies providing services to the public, including municipal administrative buildings;

f. banquet halls, convention centres, arenas, stadiums, and other event spaces;

g. premises utilized as an open house, presentation centre, or other facility for real estate purposes;

h. common areas of hotels, motels and other short-term rentals, such as lobbies, elevators, meeting rooms or other common use facilities;

i. concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos, and other entertainment facilities; and

j. public transportation and private transportation services (such as taxis, private limousine services, Uber, Lyft and other similar ride programs).

14. THAT despite Section 13c) above, the following premises are not a Public Place for the purposes of this By-law, even if they would otherwise fall within the definition of a Public Place:

a) schools, post-secondary institutions, and child care facilities, correction centres and jails;

b) hospitals, independent health facilities and offices of regulated health professionals;

c) staff-only areas within a Public Place;

d) court facilities and professional offices where clients receive purchased services (such as lawyer or accountant office) that are not open to members of the public except by appointment;

e) indoor areas of a building accessible to only employees; and

f) indoor/outdoor day care and day camps.

15. THAT this By-law shall not be interpreted so as to conflict with a Provincial or Federal statute, regulation, or instrument of a legislative nature, including an order made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

16. THAT this By-law comes into force seven (7) days after the date of enactment (being 12:01am on July 22, 2020).

17. THAT this By-law shall be deemed to no longer be in effect, and revoked at 11:59pm on November 30, 2020, unless extended by Regional Council.

READ and PASSED this 15th day of July, 2020.

REGIONAL CHAIR

REGIONAL CLERK

Report No. LPS59-20

Mator in a mask

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City set aside $10k to buy masks - they become mandatory on Monday - where are the masks?

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

July 17, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

mask envelope

Several community groups worked together to produce 3000 masks that are being distributed in the community.

When the story of how Burlington coped with the first pandemic in 100 years is written the Great Mask Debate will have a chapter of its own. Covid19 is now well embedded in the lexicon of the world.

One of the features of the Burlington approach to keeping the spread of infections down was to set $10,000 aside to pay for masks that would be distributed to people who were not in a position to buy masks.

The by law that requires people to wear “when inside an enclosed Public Place “comes into effect on Monday July 20th, 2020.

Masks - Packaging Lynda & Connie

Connie Price and Lynda Hall pitting masks in envelopes where they are quarantined for 72 hours – then distributed.

The Region has a similar bylaw that comes into effect on July 22nd.

To the best of our knowledge the city does not yet have a supply of masks nor does there appear to be a policy in place as to who will distribute those masks – when they are available.

The Gazette along with a number of community groups produced the parts that went into the sewing of 3000 masks.

UPDATE

Kwab Ako-Adjei, Director, Corporate Communications & Government Relations informed the Gazette that “we are working on a plan for free masks. We will announce that plan once it’s complete.

“In the meantime, we have let residents know that many bricks and mortar stores and online retailers sell masks, and many small businesses that sell them on social media platforms like Facebook.”

 

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Why no masks in a Court House?

News 100 redBy Staff

July 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Parking - took his chances

This truck could have picked up a $250. ticket

If you are fined for a Parking Offence in the Beachway – that’s a provincial offence and you would go to the Court House on Palladium Way where your case would be heard..

If for some reason the city found a way to fine you for not wearing a mask – this is an iffy one. But if the wearing of masks doesn’t take with the public the city will have to do something to enforce.

In the event that either of these happened – you would not have to wear a mask inside the court house.

That is ironic.

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There is now a bylaw that asks you to wear a face mask - don't get silly and say the science doesn't support the benefits of a face mask - just wear the thing.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

July 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

We now have two bylaws related to the wearing of face masks.

The city bylaw that was passed on Monday and the Regional by law that was passed yesterday.

If we got it right – Burlington’s bylaw complies with the Region so there is no conflict.

Burlington has some additional features in its bylaw – the spending of $10,000 on masks for people are not able to buy masks.

There are some basics in both bylaws that are essentially the same.

There are rules the public is being asked to follow.  They are

WHERE THE BYLAW APPLIES INDOORS:

CITY HALL Cobalt

Mask needed to enter City Hall

premises or any portion thereof which are used as a place of business for the sale or offering for sale of goods or services, and includes a mall or similar structure which contains multiple places of business;

churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, or other places of worship;

City indoor facilities open to the public, community centres including indoor recreational facilities and City Hall;

libraries, art galleries, performing arts centre, museums, aquariums, zoos and other similar facilities;

community service agencies providing services to the public;

banquet halls, convention centres, arenas, stadiums, and other event spaces;

premises utilized as an open house, presentation centre, or other facility for real estate purposes;

private transportation for hire, including taxis, limousines and rideshare services;

public transportation;

common areas of hotels, motels and other short-term rentals, such as lobbies, elevators, meeting rooms or other common use facilities; and

    concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos, and other entertainment facilities.

WHERE IT DOESN’T APPLY:

Court House POA

You do not need to wear a mask in the Court House.

schools, post-secondary institutions, and child care facilities and indoor/outdoor day camps;

premises or any portion thereof (including City indoor facilities and community centres) used for City run recreational programs that require registration;

court facilities;

professional offices where clients receive purchased services (such as lawyer or accountant office) that are not open to members of the public except by appointment;

indoor areas of a building accessible to only employees;

hospitals, independent health facilities and offices of regulated health professionals.

EXEMPTIONS:

    the person is under three years of age chronologically;

    the person is under three years of age developmentally and they refuse to wear

    a Mask or Face Covering and cannot be persuaded to do so by their caregiver;

    the person has an underlying medical condition where wearing a Mask or Face Covering would inhibit the person’s ability to breathe in any way;

    the person may experience a negative impact to their emotional well-being or mental health;

    the person has a developmental disability which inhibits their ability to wear a mask or face covering;

    the person has a disability whereby the wearing of a Mask or Face Covering would limit their ability to reasonably communicate with others or otherwise present a hardship for a person or persons assisting the individual;

    the person is unable to place or remove a Mask or Face Covering without assistance; or,

    employees and agents of the person responsible for the Establishment within an area designated for them and not for public access, or within or behind a physical barrier.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE:

There is NO REQUIREMENT of proof of exemptions

This is the point at which we learn how civilized a society we are.  There is a 73 year old man who lived in Minden who was shot dead by police over the issue of his not wanting to wear a mask. He wasn’t shot because he wouldn’t wear a mask – he was shot dead because a situation got out of control.

You don’t to wear a mask and you don’t have to prove that you are exempt.  What our political leadership is asking – is that you wear a face mask to keep the other people safe – when they wear their mask you too will be safer.

There are those out there will argue that there is no science behind the mask.  That’s debatable – staying alive and safe is not something we want to debate – or do we?

Let us not fall into the disaster south of us.

We learned to wear seat belts.

We learned that we could no smoke inside public places.

We can learn to wear a face mask.

 

 

 

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Some seniors who got the $300 grant from the federal government have been donating the money to the Food Bankj

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

July 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

This is one of those nice warm feel good news stories.

Earlier this month those $300 cheques from the federal government began arriving at bank accounts.

Robin Bailey June 3rd-20

Robin Bailey Executive Director of the Burlington Food Bank

Robin Bailey Executive Director of the Burlington Food Bank told us earlier today that a number of people felt they didn’t need the money and passed it along to the Food Bank.

Bailey said: “We had quite a few of these donations and many let us know that they were just paying it forward. What a generous and heart-warming thing to do. Thank you so much Seniors for thinking of your community and of our Food Bank!”

The number of seniors the Food Bank helps has increased recently and we are hoping that many more will make use of our service as the hear about us. Hoping that the rest of us can all do our own part to keep our seniors safe by following all the recommended safety precautions.

Please continue to share our contact info with neighbours, friends and family members that the Food Bank is here to help alleviate some of the financial stresses.

If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or they can now pick it up. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.

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School board chair Andrea Grebenc puts forward a barn burner of a motion.

News 100 redBy Andrea Grebenc

July 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

Chair of the Halton District School Board Andrea Grebenc moved a motion that was passed unanimously by the trustees – it was a barn burner of a speech.

Whereas Trustees are mandated by the Education Act to maintain focus on student achievement and well-being, to assist the board in delivering effective and appropriate education programs to its pupils and to bring concerns of parents, students and supporters of the board to the attention of the board;

And whereas the people of Halton enter into a social contract with the government to educate and act as childcare providers through paying taxes;

ndrea Grebenc July 15

HDSB Chair Andrea Grebenc immediately after read out her strong motion.

And whereas current Ministry funding for the hybrid/adaptive 15-student model does not allow for daily, in-person student attendance;

And whereas the hybrid model forces working parents to seek alternative childcare for younger children;

And whereas childcare for potentially 36,000 Halton District School Board(HDSB) Kindergarten to grade 6 students does not currently exist in Halton Region;

And whereas the hybrid model exposes younger students that require childcare during working hours to potentially unsafe and/or unsupervised environments;

And whereas unregulated, temporary childcare situations do not require inspection to show evidence of adherence to Public Health protocols that limit the spread of the coronavirus;

And whereas temporary childcare situations may mix students from various school classes, schools and boards, exponentially exposing the contained classroom “bubble” of students and staff and risking harder-to-trace-and-contain outbreaks in various classes, schools and across boards;

And whereas childcare costs money, potentially placing families into critical financial situations that may affect student achievement and well-being;

And whereas the hybrid model increases equity gaps, felt more profoundly by racialized, indigenous, and socioeconomically disadvantaged families, as well as students with special needs;

Grebenc - expressive hands

The Gazette always saw Andrea Grebenc as a woman with potential but timid – not prepared to make challenging statements. That changed on Wednesday

And whereas the hybrid model may increase mental health issues and system stress by compressing the time to meet curriculum expectations by half;

And whereas internationally respected children’s hospitals have indicated that full-time attendance is what is best for children;

And whereas model constraints and funding does not allow for truly innovative educational solutions to come forward;

And whereas recent messaging from the provincial government regarding who will decide which of the three models will be implemented in September 2020 has been unclear;

Be it resolved that the Chair write a letter on behalf of the Board of Trustees, copying all Ontario Boards, OPSBA and local MPPs, indicating their concerns with the current part-time hybrid/adaptive model as outlined by the Ministry of Education, requesting the hybrid/adaptive model, under its current funding level, be withdrawn as an option for September 2020 for students in Kindergarten to grade six, requesting appropriate funding for the 15-student model as a daily attendance model or adjusting the model cohort parameters, and

Be it resolved that the Chair ask the Minister of Education for clarification about who the decision maker is for the September school year start up.

In comments made after the motion was tabled Grebenc said that “there are in excess of 36,000 elementary students within the Halton Board – where are those children going to be cared for should they have to distant learn.

Miller in a huddle with Grebenc

Grebenc conferring with HDSB Director of Education Stuart Miller

“What will we get – quickly formed day care centre’s that are not regulated, not inspected with other children coming from who knows where.  The bubbles that most families created to ensure their kids were safe would not be feasible.”

In the years we have watched Grebenc slowly develop a platform she was passionate about. wondering if we would every see one.  It was on display at the school board on Wednesday.

Now Andrea Grebenc, try to move beyond a polite letter.

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Public school board faces some very serious challenges - waiting for the province to give directions

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

July 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Stuart Miller H&S tight look

Director of Education Stewart Miller

The Halton District School Board trustees were given a glimpse of what Director of Education Stewart Miller is up against with the provincial government and what school will look like come September.

It was not a pretty picture.

There were three scenarios with several permutations within each scenario.

1: Continue with the distance learning that was in place from March through to June.
That experience wasn’t very satisfactory for the students, the parents and the teachers.
Few of the teachers had any experience with distance teaching; there was precious little available in the way of educational tools in the beginning.
Things did get better by the end of June but no one was looking forward to doing this again.

2: Return to full time classroom teaching using the social distancing rules which would have about 15 students in each classroom.
The problem there is – the Board doesn’t have the space needed – they would need double the space – which they don’t have. Renting outside space was a possible option but Miller doesn’t believe this will work.
Not enough space for the new classroom size model and not enough teachers. Miller wasn’t sure how many teachers he would need – something very close – maybe a bit above 1000 additional teachers – which may not exist. Every school board would be doing the same scramble for space and teachers.

3: The third option has been labelled “adaptive” learning which would get different treatment at the different levels – secondary being handled one way and elementary another.
Some of the ideas being floated are a situation where students attend for five days in a classroom and then five days at home where distance learning would come into play.

Blackwell July 15 2

Superintendent Terri Blackwell explaining what she thinks will happen with secondary students when school starts in September.

Three Superintendents have been tasked with coming up with a proposal that they will have to take to the Ministry of Education and defend what they propose.

That meeting is scheduled for August, The Ministry will listen and then get back to the school board with directions.

Superintendent Terri Blackwell is doing the deep think for the secondary level while Scott Podebarac does that work for the elementary level.

Superintendent Julia Hunt Gibbons does the number crunching – trying to find a way to make the available space fit the number of students.

The three will be reporting back to the trustees on July 22nd with what they feel they should take to Queen’s Park.

Premier Doug Ford has been his usual adamant self when he says he wants every student in a classroom come September.

Making that happen is the challenge
The HDSB has not surveyed the parents – the three superintendents think it is a little too early for that. They don’t know what they are going to propose yet- little point in asking for an opinion without giving the parents the options.

There are additional concerns. Miller reported that 20% of the teachers are not certain that they want to return to working in a classroom.

The other concern is that some parents do not want to send their children to a classroom where they will mingle with other students that are not part of their bubble.

Add to that the problem with getting the kids to school. The number of students on a bus will be lower due to social distancing and parents fear that the virus would well be spread on the school bus with kids from a number of locations being stuck on a school bus.

The problems the school board administration faces are massive – and they aren’t going to get any easier.

The administration meet frequently with the many unions that are part of the educational system. Scott Podrebarac said the conversations are cordial.

ndrea Grebenc July 15

HDSB Trustee Chair Andrea Grebenc

Chair of the trustees Andre Grebenc said that is not what she is hearing.

Hundreds of teachers have taken short courses that focus on teaching from a distance and working with students and parents who have to cope with a much different educational environment their children are now part of.

Lurking in the background behind all this is the threat of a second wave – that many of those in the science community suggest is inevitable.

If there is a second wave in the fall (120 to 150 days away) and we are back into a lock down – no one is saying public what the next step is –
Hopefully there are people in a room somewhere that are doing some hard thinking.

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