Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon getting her flu shot.
Burlington’s MPP will be out today getting her flu shot. They are now available at many pharmacies and your family doctor.
“The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu. Getting the vaccine shot is quick, it’s painless, and it’s free for anyone who works, lives, or goes to school in Ontario.
The sooner you are vaccinated, the sooner you can protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu. I encourage everyone who is able to do so get a flu shot as soon as possible,” said MPP McMahon.
There are a number other of simple steps to prevent the spread of the flu virus including:
• Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds to help remove bacteria and viruses. Wash before and after eating, after you have been in a public place, after using the washroom, after coughing and sneezing, and after touching surfaces that may have been contaminated. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective in killing viruses.
• Keep your hands away from your face. In most cases, the flu virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand. If you use a tissue, dispose of it as soon as possible and wash your hands.
• Keep common surface areas clean and disinfected. Doorknobs, light switches, telephones, keyboards and other surfaces can become contaminated with all kinds of bacteria and viruses. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of these surfaces with regular household disinfectants can help. Viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours.
• If you get sick, stay home. If you think you have the flu, you should stay home until your symptoms are gone. If your symptoms get worse, call your health care provider.
You live in a nice part of town. The homes are in the million dollar price range. Traffic is just local – the view out over the lake is pleasant.
Life is good – the neighbours get along with each other quite well.
The Tyandaga West Subdivision was registered in 1999. The original developer ran into problems and sold their interest to another developer who completed the project.
The development is very close to a quarry that mines shale for the manufacturing of brick. The brick company has gone through a number of mergers and acquisitions and is now known as Meridian Brick. The corporate organization has had a license from the province to quarry for shale since 1972.
Aldershot has been home to brick manufacturing sine the 1900’s.
The people on West Haven, which run west off Kerns Road, are not opposed to the manufacturing of brick – but they do wonder if a quarry that was approved forty years ago is appropriate in what is now a built up neighbourhood.
For the most part the residents were really aware of the brick making operation – until they were told that the mining for shale was going to take place less than 100 yards from their homes,
All was well until the neighbourhood got a letter from the brick manufacturer that they were going to begin mining for shale in the eastern section of the property. There are three sections that are marked for shale mining with a hydro line running through the property.
When the community got the letters they met, organized and started to make their views and concerns known to their elected officials and to the brick company.
The residents got even less than lip service from the politicians – “they have a license” said both the Mayor and the ward Councillor Rick Craven.
Indeed they do said the residents – it was issued in 1972 and a lot of things have changed since then. In a very smart piece of community organizing they pointed out just how much things have changed in the 40 plus years since the license was issued.
The community reached out to the Mayor and the ward Councillor as well as the MPP and Cabinet Minister Eleanor. In a prepared statement TEC said:
“Ms McMahon (local MPP) and members of her local team were made aware of the health and ecological concerns of the community with respect to the proposed quarry extension in September 2015.
“Since that time there have been ongoing discussions and meetings, and specific requests from TEC of Ms McMahon’s office. TEC had requested her to take the lead in organizing meetings for TEC, with the MOECC and MNRF and to assist TEC in a process to obtain a Ministerial Zoning Order that would enable a review of the quarry to be conducted. Ms. McMahon has voiced TEC ‘s concerns and objections to Meridian’s plans but to date the group are unaware if she has facilitated a meeting with the various ministers as there has been minimal communication although that has requested many times.
“In May 2017, her office acknowledged that Meridian does have to carry out endangered species studies. To date Meridian nor Minister McMahon have provided any information with respect to the studies.”
You can see where that’s going.
At this point – the community and the corporation are each holding their own meetings.
The West Haven residents incorporated a not for profit with the name Tyandaga Environmental Coalition (TEC) was the kind of community that could raise funds quite easily – they asked residents to pony up $500 per household. That gave TEC a war chest and they hired one of the better (perhaps the best) environmental lawyers – David Donnelly, one of the lawyers on the winning side of the fight to block the expansion of a quarry in the Escarpment.
David Donnelly, environmental lawyer representing TEC
Donnelly is a bit of a “pit bull” – he is a tough cookie and not shy about stepping into a battle for the environment. He looks for solutions that will keep everyone happy.
The TEC people are vigilant – they recently spotted some equipment that was working the property. Hiding in some bushes a resident filmed the work crew – listen to what was recorded on a cell phone.
Note the graphic that set out the sound that the residents will hear every day that the mine is being quarried for shale.
The illustration sets out what the residents are going to have to deal with. 102 decibels is louder than a food blender (80 db) on a kitchen counter.
Is the city going to allow that much noise?
There is a solution that is being put forward by the TEC people. Their counsel David Donnelly, in conservation with Mayoralty candidate Mike Wallace on Cogeco’s The Issue with Mark Carr sets out one approcach but as Donnelly points out “there is no point going to city hall if they don’t want to listen.”
They all gathered at the Regional office in Oakville and talked up the new funding for repairs and retrofits to social housing in Halton in order to improve living conditions and fight climate change.
Linking social housing to climate change is a different twist –a sort of two birds with one stone thing.
Kevin Flynn MPP for Oakville, Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP for Halton and Eleanor McMahon, MPP for Burlington were joined by Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr, at Halton Region in Oakville today to make the announcement.
MPP for Milton – India Nadoo Harris
MPP for Oakville – Kevin Flynn
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon
Halton will receive up to $8,497,961 for repairs and retrofits to social housing apartment buildings over five years through the Social Housing Apartment Improvement Program (SHAIP), contingent on carbon market proceeds. This includes $1,659,751 for 2017-18.
This program is what the public is getting back from the carbon market the province created. That carbon market is what increased the cost of the gasoline you put in your cars.
Explaining the intricate detail on just how this carbon market almost defies description. Writing it would be a challenge – understanding it is something else – getting people to read it is another dimension.
Suffice it to say this – we have a carbon market arrangement.
Proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market must by law be invested into programs that help households and businesses reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy costs. Programs include home energy retrofits, public transit, social housing retrofits, and electric vehicle incentives and infrastructure.
Halton will also be receiving $3.1 million over three years through the Home for Good Program to increase access and supports to help families in need remain permanently housed. This is part of the province’s goal to end chronic homelessness by 2025.
These are very disturbing numbers – they point to a very serious problem for Burlington.
Getting more affordable housing built is, at least for Burlington, a very pressing need. The Burlington Foundation released their Vital Signs report earlier this week. Look at the housing situation – those are very disturbing.
Kevin Flynn MPP for Oakville added a comment that points to a program – The Home for Good program – that “will receive $3.1 million over the next 3 years as part of the government’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy to end chronic homelessness for people living with complex physical and mental health challenges by the year 2025.
“This funding will provide housing assistance, as well as counselling, addictions services and life-skills training to ensure that anyone living in Halton Region will have the security – and dignity – of having a safe place to call home.”
Affordable housing comes under social welfare which is a Regional responsibility. All seven members of Burlington city council are also members of the Regional Council. This is a program Burlington city Councillors could work assiduously at to the benefit of those that cannot afford the Burlington market rate for rent. When a comparable unit goes for $894 in Hamilton and $1264 in Burlington – it is very clear that something is out of balance. Burlington needs more affordable housing.
Regional Chair Gary Carr.
Regional Chair Gary Carr said: “Providing safe, affordable and accessible housing opportunities is one of Regional Council’s strategic priorities. Maintaining and improving our social housing infrastructure is integral to providing high quality service to residents in our assisted housing communities. We are proud to work alongside our partners at the Provincial Government and are thankful for the provincial investment which will benefit Halton residents.” Political Pablum.
The best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu is to be immunized.
Flu shots are available at more than 100 pharmacies across the region, as well as in doctor’s offices, walk-in clinics and at some workplaces. While people five years of age and older can receive their flu vaccine at a pharmacy, doctor’s office or walk-in clinic, children under five years of age can only receive their flu shot at a doctor’s office or Halton Region Family Flu Clinic.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon getting her flu shot last year.
“We know that sometimes it can be challenging for families with young children to attend their doctor’s office. Since children under five years of age cannot get the flu vaccine from a pharmacist, this year we’re hosting five, appointment-based family flu clinics for families with young children between the ages of six months and five years of age,” said Halton Region’s Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Daniela Kempkens. “Families can register for an appointment at halton.ca/flu or by calling 311.”
While most healthy people recover from the flu within a few days, influenza infection can lead to pneumonia and hospitalization, and can even be fatal, especially in the elderly, those under five years of age and those with certain chronic health conditions.
To protect themselves and our community, people can take everyday precautions against influenza by washing their hands with soap frequently, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (when soap and water are not available) and avoiding touching their eyes, nose and mouth, in addition to getting the flu vaccine. Those who are sick should stay home from work or school to prevent spreading the illness to others and see a doctor if the illness gets worse or doesn’t begin to improve after a few days.
It was promoted as the “Official Opening” of the Joseph Brant Hospital; the television cameras were on hand with more guest chairs than one usually sees set out for this kind of event.
The Premier wasn’t on hand to turn over a cheque – the hospital has gotten all it is likely to get from the provincial government for some time.
Premier doing one of those Photo Ops – while checking in on a patient.
The Premier was there to do a tour of the new digs and to have one of those photo op conversations with a patient.
This was the first occasion we had to tour the new building – and it is very smart looking. A lot of effort went into making it look and feel like a nice place to be if you aren’t well.
People comment favourably over the view – most seeing the lake as the best side. Once you’ve seen a stretch of water what else is there to see other than a sunrise.
The view from the escarpment side are very very nice.
The corridors are wide, the colour scheme is soft, welcoming.
The rooms are large, really large.
Hospital president and CEO Eric Vandewall and MP Ted McMeekin
It is certainly a huge, huge improvement over what people had to put up with. Eric Vandewall has every reason to be proud of what he has done. Vandewall is quick to credit the team he had working with him – the job wouldn’t have been done as well as it was done without Vandewall’s leadership.
The Hospital Foundation now needs to round up a couple more million to complete the raising of the $60 million they were tasked with.
The next step for the hospital is to make itself a Centre of Excellence and show that this hospital is a lot different than what the public had to put up with.
The Premier seemed to be a little off her mettle this morning.
She didn’t sparkle. She seemed tired.
The Premier seemed to be a little off her mettle this morning. She didn’t sparkle. She seemed tired.
Ted McMeekin, her Loyal Servant and Subject was on hand to greet her when she walked in the new entrance.
He was joined by Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour, Eleanor McMahon, Burlington MPP and Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport along with Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of the Hospital and Chair of the Hospital Board Kathryn Osborne.
The Premier was in Burlington to tour the hospital and comment on the end of another busy construction season, celebrating significant progress on many hospital, school, transit, road and bridge projects across the province.
When we think of Niagara, we imagine an area that thrives almost by default. Aside from Toronto, it’s probably the biggest attraction in close proximity to Burlington, and it’s known the world over as a sort of natural wonder. This fall, however, there have been some troubling reports indicating that the area is experiencing some potentially serious financial woes.
The water isn’t as clean as many people think it is.
For the most part, these woes appear to be due to a dispute between the State of New York and the Seneca Nation of Indians. For some time now these two entities have essentially had an agreement in place to share revenue from the casinos in and around Niagara, which actually account for a great deal of Niagara’s budget. However, the dispute has resulted in disruption of incoming casino revenue for the city. Because of a hitch in the extension of the revenue sharing agreement, the Seneca have declared that they owe the State of New York no further payments – which, if they stick to it, will be a fairly devastating position.
New York is also in a fairly poor position to exert any sort of pressure on the casinos themselves. For one thing, the Seneca Nation is its own entity and appears to have every right to operate the venues independently. Additionally, however, if casinos did close or receive pressure, New York would risk losing gamers over the border. As we know, Canada has its own legal casino venues not too far from the area. And online casinos have become more popular as well, with iGaming sites and software providers partnering to create the most cutting edge games for those who would rather play online. In short, there are alternatives to the Seneca casinos just on the Canadian side of the Falls.
These are the core issues giving Niagara trouble, though it should be mentioned that tourism, too, could be in a precarious position. Naturally the Falls are the main draw to the area, and will always attract tourists regardless of what’s going on with the casinos. However, if there’s anything that can make the Falls less appealing as a destination, it’s probably the overflowing wastewater that’s been plaguing them of late. Just recently reports surfaced of a 15 million gallon discharge of “untreated sewage and stormwater” flowing out at the base of the American Falls, and it wasn’t the first time this season that something like this has happened. Naturally the Falls have a way of cleaning themselves up, at least to the naked eye – but think about how much 15 million gallons really is. The mere thought of that much sewage would give any traveller pause regarding whether or not to visit the area.
Fortunately, these issues shouldn’t have big enough economic consequences to directly affect Burlington, and they may even be limited largely to the U.S. side of the Falls. But it’s still a fairly significant issue for the greater area if these problems cause a significant crisis for Niagara.
They will be knocking on your door in the very near future – they might have done so already.
They are the Joseph Brant Hospital Fund raising volunteers
Canvassers will be wearing vests with the hospital logo and carrying an ID badge.
These canvassers are asking residents to join the Dedicated Donors Club with a monthly donation in support of our community hospital.
These donation are sort of like the promotion at the supermarket – you know those two for the price of one.
For every dollar you donate the Paletta Family will match that donation. Think about that – makes reaching the target a lot easier.
The Pasquale and Anita Paletta Family Match Challenge, which will run until $5 Million is donated and matched.
It was a rainy day – which didn’t seem to matter. Hundreds of Burlingtonians flooded into Spencer Smith Park and formed up unto a massive J in an attempt to set a new Guinness Book of Records number.
So far more than $3 Million has been raised and matched by the Paletta Family, bringing the New Era Campaign to over $56M: the goal is $60M goal.
This campaign will continue to raise awareness and funds in support of the redevelopment and expansion project currently underway at Joseph Brant Hospital.
Each canvasser will be wearing a vest and have photo I.D. which confirms they are working on behalf of the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.
The new front door to the Joseph Brant Hospital.
There is a short (two minutes) video that gives you nice look see of the new addition. Annisa Hilborn, President of the Hospital Foundation, tells the story about how the hospital got rebuilt. Worth the time viewing.
The Minister of Finance is going to be in Oakville DAY evening, supported by the two Burlington MP’s and the MP from Oakville.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, goes face-to-face with Finance Minister Bill Morneau
The event is set up as a Town hall with Minister Morenau on Proposed Tax Changes – Friday, September 29th
Pam Damoff, Karina Gould and Kevin Flynn will be in the room that is going to be packed beyond capacity.
One Burlington resident tried to register and was told that the event was SOLD OUT.
Kevin Flynn –
Pam Damoff, MP for Oakville Burlington North
Karina Gould, MP and Minister of Democratic Institutions
There are a lot of people who are not buying into the federal government’s plans to change the tax code and disallow feature of that code that have allowed high earners to move some of their income to family members who pay a lower tax rate.
Oakville and Burlington certainly have a high number of those high earners – should be a boisterous evening.
Event takes place at: Unifor 707 Galaxy Hall, 475 North Service Road East, Oakville, ON, L6H 1A5
Doors open at 8:00 AM, Town Hall meeting from 8:30-9:30 AM
In order to understand why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau are on the wrong track when it comes to small business taxation, Joe Gaetan explains that they have to understand what small businesses are all about, how they tick, the challenges they face and the risks they take.
“According to government statistics, approximately 80,000 new small to medium sized businesses (SME’s) are born and about 80,000 cease to exist each year.
Where does your funding come from?
“To start a business you need seed money, in 2014, 51.3 percent of SME’s sought external financing, compared with 48.7 percent that did not request external financing. If a small business owner funds his or her own business they are doing it with after tax dollars, something many people forget. If they borrow from a bank they will have to collateralize the loan which means if things go awry they could lose their home. Lacking both a credit history and the collateral needed to secure a loan, over 80 percent of start-ups face great risk by personally financing their new businesses. On top of that one should know that small business owners (SBO’s), doctors, farmers, restaurant owners are not tax cheats.
Retirement is not a sure thing.
“SBO’s have no pensions, let alone indexed pensions, no stock options with generous tax treatment, no health benefits, no sick day benefits, no vacation benefits, no golden parachutes and no help from Provincial and Federal politicians. When it comes to vacations and sick days, small business owners lose income when they are away, but their expenses continue and they usually experience a drop in income for however many days they are away. Generally speaking small business owners have no entitlements and no security blankets to get them through any rough patches. The same cannot be said for government workers, politicians, teachers and employees of many public and private enterprises.
“The government recently issued a 63-page white paper on small business taxation that requires an in-depth understanding of tax law, something most small business owners do not have. The paper targets, income sprinkling (income splitting), earning passive investment income in a corporation and converting a corporation’s ordinary income into tax-preferred capital gains, using net income examples that any business person would be happy to enjoy, but is far from representative of small business net-income .
“The article states that,” income sprinkling” (a catchy term used by Morneau to denigrate what is really income splitting),“is perhaps deemed the most offensive” and “the one that will likely have the broadest financial impact on small business owners and incorporated professionals”. The latter is an understatement if there ever was one.
They don’t exist in the private sector where the Small Business people thrive.
“Large banks or any large corporation for that matter, can put whomever they like on their board and can sprinkle them generously with stock options, that when exercised are favorably taxed, one could say “that” practice is a major loophole, but it isn’t, it is perfectly legal under our tax code. Why? Stock options usually carry a 10-year life span which allows the grantee the luxury of exercising them when the time is right and when exercised, only 50% of the gain is taxable. In lay terms, imagine how happy you would be if only half of your income was taxed.
“This is costing the government and therefore us about $800 million a year in lost tax revenue, but the government would sooner tax the small business owner.
“At present small business owners can share part of their income with their board of directors. That could include one or more members of the family, including their spouse and children. Money taken out by a family member would be taxed at the rate for the person who benefited from the income. The family member in question may have little or a lot to do with the day to day operation of the business. One of the arguments against this is, small business owners use this money to put their kids through school, but what about the free tuition that is granted to children of university employees, is that not the same thing, is that not a non-taxable benefit and therefore a loophole that needs to be plugged?
“To understand the full impact of the impact of the attack on “earning passive investment income in a corporation and converting a corporation’s ordinary income into tax-preferred capital gains, you should know that prudent small business owners keep between 90 to 180 days of cash in the bank to get them through low business cycles and unexpected events like Sep 11, 2001 or 2008, two events in recent times that had a negative effect on small and large businesses. Except the “too big to fail companies” were helped while small business had to surf through it with zero help.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, goes face-to-face with Finance Minister Bill Morneau Photo credit – THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
“So, if you are looking for income stability or longevity, starting an SME may not be your best choice, and especially after the Trudeau/Morneau juggernaut has gutted some of the few benefits of being a small business owner. Some of the so-called loopholes the Trudeau/Morneau team wish to eradicate are in fact are a legitimate vehicle by which small business try to squirrel money for their retirement years.
“If the government is serious about fair tax reform they should at least do the following:”
Lengthen the consultative window to at least 6 months
Start listening to the many non-partisan tax experts who understand the tax laws and small businesses and are ready willing and able to contribute in a meaningful fashion.
Joe Gaetan spent 13 of his fifty years of uninterrupted employment as a small business owner. He operated a Laser Smoking Cessation business, treating over 5,000 during the the life of the business. He retired from that business in 2013. Prior to that he worked for a Fortune 100 company.
Residents are going to have to figure out what they want to do this Sunday.
Both the Amazing Bed Race and the Terry Fox Run for cancer are taking place on Sunday the 17th.
Not at the same time but close together.
Beds will be on Brant Street – The Terry Fox Run will start in Spencer Smith Park and go to the canal and back for a distance of 4.5 km
Construction work being done on the eastern end of the Naval Promenade requires the Terry Fox event to shorten the distance this year and to keep all the traffic on the Waterfront Trail which will mean no bikes.
The Terry Fox run organizing committee has not been able to get city hall to do any jiggling of the times for the events so both are taking place on the same day.
Registration for the Amazing Bed race doesn’t take place until 11 am, by which time most of the Terry Fox run people are finishing up.
The city was not at all responsive to changing anything about the Bed Race. Craig Gardner said he found the city was getting “more intrusive by shutting roads even sooner – they close Brant at 8 am when our folks arrive. We asked if they could close at 9 and were told no.”
Registration for volunteers is 7:30 to 8am, registration for runners is 8 am(located parallel to the parking lot on the west side of Spencer’s restaurant on the grassy area by the Terry Fox Monument.
Runners will leave at 9 am and walkers/strollers leave at 10 am.
Once again because of the use of waterfront trail sadly NO BIKES.
Route map for the 36th annual Terry Fox Run – they have raised millions for cancer research. The design work was done by the good people at Striped Aardvark – check them out.
The Terry Fox run is particular poignant this year – the recent passing of Casey Cosgrove who was one of the moving forces behind the installation of the 3582 km marker in Spencer Smith Park will draw additional hundreds to the event.
Four Halton residents have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). These are the first human cases for Halton this year.
wev
“The Halton Region Health Department works diligently to reduce the risk of West Nile virus in our community through both education and preventative programs such as larviciding. Until the fall frost, Halton residents should continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites and remove mosquito breeding sites,” said Dr. Daniela Kempkens, Acting Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region.
“While 80 per cent of people infected with West Nile virus will have no symptoms, others will have West Nile fever consisting of fever, headache, muscle ache and a rash. If residents are concerned or experiencing symptoms, I would encourage them to visit their health care professional.”
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 and in places that hold standing water such as bird baths, plant pots, old toys, and tires.
Residents are encouraged to 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. • Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET or Icaridin. • Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings. • 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.
As part of its ongoing West Nile prevention program, Halton Region staff continually monitor areas of standing water, eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites and larvicide when mosquito larvae is found.
When it comes to public art – it is all really in the eye of the beholder. People like what they like and without any introduction to art in school – you get some pretty weird stuff.
Tucked in at the south end of the Art Gallery of Burlington is a donut shop with the name – Sunshine.
The Burlington Cream is not to be missed – but you have to be there early. At $4 bucks apiece that may seem a little extreme – d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!
While doing a photo feature on the current exhibit at the AGB we noticed Sunshine’s contribution to public art.
Tucked in at the south end of the Art Gallery parking lot. Get there early they do sell out. No such things as a day old donut.
You know the product is as good as it gets when you notice fire trucks on the way back to the station stopping in for a bite to eat.
No signs like this on Brant Street
When Sunshine first opened the hours were open until the production for the day had been sold.
They did a brisk business – the lemon cream was to die for.
Two batches of mosquitoes trapped this week in the City of Burlington have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV).
These are the first batches of WNV positive mosquitoes confirmed in Burlington this year.
In 2017, an additional four batches were confirmed in Oakville and one batch in Milton, for a total of seven WNV positive batches in Halton to date.
“The Halton Region Health Department works diligently to reduce the risk of West Nile virus in our community through both education and preventative programs such as larviciding,” said Dr. Julie Emili, Acting Medical Officer of Health, Halton Region. “We can all work together to keep our community safe and protect ourselves from West Nile virus by removing standing water sites that breed mosquitos and covering up or applying DEET or Icaridin when outside during dusk and dawn.”
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, typically in places that hold water such as bird baths, plant pots, old toys, and tires.
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. • Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET or Icaridin. • 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. • Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings. • 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.
To report standing water at public facilities or for more information about West Nile virus, please visit halton.ca/wnv, call 311 or e-mail wnv@halton.ca.
August 21st – the Official opening of the brand new and rebuilt parts of the Joseph Brant Hospital will take place – lots of hoopla and everyone being proud of a job well done.
Now we all have to figure out how to use the place.
Getting there will be different; the entrance will be in a different place and the drive will take you along Lakeshore Road as it cuts towards the lake edge.
The hospital communications usually do an excellent job of getting information out and in the early stages there will be all kinds of people on hand to get you to where you want to go.
The public has had to come of with $120 million of the cost of the new hospital – $60 million is being paid by the taxpayer – seperate line on your tax bill and an additional $60 million that is being raised by the hospital Foundation. They are in the final stretch of the fund raising effort.
For the immediate future the graphic below shows you the fundamentals.
It isn’t a big deal until there is a depot of someone being infected with the West Nile Virus (WNV).
The infections get to us from mosquitoes that care carrying the virus.
A batch of mosquitoes trapped last week in Oakville has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This is the first batch of WNV positive mosquitoes confirmed in Halton this year.
“The Halton Region Health Department works diligently to reduce the risk of West Nile virus in our community through both education and preventative programs such as larviciding,” said Dr. Daniela Kempkens, Acting Medical Officer of Health, Halton Region.
“We can all work together to keep our community safe and protect ourselves from West Nile virus by removing standing water sites that breed mosquitos and covering up or applying DEET or Icaridin when outside during dusk and dawn.”
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, typically in places that hold water such as bird baths, plant pots, old toys, and tires.
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. • Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET or Icaridin. • 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. • Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings. • 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.
To report standing water at public facilities or for more information about West Nile virus, please visit halton.ca/wnv, call 311 or e-mail wnv@halton.ca.
An infection prevention and control inspection conducted by the Halton Region Health Department on June 9, 2017, identified that clients who have received dental services at Upper Middle Dental operated by Dr. Vick Handa, located at 1900 Walkers Line in Burlington, Unit 4, may have been exposed to improperly cleaned instruments used for procedures.
“Improperly cleaned dental instruments carry a low risk of transmitting infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to clients,” said Dr. Daniela Kempkens, Acting Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region. “As a precaution, the Halton Region Health Department recommends that all clients who have ever received dental services at Upper Middle Dental contact their physician (or go to a walk-in clinic if they do not have a physician) to discuss testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).”
The Halton Region Health Department closed Upper Middle Dental. In addition, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) suspended Dr. Handa’s license to practice on June 12. A re-inspection by Health Department staff on June 14 confirmed that the dental office now meets the required infection prevention and control standards.
On June 16, the suspension was lifted by the RCDSO. The Halton Region Health Department has sent letters to past and current clients of the dental office to notify them and recommend they contact their physician.
“Infection prevention and control in dentistry is a critical issue for safe patient care,” said a spokesperson for the
RCDSO. “As a result, cases like this are extremely rare. Dentists are extensively trained on infection prevention and our mandatory continuous education program makes the subject a priority. The RCDSO is currently reviewing its Guidelines on Infection Prevention and Control in the Dental Office.”
For more information about hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, the inspection or investigation, please visit halton.ca or call the Halton Region Health Department at 311, 905-825-6000 or toll free 1-866-442-5866. For inquiries related specifically to Upper Middle Dental, please contact the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario by visiting rcdso.org.
The Liberal government is delivering on their budget promises and sending Cabinet Ministers out into the field to spread the good news.
Burlington MP Eleanor McMahon announced that the Joseph Brant hospital was to get $2.5. McMahon’s flu shot – she got that at a local pharmacy.
That got Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon over to the hospital this morning to make the announcement and chat things up with — Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital who said: “Joseph Brant Hospital welcomes the news of receiving an additional $2.5 million in funding, a 2.10% increase to invest in frontline care and enhance patient experience. This funding will ensure that important health care services and programs are maintained for the residents of Burlington and the surrounding area.”
Bit of a mix up with the numbers: Vandewall said the money was a 2.5% increase while the Minister, in her release puts it at 3.1% – not exactly chump change when we are talking in millions.
Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital
Vandewall, the highest paid civil servant in Burlington earns more than twice what we pay McMahon. He however has to pay for his parking; she gets to use a limo to dive her around from time to time.
Public service does have its perks.
The media release tells us that: “The Joseph Brant Hospital is getting an additional $2.5 million that will provide faster access to health care, expand crucial services and procedures, and improve the experience of patients.
“This investment in Burlington is part of a 3.1 per cent increase in hospital funding in the 2017 Budget to directly benefit patients at every public hospital across Ontario, and will:
Provide more access to cardiac services, critical care, organ/tissue donations and transplants, rare disease care, and bariatric services, as well as support for new and redeveloped hospitals
Improve access and reduce wait times for chemotherapy, stroke treatments, hip and knee replacements, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs)
Support service delivery by hospitals in high-growth communities, as well as small, medium, northern and rural hospitals, and mental health and stand-alone paediatric hospitals.
Ontario is increasing access to care, reducing wait times and improving the patient experience through its Patients First Action Plan for Health Care and OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare – protecting health care today and into the future.
The new patient tower at Burlington’s Joseph Brant Hospital is nearing completion and will be officially opened on August 21st. This is a long awaited modernization of a hospital that has had its problems in the past.
An architects rendering of the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital which will now face the lake. The entrance will be off Lakeshore Road with the new parking lot just to the west of the hospital.
The patient tower is part of the hospital’s more-than-$350-million redevelopment and expansion.
On a rain soaked day 2334 people gathered in Spencer Smith Park to try and break a Guinness world record for creating the largest human letter. It was a valiant effort – and the weather was the pits.
The city of Burlington had to come up with $60 million of that money with the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation raising an additional $60 million.
The redevelopment will house the new emergency department, cancer clinic, and intensive care unit, as well as operating rooms, and recovery and inpatient units.
There is an organization called the Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation that partners with high schools to teach the fundamentals of CPR and AED.
What do the acronyms mean?
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a combination of breathing and chest compressions. Performing CPR increases a cardiac arrest casualty’s chances of survival by keeping the brain supplied with oxygen until the person receives advanced medical care.
AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. An AED sends an electric shock through the chest to the heart to start the heard beating effectively again. Defibrillation given as soon as possible is the key to helping some people survive cardiac arrest.
Aldershot high school students being taught how to apply CPR and how to use an AED.
There are 28 high schools in Halton taking the training that will result in 7000 students empowered by their teachers with essential lifesaving skills every year. The media event for this program took place t Aldershot High School,
The high school mascot gets into the training.
The ACT Foundation is the charitable organization that is establishing CPR and defibrillator training programs in high schools throughout Ontario and across Canada. Mannequins and defibrillator training units are donated to schools and high school teachers are trained as instructors to train all students prior to graduation.
When used in conjunction with CPR in the first few minutes after a cardiac arrest, defibrillation can dramatically improve cardiac arrest survival rates by more than 50 per cent. Providing youth with the tools and confidence to intervene in a life-saving scenario is an important investment that will benefit everyone.
One student does CPR while a second students prepares the defibrillator.
This initiative will see high schools receive training equipment as a result of the Skills4Life Fundraising Campaign which has received the support of many community partners and service clubs. These include lead community partners, AstraZeneca Canada, Amgen Canada, and Boehringer Ingelheim Canada Ltd. Community partners are: Bayer, Halton Hills Hydro Inc., Kiwanis Club of Oakville Inc., Oakville Lions Club, Rotary Club of Acton, Rotary Club of Burlington Central, Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore, Rotary Club of Burlington North, Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar, and Takeda Canada Inc.
More than 700 CPR mannequins are being donated to high schools along with 85 defibrillator training units.
With eight in 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring at home or in public places, empowering youth with CPR training as part of their high school education will help increase citizen CPR response rates over the long term.
Media were invited to check out – a new truly comprehensive Medical Wellness Center.
Dr. Ira Price, internationally renowned for expertise in cannabinoid medicine is announcing a new Synergy Health Services clinic to serve Burlington area patients. An exciting new concept, the new clinic truly is a comprehensive Medical Wellness Center, adding vape yoga, massage, acupuncture, exercise therapy and a ground-breaking Cannabis Exploration Center to the Synergy model.
We were invited to join them for a gala to celebrate! We were to be treated to kombucha samples (including a special Kombucha Martini made by a guest mixologist!), wine and beer tasting, and tasty organic treats by Green Bar, Hamilton’s vegan cafe.
Catering was to be provided by JONNY BLONDE, a celebrated local eatery known for its chef inspired, locally farmed, anti-biotic-free ethical eats.
Members of the local business community who donated many great prizes for the exciting raffles that were to take place throughout the evening were going to be on hand.
This had the look of a great evening; something to talk about for weeks.
It is going to be a whole new product line.
Dr. Price seems to have come to term with the three-month suspension for misconduct given to him by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, for altering a medical record and misleading a college investigator.
Synergy Health Services’ website lists Price as an assistant clinical professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, at McMaster University.
We weren’t able to “celebrate this innovative new addition to the Burlington health landscape” – we had to work the next day.
Mark Kippin, an acting captain with the Burlington Fire Department, was recently recognized for saving a life while playing a hockey game at Appleby Ice Centre.
Acting Caption Mark Kippin holds a Challenge Coin which recognizes contributions to public safety, customer service and firefighter safety.
Kippin, who was off duty at the time, began early CPR with help from a teammate and used the arena’s public access defibrillator to deliver a shock to a resident who had collapsed.
“I was on the ice when I saw people running toward the change room and then I heard the call for help. Thankfully 911 was called right away and they quickly brought over the defibrillator as we started CPR. After the first shock, we got a pulse and stabilized him until the paramedics arrived.”
“I suppose I was in the right place at the right time. Without quick intervention and access to AEDs, these kinds of situations may have fewer positive outcomes.”
Halton Region’s Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program places Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public locations where there is a chance someone could suffer a cardiac arrest. Many of Burlington’s city facilities have AEDs.
By Staff
The people on West Haven, which run west off Kerns Road, are not opposed to the manufacturing of brick – but they do wonder if a quarry that was approved forty years ago is appropriate in what is now a built up neighbourhood.
The residents got even less than lip service from the politicians – “they have a license” said both the Mayor and the ward Councillor Rick Craven.
The West Haven residents incorporated a not for profit with the name Tyandaga Environmental Coalition (TEC) was the kind of community that could raise funds quite easily – they asked residents to pony up $500 per household. That gave TEC a war chest and they hired one of the better (perhaps the best) environmental lawyers – David Donnelly, one of the lawyers on the winning side of the fight to block the expansion of a quarry in the Escarpment.
Explaining the intricate detail on just how this carbon market almost defies description. Writing it would be a challenge – understanding it is something else – getting people to read it is another dimension.
Joe Gaetan spent 13 of his fifty years of uninterrupted employment as a small business owner. He operated a Laser Smoking Cessation business, treating over 5,000 during the the life of the business. He retired from that business in 2013. Prior to that he worked for a Fortune 100 company. 
• Cover up. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly-woven fabric.
The infections get to us from mosquitoes that care carrying the virus.
