 By Pepper Parr
July 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Council will debate the tax increases they expect to impose during a meeting on Monday.
They will dance around a lot of numbers – the ones that count and set out for you below.
The number that matter is the top line; that is the amount the city is going to levy.
When the city tax levy is added to the total tax bill it looks lower.
The city collects taxes for the Region and the Boards of Education
How did they get to the 7.97?
The Finance people, amongst the best in the province have done a very good job cutting and chopping – they are up against hard reality. The challenge for the taxpayers is to hope that the members of Council will spend more conservatively.
Tough weeks ahead for the city treasurer.
 By Staff
July 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Repair Café – that band of people who pop into a community offering to repair almost anything – they can’t repair computers or printers is back. They are inviting people to bring in their broken household appliances which the team does their best to fix free. All the person with that broken hair drier has to do is pay for any parts.
Next location is Tuesday, July 5th 3-7pm at the Aldershot Outdoor Market, 195 Plains Rd. East.
Burlington has hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who took early retirement or put in their 25 years and stopped punching a clock – and are looking for something to do that appeals to their better selves.
Some serve on committees, others join service clubs and others come up with an idea of their own and look for ways to make it happen. Hunter Lawson picked up the idea, tweaked it a bit, created a logo and some signs and called people he thought would be interested. They now meet in different parts of the city every month or so
Related news story
What they do at the repair cafe
 By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council decided January 2021 that there had to be a housing strategy that would make it possible for people to be able to live in Burlington and at some time in their lives buy a hone.
The provincial requirement that the city grow meant intensification had to take place which amounted to growing up – translate that to mean high rise towers – rather than growing out because there was no more greenfield land left.
At the same time the value of single family dwellings sky rocketed – due in part to cheap money from the banks and the realization that if you didn’t get into the marker now you might never get in.
Traditionally municipalities do not involve themselves in the supply of housing – they determine what can be built where through the zoning bylaw.
In June City Council took the first step in recommending the creation of a Housing Strategy.
The lead up to getting to the point was an 18 month process that resulted in a report yesterday that set out
12 actions – six of which were priorities
5 themes
5 pathways
1 vision
Most of the city departments were involved in putting the report together but there were five women who were at it every day of those 18 months.
It was a very proud day for Alison Enns and her team: Laura Daly, Kate Hill-Montague and Alexandra Mathers.
Increasing options for housing across the city was identified as a top priority and goal in the From Vision to Focus Plan. A key action item associated with this priority was ‘to complete the City’s Housing Strategy and implement the plan to address the needs related to young families, senior’s housing, affordable housing, special needs housing and newcomers by Q2-2022’.
A key action associated with this priority is to employ a range of communication and engagement tactics to ensure citizen involvement.
The objective was to
“…develop an innovative Housing Strategy for the City of Burlington that sets out policies, tools and actions to address residents’ housing needs now and in the future and will build on and support the Region’s Housing Strategy through the development of local solutions to housing issues in the City of Burlington.”
The Housing Strategy provides a road map for addressing local housing needs and increasing housing options that meet the needs of current and future residents at all stages of life and at all income levels. It identifies the key players in housing and their respective roles, including the role of the City of Burlington (See Action 1 of the Housing Strategy).
Burlington, as a lower tier municipality, has two key opportunities to do its part to “make moves” in addressing the broader housing crisis:
- First, through partnership and advocacy to help deliver the deep affordability and housing options needed by residents of Burlington within the lower income deciles; and
- Second, through focusing on implementing the direct actions that the City can take to increase housing options and opportunities for residents of Burlington within the middle-income deciles.
The key findings of the Housing Needs and Opportunities Report are summarized below:
- Rental housing supply is not meeting the needs of existing and future
- Housing is not affordable for many Burlington In the City of Burlington, the supply of housing that is affordable for all incomes is diminishing. In particular, home ownership for middle-income earners has become a challenge;
- Burlington residents do not feel there is enough diversity or options for housing in the City to meet residents’ needs throughout their lifecycle;
- As Burlington continues to grow and evolve, housing options will need to reflect this growth and change;
- As a lower-tier municipality, one of the greatest actions and areas of focus will be to leverage relationships with upper levels of government and local community organizations to advocate for housing affordability and foster partnerships for the delivery of housing to address needs across the continuum; and
- A lack of understanding among the general public about the benefits of a range and mix of housing options in the City often results in opposition to development that would address housing gaps.
The need was clear, what wasn’t as clear was how to get this done.
The pathway that Enns and her team had to determine was cluttered with what the other jurisdictions were doing.
The federal government was going to provide funds.
The Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) would be heavily involved
Ontario produced a report saying the people would just have to get used o the idea that there were going to be four plxes on streets that were single family dwellings. Try that idea on a city councillor who has to deal with property owners who say – certainly, great idea – but not on my street if you want my vote.
The Regional government had the task of determining what the urban growth boundaries were going to be – and had to work aganst a lot of deeply rooted resistance from the farming community.
Locally the team had to work within a planning department environment that was struggling to cope with close to impossible work loads and significant changes at the leadership level.
This was an initiative put in place by a city council was about half way through its term of office and at a time when the leadership of the Planning department was experiencing some stability issues.
The Chief Planner found that her position no longer existed on the City Organization Chart so was given the opportunity to find employment elsewhere taking a significant financial settlement with her.
Mayor Meed Ward was never able to create the kind of relationship she wanted with Mary Lou Tanner who was the Director of Planning, which made her departure inevitable at some point.
Despite this Allison Enns and her team were able to work very effectively.
The presented their report and got the endorsement they needed quite quickly. The recommendation vote was unanimous and went to Council on June 21st.
Then what?
Getting to this point meant loads of virtual meetings, all kinds of survey work. Enns was particularly good at creating a pause during a virtual meeting and doing a quicky survey of those participating on line
The Housing Strategy is underpinned by extensive technical work by Dillon Consulting and SHS Consulting
And of course there was an engagement plan that drew more than 1,400 responses over the course of 4 online surveys and hosting 6 virtual Open Houses.
One key element of the engagement was the Housing Strategy Working Group who along with the Steering Committee guided the preparation of the Housing Strategy.
The Housing Strategy identifies 12 Actions to move toward the vision for housing in Burlington. It provides a set of action-oriented housing objectives (Themes) and an associated implementation plan that also identifies a list of Prioritized Actions and Quick Wins.
 By Staff
June 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The week long schedule of Standing Committee meetings begins on Monday.
Don’t expect it to be as dramatic as the Council meeting last wee.
The part that is going to keep this Council behind closed doors for much of the time on Monday is the items on the Confidential Agenda.
Confidential reports may require a closed meeting in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001. Meeting attendees may be required to leave during the discussion.
5.1
Confidential human resources report providing a bargaining update for Local 2723 (HR-07-22)
Pursuant to Section 239(2)(d) of the Municipal Act, labour relations or employee negotiations.
 Oh to be a fly on the wall when this gets discussed. The city’s legal department is usually loath to let any information get out to the public. City Solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol has not had yo release this information in the past. 5.2
Confidential legal report – waive privilege to release external legal costs for Planning Act appeals completed during current term of Council (L-25-22)
Pursuant to Section 239(2)(f) of the Municipal Act, advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.
5.3
Confidential legal report – update on a litigation matter at 3200 Dakota Common (L-27-22)
Pursuant to Section 239(2)(e) of the Municipal Act, litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board.
 1025 Cooke Blvd: The proposal affects 1.08 hectares of land on the north side of Plains Road East, east of Waterdown Road. The redevelopment proposes two mixed-use, mid-rise buildings of 10 and 12 storeys with retail and service commercial uses at the street level and 450 residential units above. Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendment applications have been submitted. Access to the property is proposed off Cooke Boulevard and Clearview Avenue with parking located at the rear of the buildings and an underground parking garage. It is currently the site of Solid Gold – an adult entertainment operation. 5.4
Confidential legal report – update on Ontario Land Tribunal appeal for 53-71 Plains Road East and 1025 Cooke Blvd (L-29-22)
Pursuant to Section 239(2)(e) of the Municipal Act, litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board.
5.5
Confidential legal report – update on a litigation matter regarding a class action (L-32-22)
Pursuant to the following sections of the Municipal Act: Section 239(2)(a) the security of the property of the municipality or local board; Section 239(2)(e), litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; and Section 239(2)(f), advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.
Class actions are tricky business – no word yet from those who pass along information.
The public is now getting much more information on what is involved and who is involved. At one point Councillor Lisa Kearns complained about the public not even knowing the address of a development that had become a confidential legal matter.
 By Staff
July 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
It started mid-June and will run through to the end of August: Concerts in the Park a joint venture between the city and The Rocca Sisters; a real estate agency.
Beginning Sunday, June 19 and running each Wednesday and Sunday evening from 7:30 to 9 p.m. until Sunday, Aug, 28, 2022 there will be Concerts in the Park at the Central Park Bandshell (2311 New St. Burlington).
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy an evening of music under the open sky. If there is inclement weather, concerts will move inside the Music Centre if possible.
This evening – Sunday, July 3– Splendor in the Brass will be performing. Celebrate the music of the great pop and rock “horn bands” of the ’60s, ’70s,
 By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The street level reaction is beginning to come in now that people can see the 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol promised us. You get to watch a train wreck taking place live. Link to that stunning performance by the Mayor is set out below.
When the Mayor announced she was going to do some agenda management and moved directly to what she referred to as an Integrity Commissioner she was exercising a right that she had. The problem with the decision she made and the position she took is that there was nothing from the Integrity Commissioner. Click HERE and see for yourself. It wont take much more than a minute.
 Top row: Member of Council: Sharman, Galbraith and Nisan watching in stunned silence. Bottom row Councillor preparing to leave the meeting and Clerk Kevin Arjoon struggling to maintain some order. He never did find a way to bring the Mayor to order on the several occasions when he should have. FACT: Also the the Integrity Commissioner did not write a report to Council .
FACT: The Mayor had no right to bring something onto the agenda without a majority vote to waive the procedural by-law.
FACT: The apology was a private matter. Councillor Stolte had chosen to apologize during non-debatable statements by Councillors. That was entirely her right to choose how she wanted to proceed.
Most of the remarks set out below are from Gazette readers. We didn’t make this stuff up. All asked not to be identified.
One writer said it “was not not clear how the Mayor had any ability to make a private matter public”; that didn’t deter the Mayor.
Some readers wondered “just where City Clerk was in all this” – he never did have control of the meeting which is what he was hired to do.
“Ms. Gartside clearly knew the matter was both private and not on the agenda. It is hard to imagine that she was a willing participant in what occurred.
“In the world of politics and drama, some scenes are meant to be watched, especially when you have no lines.”
The Integrity Commissioner can expect to be quite busy for some time yet – assuming he doesn’t drag his heels and then decide that this cannot be investigated or reviewed before the election.
Someone somewhere is going to have to do something to get this Council to the point where they walk their talk about Good Governance.
They all expect to be re-elected.
Related news story:
The event: the Mayor and her train wreck
A small poll on what readers thought the Mayor should do
 By Staff
July 2, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward taking part in a Council Standing Committee meeting.
The first of our polls has been completed.
We asked: Should Mayor Meed Ward be apologizing to the public?
The response for something that was new and different for our readers was more than satisfactory.
The response was slightly above 10% of the people that saw the poll.
Our plan at this point is to publish a poll on the Sunday of each week and report on the results on the Thursday – last thing in the day.
We will set up our polling service so that people can look at the results of previous polls once they are complete.
You won’t be able to see the results of a poll while it is running – unless and until you have voted. We didn’t want people to see the results and then go with the majority.
The poll is set up so that you cannot vote more than once on any one question.
We’d like to get that response rate up to a 25% level.
And, if you have a question that you think should be polled – pass it along.
The results from the first poll are set out below.
Please keep in mind that this poll was taken BEFORE the Gazette published a video of the council meeting that was so disruptive.
By Pepper Parr
July 2nd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier in the month, June 21st, during a city council meeting, the Mayor and a member of Council went at it.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward taking part in a Council meeting on June 21st, virtually from London, Ontario where she was attending the university graduation of her daughter. The Mayor, who has the right to revise a Council meeting agenda, decided that she was going to put an Integrity Commissioner matter at the top of the Agenda during which she expected Councillor Shawna Stole to read out an apology to a city staff member.
Stolte had already advised the Mayor that she would be making her agreed upon apology to Georgie Gartside, staff member with two decades of service, during the Councillor Comments part of the council meeting.
An item on the formal agenda is debatable, which would have permitted Council members to add their views. Councillors Nisan and Galbraith were the pair that took a complaint against Stolte to the Integrity Commissioner earlier in the year and resulted in the Commissioner recommending that she be docked five days pay.
Pay attention to the facial expressions and body language of these two council members.
The facial expressions were revealing. Councillor Sharman didn’t say a word; Galbraith kept this expression on his face throughout most of the meeting, Nisan hid from the camera most of the time. Stolte is shown packing up her stuff and leaving her seat at the council table. Clerk Kevin Arjoon will tell his friends it was the most contentious meeting her was every involved in. Know that Mayor Meed Ward was not in the Council Chamber, she was in London, Ontario attending her daughter’s university graduation.
The irony of all this is that on the 21st of June Councillor Stolte was the Deputy Mayor and filled in for Meed Ward when she had to leave the meeting.
A Council members Comments at the end of the meeting are not debatable.
Mayor Meed Ward used the lame excuse that Gartside wanted the item at the top of the agenda and not at the end so she would not have to listen to the full meeting to hear the apology that she took part in crafting and had approved.
That kind of behaviour gives the phrase “your pound of flesh” a whole new Better.
During the meeting we heard “point of order” and “point of personal privilege” being tossed around like horse shoes at a fall fair.
The Gazette has reported on this in the paste. We decide to take the time to excerpt the full discussion (it’s just shy of 14 minutes long) and ends with Councillor Stolte leaving her seat at the council table.
We didn’t cut a word.
We do have some comments following the video.
The video CLICK here
 By Pepper Parr
July 2, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
A look at the nominations in place for the seat of Regional Chair, one can’t help but see several layers of political intrigue.
The first out of the gate was an announcement from MP Jane McKenna that she would not run for the Burlington seat in the provincial legislature but would run for the chair of the Region.
That had a lot of the senior people at the Region sucking in air: McKenna as the Chair of the Region?
In the meantime the sitting Chair Gary Carr moved from his rural home in Milton to downtown Burlington leading many to conclude that Carr was hanging up his spurs.
 Gary Carr tasting honey on a Regional farm tour. Carr was seen as a Conservative; her served as the Oakville MPP for period of time and at one point was speaker of the Legislature.
For McKenna to decide to run as Chair of the Region the assumption was that she had cleared it with Carr.
The Gazette has not interviewed Carr – we were preparing to interview him as he exited local politics.
Unless there is a huge change in the way Gary Carr handles himself in the next couple of months, he will be returned to office and Jan McKenna will be looking for another job.
However, the world of politics nothing is certain.
The Regional level of government is often not fully understood. The issues they handle are a little removed from the services people look to each day.
Waste management, water and sewers, social services, maintaining an Official Plan that the municipal sector has to comply with. The work done at the Regional level applies to every municipality.
Besides being a professional hockey player Carr was a Member of Provincial Parliament, Speaker of the Ontario Legislature and later a Member of Parliament.
Gary Carr is tired – he has been at it for a long time and has ensured that the Region is stable, that the budgets are manageable and that the people of the Region feel safe.
 Jane McKenna at a Freeman Station event Is this a job he really wants? My response would be probably not but the thought of having Jane McKenna as Regional Chair was enough to have Carr putting his hockey pads back on.
But then – out of the blue (red actually because she is a Liberal) Andrea Grebenc files her papers to run for the Regional Chair.
 Andrea Grebenc, former Halton District School Board trustee, served as chair and sough the Burlington nomination for the provincial Liberals Andrea who?
Pay attention to this one. She was Chair of the Halton District Board of trustees for two terms and developed a profile that had CBC and the Toronto Star going to her for comments on the state of education in the province at a time wen a public voice was badly needed.
Grebenc was bold in her comments and not afraid to think well outside the box and ask the awkward question. Jumping from trustee to Regional Chair is a leap – but if Carr is tired and McKenna is a non-starter and if the public is prepared to listen to a bright almost 50 year old parent with significant depth in Information Technology – it could happen.
Would it be a good thing for the Region: probably. The Staff at the Regional level is for the most part very good. They would help her ease her way into the job and soon realize that there is depth and the capacity for seeing the bigger picture.
For the record, Grebenc appears on the list of people running, McKenna’s name is there, no address; think she is still in the little blue house.
Gary Carr’s name does not appear but he has sent out a tweet indicating he will be running
More on these three candidates going forward.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
June 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Set out below are the Council Standing Committee meetings that will take place in the week ahead. It is a whack of a work load with some critical items that have to be debated.
It will be the last council meeting at which council members can make decisions that involve the spending of money.
After that they are seen as a lame duck council that is heading for Election Day with every one of them hoping to be elected.
After five solid days of discussion and debate – and who knows what else from a council that has become rancorous, argumentative and an embarrassment to themselves and the city – they hold a council meeting on the 12th to vote on the recommendations made during the Standing Committee meetings.
This is not the way you engage a public.
Honest public engagement is when you state your case and give the public time to review what they have learned, talk to neighbours and decide if they want to delegate.
 How well has this council served the interests of the citizens of the city? They get a D – on the engagement scale. Delegation with this council amounts to making your views known – but not asking questions.
Burlington badly needs a Council that will review their Procedural bylaw and find a way to come up with an approach that has more than lip service.
Jim Thompson recently said what many think. As he was preparing to deliver his delegation he paused and said:
Okay, first thing I want to say is that I find that your opening remarks are patronizing. If I don’t get any questions here, it doesn’t mean that the council understood me perfectly clearly.
It just means you don’t want to ask questions or engage. So with that, can I have the next slide please?
A link to the complete story on that comeuppance this council deserved is set out below.
The schedule:
July 4 2022, 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM
Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee
July 5 2022, 9:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee
July 6 2022, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Audit Committee
July 7 2022, 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM
Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee
(The 11:30 pm is an error – Clerk’s office mistake)
July 11 2022, 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee
July 12th, 2022 1:00 pm
City Council
Jim Thompson smack council on the side of the head.
 By Staff
June 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Holiday weekends in Burlington means hundreds of people head for the Beachway – one of the best beaches in the province.
Sunny weather increases the traffic – and the traffic looks for parking spaces.
Prior to the pandemic the situation got out of hand and the city had to come up with a way to control the parking.
There was a point where with no rules in place vehicles, often pick up trucks parked wherever they could find a spot.
The city came up with a set of rules that resulted in paid parking and they found a way to protect people in the Region from having to pay.
 One of the best stretches of beach in the province The Beachway is a Regional park managed by the city.
 The Beachway is a play place. Now you have to pay for parking in the Beachway.
Fees will be charged from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends – until the last weekend in September: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022.
Parking fees can be paid through the HONK mobile app. Users do not have to download the app – they scan the QR code on parking lot signage to pay for parking.
 A camera does it all for you. The hourly rate of $2.50 or a daily flat rate of $20. Users can scan the QR Code or download the HonkMobile app. There is a transaction fee of $0.35 for each payment. Dashboard tickets are not needed as every payment is linked to a license plate number. Parking ambassadors are onsite to assist visitors with this process.
 You get ticketed when you do this – some of them got towed. Illegally parked vehicles will be issued tickets and/or towed. Drivers are reminded not to park illegally, especially on Lakeshore Road shoulders and the grass boulevard over the pipeline as they will be towed.
Parking is free in Downtown Burlington on weekends and holidays. Beachway visitors are encouraged to extend their walk or use the drop-off zone, park for free in the downtown and meet their household members at the beach. For parking downtown, visit burlington.ca/downtownparking.
Visitors are also encouraged to consider taking Burlington Transit, cycling, walking or rolling to the beach and leaving their cars at home.
 Premier comes through – cuts the gas tax Also starting May 21, Halton residents can take advantage of 10 free days of parking per year at Beachway Park. It is recommended that residents wait to fill out the parking exemption form once they’ve arrived at the beach and parked in a legal parking spot. The exemption doesn’t guarantee a spot, but it does give residents free parking for the day.
There is a bit of a bright spot – the Premier lifted some of the gas tax – you’ll save 5.7 cents per litre. If you tank is big enough the savings just might cover the cost of parking.
 By Pepper Parr
June 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
We are beginning to see a more active phase of the October municipal election.
 Gary Carr has been Regional Chair for some time – was expected by many to retire.. Did the McKenna decision to run for Regional Chair change his mind? Gary Carr has decided he will run for re-election. Was that decision influenced by Jane McKenna’s decision to run for the Regional Chair.
 Andrea Grebenc did a top notch job as the Halton District School Board where she served as chair for two terms. Then along comes Andrea Grebenc, former chair of the Haltom District School Board of Trustees – a surprise entrant who might go on to surprise everyone.
Expect to see a statement from Shawna Stolte who has filed her papers to run for the ward 4 seat that she won in 2018.
 Shawna Stolte, after a turbulent couple of months has filed her nomination papers. Will her ward see it the way she saw things? The decisions made by these three deserves some analyses – why and what can the public expect.
Enjoy Canada Day and come back on the weekend for an update.
 By James Snow
June 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Summer can mean travel to relaxing locations – take your hobbies with you Summer is finally here and that means time off to enjoy the sun with our friends and family. But while it’s great to be on holiday, most of us miss having a sense of routine while we are away. In this article we are going to go a little deeper on this, talking about some ways you can optimize your summer and make the most of your time off, so that you don’t need a vacation from your vacation when you get back.
1: Take your hobbies with you
When we are on vacation, we want to be present and engaged with whatever is going on where we are, but what we don’t really plan for is all the time between our activities. Waiting for people to get ready in the morning, the afternoon rest before going back out and enjoying yourself, all those little moments in between all the fun. And this is where your hobbies come in. If you love playing casino games, finding a new online casino to enjoy while you are away can be the perfect way to relax and unwind – and not get annoyed at waiting for other people. Pick some fun games ahead of time so that you know what you want to play and can enjoy it, effortlessly, while on vacation.
 2: Make sure you listen to your body
With a hot summer ahead of us and temperatures throughout Europe reaching record heights in the early summer, libraries will be open so that people can cool off. Getting a heat stroke is not exactly a fun part of vacation, so stay cool by finding air-conditioning, staying in the shade and drinking enough water and eating enough snacks between meals. Listening to your body is one of the best ways to ensure you’ll end up having a great time.
3: Plan ahead of time
While summer and fun should be spontaneous, lack of planning can lead to less optimal situations – like overbooked restaurants, long lines at attractions and not knowing what you want to spend your time on. Planning ahead of time is not the same as having an agenda, it’s just a really good way to make sure that you have great options to choose from, instead of having to think of things at the last minute. It increases the chance of having a really good time!
By Staff
June 29th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The inaugural Lynx Air flight into Hamilton airport from Halifax took place yesterday afternoon.
This adds to the commercial destinations that depart from Hamilton to include Halifax, Edmonton, and Calgary.
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Smaller airlines are finding that Hamilton International is cheaper to work out of and quite easy to get to for many people.
 The inaugural Lynx Air flight from Halifax is greeted by an arch of water from welcoming fore trucks. Quite impressive Photo by Cayla Awalt As of July 30, 2022, Lynx will service Calgary to Halifax five times per week and increase flights from the Greater Toronto Area to seven times per week. Starting July 14, Lynx will service Edmonton to Halifax twice per week.
Vijay Bathija, Chief Commercial Officer for the company told the reception that: “We know there are a lot of personal connections between Atlantic Canada, Western Canada and the Greater Toronto region; they want to build on those connections
Lynx define themselves as a new ultra-affordable airline, on a mission to make air travel accessible to all Canadians, and in keeping with that mission, Lynx is offering fares to Halifax from as low as $59* one-way.
Lynx’s network spans 10 destinations across Canada, including Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Hamilton, Halifax and St. John’s. The airline operates a fleet of brand-new, fuel-efficient Boeing 737 aircraft and plans to grow its fleet to more than 46 aircraft over the next five to seven years.
When they say “ultra affordable they weren’t kidding. For that $59 you get a one way ticket that includes a seat and one piece of luggage.
You pay for everything after that.
Bathija, speaking during the ceremonies said no one ever raved about the food on an airplane, suggesting that passengers might think about eating at an airport restaurant.
The better suggesting was to bring your food with you – instead of packing a lunch bucket to take to the construction site – pack a lunch to eat on the place.
When you book your ticket in Lynxair.com you get a list of the choices. They send you an email 72 hours before the flight reminding you what is offered and you just enter your choices and it will be there when you board.
This is an important event for the Hamilton airport and an improvement in the destinations available for people in the western GTA.
More later on the growth of the airport – it is no longer just a cargo operation.
The close to packed passenger lounges attested to that.
By Staff
June 29th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Natalie Pierre, has been named as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities.
That was no mean feat. Somebody in the Premier’s Office saw something in Ms Pierre that er have not been able to see.
 Natalie Pierre went from a person most people had never heard of to a Parliamentary Assistant in the second Doug Ford government. Good on her for getting the appointment.
It took her predecessor years to be made a Parliamentary assistant.
By Staff
June 29th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an event many were waiting for – especially those organizations that were nominated.
  And it was an event that Terry Caddo had been looking forward to – Terry wants to be with his membership and running events that were drawing small groups was not what he had in mind.
Last night the Burlington Chamber of Commerce hosted their 2022 Business Excellence Awards!
Two hundred and fifty people took part with mc Joseph Tassoni, the Burlington fashion designer and entrepreneur, to celebrate the finalists and winners.
This year, the Business Awards Task Force was tasked with the challenge of presenting eight Awards of Excellence. The Chamber named 21 local organizations as finalists of awards in a variety of categories. Award nominations were based on overall business excellence and the criteria include excellence in business leadership, community contributions, entrepreneurship, environment, employee welfare, innovation and market growth.
The Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Business Excellence Awards Winners are:
• Hospitality & Tourism: QB Sports Bar Grill Games. Accepted by Stephanie Morden, Manager
• Manufacturing: B.S.B. Manufacturing Limited. Accepted by Narinder (Nindi) Bhogal, President
• Not-For-Profit: Food For Life. Accepted by Graham Hill, Executive Director
• Retail: Joelle’s and Jeff’s Guyshop. Accepted by Joelle Goddard-Cooling, Owner
• Service, Business-to-Business: Stratus Building Solutions. Accepted by Shafiq Mohamed,
President
• Service, Business -to-Consumer: Burlington Denture Clinic. Peter Iapichino, Owner/Denturist
• Service, Large: TipTapPay Micropayments Limited. Accepted by Chris Greenfield, CEO
• Young Entrepreneur: Joe Apps Technology Support. Accepted by Joseph Apps, Head Joe
The Gazette will follow up with a closer look at these organizations and the people that keep the doors open.
By Amy Hogan
June 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
With nearly 10 million square kilometers, Canada offers a lot of amazing places that you should see. We frequently attempt to go overseas, go swimming in the ocean, or experience a different culture on our holidays or long weekends. Our nation, however, has a wider range of experience.
 Travel starts when you are behind the wheel of your car with cell phone camera in your hands to record every kilometre It is a fantastic time to hop in your car, travel outside of Burlington, and explore new sights. When going on a road trip, many people prefer to rent a car rather than take their vehicle. Thus, you get a fully serviceable vehicle, and also do not increase the mileage of your car. Additionally, this is a fantastic opportunity to hire the automobile you’ve always wanted.
Burlington offers a ton of fantastic vehicle rental options. Among them are Enterprise, Thrifty, Hertz, and Sixt. Local car rental services can be compared to the best car rentals in Dubai such as Evolve which offers a huge variety of cars to rent from economical to exotic. Car rentals offer affordable prices and first-class service.
We’ll discuss the out-of-Burlington road trips you should take to learn more about our country.
Georgian Bay Coastal Route, Ontario
Prepare yourself for one of the most amazing and lengthy road adventures of your life. The two thousand kilometers coastline road offers a terrific opportunity to take in some of the most stunning sights. Most make some stops for:
- Hiking through dense forests and winding paths on Manitoulin Island;
- Well-liked summer vacation spot – Wasaga Beach;
- Cultural education and a relaxing holiday in the friendly town of Midland;
- Family camping on the craggy shorelines of the Awenda Provincial Park;
- Swimming in the clear waters of Killbear Provincial Park;
- Communication with the small but hospitable community in the village of Killarney.
- The village of Killarney.
 Niagara Falls – one of the greatest sights in the world. Don’t miss this one when you travel – half an hour away from Burlington. You should include the Chatham-Kent Corridor in your schedule in addition to the main tourist attractions because you will have to go via more than 20 towns there. You will be able to photograph some of the most stunning lakes in the nation along the journey, including Lake Erie, and the Thames River. Your route is much condensed after leaving Burlington, but you will ultimately reach Amherstburg.
The greatest time to travel this road is right now since nature and its vistas are just hard to resist. Make sure to see Niagara Falls, which is the most important location in the entire country.
Icefields Parkway, Alberta
This is the finest road trip in the entire globe, not just in the country. Every year, tens of thousands of people from across the globe go to Canada for this thrilling four-wheel experience.
There are more than 230 kilometers throughout the trip. The two national parks of Banff and Jasper will be significant destinations along the itinerary. After seeing them, you will truly enjoy the imposing mountains, tall waterfalls, glistening lakes and rivers, and, most significantly, the powerful glaciers. It will take around three to four hours to get from one national park to another, but it’s important to note that you could wish to stop at the Columbia Glacier for the entire day along the route. It’s the ideal location for adding to your Instagram photo library and a fantastic option to go hiking.
 Those mountains create ice fields that are slowly receding – but you can walk on them when you visit, The most popular stops are:
- Bow Lake;
- Peyto Lake & Bow Summit;
- Big Hill & Big Bend;
- Glacier Sky Walk.
This road trip is often taken by most individuals in the early summer or early fall. However, if you want to choose a less crowded season to go, you might think about doing the road trip in October, but be aware that it will rain frequently.
Montreal to Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec
If you choose to begin your journey from Montreal and travel down one of the most picturesque highways to the Gaspé Peninsula, an intriguing adventure is in store for you. Typically, the journey might take up to 10 hours. For those who enjoy viewing overhanging cliffs and pine trees, this path is perfect.
 The Gaspe coast miles of incredible views The main stops you can make are:
The town of Rimouski, which is a great place to stay for the night;
Capture the spectacular scenery in Percé;
Drop by Old Quebec, the most French-speaking area;
Set out on this road journey from early June to mid-September.
Conclusion
The number of road adventures available in the country is much more than what is represented above. They are the most thrilling, though. They are magnificent because they offer a wonderful opportunity to enjoy both urban and country activities.
By Staff
June 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Totally focused
C.H. Norton PS in Burlington will be open for registration during the summer for in-person registration on specific dates
Although schools are closed in July and the first three weeks of August, the Halton District School Board is offering families of elementary students the opportunity to register their child(ren) for school this summer for the start of school in September.
Registering at this time helps the Board prepare for the upcoming school year and provides students more time to become familiar with their new school.
The following elementary schools are open to families to register their Kindergarten – Grade 8 child(ren) in Halton:
• In-person registration for all elementary schools in Oakville is available at Oodenawi Public School (385 Sixteen Mile Dr, Oakville) July 11, 12, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• In-person registration for all elementary schools in Milton is available at Viola Desmond Public School (1450 Leger Way, Milton) July 14, 15, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• In-person registration for all elementary schools in Burlington is available at C.H. Norton Public School (2120 Cleaver Ave, Burlington) July 11, 12, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Families can find their local school by visiting the HDSB’s Find My Local School webpage.
 High school students taking part in a cooking class Secondary students (Grade 9-12) new to the HDSB can register for school when all secondary school offices reopen on Monday, Aug. 22. All HDSB school offices will reopen the week of Aug. 22.
Families are asked to bring the following original documents when registering:
• Proof of age: birth certificate, passport, or baptismal/faith record for your child.
• Proof of address (any two of the following documents): lease or deed, car registration, utility bill, residential telephone bill, moving bill, property tax bill, bank statement, credit card statement, correspondence with a government agency. Note: A driver’s license will not be accepted as documentation for “proof of address”.
• Proof of citizenship: birth certificate, passport, Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Permanent Resident Card.
• If you are not the parent and your child is under 18 you must provide proof of custody (court order).
For more information, call 905-335-3665, ext. 3324 or Toll free: 1-877-618-3456.
Welcome Newcomer Families
Newcomer families ready to begin the school registration process must complete the Welcome Centre Intake Form for Registration. Families new to Ontario and who speak another language other than English are asked to complete the Where Do I Register My Child? Form to determine where the registration process begins.
The Welcome Centre will follow regular office hours (8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday to Friday) for the week of July 4. From July 11 to Aug. 18 inclusive, the operating hours will be 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday to Thursday, with the centre closed on Fridays.
The Welcome Centre is open to visitors and can offer in-person or virtual assessments on an appointment basis. Beginning Aug. 22, 2022, the Welcome Centre will return to regular office hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. To book an appointment, email welcomecentre@hdsb.ca or call 905-335-3665, ext. 3440.
By Staff
June 29th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Museums of Burlington announces the outdoor music evenings on select Friday nights in July and August.
 Experience the beauty of summer nights on the grounds at Ireland House Museum with live acoustic music. The garden stage will feature local musicians. Each night will feature a different genre. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. Bring the whole family and don’t forget your own blankets and/or lawn chairs.
Admission is “pay what you can”, the suggested donation is $5/person (cash, debit or credit accepted). Donations will be collected at the front and back gates of Ireland House Museum. Your donation provides support to the exhibitions, collections management, special events and education programs that bring our mission to life. The Museums strive to make our facilities accessible to diverse audiences across our community.
Advance sign-up is recommended. Walk-in guests are welcome space permitting.
Performers and dates:
Friday, July 15 | Country Night | Haley Verrall
Friday, July 29 | Top 40s | Rosewood Acoustic Duo
Friday, August 12 | Family Night |Music with Miss Michelle
Friday, August 26| Millennial Mix | Dan Taylor
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm each evening
By Pepper Parr
June 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Nice to see the Mayor out on the hustings with her colleagues.
Yesterday she told the people of Aldershot that they could meet with Ward 1 council member Kelvin Galbraith at a Pop Up at the LaSalle Park Marina.
Today it was ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan who was blessed when he met with the Mayor and the owners of DesiMando, a new grocery store catering to the needs of the South Asian community. Months before an election is photo op time.
Wonder when she will appear with the other members of Council?
Word out there is that Roman Talkowski is a co-campaign manager for the Meed Ward campaign.
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