 By Pepper Parr
March 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
We asked the Ontario Liberal Party what there was in the way of plans to ask for a Judicial recount of the votes cast in the February 27th provincial election.
Eric Osborne, an Ontario Liberal Party staff member told the Gazette: “We are currently looking into a request for a recount and are hoping to have a decision made in the coming days.”
 There are 401 ballots that were not allocated to a candidate. In the event that the Courts decide that a Judicial recount is justified these are the ballots that will get a close look. The following data was published by Elections Ontario:
175 ballots were rejected as to marking
148 ballots were unmarked by voter
78 voters were declined by voters
Would a closer look at those ballots result in reconsideration?
That is what will be discussed when the application for a Judicial recount is made.
The Legislature is not scheduled to return until March 17th.
 Natalie Pierre at 11:30 p.m. on election night. At that time final results were still not in giving Pierre a slim 345 vote lead over Liberal candidate Andrea Grebenc. The final count had Pierre with a 40 vote lead.  The Andrea Grebenc campaign has said they will not be making any statements.
Natalie Pierre doesn’t talk to media.
By Albert Denim
March 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Travel, the one luxury many of us would say that we can’t do without. As we know, Canada, and particularly our home of Burlington, is a place that spoils us with destinations to visit and stunning landscapes to take in. However, sometimes we want to make it a little bit further than our own neighbourhood, spread our wings, and make that travel international. In some cases, that even extends to visiting our neighbours to the south – the good old US of A.
 Beaches and casinos – almost as far as the eye can see. One destination often overlooked – largely because of its proximity to one of the world’s biggest metropolises, New York – is Atlantic City. Yes, it might be dwarfed in its scale by another casino-adjacent center of tourism in Las Vegas, but it has a lot going for it on a number of different fronts.
So what should Canadian visitors to New Jersey’s answer to Vegas know about the city and what tips should they follow?
A Casino Destination Without Hours of Travel
Las Vegas is the biggest gaming destination in the US. In fact, it can probably claim to be the biggest in the world, alongside Macau and Monaco. However, Burlington to Vegas means at least five hours of travelling if you’re going by air. Otherwise, you’re looking at a huge two-day driving time. Alternatively, a trip on the road from Burlington to Atlantic City and its nine casino venues is a much less daunting nine hours – that’s just one hour for every casino.
Convenience is a big part of modern life, and it goes beyond just travel times and choosing your destination. If Atlantic City wasn’t an option, Canadians would find themselves faced with the lengthy journey to Vegas.
However, the Internet has made a massive change to that, and this is evidenced by the boom in sites like Karamba casino CA, where players can use their computer or mobile device to play the table games or slots found at Vegas casino floors. No longer are players required to visit physical locations.
Keep the Budget in Check by Booking Smart
Travel isn’t cheap and we’re certainly feeling the pinch in 2025. Once you’ve factored in your travel, food, and accommodation, you can very quickly start to see your cost spiral. If you’re not careful, you’ll have to cut back on what you wanted to do while there. It doesn’t matter if that’s eating, gambling, or even just having a couple of beers.
However, to keep the restrictions of expense at bay, there are things that you have control over. For example, Hotels.com explains that Atlantic City is a big weekend destination for tourists, meaning the hotels are booked up. It makes sense – who wouldn’t want a night out on the town over the weekend?
But if you’re willing to make your trip a midweek one, without sacrificing the fun of Atlantic City, you will be able to find much cheaper hotels. That, coupled with free drinks and food at the casino tables, can help you save some extra cash for other uses.
Use New Jersey as a Base for Further Exploration
Atlantic City isn’t just nearby as far as us Burlington residents are concerned. New Jersey sits in a unique position, close to a number of great destinations for tourists. Yes, we may have had some rivalry with New York over the years, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the Big Apple is a great city.
 The city that never sleeps: Hop, skip and a jump from Atlantic city. Visiting NJ doesn’t mean you have to stay in NJ. Instead, make the short hop over to the City That Never Sleeps and grab a sliver of pizza, take a walk through Central Park, or catch a show on Broadway.
And it’s not just New York City that you should visit. If you’re on something of a road trip or happy grabbing a train, you can visit other great cities like Philadelphia. If you manage to line your dates up just right, you could drop in and attend a Philadelphia Eagles game, fresh on the back of the franchise winning the 2025 Super Bowl.
Then, if you’re something of a politico, you can reach a little further out and make the journey to the United States’ capital city, Washington D.C. – though, that may be a little dry. Either way, there’s plenty going for Atlantic City!
By Staff
March 5th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Meed Ward has packed her bags and is in the United States with other Mayors who are part of the Ontario Big City Mayors group.
In an update to the community the Mayor said:
“Today’s imposition of tariffs by the United States will severely affect Canadian and American jobs, businesses, and the economy. Canada has responded appropriately with counter tariffs; it is hoped this will bring the US to the negotiating table for the benefit of both countries.
“In my role as Chair of Ontario Big City Mayors, I have been invited to join a delegation of Mayors and Councillors travelling to Washington March 3-7 as part of the annual meetings for Great Lakes Day organised by Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward “The delegation will be meeting with US counterparts and congressional decision-makers in Washington to discuss our vital business relationship, integrated supply chains, and the impacts of 25% tariff and counter tariffs on Canadian and US products.
“The key message of the Canadian delegation is that tariffs hurt both sides of the border. We know municipalities will be on the front lines of this trade war, and developing strong relationships with US Mayors and Regions will help us to speak with one voice to decision-makers to support strong bilateral trade and respect for trade agreements.
“Burlington is prepared to do our part. Working with Paul Sharman, Deputy Mayor of Strategy and Budgets and Kelvin Galbraith, Deputy Mayor of Business and Red Tape Reduction, I have established a Tariff Task Force of community stakeholders to share information and inform our response and advocacy. I also directed staff to launch the “Buy Canadian” resource page, and brought a “Buy Canadian” resolution in Burlington City Council and Halton Regional Council, which were unanimously passed.
“Working with the Cities Initiative is another opportunity to advance the interests of Burlington, OBCM Mayors, our Region, province and country.
“The Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of 270 Canadian, American mayors and First Nations elected local government officials working together to promote the environmental and socio-economic health of community in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. Seventeen of the 29 members of OBCM are also members of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, with eight joining this delegation.
“The delegation also provides the occasion for US Mayors of the delegation to advocate for the continuation of Great Lakes environmental funding and against the current funding freeze affecting their communities.
“The Great Lakes Economy represents a combined $8 trillion dollars (C), making it the third largest in the world if we were a country. A pillar of this economy is the trade between our two nations, as 50% of the goods crossing the Canada-US border do so in the Great Lakes and St-Lawrence Region.”
There are some who think the Mayor is working “outside her lane” – perhaps – but if the President of the United States is going to be brought around it is the citizens of the United States who are going to have to do that. American municipal politicians meeting with Canadian municipal politicians is a good idea.
By Staff
March 5th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Parking certainly got a solid work over at the Council Standing Committee earlier this week.
A delegation took members of Council through a detailed accounting of what she has to deal with and the frustration neighbours are feeling about a problem that is not going to go away and is only going to get worse until someone comes up with solutions.
Mention was made of parking cars on the front lawn – I don’t have a problem with that was the response Councillors were given by the delegation.
 The Orchard – where parking is at a premium – and no solution in sight – yet. Consideration is being given to allowing on-street parking overnight with permits that would come in at about $350 annually. Parking staff were listening – expect something to come back later in the year.
 Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman If you live in the Orchard – it is going to require more than patience to get to the point where there is a solution.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman was expected to chair the Standing Committee – he was not available or unable to attend the session in the morning – which is when the parking matters were being discussed.
He did appear after the lunch break – looking just fine. One wonders – better to duck and let someone else deal with the problem?
By Staff
March 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
He didn’t say a word about paying MPP’s more nor did he say a word about keeping the Cabinet at the same time – biggest it has ever been in the province’s history.
 Is winning a third term going to result in a different Premier? The Cabinet is too big – but the MPP’s were due for a raise.
Many people will be surprised to learn that MPP’s do not have a pension plan.
In his first news conference since his Progressive Conservatives were re-elected Thursday with 80 seats in the 124-member legislature and 42.9 per cent of the popular vote, Ford touted his new mandate. That includes keeping the largest cabinet in Ontario’s history and finally lifting a 16-year pay freeze for MPPs. Here’s how raises will be determined.
Former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty froze MPP pay in 2009 due to the global financial crisis. The base salary for an MPP remains $116,550.
By Staff
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
We all knew that the snow was going to be followed by some flooding.
Conservation Halton advises that Environment Canada and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Surface Water Monitoring Centre (SWMC) are forecasting 10-20 mm of rain overnight Tuesday and Wednesday.
Daytime high temperatures between 6-8°C are expected and will melt part of the remaining snowpack. In addition to the forecasted rainfall and melting snow, any remaining frozen ground will increase runoff and contribute to elevated water levels in rivers and streams within our jurisdiction. Any existing ice along watercourses may break up and increase the risk of possible ice jams as a result.
 All that snow is going to melt and work its way to creeks through the Region. Flooding becomes a concern. Widespread flooding is not anticipated, however, fast flowing water and flooding of low-lying areas, natural floodplains, and areas with poor drainage may be expected.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts, and dams. Any ice-covered bodies of water are considered unsafe. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and cold water temperatures, combined with slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will issue an update to this Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook message as conditions warrant.
This Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook will be in effect through Friday March 7, 2025.
By Staff
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Timing is everything – isn’t it?
The Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario announced that over $24 million to support 10 businesses in southern Ontario.
$3.5 million was allotted to Tempel Canada, a leading supplier of transformer core products for power conversion and distribution to the Central, Midwest, and Eastern U.S.
 Ouch – the President of the United States is said to be about to declare a 25% tariff on everything that is imported by Americans from Canada.
With 110,000 square feet of space Tempel can provide a wide range of quality transformer products from a central location, including small stamped transformer lamination components, cut-to-length laminations, distributed gapped cores, slit steel, mitered core logs, and fully assembled mitered cores.
The development of these federal grants are years in the making – they were probably started before Donald Trump was elected.
The Tempel management have some hard decisions to make in the next month.
By Staff
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometimes referred to as “Burlington’s Airport” the Hamilton International Airport announces a new era of hassle-free and convenient travel with a transformed experience from curb to gate, alongside the introduction of Porter Airlines’ renowned elevated economy service.
 Porter Airlines will have direct daily service starting in early June between Hamilton and four popular domestic destinations: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Vancouver. Hamilton International unveiled its 2025 Summer Program, featuring more destinations and more choice with the introduction of flights from Porter Airlines that are available for booking now, with direct daily service starting in early June between Hamilton and four popular domestic destinations: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Vancouver.
WestJet will continue to provide its non-stop service to Calgary, with connectivity onward to Western Canada. Additionally, Air Canada and The Landline Company will operate multiple daily departures between Hamilton International and Toronto Pearson, connecting travellers into the airline’s global network of destinations while starting and/or ending their journey in Hamilton via its luxury motorcoach service.
The Airport also confirms it has started work on its multi-million-dollar terminal enhancement project announced at the beginning of February. Construction is actively underway inside and outside of the terminal with exciting Airport enhancements to be unveiled this June including:
 Updated exterior frontage with new and expanded canopies to improve curbside flow are part of the changes being made. An updated exterior frontage with new and expanded canopies to improve curbside flow, making arrivals and departures smoother and more convenient.
Refreshed interior spaces from check-in counters and passenger screening areas to departures lounge seating and baggage claim, modernizing the terminal experience.
Integration of new architectural elements and finishes inspired by the region’s natural geography, enhancing the Airport’s charming character and creating a unique sense of place.
New digital signage and lighting upgrades, enhancing navigation and overall ambiance.
Future enhancements will include passenger jet bridges to connect the terminal directly to aircraft – a first for Hamilton International – and additional terminal infrastructure upgrades to position Hamilton International for future expansion to accommodate expected air traffic growth.
In celebration of these momentous developments at Hamilton International, the Airport is offering all travellers a special discount of up to 30% OFF all online parking reservations booked through parking.flyhamilton.ca – no promo code needed! This offer is valid on parking reservations booked from March 5, 2025, through June 11, 2025.
Hamilton International thanks its travellers, employees and partners for their patience and cooperation during this period of construction. Those travelling from Hamilton International are always encouraged to plan ahead and arrive at the Airport at least two (2) hours prior to domestic departures and at least three (3) hours prior to international departures to allow ample time for parking, check-in and security screening.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting summer at Hamilton International as we welcome Porter Airlines and complete significant upgrades to our terminal building,” says Cole Horncastle, Executive Managing Director of Hamilton International. “These strategic efforts are part of our ongoing commitment to providing travellers with greater choice and connectivity to and from the region, while ensuring every step of the passenger journey is seamless and enjoyable. We’re thrilled about the future of air travel at Hamilton International and cannot wait to welcome passengers to #TravelRefreshed in just a few short months!”
By Staff
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Traffic congestion seems to have been a Burlington problem for some time.
There are those who speak of a time when traffic wasn’t a problem.
This is a view of St. Paul Street, St. Catharines in 1940.
 This is a view of St. Paul Street, St. Catharines in 1940. The opening of the QEW was expected to solve the problem. .
By Pepper Parr
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) will begin hearing the application from Nelson Aggregates to allow the requested expansion of the site on Monday.
Some background on this situation.
According the Nelson Aggregate people everyone other than the City of Burlington has signed off on the application to expand the area that will be quarried.
Nelson Aggregates and Conservation Halton (CH) have an agreement in place that has CH taking control of the property once the OLT has agreed that the request for an expansion has been approved.
Nothing happens until the OLT makes a decision.
That the issue is now before the OLT is unfortunate. Nelson Aggregate argues that the City was dragging its feet and not meeting the schedule that was put in place to have a Joint Tribunal review in place.
The graphic below shows just how long and cumbersome that process was.
Full disclosure: Consultants to Nelson Aggregates advertise in the Burlington Gazette.
 Is there any wonder that this process failed?
| By Staff
March 3, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The federal Liberal government’s consumer carbon tax seems destined to be axed, whether by the Conservatives or by whomever replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader.
This re-evaluation of federal climate policy comes as new data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians’ urgency to deal with the climate emergency, as declared in 2019, has declined. While approaching two-thirds (63%) of Canadians say climate change is a fact and it is human caused, that majority is smaller than the one seen in 2021 (71%). At the same time, Canadians who believe climate change is a “very serious” threat to the Earth has dropped by eight points from 50 to 42 per cent.
 Hamilton as seen from Burlington on the worst days. This decline in concern over climate change is seen across the political spectrum. Those who last voted for the Conservatives (-9 points), Liberals (-12), NDP (-6) and Bloc Québécois (-13) are all less likely to describe climate change as a “very serious threat” than they were four years ago.
However, only past Conservative voters describe it as a “minor” or “not a” threat at a majority level (57%).
This comes as the Liberals’ signature climate policy, the carbon tax, looks likely to be a thing of the past after the next federal election as both leading leadership candidates, former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, have said they plan to abandon the consumer side of the policy if they win the Liberal leadership race. As the party that instituted it changes tact, Canadians’ opinions on the carbon tax itself have shifted little from the fall; more than two-in-five (45%) want the carbon tax abolished, but the rest would keep it either at a lower rate (15%), maintained at the current level (27%) or increasing, as planned (15%).
Link to the poll, and more key findings, here: www.angusreid.org/
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By Staff
March 3, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 City Council will be debating on- street parking this week.
 This is the problem: the city will be considering solution options. A survey done by the city is one of the pieces of information that will be presented.
By Jeny Celtic
March 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
On April 4, 2022, Ontario launched the first regulated online gambling market in Canada, iGaming Ontario. In many ways, the launch can be seen as the beginning of an online gambling revolution in the country. However, it has also been widely criticized for contributing to a growing concern in Canada: problem gambling. This has led many to wonder if iGaming Ontario is revolutionary or adding to the concerns surrounding problem gambling, a question we’ll explore here.
How iGaming Ontario Has Revolutionized Online Gambling
 iGaming Ontario has revolutionized the nation’s online gambling in many ways, from creating sports betting, slot, and casino offers for players in Canada to setting up a framework for other regulatory bodies. It was the first market of its kind, has created numerous jobs, contributed significantly to the province and country’s economy, developed a competitive market, and made great efforts to protect players.
First Regulated Open Market
As Canada’s first regulated online gambling market, iGaming Ontario and its work have been closely watched by other provinces and countries to see how the market performs. It has the potential to set a precedent for future market operations, demonstrating what to do or not to do. Knowing that it would be closely scrutinized, iGaming Ontario placed great emphasis on developing a thriving competitive market that protects its players, contributes to the economy, and has clear policies and guidelines that are strongly enforced and governed.
The quality of the regulations and systems implemented by iGaming Ontario earned it global recognition. Vixio’s Global Regulatory Awards named the organization the Regulatory Initiative of the Year. The awards recognize organizations that excel in developing and implementing gambling regulations, emphasizing responsible gambling measures and regulatory compliance.
Job Creation
In its first year, the iGaming Ontario market created and supported over 12,000 full-time jobs. It has led to new employment opportunities and continues to do so. In its second year, it created even more jobs, almost reaching 15,000, including over 2,500 directly sustained jobs and over 9,000 indirect ones. These numbers surpass the five-year revenue and impact projections of Deloitte, an independent audit and assurance company.
Provincial and Federal Revenue Stream
 In addition to surpassing job creation projections, iGaming Ontario has surpassed Deloitte’s projects for government revenues, meaning the regulated market greatly supports governments of all levels in Ontario and Canada. In its second year, iGaming Ontario generated over $1.2 billion in government revenue, including $380 million for Canada’s federal government and $790 million for Ontario’s provincial government. Even municipal governments are enjoying revenue boosts from the iGaming market.
Industry Growth
Since the launch of iGaming Ontario, over 50 gambling operators have become available to the public, creating a wide range of online options for Ontario players. The second year of operation saw $2.4 billion in gaming revenue generated, a more than 70% increase from the first year. There are more than 1.2 million active player accounts, and the average monthly spending of active player accounts has increased significantly. The average player spent $70 monthly in the first year of iGaming Ontario’s operation. In Q2 of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the average spending per account increased to $308. These numbers demonstrate the growth and interest in Ontario’s iGaming industry.
Player Protections
By creating a regulated market, Ontario can offer players gambling options that protect them more than the previously available unregulated options. These player protections include safeguards for preventing underage gambling, providing problem gambling tools and resources, and enforcing stricter anti-money laundering regulations. iGaming Ontario provides Ontarians with a gambling environment in which they can feel more secure and confident knowing there are regulations and safeguards in place. This confidence has translated into over 86% of online players opting for these regulated options over unregulated options.
The Rise of Problem Gambling in Ontario
iGaming Ontario has become a multibillion-dollar market in the few years it has been operating, something the organization and its operators celebrate. But financial success has also led to many wondering if all of this has come at too great a cost. During the same years that iGaming Ontario generated billions, the province also saw a marked increase in indicators of problem gambling.
 Since iGaming Ontario’s opening, the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline has seen more people reach out for support. At the end of 2024, Mental Health Research Canada released a report sharing that 11% of Ontarians struggle with problem gambling.
It’s difficult to ignore the accessibility of gambling options in Ontario as a significant factor in the rising numbers, especially since just before the opening of iGaming Ontario, the number of individuals struggling was estimated to be around 9%.
iGaming Ontario has made accessing gambling extremely easy and has also led to a massive increase in gambling ads, drawing more interest in the activity. This ease of access and growing interest increase the risk of problem gambling, which can have many negative impacts on the health and wellness of Ontarians. Problem gambling can lead to financial loss, impacting the financial health of individuals and families, and it is also connected to mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. It’s a serious problem, and despite the safeguards iGaming Ontario requires of its operators, many mental health experts, as well as those affected by problem gambling, do not feel it’s enough.
iGaming Ontario Still Has Work to Do
 iGaming Ontario has been influential in addressing online gambling. It was a sector that was a legal grey zone for many years, causing many Ontarians to turn to unregulated sites and spend an estimated $500 million gambling on them each year. The province was able to direct much of that money, and more, into the province to support the economy while also offering more stringent player protections. But even with protections in place, it’s hard to see the work of iGaming Ontario as solely a revolutionary endeavour. It’s still fraught with concerns that must be addressed to protect Ontarians from the potential ill effects of online gambling. However, with ongoing oversight and a commitment to responsible gaming, there’s hope that Ontario will set a standard for a safer and more sustainable online gambling environment.
By Staff
March 3, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
It started on Saturday – the Sweetest time of the year! Conservation Halton celebrates Maple Season at the 150-year-old sugarbush at Mountsberg’s Maple Town.
The kids can get to see how sap tapped from the maple trees and transformed into maple syrup.
 Pails collecting the sap from trees at Mountsberg’s Maple Town.  Syrup being boiled in cast iron kettles. Maple Season programs are offered on weekends, holidays, and March Break until Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Mountsberg’s Maple Town is a cherished family tradition. In the sugarbush, visitors can watch maple sap transform into syrup in the evaporator, warm up by a fireside lounge, or help their kids become ‘certified’ Sugar Rangers with the new and returning challenges for 2025! Satisfy sweet cravings with maple sugar and syrup samples, maple syrup drizzled pancakes at the Pancake Pavilion, and other maple products available to take home from the Country Store.
Mountsberg visitors can add a horse-drawn wagon ride or a maple sugar making workshop to their visit for a truly unforgettable experience. Maple Town visitors will learn about the history of sugar making from its Indigenous origins, to iron kettles, to today’s technology, and all about how Conservation Halton staff care for our amazing trees.
For tickets, pricing, and details about Maple Season, visit conservationhalton.ca/mapleseason.
Crawford Lake Conservation Area, 3115 Conservation Road
Milton, ON, L9T 2X3
By Pepper Parr
March 3, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
What members of City Council get paid is always of public interest – people just want to know.
 All seven city Councillors at their desks. The figures for 2024 have been released and are set out below:
 City Councillors are also Regional Councillors. They receive a salary and expenses from the Region. As soon as the Regional data is available we will add it to this article. The Regional salary is fairly close to what is paid by the city.
The difference in the benefits paid to Sharman and Bentivegna are the result of their age. OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement Service) does not permit people who are drawing a Canada Pension to participate in the OMERS Plan
City Councillors have a budget for expenses. The following is what was spent by each Councilor during 2024:
The balance in the Special Initiative REserve Fund is $72,336.
By Tom Parkin
March 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario’s unemployment is higher than the national rate. Healthcare is getting worse, schools are in neglect. Terrible housing starts have made life unaffordable. Retail sales are down and people are leaving. Ontario has become a have-not province receiving federal equalization payments.
That’s Doug Ford’s legacy. He should have been defeated on it. But he saved himself by manoeuvring away from his record and encouraging anti-PC voters to use their ballot in the most inefficient way.
Ford diverted voter focus from his record to Trump’s threat
 Key to Ford’s win was his insistence Trump’s tariff threat, and not his record, was the most important issue in the provincial election.
His diversion was fuelled by trips to Washington, wall-to-wall Trump coverage and Canadians’ general disorientation from watching a long-term ally pivot into an attacker.
And in federal politics Trump’s tariff threat is a top issue, according to surveys of Canadians. But Ontario election polls consistently showed affordability and healthcare were the top provincial election issues.
Our EKOS/Impact Strategies poll released February 12 found 36 per cent said affordability was the top election issue while healthcare was the top for 28 per cent.
Just 10 per cent of Ontarians agreed with Ford that Trump’s tariff threat was the top provincial election issue.
Despite Ontarians’ actual priorities, Ford had good success in diverting the discussion onto Trump and away from his record on healthcare and affordability. Even his “hot mic” moment, when he admitted he favoured Trump as recently as the last U.S. election, helped draw discussion away from Ford’s poor record in government.
Ford drew anti-PC voters into opposing him most inefficiently
Ford also enjoyed good success in selecting as his primary opponent the party most inefficient in threatening PC seats.
 Liberal vote inefficiency is not a new phenomenon. In the 2011 federal campaign, the NDP and Liberals both won 25 per cent support but the NDP won 22 seats and the Liberals 11. In the 2022 Ontario election, the NDP and Liberals both received 24 per cent support, but the NDP won 31 seats and the Liberals’ eight. On Thursday night the NDP won 27 seats on 19 per cent support, the same level the Liberals attained in 2018, yielding just seven MPPs.
Data Shows wrote about Ontario Liberal vote inefficiency months ago and predicted the Liberals were heading for exactly the electoral disaster that came.
PC strategists knew this too. And they knew more PCs would win if anti-PC voters could be drawn to the Liberals and away from the NDP.
The PCs never ran an online ad campaign against the NDP until just before the election, even though poll averages in the months before their ad campaign launch put the NDP ahead of the OLP.
Within days of Crombie’s selection, the PCs rolled out anti-Liberal ads. These had a dual effect: they both drove up voters’ awareness of Crombie and their negative assessments of her. They both boosted the idea the third place Liberals were Ford’s primary threat and made its leader unelectable.
The PCs’ advertising gave the Liberals and their leader the exposure they could not pay for themselves, helping persuade voters the PCs’ most inefficient opponent was their nearest threat.
A strategy set and played against an opponent beset by events
After months of anti-Liberal ads, Bonnie Crombie was well-known but unliked while NDP leader Marit Stiles was liked but unknown. Data Shows filed a couple reports on this.
Due to a series of internal events, an NDP advertising campaign to boost Stiles’ exposure was delayed until last fall. Had such a campaign been able to boost NDP numbers above the Liberals’ the PC seat loss very certainly would have both been steeper.
 The NDP also struggled with planning paralysis caused by an inability to decisively address internal events. As a result, the NDP campaign lacked a story contrasting Ontario’s decline under Ford with a story of how to get the province back on track. The PCs had a strategy and let it run; events left the NDP fighting back with improvised tactics.
The result was a PCs strategy generally successful in its two main goals: to divert attention from the PC record; to draw anti-PC voters to the inefficient Liberals.
Marit Stiles’ performance, MPP incumbency, better finances and a stronger ground game have allowed the NDP to continue as official opposition for the next four years. Now Stiles has a second chance to create a story and a strategy that ensures in the next election they, not the PCs, pick their opponent and the campaign’s central issue.
By Pepper Parr
March 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, On
 Choosing to be Captain Canada was enough of a distraction – the electorate didn’t seem to care that as a Premier he really didn’t do a very good job – and he faces some serious issues if the RCMP report finds him culpable. Doug Ford wanted a strong mandate – he didn’t get it.
 She thought she was so close to winning that she could taste it. Bonnie Crombie wanted a seat in the Legislature, she didn’t get it.
Marit Stile wanted more seats coming out of the election than what she had going in – she didn’t get it.
Mike Shreiner wanted a third candidate to win a seat in the Legislature – didn’t happen.
It was a snap election, called by Ford more than a year before before a provincial election was due.
Ford named himself Captain Canada and elected on a platform that he could take on Donald Trump. Doug didn’t appear to understand that the Prime Minister handles jobs like that.
Ford had a mess of failures behind him – low retail sales number, failure to adequately find the schools and the hospitals.
He will see the $200.00 cheques he sent out as returning money to the tax-payers – if that was really what he was doing – it would have been cheaper to email the funds to people – the province has email addresses – could have saved millions on the postage alone.
But that isn’t what he did – he mailed the cheques to people – requiring them to open the envelop and actually see the cheque and know viscerally that it came from the Premier.
 The winter weather kept close to half of the registered voters away from the polling stations.
Ford’s snap election decision was a cynical move to distract an electorate that had very good reason to worry about job security. What Ford also had in minone cynically by Premier Doug Ford who was favoured by poor weather which kept the voters indoors.
Despite asking Ontarians for a “stronger mandate,” Doug Ford and his party are headed back to Queen’s Park with 80 seats, barring a successful recount — close to the same number of MPPs that they went into the election with. PC incumbents Patrice Barns in Ajax and Christine Hogarth in Etobicoke—Lakeshore lost their seats.
The legislature was to return March 3rd, word is that it might be as late as March 15 – elections have yet to be certified. Recounts are possible and could make a difference in the Progressive Conservative seat count.
The PCs did not deliver a budget before the election; they will have to produce something in the Spring.
The Trump tariff threat will dog everything for some time; latest word is that the hammer will hit on the 4th of March – don’t bet the farm on that.
Bonnie Crombie hasn’t admitted it yet but her career as a Liberal has come to an end.
 Explaining that you failed to win a seat in the Legislature is hard. Bonnie Crombie now has to decide if she can find a seat she can win and convince the 12 party members that she should be given the opportunity to do that. Crombie did manage to win 12 seats which gives the Liberals party status which comes with a considerable amount of public funding. Some of that money would be used to pay Crombie a salary were she to hang on to her Leadership position She lost the race for a seat in Mississauga East—Cooksville.
The party is said to be divided on what should be done with a Leader who can’t sit in the Legislature. Crombie will have to face a Leadership review – the sooner the better to resolve the leadership issue. There is a lot of work to be done if the Liberals are to be effective.
 Is Doug Ford ready for four more years of Marit Stiles nipping at his heels. The New Democrats see the election as a success – they will be the official Opposition party and that matters. Theit seat count was just under what they had going into the election. The 2018 seat count coming out of that election was 38.
The troubling statistic is the vote share; NDP ran up 900,000; the Liberals 1.5 million.
Those votes were not so much for the Liberals as they were against Doug Ford.
The only people better off are the Liberals – they now have party status, we might – just might see a chastened Doug Ford who is said to be very disappointed in the results.
By Staff
March 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Classroom Mini Marsh
Registration Opens on March 7
Thus is a program teachers apply for – if you want you child to become more environmentally aware – bring this to their attention
Teachers in schools across the Hamilton Harbour watershed, it’s that time of year!
Registration for the Classroom Mini Marsh program will open on Friday, March 7, 2024 @ 9:00AM<
What is the Classroom Mini Marsh program?
 K to 8 students could get a chance to grow their own mini marsh in their classroom; its the kind of program that lets students see how the environment actually works. Bring a bit of Cootes Paradise Marsh into your classroom with our Classroom Mini Marsh kits!
Since 1993, BARC has offered Mini Marsh kits free of charge to schools within the Hamilton Harbour watershed.
The kits include native marsh plants, a bowl, gravel, and a snail. Students plant their shoots in the gravel, maintain the water level in the bowl, and watch their Mini Marshes grow!
At the end of the school year the plants are returned to Royal Botanical Gardens for planting in Cootes Paradise Marsh, connecting students with the restoration of this Hamilton Harbour wetland.
Teachers are provided with curriculum-linked activities to share with their students, including details about the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh. Approximately 10,000 students participate in this program each year!
Mark your calendars and share with your colleagues in education, the kits go fast!
How Do you Register?
Click HERE
By Pepper Parr
March 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
A Gazette reader questioned the original headline; he was right – The headline has been changed. Our apologies to anyone who was offended.
In this business information gets to us in the weirdest of ways.
Those two calls from a pay phone advising us more than a year ago that two very senior staff members had been shown the door turned out to be true.
Most of the time stuff that gets sent is an effort on the part of someone to manage the news the public gets.
The day before the election took place we received a link to a YouTube posting.
I had the feeling that I had heard from this guy previously but wasn’t sure.
He called me, saying he was an investigative reporter with proof that significant voter fraud had taken taken place.
I decided not to publish what had been sent.
When we learned once the polls had closed on Thursday that there were problems with at least two polls I decided I would pass along what we were given.
The piece runs for 25 minutes – is any of it true – originally I didn’t think so and I am not suggesting there is any truth to what was published on a YouTube chanel.
Elections Ontario is responsible for doing any investigations.
Readers will have to decide if there is any merit to what we have published.
The link to what we were sent is HERE.
By Pepper Parr
February 28th, 2025
BURLINGTON. ON
Well, this is a sticky wicket.
The Elections Ontario people have said they are not in a position to issue a final count – no reason yet on why – seems to be a concern with two polling stations – that’s about all we can report at this stage.
We are being told from one of the campaigns that it may be Wednesday of next week before any next steps can be taken.
 Andrea Grebenc wants to see the final Official vote count before making any comment. If the Liberals feel that a recount is justified an application has to be made before a Superior Court Judge to order a recount. Andrea Grebenc has said through a spokes- person that she will have no comment until Elections Ontario issues a final vote count.
Then experts are brought in to do the things that need to be done to make a case for a different result.
Messy.
 Natalie Pierre the night she won the election with a 40 vote lead. Natalie Pierre has never talked to the Gazette so we have no idea what she thinks or feels. The Liberals are taking the position that they will not comment until Elections Ontario issues a final vote count – it looks like that will happen on Wednesday of next week.
The New Democrats have been difficult to communicate with during the campaign
Kyle Huttondthe Green Party candidate is always available for a comment.
 Kyle Hutton believes a ranked ballot would have produced a much different result. He is of the view that if Andrea Grebenc does lose when the Official count is in – she should consider running again.
Hutton has never talked to Natalie Pierre “she was never very outspoken. If she really doesn’t want to do the job – maybe she will resign and Ford will have to call a by-election.’”
Hutton is convinced that if ranked balloting had been used instead of first past the post this would have been a much different provincial election.
His comment that “we could take 12 seats this time around” made during an earlier interview with Hutton election is now a pipe dream. Rest assured – when the next writ is dropped Kyle Hutton will be involved “even if it is in a background role.”
Judidial reconts situations like this get pushed up the food chain to the provincial party level where the expertise and the legal talent needed to fight battles at this level exists.
The really slim difference between the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals doesn’t give Natalie Pierre much to boast about.
 The grey bar – the number of people who did not vote is a disgraceful reflection on just what kind of city Burlington is. The 48,926 people that did not vote is disappointing – especially for a city that is populated by well educated, high income earners who should know that every vote counts. Hopefully they are not sitting at home with a smug look on their faces. You know who you are – you should be ashamed.
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By Pepper Parr
The Andrea Grebenc campaign has said they will not be making any statements.
