By Pepper Parr

May 13^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

Council spent two hours listening to a report from Deloitte, an accounting firm that does survey work for some of its clients.

They have completed a significant survey of Burlington residents on what they like about the job the city is doing.

65% did not like the taxation experience during this term of office. It came nowhere near matching taxation.

There were 22 slides used in the presentation to explain what residents thought was working and what wasn’t working.

The range was vast – everything from taxation to snow clearing.

Did people feel they were engaged, and if they were, how did they feel they were listened?

Council members had a lot of questions.

In the next few days we are going to provide Gazette readers with some of the data and the comments made by the people who did the survey.

Going to start with an easy one: Taxation.

Elections are won and lost on what taxpayers have to pay each year.

By Pepper Parr

May 12th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

They have been doing it for more than 25 years, and they want to continue doing it – and at the same time adjust to changing times and circumstances. Every year Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance put…

They have been doing it for more than 25 years, and they want to continue doing it – and at the same time adjust to changing times and circumstances.

Every year Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance puts on a show at the Performing Arts Centre that is a Matinee Performance and an Evening show.  There was a time when it was always a sold out event.

A typical annual performance – the final curtain comes down this June.

The annual Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance has, in the past, filled the stage at the Performing Arts Centre

While attendance is still strong Sue Pritchard, President of the organization that pulls it all together said recently that attendance is falling.

“We began to see it during Covid and it didn’t recover the way we thought it would.

“So we are holding two workshops to do a deep dive into what we have been doing, what we should be doing and looking at who we are serving.”

In the meantime, the final performance of Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance as we have known it will take place on June 23rd.

It takes a lot of practice to get to the point where you are ready for the stage.

It takes a lot of rehearsals to get to the stage – great exercise and a lot of fun.

The annual performances are not just a local event.  Tour buses from Kitchener arrive most years. “We draw a considerable audience from Hamilton, and a significant number of people from Toronto make the trip.

We are aware of the changing attendance patterns and have decided, as an organization, to pause, rethink, and perhaps rebrand what we have been doing.

Thus the Worshops, on at the Performing Arts Centre, September 16th and a follow-up at Brant Hills on September 27th.

They have been around for 25 years and are planning for the next 25.

They have been doing this for 25 years – and are now Work shopping to determine what the next 25 years will look like.

Up until now, the Footnotes have been seen as an “over 50  demographic,” explains Pritchard.  We want to change that to an “18 and up” and we want to be more than an annual performance organization.  Membership to the Footnotes is an annual $40 and $60 for a family.

While preparing for the annual event takes a lot of time there are social events sprinlked throughout the year.

There are classes in different types of dancing.  “We have a class that teaches people how to do tap dancing while sitting in a chair” said Pritchard.

There is dancer on the stage this year who is 89.

Web site for the Footnotes is:  https://www.burlingtonfootnotes.com

Check it out to learn more about taking part.

By Gazette Staff

May 7th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

The Burlington Civic Chorale!

They have been putting on concerts for the past 32 years.

You won’t be disappointed.

The May concert features works by various composers from William Byrd in the sixteenth century and W.A. Mozart in the eighteenth century to the contemporary American composers, Morten Lauridsen, Moses Hogan and Undine Smith Moore. Each composer set texts that were selected by two or more composers so the listener is offered differing interpretations of the same text. The music varies from the sacred liturgical to the modern spiritual.

By Pepper Parr

May 5^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

Correction: The original headline was incorrect.  It has been replaced.

It was an occasion for the students at MM Robinson High School to both share and hear the story about a former school principal, Melville Marks Robinson, popularly known as “Bobby”, who is recognized as the founder of the Commonwealth Games.

The students gathered in the gymnasium with more than 250 seated on the floor as the occasion began when a piper entered the gym.

MMR students gather in the gymnasium to hear about the Games. The school is named after Melville Marks Robinson, the man who created the idea for the Games.

They were told about two statements “Bobby” always pressed upon people:

“Bobby” Robinson keeping a close eye on what is taking place.

Believe in yourselves and believe in your dreams.

It was his dream that resulted in the first-ever games held in Hamilton in August of 1930. At that time, they were known as the British Empire Games.

There were six sports: athletics (track and field), boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming/diving, and wrestling.

Eleven countries took part in the 59 events that involved 400 athletes who were billeted in the Prince of Wales School next to the Civic stadium, where they slept two dozen to a classroom.   The participant nations were Australia, Bermuda, British Guyana, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales.

The Hamilton Games ran at a cost of $97,973.00.

Left: Crowds watching the games in rainy weather. Right: Some of the sports taking place. The podium used to present the medals was first used at the 1930 Games. It was later adopted as a practice in the Olympic Games.

Claire Carver Dias

Claire Carver Dias, current president of Commonwealth Sport Canada, has been active in the games both as a participant who won two gold medals in synchronized swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

She describes the games as friendly, focused on excellence, inclusion and human rights –  Sports with a Social Purpose.

The Social Purpose is seen as an organization that is:

• First International Games to achieve Gender Equality, with more medaling events for women than men.
• First, and only, international Games to have a Reconciliation Action Plan, respecting and celebrating Aboriginal cultures and leaving a lasting and meaningful legacy through employment and training and procurement.
• First, and only, international Games to integrate a Para-Sport program as full medal status.
• First International Major Games franchise holder to embed Human Rights across all operations and programs

Claire Carver Dias holding one of the jackets worn by officials at the 1930 and 1934 Games

The Commonwealth Games are seen as a clean sport. There isn’t any negative comment about the Games.  Athletes are not automatically awarded prize money for winning medals. Any monetary rewards are provided by individual countries, their National Commonwealth Games Associations, or governments, which vary significantly.

Lou Frapporti

Lou Frapporti was the Host and organizer of the event that took place at MMR on Tuesday and for the commemorative event that will take place on Wednesday at the Gazebo in Spencer Smith Park..  He was part of the group in Hamilton that worked to bring the 2030 games to the city.  The provincial government chose to financially support the FIFA games, which meant the Commonwealth Games for 2030 will be held in India.

When asked: Why put so much personal time into commemorating what happened almost 100 years ago, Frapporti said: “To me it is about community. People see what has been done in the past and bring those values forward to become part of the society we have today. “Bobby” Robinson was a remarkable human being who made something happen.  We can’t just let that history, his achievements, drift away.

Melville Marks Robinson

At the end of the day, as the students drifted back to their classrooms they knew a lot more about the man their school is named after.  As a model of giving back to the larger community is all about is as good as it gets.

When students glance up at the painting high up on the wall overlooking the main foyer, they can reflect on what leadership is.

Is there a future for the Commonwealth Games?
The world certainly needs this kind of organization.  The 74-member nations aren’t a United Nations but it is succeeding what it set out to do.  The Games were always aligned with the British Monarchy, which didn’t look as if it had all that much hope when Prince Charles became King Charles III.  He wasn’t seen as showing all that much promise until very recently, when he was in the United States and did a superb job of handling President Trump without creating a diplomatic incident.

Is there a future for the Commonwealth Games in Canada?

There is if Claire Carver Dias keeps doing what she is doing.  Calgary expressed an interest.  Could the Games return to Hamilton at some point?  Expect Lou Frapporti to become the strongest advocate.

Something to keep in mind.  There is a strong movement in Alberta to pull out of Confederation, and Quebec always seems to want to leave.

We will have a new Governor General soon.  Louis Arbour might find that a slightly tighter relationship with the Monarchy could be something that helps keep the country together.  Mark Carney and King Charles are close friends.

Having the Commonwealth Games in Canada in 2034 is something people will begin to think about.

By Gazette Staff

May 4th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

The Halton District School Board is proud to recognize the success of 109 students at the 42nd annual Celebration of Student Excellence event at Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School (3040 Tim Dobbie Dr, Burlington) on Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. Each year, one student from each HDSB elementary and secondary school is honoured for their excellence in self-improvement, enhancing the school and/or local community, citizenship, student leadership, academics, vocational studies and specialized programs or extra-curricular activities.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate by viewing the livestream of the event which will be available on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca) on Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. A recording of the event will remain online for families to view afterward.

For more information including a list of recipients, visit the Student Excellence Awards webpage. 

“As we recognize the accomplishments of these 109 students during Education Week, we are reminded of the lasting impact a strong educational foundation has on a student’s future,” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Our Students of Excellence have demonstrated outstanding leadership, citizenship and academic achievement – qualities that will support them well into the future. It is inspiring to see our 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan come to life through the dedication and efforts of each recipient. The HDSB is proud to celebrate your achievements and the difference you are making in your schools and communities.”

The Elementary School Students recognized for their Excellence.

The Secondary School Students recognized for their Excellence.

As you peruse the faces of these students, you can see just how diverse the population of the city has become.

By Sadie Smith Smith

May 5th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

You already tap, transfer, and pay without thinking about it. Digital payments now handle most transactions in Canada, but the system behind them still runs on a mix of old and new. The gap between how people pay and how the system works is where things are changing fastest.

Tap at the counter, send an e-transfer, pay a bill online; it has become routine for most people.

Most payments in Canada now happen without cash. Tap at the counter, send an e-transfer, pay a bill online; it has become routine for most people. The scale is large. More than 23.3 billion transactions moved through the system last year, with total value reaching $12.7 trillion. In Burlington, it is just how things get paid for now, whether it is a coffee, splitting a bill, or sending money from a phone in a few seconds.

What People Are Actually Using Right Now

The numbers show where things stand. Credit cards account for about 34% of transaction volume, debit cards sit close to 30%, and account-to-account transfers make up roughly 15%, with cash now down near 12%. That mix matters because it shows there is no single system running the show. Cards still carry most of the load, but transfers have moved well past the point of being a backup option.

Interac e-Transfer has become part of daily use. Rent gets paid that way. Small business invoices get settled that way. People send money between each other without opening their wallets. That changes expectations. Speed is no longer a bonus; it is built into the way transactions work.

Local Services Start Following the Same Logic

City services are starting to move in the same direction. Burlington is planning a two-year on-demand transit pilot that leans on app-based booking, route adjustments, and real-time data to decide how vehicles move. The idea is simple: respond to what people are doing rather than forcing them into fixed routes.

That approach lines up with how payments already work. You do not wait for a batch process to clear or a system to catch up. The action happens first, and the system adjusts around it. Transit, billing, and payments are starting to operate on the same expectation, which is immediate response with minimal friction.

Businesses Still Run a Hybrid System

The consumer side has moved fast, but the business side shows a more balanced picture. About 89% of Canadian businesses accept debit and credit cards, 63% accept Interac e-Transfer, and 49% take mobile payments, while 96% still accept cash. Cash has not disappeared, even if it shows up less often.

Most businesses are not planning to go fully cashless. The system stays mixed because different customers want different options, and businesses do not want to lose a sale over payment method. That keeps the infrastructure broad, even as behaviour leans heavily toward digital.

Choosing Where Transactions Happen

Paying is one part of the process. Deciding where to transact has become just as important. People compare platforms before they commit, whether they are paying a bill, booking a service, or using an online product. That comparison tends to centre on speed, reliability, and how quickly money moves in and out.

The detail behind that comparison has tightened up. Payment methods, processing times, and withdrawal windows are no longer background information; they sit right up front, and they influence decisions before any money moves. That is where newer platforms try to stand out, by making those details easier to see and quicker to act on. Casino.org has tested new online casinos and ranked them based on factors such as withdrawal speed and overall reliability. That kind of evaluation reflects a broader pattern: people expect clear information before they choose where to spend or move money, and platforms that meet those expectations stand out fast.

Digital payments dominate behaviour, but physical space has not gone anywhere. Construction has started on the new Civic Square in Burlington, with work expected to continue into early 2027. The project changes how people move through the downtown core and how they use public space.

That still matters because transactions do not only happen online. People meet, shop, and spend in physical locations, even if the payment itself is digital. The space forms the activity, and the payment method follows.

The two sit together, not in competition.

The System Has Settled Into Daily Use

A quick tap and payment is made.

The behaviour is already in place. People pay quickly, expect immediate confirmation, and move on. The underlying system is still catching up in parts, with a mix of older infrastructure and newer tools working side by side. That balance shows up in the numbers, in how businesses operate, and in how local services are being designed.

That gap between behaviour and infrastructure is where most of the pressure sits now, and it is what drives the next round of changes across the system.

Nothing about it looks experimental anymore. It is routine.

By Pepper Parr

May 4th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

How can a political party without a leader poll higher than the political party that currently governs the province?

Only in Ontario.

The leaderless Ontario Liberals have nudged in front of the Progressive Conservatives, according to a new poll released in the aftermath of the premier’s private jet reversal and changes to freedom-of-information laws.

A  Liaison Strategies survey put Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives at 36 per cent, just behind the Liberals, who were at 38 per cent. The distance between the two is within the margin of error.

The Ontario NDP, which sits as the official Opposition, were at 20 per cent and the Greens at four per cent.

David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies, suggested the Progressive Conservatives have seen their support dropping for some time.

“While the decay may have been slowed down by government advertising, the jet fiasco has pushed the PCs down even lower and they now find themselves in second place,” he wrote in a statement.

Has the public finally clued in?

How much lower do the Ford polling numbers have to go before Doug Ford pulls the plug and announces his plans to call a Leadership Convention  and look for a replacement?

The Progressive Conservatives have enough time to find a new leader and begin to polish up the brand and be ready for the next election.

The Liberals will choose their new leader at an event in November.

Related news story:

Bains much more than a long shot to lead the provincial Liberals