By Staff

December 8th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

After a the three-month long investigation Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) today announced that it has recovered an estimated $2 million dollars in stolen goods and currency after a lengthy investigation, dubbed Project Kingfisher

The investigation resulted in the arrest of 11 people and the laying of dozens of criminal charges. Project Kingfisher took aim at an organized retail theft ring operating in Halton and the surrounding regions.

A variety of retailers were targeted by this group operating under the name “Buynsel”. Items stolen from stores were then sold via an online platform. Stolen items include electronics, power tools and beauty/ personal care items.

On Tuesday December 6, 2022, investigators executed warrants at more than a dozen locations in the City of Brampton, including a warehouse, five residences, and multiple storage lockers. Investigators seized stolen goods estimated by police to be worth in excess of $1.5 million dollars. Attached to this media release are photos of one of five trucks packed full of stolen items seized by police. Investigators also seized more than $600,000 in cash.

Satnampal Chawla (34) of Brampton and Shabani Luthrta (32) of Toronto have both been charged with:
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Exceeding $5000;
• Trafficking of Property Obtained by Crime Exceeding $5000;
• Participate in a Criminal Organization.

Renata Szarkeziova (36) of Brampton, Jesika Abkarovicova (24) of Brampton, Zakelina Balazova (30) of Brampton, Sandra Balazova (26) of Brampton, Leonardo Rafael (24) of Brampton, Martin Fatak (44) of Brampton, Roman Stojka (46) of Brampton, Rene Stojka (32) of Brampton, and Sabel Lakatasova (23) of Brampton have each been charged with the following:
• Theft Exceeding $5000;
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Exceeding $5000;
• Trafficking of Property Obtained by Crime Exceeding $5000;
• Participate in a Criminal Organization.

In addition to the charges listed above, Renata Szarkeziova, Jesika Abkarovicova, Zakelina Balazova, and Sabel Lakatasova have also been charged with Unauthorized Use of Debit Card.
Police are still seeking an additional suspect.

“Retail theft is not a victimless crime. These thefts cost Canadian retailers billions of dollars a year, costs that are passed on to consumers when they go shopping. It’s also a near certainty that people purchasing these items online had no idea they were buying stolen goods”, said HRPS Superintendent Bob Gourley. “I’m extremely proud of the work done by the officers involved in Project Kingfisher. The group we arrested were extremely well organized, and a tremendous amount of time and resources were dedicated to this investigation.”

Project Kingfisher was conducted by the HRPS Frontline Support Office and the Retail Theft Units and was a joint project with the Peel Regional Police. The HRPS would also like to thank the Waterloo Regional Police Service and Brantford Police for their assistance in the project.

By Staff

December 7th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

In the field of Public Opinion Research the name of Angus Reid is the gold standard

The Angus Reid Institute has partnered with the University of Ottawa on Survey Research Summer School May 1-12, 2023.

During the 2 weeks, students will undertake all the necessary stages required to undertake a public opinion survey, from the selection of research questions and topics to cover, to the development of survey questions, their programming, analysis, and their public communication.

This program is tailored for professionals and graduate students who want to acquire skills in survey research. Over the two weeks, participants will acquire the necessary knowledge to conduct and analyze their own survey.

Angus Reid Group staff will help to lead the program:

The Microprogram in Survey Research and Public Opinion attracts professional candidates working particularly in the fields of civil service, public policy, and market research.
For more information, or to register:

Link to registration and details:

By Staff

December 7th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A Gazette reader, Kevin (the balance of his name is not being released)  sent along the following:  Hard to believe but quite true.

I thought this issue might deserve some attention so I wanted to bring this news tip to your attention.

I currently rent a condo in a condo development off Masonry Court in Burlington. The development appears to be being built by ADI developments, some of the emails I have received in the past have also indicated their name was Halton Standard Condominium Corporation No. 726. Currently the property appears to be managed by Larlyn Property Management Ltd.

In any case, the story is pretty straight forward. As we enter the holiday season, some people have put up Christmas lights affixed to the outer balconies of their units. In emails sent on November 28th, Dec 2nd, and Dec 5th, Larlyn Property Management has told these people that they must remove the lights and that having these decorations is a violation of the rules and regulations of the Corporation. They claim that the lights could result in damage to the doors, balconies, railings and exterior walls. This seems hard to believe since the balcony railings are made of metal and glass, I don’t see how a zip tied cord of Christmas lights could cause damage.

In the most recent email, the Corporation made it clear that anyone who still has Christmas lights up will receive a letter and the matter will be taken up by the Corporations solicitor to ensure compliance, with the unit owner responsible for the fees. The language in section 3.1 (b) make it clear that in some cases permission could be granted to hang decorations on the units, so it appears to me this is a matter of interpretation regarding what is or is not allowed and exceptions could be made for the season.

Click on the small type to enlarge it for easier reading

I personally do not have any lights hanging from my unit, so this does not directly affect me except for when I go for walks in the evening. Since it gets dark shortly after 5, it was nice to see these decorations hanging from the sides of people’s balconies or doors. The difference is also stark when I walk into other neighbourhoods and see houses with their lights up. This isn’t something I’ve thought about before but I would be pretty upset if I bought a condo and later found out that this is how the rules are being interpreted.

 

By Staff

December 7th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Catherine Brady, Chair of the Burlington Foundation Board of Directors,  announced today that Megan Tregunno will join the Burlington Foundation as its new President & CEO, commencing January 3, 2023.

Megan joins the Foundation having held executive leadership roles in community and healthcare philanthropy for the last two decades, with a special focus on women’s health, research, and mental health. Megan has led organizations and teams through periods of transformational growth and championed the
missions behind some of Canada’s most iconic charitable organizations, such as Women’s College Hospital Foundation.

Megan holds a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation and has been celebrated for her leadership contributions to the philanthropic sector through the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. Megan is a life-long Burlington resident, where she and her family currently reside and are actively engaged.

In early 2022, the Board announced that long-time President & CEO Colleen Mulholland was retiring from the Foundation at the end of the year and began a formal recruitment process to search for the next executive leader. The Board is immensely grateful to Colleen for her outstanding leadership of the Foundation over her 11-year tenure. Two notable accomplishments include growing assets under management from $SM to $25M and leading the $2.7M Burlington Flood Relief efforts in 2014 on behalf of the City of Burlington. The Board celebrates the tremendous contributions Colleen has made to the Foundation and to the

 

By Staff

December 6th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The City has created a “Guide to Tree Protection” to help property owners and applicants navigate tree protection and the City’s tree by-laws, with a focus on the Private Tree By-law. The free guide is available online at burlington.ca/forestprotection.

Information in the Guide includes:
• What rules are in place to protect trees?
• Which trees are protected under the City’s tree by-laws?
• When do I need or not need a tree permit?
• How do I work around trees without hurting them?
• What do I need to get a Private Tree Permit?

The Guide also features helpful illustrations that highlight key points to working around trees and aspects of the permit application. These illustrations will help applicants understand what is needed when applying for a tree permit.

What is the Private Tree By-law?
The Private Tree By-law protects trees on private property within the City’s Urban Planning Area Boundary. If you live within the Urban Planning Area Boundary, you will need to apply for a permit to injure or remove a tree 20 cm in diameter or greater measured at 1.37 m from the ground. Heritage trees and endangered, threatened, and at-risk species are also protected and may require additional approvals in addition to your tree permit.

View the Private Tree By-law (040-2022).

What is the Public Tree By-law?
The Public Tree By-law regulates publicly owned trees. You will need to apply for a permit to injure or remove any tree of any size anywhere on public property. The Public Tree By-law is applicable city-wide which includes both the Urban and Rural Planning Area Boundaries.

Contact the City before submitting a permit to remove a public tree at 905-335-7777 or city@burlington.ca.

View the Public Tree By-law (068-2013).
For more information on tree by-laws, to apply or to view the guide, visit burlington.ca/forestprotection.

Steve Robinson, Manager of Forestry explains: ““Submitting a complete and accurate tree permit application can save you time and money. It is our hope that as people plan their spring or summer renovations and construction, this guide will give applicants the extra information they need to ensure there are no errors or missed items on their application.”

By Staff

December 6th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Burlington Gazette has partnered with the Performing Arts Centre, the My Pop Choir and the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) to sponsor an afternoon of Christmas Music at the Performing Arts Centre on December 10th.

The 20 member Choir from SOLO will be performing at 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm and doing two sets.

The 33 member My Pop Choir will perform between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm and do two sets.

This is Christmas at its very best – the popular music and some of the hymns that we all recall.

Make the time to stroll through the Family Lobby , look at the trees and listen to the choirs.

This is a free event

By John Palliser

December 5th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A buyer or a new investor, waiting to make their first ever property purchase, has one concern; “how much do the prices fall during the recession in Canada?”

With the financial crisis that Canadians faced in 2008, followed by the harsh times during 2020 (due to the pandemic), people are concerned about their finances more than ever.

Investors, who have had real estate holdings in their portfolio have been concerned about this as well. If the current economic condition persists, i.e. recession, how will it impact the housing market?

Moreover, if the situation resolves but a recession hits back within the next 6 months, what shall one expect? An assessment of the situation is crucial, to develop strategies that can help the housing businesses and investors sustain through these times.

You can look at different predictions by financial experts. But predictions without data are not worth it and have no value.

According to the data of the previous years, it is concluded that recession affects the prices of the housing market by an average of about -10.0%. Moreover, the prices of the nominal houses also decreased by almost -14%.

Setting aside the 2020 time period, as it was a global health emergency, if we assess the condition of the housing market during the recession; it has had a very negative effect overall.

A Recession impact homeowners wealth in Canada
Housing prices fall during recessions. In the worst cases, according to strawhomes.com your home’s value could drop 25%.

But Not necessarily.

Canada’s housing market has been less volatile. Since 2008-09, the housing market has recovered well. Home prices are near 2008 highs. Housing starts aren’t meeting demand.

Rising interest rates force home buyers to save for mortgage payments. Mortgage lenders are warier. This could affect consumer loans and credit card debt.

With more renters, prices rise. Consumers may reduce spending to avoid debt, hurting the real economy.

Western Canada housing prices have been strong for a decade. Recent years have seen new competitors. Recession and falling commodity prices caused a correction.

2008 Canadian Housing Market Recession
Canada avoided the worst of the last recession. A more regulated, government-backed financial system helped housing consumers weather the crisis.

Housing has recovered. Prices are near 2008 highs. The economy is still struggling. In coming years, the economy will slow. The Bank of Canada expects a recession in Canada in 2022.

Housing prices contribute to negative wealth, according to the Bank of Canada. This will reduce GDP growth by 2.5%. Low borrowing costs also fuel pent-up demand.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts a 5% drop in home prices by mid-2023. Model includes scenarios. Worst case, prices drop 25%.

Canadian recession may crash housing market. The recovery is strong but temporary.

Will a recession drive down house prices?
The Canadian housing market is affected by several factors. Near-record home prices. Recessions change the housing market.

Recessions lower home prices. Increased home sales are expected. Increased foreclosures. This means fewer buyers and longer listings.

Interest rates rise during a recession. This will make mortgage payments harder. If you’re considering buying a home, you should know the costs involved.

Home buyers need a stable job. Unstable employment can make a cheap home purchase difficult.

High unemployment marks recessions. Recessions increase foreclosures. This can create more affordable homes.

Rising rates can also lower home prices. The Bank of Canada is hawkish amid high inflation.

Now, based on the data collected through the previous recessions, can we understand the impact it will have in future recessions? Yes. As of now, experts state that future recessions can impact the market till a -24.2% decline and a nominal decline of 11.7% can be experienced. The best scenario that the investors or anyone in the market can pull off, would be 12% real appreciation and 9% nominal appreciation.

Although we cannot and should not make decisions based on uncertain happenings, preparing for the worst case situation is always a smart choice to make. Planning a risk management strategy for the recession period can be extremely helpful and therefore, understanding the impact recession has had in the previous scenarios is important.

Should I Buy a House in a Recession in Canada?
During a recession, buying a home can be difficult. Before deciding, weigh the pros and cons.

The recession isn’t a one-time event. Unemployment will rise in the coming years. Recessions reduce home buyers, lowering prices.

Recessions lower interest rates. Prime rate is 0.25 percent, which can help you get a better mortgage rate. This can lower prices and boost ROI.

Recessions make lenders tighten loan requirements. This lowers default risk. Home buyers can rejoice.

If you’re buying a home, check your credit. You’ll want a stable job before moving. You should also know how much home ownership will cost. Including down payment and closing costs.

Interest rates are still rising
Canada’s interest rates are rising despite recession fears. The Bank of Canada is trying to control inflation. They’re raising rates by a half-point. This may be the beginning, depending on the economy.

Canada’s rising rates are cause for concern. They affect savings, investment, and borrowing rates. They can slow the economy. If inflation rises, Canadian wages may fall.

Higher interest rates cause higher inflation, says the Bank of Canada. It’s important to monitor how these changes affect your savings and investments. Avoid making large purchases.

The BoC aims for 2% inflation. The bank may take stronger action if inflation rises. If inflation falls, the Fed won’t need to raise rates further.

Home Prices Fell At The Fastest Rate Ever in 2022
During Canada’s 1990s housing boom, prices soared. Rich people with mortgages wanted bigger homes as prices rose. Low rates fueled the boom. Sub-prime mortgage crisis caused 2008 financial crash.

Canada is recessionary. Most of Canada’s major cities are seeing falling home sales, according to CREA. Housing market stabilization will slow the decline.

Rising interest rates are cooling Canada’s frothy housing market. Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal have cooled. Increasing interest rates limit affordable housing in the GTA, where the 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit a 20-year high in late October.

September GTA home prices fell 3.0%. Toronto’s benchmark home price is C$1.12 million. Still 7.7% above last year.

Will the housing market crash if there’s recession?
You need to know how a recession will affect your real estate investment, whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seller. Recessions can lower demand and prices. Recessions can affect interest rates, making it hard for home buyers to afford mortgages.

The economy is the biggest predictor of recession home effects. A recession is a slow economic decline that hurts consumer spending. Slowing growth will raise interest rates.

Market supply and demand can also predict a crash’s effects on your home. When supply is low, home buyers drop. This won’t crash a healthy market. When demand drops, sellers must lower prices to sell.

CMHC and OECD reported on house prices during four recessions. The worst-case house price crash scenario is a 25% drop.

Recession or a coming financial crisis?
Investors must stay calm during a recession or financial crisis. Large-scale economic imbalances cause most recessions.

Recessions last 2-18 months. They can last years, affecting consumer confidence, stock prices, credit scores, and unemployment.

The Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy aggressively. Inflation and economic growth are expected to rise. The effects will hit U.S. consumers and businesses.

Two-thirds of economists predict a recession in 2023, per the Financial Times. IMF forecasts global recession.

IMF Economic Counsellor Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas says the US faces a global recession. War in Ukraine, a pandemic, and China’s economic slowdown are major causes, he says.

A recession is two or more consecutive quarters of declining GDP, according to the NBER. Recessions last between two and 18 months, according to experts.

Conclusion

To conclude, the longer the recession period, the more the economy suffers. As investors, it is critical that you develop strategies to mitigate risks and manage the recession period efficiently.

The Burlington Gazette has partnered with the Performing Arts Centre, the My Pop Choir and the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) to sponsor an afternoon of Christmas Music at the Performing Arts Centre on December 10th.

The 20 member Choir from SOLO will be performing at 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm and doing two sets.

The 33 member My Pop Choir will perform between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm and do two sets.

This is Christmas at its very best – the popular music and some of the hymns that we all recall.

Make the time to stroll through the Family Lobby, look at the trees and listen to the choirs.

This is a free event

By Pepper Parr

December 5th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

One of the pleasures of the life I live is a newspaper that gets dropped off at the lane way of the house I live in. The Sunday New York Times is, in my world, about as good as it gets.

There was an opinion column that I want to share with you.  It was written by Ross Douthat, a regular NYT columnist

“La Maison Simons, commonly known as Simons, is a prominent Canadian fashion retailer. In late October it released a three-minute film: a moody, watery, mystical tribute. Its subject was the suicide of a 37-year-old British Columbia woman, Jennyfer Hatch, who was approved for what Canadian law calls “Medical Assistance in Dying” amid suffering associated with Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a group of disorders that affect the body’s connective tissues.

“In an interview quoted in Canada’s National Post, the chief merchant of Simons stated that the film was “obviously not a commercial campaign.” Instead it was a signifier of a public-spirited desire to “build the communities that we want to live in tomorrow, and leave to our children.”

“For those communities and children, the video’s message is clear: They should believe in the holiness of euthanasia.

“In recent years, Canada has established some of the world’s most permissive euthanasia laws, allowing adults to seek either physician-assisted suicide or direct euthanasia for many different forms of serious suffering, not just terminal disease. In 2021, over 10,000 people ended their lives this way, just over 3 percent of all deaths in Canada. A further expansion, allowing euthanasia for mental-health conditions, will go into effect in March 2023; permitting euthanasia for “mature” minors is also being considered.

“In the era of populism there is a lively debate about when a democracy ceases to be liberal. But the advance of euthanasia presents a different question: What if a society remains liberal but ceases to be civilized?

“The rules of civilization necessarily include gray areas. It is not barbaric for the law to acknowledge hard choices in end-of-life care, about when to withdraw life support or how aggressively to manage agonizing pain.

“It is barbaric, however, to establish a bureaucratic system that offers death as a reliable treatment for suffering and enlists the healing profession in delivering this “cure.” And while there may be worse evils ahead, this isn’t a slippery slope argument: When 10,000 people are availing themselves of your euthanasia system every year, you have already entered the dystopia.

“Indeed, according to a lengthy report by Maria Cheng of The Associated Press, the Canadian system shows exactly the corrosive features that critics of assisted suicide anticipated, from health care workers allegedly suggesting euthanasia to their patients to sick people seeking a quietus for reasons linked to financial stress.

“In these issues you can see the dark ways euthanasia interacts with other late-modern problems — the isolation imposed by family breakdown, the spread of chronic illness and depression, the pressure on aging, low-birthrate societies to cut their health care costs.

“But the evil isn’t just in these interactions; it’s there in the foundation. The idea that human rights encompass a right to self-destruction, the conceit that people in a state of terrible suffering and vulnerability are really “free” to make a choice that ends all choices, the idea that a healing profession should include death in its battery of treatments — these are inherently destructive ideas. Left unchecked, they will forge a cruel brave new world, a dehumanizing final chapter for the liberal story.

“For anyone on the right opposed to Donald Trump and the foulness around him (most recently at his Mar-a-Lago dinner table), the last six years have forced hard questions about when it makes sense to identify with conservatism, to care about its direction and survival.

“One answer turns on which dystopian future you fear most. Among those NeverTrumpers who have left the right entirely, the overwhelming fear is of an authoritarian or fascist future, a right-wing threat to democracy requiring all possible resistance.

“But in the Canadian experience you can see what America might look like with real right-wing power broken and a tamed conservatism offering minimal resistance to social liberalism. And the dystopian danger there seems not just more immediate than any right-authoritarian scenario, but also harder to resist — because its features are congruent with so many other trends, its path smoothed by so many powerful institutions.

“Yes, there are liberals, Canadian and American, who can see what’s wrong with euthanasia. Yes, the most explicit cheerleading for quietus can still inspire backlash: Twitter reactions to the Simons video have been harsh, and it’s vanished from the company’s website.

“But without a potent conservatism, the cultural balance tilts too much against these doubts. And the further de-Christianization proceeds, the stronger the impulse to go where the Simons video already went — to rationalize the new order with implicit reassurances that it’s what some higher power wants.

“It’s often treated as a defense of euthanasia that the most intense objections come from biblical religion. But spiritual arguments never really disappear, and the liberal order in a dystopian twilight will still be infused by some kind of religious faith.

“So I remain a conservative, unhappily but determinedly, because only conservatism seems to offer a stubborn obstacle to that dystopia — and I would rather not discover the full nature of its faith.”

To put this in a Canadian perspective the following CBC news report.

Four — perhaps even five — Canadian military veterans were given the option of medically-assisted death (MAID) by a now-suspended Veterans Affairs Canada caseworker, the country’s veterans minister told a House of Commons committee late Thursday.

Lawrence MacAulay said the matter is now being turned over to the RCMP for investigation and his department’s internal review is ongoing.

“We expect all Veterans Affairs candidate employees to interact with veterans with care, compassion and respect and the actions of this one employee is simply disgusting,” MacAulay told the veterans affairs committee. “And I condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms.”

MAID has become a handy procedure for removing from society those who are to expensive to care for.  That wasn’t the intention when MAID was first introduced.

By Craig Lebrau

December 4th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

With so many options available, choosing the right technology to bring along on your next trip can be overwhelming. Whether you are looking for Vik hotels or just scrolling through social media deciding on your next destination. Fortunately, by following these six essential tips, you’ll know exactly what you need to know about travelling with technology for your next trip anywhere in the world.

Six essential Tips For Travelling With Technology

1) Bring Extra Cables and Power Adapters

Bring extra cables and power adapters. The more you have, the better. You never know what will happen to your device while travelling, and having an extra cable or power adapter can be a lifesaver. However, some countries may have different plug types so make sure you know what type of plug your devices use before you leave home.

2) Get Travel Insurance

If you’re travelling with technology, it’s important to be prepared for the worst. That means having a plan in place for when your device breaks or gets stolen and for how you’ll get home if you don’t have any of your belongings with you. Luckily, there are travel insurance plans that can help protect you from some of these potential disasters. You’ll want to carefully review your coverage limits and think about what level of protection is right for you before buying anything.

3) Create backups of important files

It’s always a good idea to backup your important files before travelling with technology. A good way to do that is by using an online storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive. Backup any information you’ll need while travelling and save the file on the computer and in the cloud. When it comes time to leave, pack up the device with its charger, cords, cables and all other related items so it will be ready for when you return home.

4) Use encryption

Use encryption to protect your data. This is a key step for any traveller, but especially those who travel with their technology. Whether you’re using a laptop, tablet or smartphone, encrypting your device and the data on it can help prevent your information from being accessed by others in the event that your device is lost or stolen. There are plenty of different encryption tools available for both personal and business use; some are more complicated than others, so do some research before choosing one that’s right for you. Protect yourself online when using public WiFi connections. Public WiFi connections can be convenient when travelling but also present a security risk due to the lack of protection they offer you against hackers looking to steal your data and identity.

5) Keep devices charged

Make sure your devices are charged and have enough battery life for the duration of your trip. Bring a charger with you if you’re going to be away from an outlet for an extended period of time. This is especially important when travelling internationally, as many countries use different types of plugs and outlets. If you’re bringing a tablet or laptop, make sure it has enough memory space and storage available for storing photos, videos, music and other media files while you travel.

6) Be aware of local laws and customs

Understand the laws and customs of your destination country, as they can vary widely from region to region. You may be tempted to share your vacation on social media, but in some countries this can violate local laws. Keep in mind that different countries have different restrictions on what you are able to take into or out of their borders. If you are visiting a country with an airport, it is essential that you know what items you are and are not allowed to bring through security screening checkpoints. It’s important to note that these rules and regulations change often, so be sure to check the current guidelines before travelling.