 By Staff
December 19th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
New research from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute indicates a winemaker’s label signature can supercharge sales and impart value to consumers.
 And we thought sniffing the wine was how you learned where the value was! And we thought sniffing the wine was how you learned where the value was!
 Brock Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology Antonia Mantonakis Brock Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology Antonia Mantonakis and University of Ottawa’s Keri Kettle recently published “Look for the Signature: Using Personal Signatures as Extrinsic Cues Promotes Identity-Congruent Behaviour” in the Journal of Business Research.
Understanding that humans use signatures when committing themselves to significant obligations such as marriages or mortgages, Mantonakis and Kettle explored whether that same perceived value is reflected in consumer products boasting a signature.
The researchers conducted a series of seven studies that looked at how adding a personal signature to in-store signage and product labels affects product evaluations and sales, and examined the identities, affiliations, causal relationships and associations (or disassociations) between consumers and products.
“It is an exciting area of study that can be a windfall for businesses, especially winemakers, marketers, advocacy groups and even curious or savvy shoppers,” said Mantonakis. “One of the great factors we found was that businesses needed a strong understanding of their target audiences when making the decision about whether or not to include a signature on their product.”
The studies involved monitoring wine sales that highlighted a winemaker signature and sales of the same bottle of wine without the signature. Results demonstrated the presence of a signature can boost sales as much as 500 per cent if an Ontarian is purchasing an Ontario wine.
 Taylor MaGee, of Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, examines a wine bottle label. Moreover, bottles of wine with a signature were found to have a higher value in terms of quality compared to the same bottle of wine without a signature.
“The signature has its limits though,” Mantonakis said. “While we might see that a signature on a bottle of Ontario Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wine can drive retail sales for local consumers in Ontario and create positive value associations between consumer and product, it won’t happen for everyone, especially those who are travelling here from elsewhere and may not have a shared identity of being ‘from Ontario.’”
The results of the studies help define the relationship between consumers, the value associated with a signature, awareness of product and how a signature can establish or modify value of a product.
“Ultimately, our research indicates the effect of adding personal signatures depends more on the identity of the target consumers rather than the identity of the signer,” Mantonakis said, adding businesses should first consider their audience before introducing a signature to any label.
 By Staff
December 18th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
This article came from Canadian Press release; it was written by Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, St. Albert Gazette
It was spotted by a Burlington Gazette reader who has been following the discussion in our comments section related to the dissatisfaction many have with the current City Council. Our point here is that community news from our perspective is community being a part of the process. Our hats are off to the reader who passed this along.
Are there ways – other than elections to remove members of a municipal Council?
The Alberta government dismissed the City of Chestermere’s mayor, half of its councillors, and all three chief administrative officers on Dec. 4. Though rare, the decision wasn’t without precedent. But what exactly does an elected official have to do for the province to step in and remove them?
Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said in his decision such interventions should be reserved for cases where the public interest isn’t being served and the municipal government isn’t functioning.
In the case of Chestermere, council was dysfunctionally divided. Some felt bullied by the mayor and fellow councillors, councillors irregularly took on administrative tasks, audited financial statements were filed late, and staffers who objected to requests from the mayor or council were reportedly fired, according to a report from a consultant hired by the provincial government.
 Burlington City Council minutes before the last Council meeting of the year was adjourned. Look hard for the happy faces. The “irregular, improper and improvident” behaviour of elected officials that costs them their position often comes down to infighting, conflicts of interest, and shockingly bad decision making. told, 62 employees left the organization during the time the city was under review.
In 1999, the minister of Municipal Affairs fired the entire 10-member council of the Municipal District of McKenzie. The move was called unprecedented at the time, and the minister cited allegations of mismanagement and infighting as reasons for his unusual intervention.
The dismissal of the council followed only four years after council was first granted local autonomy and control over its spending. Prior to 1995, the M.D. of McKenzie had been an improvement district, managed directly by a municipal affairs administrator with a local elected council acting as an advisory board.
Now known as MacKenzie County — “the largest county in Canada” — the sprawling area in Northern Alberta includes La Crete, Fort Vermillion, and Zama City. Once council was handed control over its affairs, regional disputes quickly disrupted the administration.
“Seldom, if ever, can we recall any situation which parallels that which we found in the M.D. of Mackenzie,” a report commissioned by the provincial government concluded.
The report found the council had interfered with administrative decisions, exercised poor leadership, voted in blocs to further one region’s interests, and let ethnic, cultural, and religious differences interfere in decision-making. Members from Mennonite communities in the southern part of the county held half the seats on council, and there were complaints money was disproportionately being spent in the south.
Former councillor Bill Fedeyko told the Edmonton Journal members of the council were paying themselves handsomely to attend meetings, hiked taxes, and unjustifiably fired the director of utilities, leading to a pricey settlement.
 The feud’s on Burlington City Council have yet to reach the level of the Hatfields and McCoys – still three years left in their term of office. “The biggest thing was that council just couldn’t get along. The bickering was so bad it was just like the Hatfields and the McCoys,” he said.
Former municipal affairs minister Danielle Larivee fired three of five Thorhild County councillors in 2016 when they refused to hire a chief administrative officer (CAO) with experience.
Municipal affairs had provided a short list of approved administrators for the county to choose from to fill the CAO position. Council instead hired former Conservative MP Brian Storseth, who Larivee said didn’t have the skills or experience needed to do the job.
Why was the government sending Thorhild County a vetted list of administrators in the first place? The previous CAO hired by council, at cost of $151,000 per year, also had no qualifications or experience, was a friend of two councillors, and was connected to a group lobbying the council.
Poor hiring choices eventually forced the government to intervene but concerns over the performance of council went back years, with 20 per cent of the county’s residents petitioning for an inquiry in 2014.
A government-commissioned inspection of council turned up vitriolic and threatening emails, with councillors challenging each other to “settle conflicts outside.” This infighting also contributed to confusing and, at times, contradictory motions being passed.
 The demolition failure at Bateman hasn’t been blamed on a janitor – Ministry of Labour is still investigating. Before the councillors were removed, government officials had to step in when the contract to demolish a school was given to a county janitor, who planned to dispose of hazardous materials in an open burn-pit.
Not satisfied with how local reporters at the Redwater Review were covering its affairs, council spent $58,000 to bring in the Westlock News.
“Elected officials should not use the power of the public purse as a means to control a free media,” the investigators admonished.
Alberta introduced The Recall Act in 2022, which allows petitioners to recall MLAs, municipal officials, and school trustees. To recall an official, petitioners need to get 40 per cent of eligible voters in a municipality to sign on within 18 months of an election.
The Act was used for the first time this summer in the Village of Ryley to remove Mayor Nik Lee. During Lee’s tenure, the budget 2022 budget jumped from $1.7 million to over $3 million. Lee also charged the village $5,000 for attending meetings in the first two months of 2023.
Lee had previously been removed from council in 2021 after being disqualified for not paying his municipal taxes.
 By Pepper Parr
December 17th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Publishing a greeting, a wishing of good health and good fortune is not uncommon.
Years ago, I saw a float in the Christmas parade that I’ve never forgotten and want to use that picture again to express my greeting to our readers.
 We sometimes lose sight of what the Season is about.
 By Pepper Parr
December 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The last meeting of City Council was a reflection of how the year went – not all that well and at several points no one really knew what was going on and wondering – who is running this gong show.
It was a Council meeting – these are chaired by the Mayor who traditionally wears the Chain of Office. Mayor Meed Ward was wearing red – but no chain of Office – because she wasn’t in the Council Chamber.
The meeting got a late start which was an hour and a half after the scheduled time.
There was one delegation in the Council Chamber – waiting to speak.
About an hour and a quarter after the scheduled 9:30 am start the delegator was taken to a different location on the ground floor of city hall where she would do her delegation virtually – even though she was in the building.
In that hour and a half before the meeting was called to order the A/V technicians were moving from desk to desk around the horse shoe – fiddling with microphones.
 Mayor Meed Ward chairing the last 2023 meeting of Council. It did not all that well. At one point Mayor Meed Ward said there were technical problems. Councillors Kearns, Stolte and a little later Councillor Galbraith were gathered around a monitor giggling away at something no one else could see.
City Manager Tim Commisso would wander in and out of the Council Chamber.
The meeting was eventually called to order, the national anthem was played – but we couldn’t hear the music.
When the delegator had completed her delegation she returned to the Council Chamber – except for the Deputy Clerk and the Committee Clerk there wasn’t a single person in the Council Chamber.
The City Manager is always in the Chamber when a Council meeting is taking place.
There was no public explanation at the time is as to what was going on.
There have been problems with the software that handles the web cast – it seemed to have problems every meeting. Quite why the city hasn’t assigned someone to look at the software being used and doing the fixes that are needed is something people can only complain about.
City Council did not end the year on a high note.
Related news story.
Joe Gaetan on using ZOOM
By Joe Gaetan
December 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 Joe Gaetan As I see it, there are two great advantages to zoom meetings. One, you do not have to leave your home. Two, you can avoid the hassle of driving, commuting and parking, and the time taken to and fro, from home to work. The “piece de resistance” to zooming is you can attend in your jammies or take a bathroom break while not missing a thing. Hopefully doing so with both the mic muted and the camera turned off.
However according to a peer reviewed study conducted by Stanford University, zooming for hours- on-end comes with zoom fatigue and psychological consequences. Following are the four causes of zoom fatigue:
1 Excessive Eye Contact. Zoomers experience an unnatural amount of eye contact during zoom meetings as “everyone is looking at everyone all the time”. This is in contrast to traditional meetings where there are different things to focus upon.
2 Constantly Seeing Yourself. While some people may enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, the study points out that, “it is unnatural to see yourself at all times when speaking to another person”.
3 Reduction Of Mobility. Unless you’re sitting on a treadmill while zooming, zoom calls “unnaturally reduce people’s mobility by forcing them to stay within a certain field of view”. But not, if you zoom-attend with your cell phone. Cell zooming allows you to take a walkabout, or nature break. Hopefully Fido or Felix is not annoyed by you invading their space.
4 Higher Cognitive Load. According to the study, people should be concerned about this as, “natural nonverbal cues such as gestures and body language are difficult to interpret during video calls which means the brain has to work harder to send and receive signals.
Council as the adjourn for the last meeting of 2023 – all by Zoom Is there a case for zoom calls, YES. Should they be used all the time, NO. Is zooming abused by some organizations or attendees, PROBABLY.
What about elected people, should they zoom, WITHIN REASON, and if they ask you if they can “zoom meet you” when campaigning for your vote.
Source: Search Engine Journal, Matt G Southern Feb 27,2021, www.searchenginejournal.com
By Staff
December 15th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Greater Toronto Area isn’t exactly known for being an affordable place to buy a home, and Burlington is no exception. But an upcoming condo development is looking to bring more affordability to the area.
Planned for 490 Plains Road East, NORTHSHORE is a mid-size condo development from National Homes, rising eight storeys in height and bringing 153 new residential units to the Aldershot area. Plains Road has seen a revitalization of sorts in recent years, thanks in large part to its proximity to the GO train and its accessibility to both the waterfront and downtown. But with the average home in Burlington selling for over $1M — and the average condo going for roughly $725K — prices aren’t exactly affordable for many would-be buyers.
Enter: National Homes, who are hopeful that the upcoming NORTHSHORE project can help bridge the gap by offerings one-bedroom units starting at $499,990.
 “The demographic research that we did showed, obviously, a lack of supply in the market for more affordable product,” said Jason Pantalone, President and CEO of National Homes. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve been focusing on transit-oriented development at affordable price points, so when we saw this opportunity become available, we were intrigued.”
As is to be expected, prices will vary from unit to unit, depending on size, number of bedrooms, features, and the like, but Pantalone says about 70% of the condos at NORTHSHORE will be less than $700K — markedly below the average Burlington condo price.
Although there’s certainly demand for it, units at this price point are often difficult to pull off, due to high land costs all across the GTA.
“Unless someone has owned the land for a long time and is sitting on land holdings, then yes, I could see it, but to come into the market today and to buy land, and be able to come out of that price point, I think will be challenging,” Pantalone added.
National Homes acquired the Plains Road East property — currently occupied by a one-storey commercial plaza — more than five years ago, when prices were significantly lower than in today’s market. Now with the plans complete for their sleek, modern build, they’re ready to get the ball rolling with pre-construction sales launching in the spring.
Those who do buy at NORTHSHORE will have access to a slew of amenities, including a large fitness room, a party room, a kids’ play area, and a co-working space, to accommodate those who work remotely. Outside, there will be a parkette, and up on the roof, a large terrace overlooking the Burlington Golf Course and Lake Ontario.
“We have unobstructed views to the south, which is going to be beautiful,” Pantalone said.
On the ground floor of the development will be some retail space, which Pantalone says they plan to lease to services that will benefit the building’s residents, like a coffee shop.
With its more accessible prices, Pantalone hopes that NORTHSHORE will be able to provide housing to older homeowners looking to downsize and first-time buyers alike.
“We’re looking at the first-time homebuyer that has lived in Burlington their whole life and doesn’t want to commute or doesn’t want to leave the community that they grew up in, and now has an opportunity to buy at an affordable price.”
By Pepper Parr
December 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
On July 1st of this year the province gave many Mayors the right to use what were called Strong Mayor powers.
A Mayor does not have to use these powers, which are pretty blunt. To date Mayor Meed Ward has used the powers on 13 occasions. Numbers 4 to 8 are set out below. Numbers 1 to 3 were published earlier – a link to them is set out below. Four, five and six have the Mayor passing the bylaws – this is what a City Council does, with Strong Mayor powers a Mayor can declare a bylaw is passed – the one proviso is that the Mayor must inform the public in writing.
The two decisions that raise concerns are seven and eight. They turn the Standing Committee structure the city had on its head.
For those involved in what takes place at city hall – pay attention.
Decision # 4
 No one saw this coming. What was a victory signal the night Marianne Meed Ward was elected Mayor morphed into something few expected. Mayoral decision
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001, I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby approve the following by-laws passed at the Burlington City Council meeting of September 26, 2023 in accordance with subsection 284.11(4)(a)(i) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
• All by-laws enacted under Motion to Approve By-laws (Council Agenda item 21)
• Confirmation By-law (Council Agenda Item 22)
Dated at Burlington, this 26th day of September 2023.
Decision # 5
Mayoral decision
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001,
I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby approve the following by-laws passed at the Burlington City Council meeting of October 5, 2023 in accordance
with subsection 284.11(4)(a)(i) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
• All by-laws enacted under Motion to Approve By-laws (NA)
• Confirmation By-law (Council Agenda Item #9)
Dated at Burlington, this 5th day of October 2023.
Decision # 6
Mayoral decision
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001,
I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby approve the following by-laws passed at the Burlington City Council meeting of October 17, 2023 in
accordance with subsection 284.11(4)(a)(i) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
• All by-laws enacted under Motion to Approve By-laws (Council Agenda item #21)
• Confirmation By-law (Council Agenda Item #22)
Dated at Burlington, this 17th day of October 2023.
Decision # 7
Mayoral decision
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001,
Effective January 1, 2024, in accordance with subsection 226.6 of the Act, I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby dissolve the following standing
committees as prescribed in the City’s Procedure By-law no. 31 -2021, as amended:
• Committee of the Whole
• Community Planning , Regulation & Mobility Committee
• Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services Committee
• Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability Committee; and
Effective January 1, 2024, in accordance with subsection 226.6 of the Act, I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby establish a Committee of the Whole
and Budget Committee with functions assigned as follows:
Committee of the Whole
I. Responsibilities
The Committee of the Whole shall be responsible for considering all matters that do not properly fall under the jurisdiction of any other existing Standing
Committees. The Committee of the Whole agendas are divided into the following sections, with a Chair and Vice Chair assigned to each section:
Community Planning, Regulation & Mobility
The Community Planning, Regulation & Mobility section will include matters relating to:
a) Matters under the jurisdiction of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility including; Community Planning, Building, By-law Compliance, Transit, and Transportation departments;
b) Public hearings pursuant to the Planning Act, RSO 1990, c. P.13, as amended;
c) Matters arising from the following boards and advisory committees:
Aldershot BIA
Burlington Chamber of Commerce
Burlington Downtown Business Association
Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC)
Committee of Adjustment
Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee
Integrated Transportation Advisory Committee (ITAC)
Burlington Cycling Advisory Committee
Burlington Agricultural and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee (BARAAC)
Downtown Parking Advisory Committee
Property Standards Committee
Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services
The Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services section will include matters relating to:
a) Matters under the jurisdiction of the Environment, Infrastructure and
Community Services including; Engineering Services, Recreation,
Community and Culture, Roads, Parks & Forestry, and Fire, Assets and
Sustainability departments;
b) Matters arising from the following boards, committees and advisory committees:
Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee (BMC)
Burlington Sustainable Development Committee (SOC)
Art Gallery of Burlington Board (AGB)
Burlington Mundialization Committee
Burlington Museums Board
Burlington Performing Arts Centre
Burlington Public Library Board (BPL)
Burlington Seniors’ Advisory Committee {BSAC)
Tourism Burlington
Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability
The Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability section will include matters relating to:
a) Matters under the jurisdiction of the City Manager’s Office, Office of the City Clerk, Corporate Communications and Engagement, Strategy, Risk
and Accountability, Customer Experience, Finance, Human Resources, Burlington Digital Services, and Corporate Legal Services departments;
b) All public meetings under the Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c. 27;
c) Burlington Strategic Plan and Vision to Focus workplan;
d) Matters arising from the following board and advisory committee:
Burlington Hydro Electric Inc. (SHEi)
Burlington lnclusivity Advisory Committee (BIAC)
II. Composition
The Committee of the Whole shall be comprised of all members of Council.
Ill. Reporting
The Committee of the Whole reports directly to Council.
Budget Committee
I. Responsibilities
The Budget Committee is responsible for hearing public presentations, receiving financial reports from staff, and providing advice to the Mayor on the operating
and capital budgets; and making recommendations to Council on any operating or capital budgets in which the Mayor has a pecuniary interest.
II. Composition
The Budget Committee shall be comprised of all members of Council.
Ill. Reporting
The Budget Committee reports directly to Council.
Dated at Burlington, this 31st day of October 2023.
Decision # 8
Mayoral decision
References: MO-03-22 – Appointments to standing committees, boards , committees, agencies and Deputy Mayors , December 13, 2022 *with changes CL-18-23 – Standing Committee Structure Options, October 17, 2023 Mayoral Decision 07-23 – To establish a Committee of the Whole and Budget Committee
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001 (the Act); and Effective January 1, 2024, in accordance with subsection 226.6 of the Act, I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby appoint the following Councillors as rotating chairs of Committee of the Whole and Budget Committee for remainder of the 2022-2026 Term of Council as established by report MO-03-22: ** Chair changes are bolded, they align the Deputy Mayor of Strategy and Budgets portfolio to the Chair of Budget, with subsequent position changes to ensure equity.
 What were Standing Committee chairs are now “section” chairs. Committee of the Whole
The Mayor shall preside as the Chair for Committee of the Whole for all agenda sections, with rotating Councillors appointed as section chairs and section vice chairs for
Community Planning, Regulation & Mobility Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services and Corporate Services, Strategy , Risk & Accountability regular items.
Committee of the Whole – Community Planning Regulation & Mobility
Committee of the Whole – Corporate Services Strategy Risk & Accountability Regular Agenda
Budget Committee
Dated at Burlington, this 31st day of October 2023.
 Mayor Meed Ward has decided she is going to do it all. Relayed news story:
First three Strong Mayor decisions
By Pepper Parr
December 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
A new Christmas classic?
An alternative take on a seasonal classic.
You can decide for yourself.
Joan didn’t do the re-write – it was written for Saturday Night Live, the TV show – she puts her own voice to the words.
 Joan Krygsman My number one local music talent has put a really funny version of Santa Baby out there for all to enjoy.
Treat yourself to hearing Joan Krygsman CLICK HERE
By Staff
December 15th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
After years of unpredictability, the Canadian housing market may find some sense of normalcy in 2024. And with it, higher prices.
According to Royal LePage’s Market Survey Forecast, the aggregate price of a home in Canada will reach $843,684 in Q4 2024, a 5.5% annual increase. At the same time, the median price of a single-family home will rise 6% year over year to $879,164, while the median price of a condo will jump 5% to $616,140.
The forecast brings home prices back in line with the pandemic peak seen in Q1 2022. However, as the increase will have taken place gradually over nearly three years, it won’t deliver the same affordability shock as 2021’s price run up did.
The majority of the price appreciation will be seen in the second half of 2024 — modest quarterly increases of less than 1% are expected in Q1 and Q2. Meanwhile, quarterly increases of 2.3% and 1.7% are forecast for Q3 and Q4, respectively.
Aggregate price forecast –Royal LePage graphic
The prediction is based on the assumption that the Bank of Canada has finished raising interest rates, and will hold the key lending rate at its current 5% through the first half of next year. Royal Lepage expects will begin in the late summer or fall, pushing home prices up.
While part of the market that will materialize in 2024 can be chalked up the the resumption of seasonal ebbs and flows — a winter hibernation, a springtime rush — there will also be what Phil Soper, the President and CEO of Royal LePage, calls the “great adjustment.”
“In 2024, Canadians will adjust to the fact that we’re not going to see really low interest rates again anytime soon. Those 2% five-year mortgages [won’t return] maybe in most current people’s home buying lifetime,” Soper told STOREYS. “We don’t believe that a large cut to interest rates is necessary to get the market going again, because we believe that the biggest impediment to sales transactions right now is psychological, not structural. It’s not that people can’t transact, it’s that they believe that the home they’re buying will be cheaper tomorrow.”
“But we believe that once there is even a small, call it a 25-basis-point reduction, in interest rates, that even the most conservative of buyers will realize that the rising rate environment is truly over, that it won’t sneak up on them again and depress home prices, and that home prices are likely to rise again.”
With that acceptance, buyer’s pent-up demand will be unleashed. Amidst Canada’s worsening housing crisis, that demand will outweigh supply, putting upward pressure on prices.
On a local level, Calgary is expected to see the greatest price appreciation of any major Canadian market for the second year running. The aggregate price of a home will increase 8% annually in Q4, to $711,612.
The Greater Toronto Area is forecast to follow with a 6% annual increase, bringing the aggregate home price to $1,198,012 in Q4.
Although Greater Vancouver will only see a 3% annual increase, the city’s aggregate home price of $1,281,732 will help it maintain its position as Canada’s most expensive market.
Halifax, Regina, and Winnipeg are also expected to see prices rise 3% year over year in Q4, while Edmonton, Ottawa, and the Greater Montreal Area will experience annual price jumps of 4% to 5%.
“It’s definitely a risk that a cut to interest rates will unleash an uncomfortably large amount of pent up demand,” Soper said. “But that’s why I believe the bank will be very modest and methodical in its cuts.
“That should hopefully allow for a more gradual increase to normal transaction levels, and a return to mid-single-digit home price appreciation, which is a healthy long-term affordability level.”
 By Pepper Parr
December 15th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
There is something just a little odd about how City Manager has been treated by City Council and how he has reacted to decision Council made about the job he does.
Council hires just one person: the City Manager. The City Manager delegates the authority he has to other senior staff members.
Earlier this year Council went into a CLOSED session and did a review of his performance. The only the public heard was a comment Tim Commisso made about feeling very humble with the way the review went adding that the job of City Manager for Burlington is one of the most satisfying in his career is as a municipal civil servant.
Sometime after the review the public was told that Commisso was being given a salary increase – something in the order of an additional $60,000+ a year.
 Tim Commisso accepted an invitation for a cup of coffee with newly elected Mayor Meed Ward and ended up accepting an appointment as interim City Manager that was confirmed by a basically newbie City Council. Councillor Sharman had worked with Commisso in the past.   There was no detail on how this came about. Did the Mayor invite Tim in for coffee and tell him that he was going to get an additional 60 big ones each year? Did they send him an email? Did the Director of Human Resources advise him?
What was very surprising was the announce weeks later from Tim Commisso that he was not going to seek an extension of his contract?
Huh! He gets a substantial raise and weeks later says he won’t be sticking around for much longer.
What brought about the change of heart?
 Both Mayor Meed Ward and City Manager Tim Commisso went native as they danced through the streets of Itabashi in Japan. Somewhere along the way the relationship between the Mayor and the City Manager changed. Anyone with any senior executive responsibility would look askance at a situation like this.
So far – no one is talking. In time the real story leaks out and we will pass it along when we get it.
What we can say at this point in time is that this is not a healthy Human Resources situation
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
December 15th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
We knew that the Mayor had Strong Mayor powers (SMP) – they were given to her on July 1st.
What we were not fully aware was just how often she had used them. The Municipal Act requires that the Mayor publish a notice each time she uses the Strong Mayor power.
To date Mayor Meed Ward has used the SMP 13 times. We will publish the notice she placed on the city web site. Mayor Meed Ward makes a point of telling people who many ways she has of communicating with residents. We get all the photo ops along with her tweets but have yet to see her make public what she has done with the SMP on the several social media accounts she uses.
Decision # 1
Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, received Royal Assent on September 8, 2022, and came into force on November 23, 2022.
This legislation and associated regulations (O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg. 580/22) provide the Mayor with additional powers beyond those previously set out in the Municipal Act, 2001.
Under the new legislation, O. Reg 180/23 as of July 1, 2023, the Mayor’s powers include:
-
 City Manager Tim Commisso  The Strong Mayor Powers certainly changed the nature of the relationship between these two. Appoint and dismiss the City Manager as well as the head of any division or the head of any other part of the organizational structure (except statutory municipal officers i.e. City Clerk or Deputy, Treasurer or Deputy, Chief Building Officer and Fire Chief); *
- Determining the organization structure of the City; *
- Create committees of Council, assign their functions, and appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of committees of Council; *
- Propose the City’s budget subject to Council amendments, a Mayoral veto, and a Council override process;
- Submit matters for Council’s consideration, or veto by-laws, if the Mayor believes it will advance a prescribed Provincial Priority; and
- Direct City staff in writing.
*The Mayor may choose to delegate these specific powers and duties.
Decision # 2
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the
Municipal Act, 2001,
I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby approve the following by-laws passed at the Burlington City Council meeting of September 14, 2023 in
accordance with subsection 284.11(4)(a)(i) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
- All by-laws enacted under Motion to Approve By-laws (NA)
- Confirmation By-law (Council Agenda Item 15)
Dated at Burlington, this 14th day of September 2023.
Decision # 3
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the
Municipal Act, 2001,
I Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of the City of Burlington, hereby approve the following by-laws passed at the Burlington City Council meeting of September 14, 2023 in
accordance with subsection 284.11(4)(a)(i) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
-
 While the Mayor cannot dismiss the Treasurer the Strong Mayor powers the Mayor has change the nature of that relationship. Joan Ford advised Council that the budget that was passed was to be her last. Prepare a draft City of Burlington 2024 Operating and Capital Budget and Forecast in accordance with the requirements of the Act;
- That the CFO provide the Mayor with periodic updates on the 2024 Draft Budget in order that those discussions may inform the budget; and;
- The draft budget be provided to each Member of Council and the public no later than October 19, 2023.
Dated at Burlington, this 14th day of September 2023.
The other 10 decisions made by the Mayor will be set out later today.
There is a concern with the specific Act the Mayor is choosing to use. We need a bit of time to check that out.
By Staff
December 14th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Brock University researcher Dan Malleck said that a significant shift might be on the horizon for alcohol sales in Ontario as a result of the provincial government’s approach to bring the changes into effect by 2026 is as well is as the response from stakeholders who have the potential to influence the system’s structure.
The Professor of Health Sciences and expert on the history of liquor laws in Canada says there are many factors that will need to be addressed before beer, wine and premixed canned cocktails can be sold in corner stores, gas stations and grocery stores across the province, as announced by the Ontario government Thursday, December 14th.
 Dan Malleck, Professor and Chair of Brock’s Department of Health Sciences and Director of the Centre for Canadian Studies. Rules around the volumes of alcohol that can be sold in different stores will need to be created, as well as guidelines for how staff selling alcohol will be trained. Consultation with communities will also be required to gauge the local desire or tolerance for licensed retailers, says Malleck, Director of Brock’s Centre for Canadian Studies.
“Some municipal councils will probably balk and, as we saw with cannabis retailing, decide to ban certain types of stores,” he says. “We will also likely see a concerted marketing campaign by several groups of stakeholders — from The Beer Store, to retail organizations, to groups with more concern about the potential dangers of expanded sales — in an attempt to affect the final structure of the system that emerges.”
Malleck says the reform is a “tsunami in Ontario’s alcohol market,” but cautions that a lot can change between now and its implementation two years down the road.
“This government may not be in power in 2026, so a new government might have different ideas of liberalization,” he says. “This is what we saw in 1934 when the liquor law was changed to allow drinking in licensed public spaces. Before it could be enacted, a new government came into power and implemented policies that were less liberal than many had expected.”
Malleck says the potential for competition through price adjustment may also be a major concern, with details vague in Thursday’s announcement regarding the regulations through which private retailers will set their pricing.
“If all stores have to charge the same for a product, there may be less interest in the market for smaller players to get involved,” he says. “They won’t have the economies of scale on their side, and in the face of bigger vendors, they may simply not be worth it to open.”
New rules may need to be constructed to intentionally dull the power of the monopoly held by The Beer Store, which will continue to have cost advantages on its side, he says.
 The Beer Store will continue to take returns – which gives them a huge market share advantage. “The Beer Store has the locations, the staff and the skill set to deal with larger volumes, to continue to be the main distributor and to manage things like returns,” he says. “After all, if you still have to go to The Beer Store to return your empties, and it’s right there in front of you, buying from that location may continue to be an attractive option.”
The role and structure of the LCBO will remain the same through the reform, though Malleck says Ontario may see the closure of some storefronts, especially smaller locations near abundant other options.
With high-alcohol spirits, such as vodka and gin, excluded from the 2026 expansion, the changes may be a chance for the LCBO to broaden its offerings of spirits and position itself as a specialty shop, he says, adding Ontario is also likely to see the development of other privately-owned speciality shops focused on wine and beer as the new plan comes into effect.
The reform will mean expansion for some, but not all eligible retail stores, Malleck says.
New requirements for the sale of alcohol may see some supermarkets reduce their offerings, as some have seen the sale of alcohol as more of a problem than a benefit given the restrictions on times of sale, the need for more training of staff and concerns over shoplifting, he says.
 Dan Malleck, Professor and Chair of Brock’s Department of Health Sciences and Director of the Centre for Canadian Studies.
By Pepper Parr
December 14th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has released the 2024 city meeting calendar. New in 2024, is the Committee of the Whole standing committee, that considers items from every department, and the introduction of the Pipeline to Permit standing committee.
 Mayor Meed Ward has issued 13 decisions using her Strong Mayor Powers This new committee will focus on tracking growth, issues, and continuous improvement opportunities for the development approval process within the City of Burlington.
The Committee of the Whole was established through Mayoral Decision 07-2023. This was the Mayor using the Strong Mayor powers she was given July 1st. To date she has made 13 decisions.
It will replace the existing Standing Committees
Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA),
Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility (CPRM) and
Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services (EICS).
This new structure will make meetings more flexible and efficient by allowing the standing committee to transition directly to the next item of city business. It also creates a shorter committee week with fewer meetings.
City Manager Tim Commisso didn’t quite see it that way
Schedule highlights
During committee weeks each month:
Committee of the Whole committee meetings will take place on Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Any remaining items will be considered on Tuesdays, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Pipeline to Permit committee meetings will take place on Thursdays, starting at 9:30 a.m.
City Council meetings will take place on Tuesdays, the week following the committee meetings, starting at 9:30 a.m.
None of the meetings are scheduled for the evening when it is more convenient for the public.
The city meeting calendar is available online at burlington.ca/meetings.
The agendas for all committee meetings will continue to be published on the City’s website 10 days before the meeting date. Council agendas are published online the Friday before the meeting.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward puts her own spin on why the change. “Our new, more predictable schedule not only provides clarity and consistency for those following City Council and committee meetings, but also actively encourages public participation in our local government. By streamlining access to crucial information through our new committee structure, we are making it easier for residents to stay informed about the decisions shaping our community.
“The addition of the Committee of the Whole and the Pipeline to Permit standing committees underscores our commitment to continuous improvement, and ensures the development approval process aligns with the needs and aspirations of our growing community.”
Samantha Yew, Deputy City Clerk (who seems to be carrying the Clerk’s work load – no one seems to know just where the Kevin Arjoon, City Clerk is. Communications tells us that he is still on the payroll.)
“Having a fixed, predictable meeting schedule provides clarity and consistency for everyone who is interested in following the business of City Council. Understanding when Council will convene and when decision making is taking place also helps remove some barriers for the public to participate in their local government.”
No word on who will Chair the meetings, in the past Councillor Bentivegna served as Chair. Will that train wreck be avoided?
By Pepper Parr
December 14th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier this week City Council held its last meeting for 2023.
 For those who love Rube Goldberg – this is how you turn on a light bulb. Council wasn’t as well coordinated when it met for the last time this year. Getting the meeting “on the air” was a little like a Rube Goldberg effort – nothing seemed to work despite a council that has the words – “We do engaging real good” tattooed on their chests.
At the end of a Council meeting each member gets to make personal comments (limited to three minutes) – which usually amounts to a list of the things going on in their wards. Given the Season we are now in I expected to hear words about family and being together – that kind of stuff.
That is not what happened on Tuesday.
At least two of the Councillors didn’t have a word to say – overall it was sort of a glum way to close out a year. Before the end of the year we will look at what this Council did right and what they really screwed up.
Council during their last meeting of 2023 – Mayor still has a chance to call them out for a Special meeting. Not a lot of happy faces.
 By Staff
December 14th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The following statement was released this morning by Safe Streets Halton
Burlington’s council has shown where their priorities lie regarding the safety of our residents via the 2024 Budget process. Despite the advocacy of groups like Safe Streets Halton, and the support of councillors Nisan and Stolte, it was a battle to get safety investments added to the budget. In the end, there were victories for road safety, but as was seen, there are still challenges that lie ahead.
 Nick Morrison delegating at Council on Safe Streets Halton While the city has said they’ll improve active transportation (walking, cycling) during resurfacing projects, there is no committed funding for these improvements. Projects like the Plains Road West Improvements show what the city can achieve if it is willing to invest resources. As Burlington densifies and grows, the availability of safe and reliable transportation options is vital to keeping the city moving. Should these options not be available, residents can expect gridlock and more deaths and injuries on our roads. Investments in active and public transportation will create more options for travel and help alleviate congestion. However, the city needs to put up the funding to enable this vision.
Council remains hesitant to invest in safe transportation infrastructure as exemplified during the 2024 budget deliberations. Safe Streets Halton provided a grave reminder that lives continue to be altered due to road violence in the city, with over 300 reported injuries and 2 deaths in 2023 according to data from Halton Regional Police. Despite this and the advocacy from Councillors Nisan and Stolte, there was hesitation around the council table regarding funding a Road Safety Coordinator position. Opposed councillors believed that this coordinator would not be needed if we weren’t growing as a city, instead of recognizing that it is needed because people are dying on our streets today.
During the first debate, Councillor Kearns took the time to tell the public that even if road safety funding isn’t committed, it does not mean the city does not care. She pointed to the Plains Road improvements as a positive example before the Mayor’s proposed growth infrastructure fund was cut in half, and the safety coordinator position was later rejected. At the very end of the final debate, council opted to further decrease funding towards safe infrastructure, and move it towards covering unrelated costs and paying for the Road Safety Coordinator position. The safety coordinator will ironically rely on the very funding that was reduced.
 Councillor Kearns commented that “in the real world” Before casting her vote, Councillor Kearns commented that “in the real world” people are adjusting their plans, that plans the city has should be put on hold, and that “sometimes the best-laid plans don’t come to fruition”. Comments like this are completely disrespectful to the memories of those we’ve lost to road violence, the loved ones they were taken from, and others whose lives will never be the same. “Real world” experiences should be framed around the members of our community who are injured or killed on our streets because of the decisions (or lack of decisions) made by our elected officials.
For this budget, it is understandable that Burlington City Council was in a difficult position. However, when cuts to necessary infrastructure investments are made, this short-term relief will result in long-term costs (in this case, up to $20 million in debt payments, and more injuries). When a position that is supposed to help save lives is considered last when reassessing the budget, that does not show the public that road safety is a priority.
While this council has made further progress than those before it, there is still work to be done. City council needs to recognize and address the need for sensible and sustainable investment in the safety of its residents.
 Safe Streets Halton is a community-based organization dedicated to the elimination of all traffic-related deaths and serious injuries in Halton Region. We believe you should be able to travel safely, whether you decide to walk, cycle, or drive.
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 By Nicky Allan
December 15th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Online casino tournaments and competitions offer players a chance to compete directly against other players for big cash prizes and rewards. They come in different formats, but generally involve entering for a buy-in fee and playing casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette and poker to accumulate points or winnings. The top performers at the end of the tournament win a share of the prize pool.
 Tournaments and competitions add an extra layer of excitement and give players more ways to win. Competitions run alongside regular casino play and require players to complete certain challenges or meet specific criteria to earn prizes and rewards. For example, a competition may reward the player who wagers the most money on slots during a given time frame.
Tournaments and competitions add an extra layer of excitement and give players more ways to win. They often attract high numbers of players, allowing prize pools to climb very high.
Why Enter Online Casino Tournaments?
Here are some of the key benefits of online casino tournaments in Canada:
Huge prize pools – With hundreds or even thousands of players entering, prize pools can easily climb into the tens of thousands of dollars or more. Even finishing mid-pack can result in nice payouts.
Fixed costs – Tournaments require a set buy-in fee to enter, so you know your maximum spending upfront. This allows you to better manage your bankroll
Thrill of competition – Going up against other players adds more excitement and makes winning even sweeter. Tournaments bring a fun competitive element.
Rewards skills – More skilled players gain an edge in tournaments, allowing them to leverage their abilities.
Beginners enjoy competitions that even the playing field.
Qualify for big events – Some tournaments offer seats to bigger live and online events as prizes, like the World Poker Tour.
Robust cybersecurity: Trusted gaming platforms prioritise player security with encryption, secure transactions, and anti-cheat measures, guarding against scams and ensuring a secure and enjoyable gaming experience.
Top Online Casinos in Canada for Tournaments
Sites like casino.ca compile lists of the top rated casinos to help make your decision easier. Based on factors like tournament variety, prize pools, and overall quality, here are five of the best online casinos in Canada for exciting tournament action:
 1. JackpotCity Casino
JackpotCity offers some of the most vibrant online casino tournaments you’ll find at any Canada facing site. Their slots tournaments are among the most popular. Players must pay a small entry fee and then they play with free credits. The top player will receive a cash prize.
2. Spin Casino
 As part of The Palace Group, Spin Casino shares a player pool with other top Canada facing sites like JackpotCity, meaning their tournaments always attract huge numbers of players and massive prize pools. There is no buy in fee for Spin Casino tournaments. The top 30 players in each tournament are rewarded with a prize. It should be noted, however, that because these tournaments are free to enter and play, the winnings cannot be withdrawn.
3. PlayOJO
PlayOJO takes a special approach by not just offering cash prizes but cool tech rewards as well. Previous prizes have included MacBook Pros, robot vacuums and Bluetooth headphones, as well as thousands of free spins.
4. PlayAmo
PlayAmo offers one of the most extensive collections of daily online casino tournaments you’ll find, covering all the most popular games. Seven figure progressive prize pools are common across their many slots and card game tournaments.
 5. Casumo
For innovation, Casumo stands out from the crowd. They consistently offer a huge variety of tournaments on live casino games – not just slots and cards. Play live roulette, blackjack and baccarat in tournaments against other players in real time against real dealers. Casumo also offer large slots tournaments throughout the year. There’s no buy in fee, players enter simply by playing slots as they normally would. Prize pools of up to $30,000 and payouts within 72 hours make Casumo a top choice.
Ready to Dive into the Action?
Canada’s top online casinos offer so many ways to win through exciting tournaments and competitions. With prize pools that can climb into the tens of thousands of dollars and beyond, these events give you the chance to turbo boost your bankroll. Consider factors like tournament variety, prize pools, and promotional value when choosing the best online casino for you.
By Staff
December 13th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The National Rent Report charts and analyzes monthly, quarterly and annual rates and trends in the rental market on a national, provincial, and municipal level.
Toronto finished third on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in November for a one-bedroom at $2,594 and for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $3,450.
Other Greater Toronto Area cities and areas include:
Oakville came in fourth on the list in November with an average monthly rent for a one-bedroom at $2,532 and $3,332 for a two-bedroom.
Mississauga came in fifth on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in November for a one-bedroom at $2,322 and $2,821 for a two-bedroom.
In Burlington, residents of a 9 or 10 storey apartment building owned by Sun Life Insurance have been advised that 1 bedroom unit will be priced at $2,400; a 2 bedroom unit at $2,800 and a 3 bedroom at $3,400.
Rents Up 8% Annually in Canada Despite Slowdown in Vancouver and Toronto
Asking rents for all residential property types in Canada averaged $2,174 in November, holding close to the record high in October ($2,178) with a 0.2% month-over-month decrease.
The annual rate of rent growth in Canada moderated for the third consecutive month. Asking rents increased 8.4% year-over-year in November, compared to annual growth rates of 9.9% in October and 11.1% in September.
“Rent inflation in Canada is slowly starting to moderate, a trend being led by a notable slowdown in rents in the country’s most expensive big cities of Vancouver and Toronto. Renters are adjusting to record high housing costs by shifting into less expensive markets,” said Shaun Hildebrand, president of Urbanation.
Studio apartment rents accelerated to an annual growth rate of 12.1% in November, while one-bedroom apartments maintained the strongest annual rent growth at 13.6%, although at a slower pace compared to previous months. Furthermore, Two-bedroom apartments saw a slowdown in annual rent growth from 11.8% in October to 11.2% in November.
Canada’s 25 most expensive small and medium-sized markets are concentrated in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, with Greater Vancouver and Greater Toronto dominating the top rankings. Côte Saint-Luc in Quebec remained the fastest-growing market for apartment rents in October, with a remarkable 29.4% annual increase.
Average asking rents for shared accommodations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec reached a record high of $960, growing by 16.2% over the past year. Quebec experienced the fastest growth in shared accommodation rents at 26.2%, with an average of $923, including Montreal’s average of $956.
The National Rent Report charts and analyzes monthly, quarterly and annual rates and trends in the rental market on national, provincial, and municipal levels across all listings on the Rentals.ca Network for Canada. The data from the digital rental platform Rentfaster.ca is incorporated into this report.
Rentals.ca Network data is analyzed and the report is written by Urbanation, a Toronto-based real estate research firm providing in-depth market analysis and consulting services since 1981.
*The data includes single-detached homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, condominium apartments, rental apartments and basement apartments (outlier listings are removed, as are single-room rentals.)
By Pepper Parr
December 13th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 Donnie Beaumont, winner of the all new Electric Mustang Mach-E Select, celebrating his win of the ride of a lifetime! His enthusiasm made it electric!
On December 7th, Donnie Beaumont, a baker at a Burlington Loblaws emerged as the fortunate winner of the Gino’s Pizza 2024 Mustang Mach-E Select car giveaway, beating out 40 pre-qualifiers in a thrilling draw at Whiteoak Ford dealership in Mississauga.
The contest spanned six months, during which participants had the chance to qualify as pre-qualifiers by either adding a minimum of two drinks or wings to their online orders.
Additionally, customer appreciation days held at various locations provided another avenue for becoming a pre-qualifier. Donnie, in particular, qualified through one of our customer appreciation days, making his win all the more special.
But the surprises didn’t stop there! Not only did Donnie win the grand prize Mustang Mach-E Select, but he also received an extra bonus—an annual $500 gift card from Gino’s Pizza for the next five years! Donnie described the night as the best of his life, expressing sheer thrill and gratitude for winning such a grand prize.
In the spirit of generosity, all participants were winners too, receiving a $200 Gino’s Pizza gift card each and a bag of delightful goodies. We even took the opportunity to surprise and celebrate the birthday of one of the pre-qualifiers during the event.
By Staff
December 13th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
GO Transit will offer free all-night New Year’s Eve service for customers, courtesy of Forty Creek Whisky and Metrolinx.
Both train and bus services will be free to all customers on New Year’s Eve from 7 p.m. until 8 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2024.
 In addition, GO Transit will run extra late evening trips into Union Station to help customers travelling downtown as well as a variety of special trains from Union Station after midnight to help them get home safely:
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- On the Lakeshore East and West GO Lines, trains will depart regularly from Union Station from 12:30 a.m. until 7:30 a.m.
- On the Kitchener Line, trains will depart Union Station regularly from 12:35 a.m. until 5:35 a.m.
- The Milton Line will have two additional trips heading westbound to Milton GO at 1:25 a.m. and 3:55 a.m.
- On the Barrie Line, three special trains will depart between 12:55 a.m. and 4:10 a.m.
- On the Stouffville Line, three special trains will depart between 12:40 a.m. and 4:25 a.m.
- On the Richmond Hill Line, one special train will head northbound at 1:10 a.m.
Extra GO Bus service is also planned for New Year’s Eve, giving customers even more options to travel safely into 2024. UP Express service will be free after 7.p.m. with the last UP Express train departing Union at 11 p.m. and 11:27 p.m. at Pearson.
Customers are encouraged to continue tapping on and off their train or bus, but they will not be charged and will see $0 on the display.
Learn more HERE and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
 By Pepper Parr
December 13th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The story was about the fraudulent vendor payment and recovery matter; told from the City’s perspective.
That isn’t the whole story.
 In a city media release on May 23, 2019 the City discovered it was a victim of a fraud where a single transaction in the amount of $503,026.66 was made to a falsified bank account in response to a complex phishing email requesting to change banking information for an established City vendor. The transaction was in the form of an electronic transfer of funds made to the vendor on May 16, 2019.
Later in 2019, the Gazette had a conversation with a member of Council who told us at that time that the city was going to recover some of the money that was taken. We were surprised that a Council member chose to discuss a matter that was discussed in a CLOSED session of Council – but these things do happen.
Another report made mention of the recovery of $100,000.00 by the City in November of 2023. This brings the total recovery in this case to $422,641.67 which was seen as most likely to be final recovery.
The City’s strategy to recover the defrauded funds included making a claim against the City’s insurance Cyber Crime Policy, commencing civil litigation proceedings, and negotiating a restitution order as part of the criminal proceedings in this case.
The following methods of recovery were utilized in this case:
(a) Insurance Recovery:
A claim was filed with the City’s insurers under its Cyber Crime Policy, which had the maximum policy limit of $250,000, and was subject to a $50,000 deductible. Through negotiations with the City’s Legal Services staff, the City’s insurers, ultimately agreed to waive the $50,000 deductible, and made a payment to the City in the full amount of the policy limit, being $250,000.
(b) Civil Litigation:
The City also retained the services of external legal counsel to commence a Statement of Claim in the Superior Court of Justice and to freeze the bank accounts into which the City funds were deposited and subsequently transferred to. The City was ultimately able to secure the recovery of $72,671.67 of those funds. The details of this litigation will be reported on separately as part of the City’s tri-annual litigation report.
(c) Criminal Proceedings:
 Milton Court House where criminal proceedings took place. Initially, Halton Region Police Service laid charges against three individuals in connection to the fraud perpetrated on the City. Criminal proceedings were pursued against only one of the three accused individuals, and charges against the others were withdrawn.
The Gazette took part in one of the criminal hearings which, at the time, were done virtually. One of the issues during the hearing was if the lawyers had been fully retained. One of the accused had not, at the time, fully retained his lawyer.
The City made a request of the Crown seeking a restitution order in its favour as part of the criminal proceeding resolution. As a result of this request and successful criminal plea negotiations between the accused and the Crown, in November of 2023 the City received a recovery of a further amount of $100,000.00 in the form of restitution.
The total financial impact to the City to date is $110,406.85 which includes the unrecoverable amount plus legal and investigative expenses related to the recovery of the funds to date.
Nothing was ever done about the disclosure of background information to the Gazette.
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