 By Lucy Roberts
April 16, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
In 2026, 29Black Casino stands out for offering one of the most generous new player welcome bonuses out there, which eligible players should all know about, especially if they are currently looking for somewhere new to play.
The current welcome package allows newly registered members to choose between a 200% Sports Bonus up to €500 (or equivalent currency value) and a 10% Free Bet of up to €10,000, or a 200% Casino Bonus up to €2,000 accompanied by 50 Free Spins. The choice is yours.
 It’s essential to stay on top of the latest promotional offer details to ensure you don’t miss out on generous offers. As these offers are subject to change throughout the year, it’s essential to stay on top of the latest promotional offer details to ensure that you don’t miss out on this generous offer.
Maximizing this bonus can significantly enhance your playing experience, provided you understand the terms and conditions attached, so with that said, let’s dive straight in to find out how you can get the most out of the latest 29Black welcome bonus for all new players.
We will also be giving a few pointers on how you can maximize any other online casino bonuses that you decide to claim this year.
Understand the Terms and Conditions
To get the full benefits of your welcome bonus at 29Black Casino, understanding the terms and conditions is crucial. Failing to do so can lead to misunderstandings and may prevent you from utilising your bonus fully. Here are key factors to keep in mind:
 – Read the Full Terms: Take the time to go through the entire set of terms and conditions. Key details about your bonus, wagering requirements, and eligible games can be found in this section on the main official website.
– Wagering Requirements: Each bonus comes with specific wagering requirements that you must meet before withdrawing any winnings made using the bonus. Familiarise yourself with these details for both the sportsbook and casino bonuses, as they differ.
Know Your Bonus Details
Understanding the specifics of your bonus will help you to utilise it effectively. For instance, be aware of the following:
– Value of the Bonus: Know exactly what your bonus amount is and how it fits into your gaming budget.
– Maximum Cashout: Each bonus has a maximum cashout limit, indicating how much you can withdraw after fulfilling the wagering requirements.
– Deposit Requirements: Determine how much you need to deposit to unlock your bonus, as certain bonuses may require an initial deposit.
– Eligible Games: Not all games contribute equally towards meeting your wagering requirements. Make a note of which games you can play using your bonus money.
Device Compatibility and Payment Methods
Online casinos often offer bonuses designed for specific platforms. As you navigate the welcome offer at 29Black, keep these points in mind:
– Device Eligibility: Ensure your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer is compatible with the bonus you intend to claim. Some bonuses may be exclusive to mobile-first users, for example.
– Payment Methods: Note that certain online payment methods and fiat currencies or cryptocurrencies might be excluded from bonus promotions. Check if your preferred deposit method qualifies for the welcome offer to avoid any unwanted disappointment.
Time Constraints and Personal Preferences
Completing wagering requirements within the stipulated time is essential. Here are some things to remember:
– Time Limits: Be aware of how much time you have to fulfil your wagering requirements. It’s best practice to only claim bonuses if you can dedicate time to meet these conditions.
 – Claim According to Preference: Only go for bonuses that align with your gaming style. Focus on promotions that enhance your favourite games, rather than claiming them out of necessity or peer pressure.
Final Thoughts
Maximising your 29Black welcome bonus involves understanding its terms, knowing your bonus’s specific details, ensuring device compatibility, and adhering to time limits.
By following these guidelines, you can look forward to a far more rewarding experience and make the most out of the generous offers available online today simply by remembering these simple guidelines.
Remember, always gamble responsibly and within your means, and stick to playing on legally permitted iGaming platforms like 29Black to ensure safety and fairness.
 By Tom Parkin
April 16, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario Liberal polling numbers may be more a halo from Carney than a reflection of their own momentum.Ontario Liberal fundraising faulters
Fundraising results, Q1 2026
The headline Ontario polling story shows the PCs’ support has fallen, now at 39 per cent, with the leaderless Liberals at 31 per cent and Marit Stiles’ Ontario NDP at 21 per cent, according to to an Abacus poll released last week.
But first quarter fundraising was dismal for the Ontario Liberals, suggesting their polling pop may be more a halo from the Carney Liberals than reflective of their own momentum.
It’s a topic tackled in this week’s Left East to West podcast, which includes a feature interview with Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender.
OLP ran fourth in Q1 fundraising
The only independently verified fundraising numbers come from Elections Ontario, but they only include donors who have given $200 or more during the calendar year.
In the first quarter of 2026 the Ford PCs took in a massive amount, as usual. They are perfecting the cash-for-access system, a sort of policy-for-rent approach to governing, and it is paying off in power and cash.
The Liberals were nowhere close. They weren’t even second. Or third. In Q1, among the $200 plus donor crowd, the Ontario Liberals ran fourth, behind the Greens.
Among donors who have given $200 or more, the Ontario NDP raised just under $99,000 and the Ontario Liberals just below $69,000, according to Elections Ontario.
That weak result does not track with a party at 31 per cent support. And nor does their self-reported total of all donations, regardless of size.
While the Ontario NDP reported total Q1 fundraising of $750,000, the Ontario Liberals say they brought in just $423,000.
The OLP press release blamed the low numbers on Doug Ford’s new, higher fundraising caps saying “it isn’t just about fundraising numbers, it’s about fairness.” Yes, but it is also about their fundraising numbers.
The Ontario NDP statement just said “Doug Ford answers to insiders, Marit Stiles answers to people”.
Weak OLP leadership race also undercuts polls results
And this fundraising data isn’t the only contraindicator to the polling numbers. The Liberals have been weirdly unable to attract a leadership candidate other than Nate Erskine-Smith.
Erskine-Smith is the federal Liberal MP who finally made it to cabinet in the dying days of the Trudeau government, only to get bounced by Carney just a few months later. On the way out he took some very public shots at the PM. So he’s not in the big tent with the cool kids.
Now an unhappy backbench MP, Erskine-Smith has announced he wants to be nominated as the Ontario Liberal Party candidate in a Scarborough by-election as a step toward becoming Ontario Liberal leader. Erskine-Smith’s current federal seat is not in Scarborough.
And after the Ontario Liberals’ 2025 candidate said she wants to seek the nomination again, Erskine-Smith said she should back off so he could be acclaimed. That conflict has turned public with “he-said-she-said” accusations and personal attacks on Nate Erskine-Smith from other candidates.
But no one else has said they want the job of OLP leader. And that also does not track with a party polling at 31 per cent.
How much halo?
No doubt there’s some halo effect from Carney, and it’s impossible to say how much. But whatever the size, that halo is an opportunity to grab onto.
But the evidence of bad fundraising results and a weak leadership race suggests the Ontario Liberals are too disorganized to be able to seize it.
 By Gazette Staff
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
An application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit the development of eight (8) 3-storey townhouse units arranged within a single building block.
Two visitor parking spaces are provided for the entire site, while each townhouse unit includes a private two-car garage.
 A pretty tony part of town  Site location  Councillor Angelo Bentivegna – is he ready for what is likely to be a controversial development in his ward. With an election coming up it is the last thing he needs. Vehicular access to the development is proposed via Headon Road.
It will be interesting to see how this one works out. Potential for a strong case of NIMBY to occur.
Ward Councillor is Angelo Bentivegna. Is he looking at another Millcroft disaster?
By Gazette Staff
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Community Development Halton continues to offer courses that help the not-for-profit sector work more efficiently and effectively.
Teaching the sector how to negotiate funding agreements is something that has been needed for some time.
This in-person working session, designed for CEOs/EDs, CFOs, Fund Development team members, Board Chairs, Grant Writers, and those involved in the funding of your organization at a leadership level, Benjamin Miller will guide you through the who, what, when, where, and why of funding agreements.
$140 for CDH Members | $195 non-members
Lunch provided
Register HERE
By Pepper Parr
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A tragic 1911 fire that resulted in the deaths of 146 workers in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York, that occupied the top three floors of a nine-storey structure was the subject of a play that Central High School students will perform at the Region National Theatre School Drama Fest in Gravenhurst was on stage for the community to see last night.
30 of the women jumped to their deaths when they found the exit doors were locked.
 It was sew, sew, sew. The pace was relentless. Most of the workers were Jewish who came to America to find a new life. Their hopes and dreams were part of their lives in a sweatshop where they were cajoled and bullied to improve their production.
Excellent choreography got that message across.
 The owners of the company were always in the room. The workers didn’t get breaks. Sew, sew, sew was a refrain as the women acted out the making of the shirtwaists.
When the fire was discovered, the owners, who were on-site supervising and bullying, fled.
It was not an easy production to perform.
The chatter amongst the women shifted when they realized there was a fire and that there was no obvious escape.
The play was adapted by the students, a student directed the play. Lighting was done by students; creating the sense that the scene was that of an out of control fire was a challenge. The choreography called for controlled, precise movements throughout the performance
 Drama teacher Marty Chenette with school principal Trish Clark, talking to one of the performers. The Central High auditorium was close to full. Drama department director Marty Chenette explained that the students chose the play they wanted to put on stage. “Some years, different drama groups pitch potential plays; this year, there was just the one.
Nelson, MMR and Central high schools are taking performances to the National Theatre School Regional level competition.
 By Gazette Staff
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton advises that over the past 48 hours, total rainfall of 15-45 mm has been measured across the watershed. Environment Canada is currently forecasting showers with the risk of thunderstorms this afternoon through Thursday night. As a result, saturated ground conditions will increase water runoff from additional rainfall and contribute to further elevated water levels in creeks within our jurisdiction.
 Creek water levels are higher. Widespread flooding is not anticipated, however, fast flowing water and flooding of low-lying areas, natural floodplains, and areas with poor drainage may be expected.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts, and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and cold water temperatures, combined with slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will issue an update to this Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook message as conditions warrant.
This Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook will be in effect through Sunday April 19, 2026.
 By Pepper Parr
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A recent survey done by Ignite Digital, a digital marketing agency, gives a glimpse of how the Small Business sector is dealing with a very wobbly economy. 600 Canadian small business owners found that it’s even worse than we thought, and many are in the battle of their lives.
 Nationally, asked if they ‘believe their business will survive long enough to sell so they can retire,’ a combined (73.17%) Canadian SMBs showed a clear crisis of confidence with 21.50% saying ‘no,’ 20.00% saying ‘kinda,’ 16.00% saying ‘I have no idea,’ and 15.67% saying ‘I really hope so.’
Canadian SMBs are fighting for their lives:
Nationally, when asked how many months they could survive ‘if business dropped by 25% tomorrow,’ nearly a third of Canadian small business owners soberly said 3-5 months (30.17%), 21.00% said 6-11 months. 11.17% admitted that ‘they can’t even think about it!’ and 6.5% sadly said ‘less than one month.’
Regrets … They’ve had a few:
Bluntly asked if they regretted starting/buying their business, a combined 45.84% of national Canadian SMB owners said yes, with 38.17% saying ‘sometimes,’ 5.17% saying ‘often,’ and 2.5% saying ‘constantly.’”
There is more information on the survey HERE.
Other B.S. beating down SMBs:
 It is going to take more than promotional advertising to improve Small Business growth. Nationally, Canadian SMB owners say their biggest business beefs are currently:
Rising costs like (rent, inputs and shipping) (63.67%)
Cash flow week-to-week (38.33%)
Tariffs – (USA actions) (37.67%)
Taxes/compliance burdens (31.17%)
Customer demand falling (26.33%)
Getting paid late/bad clients (26.00%)
Finding/keeping staff (24.33%)
NOT made in the USA …
Nationally, finding non-USA suppliers has cost Canadian small business owners serious money this year! A combined 60.17% of SMBs report that it costs them significant money (34.67%), or ‘kinda’ costs them significant money (24.89%).
The customer (isn’t) always right …
Nationally, which client behaviour is the most damaging to their businesses? Canadian SMB owners said: Late payments (43.17%), unrealistic timelines (36.83%), abuse/harassment of staff (32.00%), chargebacks/disputes (31.17%), and slow decision making (27.00%).
By Pepper Parr
April 15th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The Indwell development planned for a site on the west side of Waterdown Road just north of Plains Road has Council members asking questions.
The property was bought by the city for $7 million and will be leased to Indwell for up to 50 years.
What does Indwell plan to do with the property and where will the residents come from?
Just who is Indwell?
Indwell is a permanent supportive housing provider that brings interdisciplinary health supports into the buildings that we operate. We operate over 14 150 units of permanent housing today across southern Ontario. We are focused on seeing our tenants grow in their health, wellness and belonging.
This means that we hire staff who work in our buildings and programs focused on growing our tenants social determinants of health, whether that be supporting their ability to stay housed by coaching them on activities of daily living, providing health supports and referrals into the community, connecting our tenants with employment and volunteer services or helping grow in food security on a limited budget, we also help tenants with family members birthday parties in their building spaces.
The individuals that we hope to house in our programs are your neighbours already. They are neighbours whose income makes it impossible for them to find and keep housing in Burlington at the moment, people on Ontario Disability Support Program are individuals who have been told they cannot work because they have a health condition, and these individuals are receiving $599 for rent on a monthly basis.
 Megan Tregunno, President of the Burlington Community Foundation. A number of organizations want to be part of it. Megan Tregunno, President of the Burlington Community Foundation spoke earlier in the day FIX on their views of the development. That led Councillor Kearns to ask
“Thank you very much for joining us Megan, and for your advocacy on housing for all. One of the things on your website, and from when you did the launch of the Housing Support Fund, you identified two recipients. One thing I did not hear from your delegation, and is a concern for me, is the fundraising abilities of Indwell to wholly fund the build. Am I hearing that Burlington Community Foundation will be one of the financial sponsors of this project”
Megan: It’s not confirmed. We do extend our full support in helping to raise awareness around the initiative and learning more about what exactly the funding needs are, which we are aware of, and working with donors and fund holders to make them aware of the opportunity. So whether it be through our granting that Indwell will be eligible for, just like any other organization, to apply for annual granting in addition to individual generosity and philanthropy from individuals across the city.
Kearns: Okay, thank you for the insights.
Leah Logan and Sylvia Harris from Indwell then did their delegation; this being at least their third conversation with Council.
 Leah Logan and Sylvia Harris delegating for Indwell. Leah Logan did most of the talking with Sylvia Harris watching very carefully.
My name is Leah Logan. I’m here on behalf of Indwell family of companies regarding the proposed lease agreement of Waterdown Road lands that we’re working to develop in partnership with the City of Burlington. For those in the in the community who might not be aware of Indwell is a permanent supportive housing provider that brings interdisciplinary health supports into the buildings that we operate. We operate over 14 150 units of permanent housing today across southern Ontario. We are focused on seeing our tenants grow in their health, wellness and belonging.
The individuals that we hope to house in our programs are your neighbours already. They are neighbours whose income makes it impossible for them to find and keep housing in Burlington at the moment, people on Ontario Disability Support Program are individuals who have been told they cannot work because they have a health condition, and these individuals are receiving $599 for rent on a monthly basis.
It is impossible to find housing for that rate in Burlington at this time. Folks who cannot work to help because of health struggles are becoming are being put in conditions of abject poverty. What we want to do is ensure that, at the very least, they have a home in their community. Today, you will receive information on the intended land lease agreement with Indwell.
We took Council’s concerns and suggestions from phase one of the land lease agreement process into our conversations with city staff, with a proposed lease agreement at hand. Items that we discussed included that the land lease will be contingent on in dwells ability to source support from both Halton Region and the federal government under build Canada homes, we also discussed we that we will work with access Halton access to community housing wait list, the hatch wait list, which is the housing system in place to offer those in need of affordable housing options in the city of Burlington. We also discussed that we are focused on building no more, no less, than 70 units of housing, recognizing that there is need in this community.
Having participated in a mayor and council town hall meeting last week, we heard that vacant land was posing a problem for neighbours in this community. This project is compelled to be built in a timely manner under the requirements through the Housing Affordable Fund (HAF) affordability fund timelines and well is focused on meeting finally outside of the lease agreement end.
Indwell is committed to being a good neighbor, focused now on connecting with the community our new neighbors. We are eager to do so. Last week, I spoke to a new neighbor that was interested in preserving the streetscape of Waterdown Road. We understand that interest and are focused on designing a building that complements the aesthetics of the community around us. We are intent on being transparent about our work, educating about our model, and seeking input from the community that we are excited to be a part of. We remain steadfast in not only being good partners to the city of Burlington, but good neighbours within the Aldershot community as well. We look forward to the next steps within this process, and we’re happy to answer any questions. You might have
 Kearns: “Is it high acuity, mid, low. Can you give us some more information? Because I think that’s really the source of some of the push back, and I think this is a great forum to clear that up.” Kearns: My question to you is this, one of the pieces of information that I think hasn’t been fully explored across the community, while we respect the livelihoods of all of our neighbours, is who exactly will we be welcoming into the new housing opportunities that are being built here.
Leah: We will be welcoming individuals who are currently on the HATCH list ( Halton Access to Community Housing) wait list looking for affordable housing.
Kearns: Is it Burlington only?
Leah: Men, women, everybody.
Kearns: Is it high acuity, mid, low. Can you give us some more information? Because I think that’s really the source of some of the push back, and I think this is a great forum to clear that up.
Leah: For us, anyone on the HATCH wait list has the opportunity to decide the community that they want to live in, and so we’re presuming that with a hatch list, those that want to live in Burlington will be those that are sent our direction in the intake process, in terms of the acuity of the individuals that we serve, we are still understanding what that looks like. The program has not been defined, and yet we know that it’s individuals who need two things. They need deep affordability in their housing, and they want support as part of their housing and so for us that will be housing individuals that want support from staff in our buildings.
 Stolte: “that’s a very different concept than what I thought we had talked about, which is ensuring that the Burlington dollars and Burlington taxpayer dollars are used for Burlington residents, existing Burlington residents.” Councillor Stolte: I’m curious about the response to Councillor Kern’s question. I know that one thing we talked about the last time we had this question, this conversation in Chambers was about the focus on making sure that the Housing Accelerator Fund, which is meant to be for Burlington residents was used for Burlington residents. It sounded in your response when you said that it’s going to go to the hatch wait list for people who choose Burlington. So they very well may not be Burlington residents, and the reality is, is that they may not be choosing Burlington. They’re choosing to get housing, and if the housing exists and is offered in Burlington, they will move to Burlington to get the housing, which I don’t blame them for. That’s a very legitimate thing, but that’s a very different concept than what I thought we had talked about, which is ensuring that the Burlington dollars and Burlington taxpayer dollars are used for Burlington residents, existing Burlington residents. Can you clarify that?
Leah: Yes. One thing I need to name is that this is a conversation I need to have with Halton Region staff as well, and those are some of the preliminary conversations that we’re having about who the referrals will be from the hatch wait list. And yet, I think we have seen in all of our programs, through any coordinated wait list, that the people that want to live in our communities are folks that are already in our communities. And so it’s a very natural progression in the intake process that those that are considered are those that actually are in the in the community, and want to be part of the community, so it’s, it’s not something, yeah, that that’s what I would say to that. If that makes sense.
Stolte: When we had had this conversation before, I thought there was some assurance that that conversation had already happened with the Region. Are you now saying that that conversation is not clear with the region as far as how the hatch wait list will be dealt with.
Leah: In terms of the process for this project, we first come to the city of Burlington, and with the approval, we then start conversations with Halton Region. We are in those stages of conversations, just at the beginning of looking at a how we get support from Halton Region and the regulations around that support as well, which tends to be around the hatch wait list and their expectations.
The City is moving with considerable dispatch to have a Building Permit in the hands of the Indwell people before the end of the year.
No conversation yet on what the building might look like. There are some designs, but nothing definitive.
 By Sadie Smith
April 16th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Baccarat is often associated with high-end tables, but its core mechanics are simple and approachable for newcomers. For a first look at the format, Alawin Casino is a helpful reference point, with Alawin Casino offering a neutral example of how an online table typically presents the options. Alawin Casino appeals to beginners with its steady pace and minimal decision-making.
Baccarat can feel unfamiliar at first because it uses its own scoring rules and table layout. In practice, each round follows a consistent sequence: choose a wager type, watch the cards appear, then see which side is closer to the target total. Because the dealing is largely automatic, beginners can focus on understanding what the interface shows rather than trying to manage complex choices.
What baccarat is and how it differs from other table games
In baccarat, you are not playing a hand in the same way as blackjack; you are choosing between outcomes. The main choice is whether the “player” hand or the “banker” hand will finish closer to a total of nine, with “tie” as a third option. At Alawin Casino, this structure is typically shown through three clearly labelled betting areas, which helps new players map the rules to the screen. The layout makes it easy to distinguish where bets are placed, keeping the process simple for first-time players.
The three main wager types
The player wager pays out when the player hand has the higher total at the end of the round. The banker wager pays out when the banker hand is higher; many baccarat variants apply a commission to banker wins, and this is usually handled automatically by the software rather than requiring any extra steps. The tie wager pays out when both hands finish on the same total, which is less frequent than player or banker outcomes and therefore priced differently. Seeing these options laid out can make it clearer that the game is focused on outcome selection, not building your own hand. For anyone getting started, Alawin Casino helps make the differences between wagers obvious at a glance.
How a round works and what the totals mean
 The round structure is repetitive, most learning comes from repetition and getting familiar with the display is important. After wagers are placed, two hands are dealt: one labelled player and one labelled banker. Card values in baccarat are counted in a specific way: aces count as 1, cards from 2 through 9 are worth their face value, and 10s plus face cards count as 0. When totals exceed nine, only the second digit is used (for example, 15 is read as 5). Depending on the initial totals, the game may draw a third card for one or both hands according to fixed rules, which the dealer or system applies automatically.
For beginners, a practical approach is to watch a few rounds to see how totals update and how payouts correspond to each wager type. Many online tables include a history panel showing recent outcomes, which can help you follow what happened without needing to remember every card. Within this format, Alawin Casino can be a straightforward setting to observe the sequence of betting, dealing, and scoring without additional table decisions.
 The pace is typically quick, so taking time to read the on-screen labels and limits can reduce confusion during early sessions. Because the round structure is repetitive, most learning comes from repetition and getting familiar with the display: where wagers are placed, how the totals are shown, and how the result is announced. The pace is typically quick, so taking time to read the on-screen labels and limits can reduce confusion during early sessions.
Alawin Casino interfaces often present the main wager areas and running totals in a clear layout, making it comfortable to settle into the rhythm of the game.
 By Gazette
April 14th, 2026
BURLINGTON, on
 Tax on gasoline and diesel fuel to be reduced by 10 cents a litre will begin Monday and continue until Labour Day.
Perhaps there will be fewer cars on the road this weekend.
 By Tom Parkin
Apr 14, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
There were 5,800 fewer employed workers in Ontario in March than February, even as there were more employed workers in Canada as a whole, according to seasonally adjusted data released by Statistics Canada on Friday.
Only 8,205,500 Ontario workers were employed last month, 69,000 fewer than in December, when there were 8,274,500 employed workers.
Unemployed workers increased for a third consecutive month, now numbering 676,100. In March, there were 31,600 more unemployed Ontarians than January.
While manufacturing and construction have been the focus of attention in previous months, those were not where the big job losses hit in March. The number of employed workers in each sector fell only a few hundred workers last month. However, both are well below recent employment peaks set in January 2025.
In March, the hits landed hardest on Ontario service sector workers. StatsCan found there were about 35,000 fewer workers in wholesale trade and retailing, education, public service and accommodation and food services than in February.
The largest number of jobs lost, both in absolutely numbers and as a percentage, has been in the education sector. Private college employment has fallen after a funding model based on foreign student fees collapsed due to changes to student visa rules. Those changes plus government cuts have put several public colleges and universities under severe financial stress. And now school boards, many of which have been put under the direct administration of the Ford PCs, are terminating school staff.
The largest gain in employment was an additional 10,100 workers in professional and scientific jobs, though at 905,900 workers, the sector remains 12,300 jobs below the 918,200 workers in October 2025.
The Ontario economy is weak, but the big service sector losses point to a different cause than what headlines focus on. A loss of manufacturing jobs can be blamed on Trump. Fewer employed construction workers may be attributed to the housing market failure.
But big job losses at schools, stores, restaurants, bars and hotels are a different story, one almost certainly driven by actors and factors in Ontario, and one that has gone far less examined.
 By Pepper Parr
April 14th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Theatrics have kept students in Burlington busy.
Two of the city’s high schools are participating in the National Theatre Schol Drama Fest Regional event taking place in Gravenhurst later this month.
Nelson put their local performance on stage Friday evening. Central High School will put on their local performance of 147 Point Flame this evening at 7:00 pm
 A close look at the exploitation of female factory workers at a time when things were very different. This play is based on the historic 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City. Through words, movement and music, four young women share their dreams, thoughts, fears and feelings about their ultimate destinies.
 This is an emotional play about a tragic fire in a shirt waist factory. Regional events are being held across the province, with Gravenhurst serving as one of six host areas leading up to the Ontario Provincial Showcase in North York.
Founded in 1946 and presented by the National Theatre School of Canada, NTS DramaFest engages more than 12,000 secondary school students and educators annually. The festival highlights original, student-led productions and provides participants with feedback from professional adjudicators working in theatre, film and television.
For Gravenhurst, the four-day regional festival is expected to bring young performers, teachers, families and supporters into the community, offering audiences a chance to experience a range of high school theatre productions.
“In its 80th year, the NTS DramaFest is proof that youth creativity is a key to nation-building. When students are given the space and support to tell their stories, they don’t just make theatre. They make a community,” said Richard Lee, co-director of NTS DramaFest.
By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
It came up as a Motion to make changes to the 2026 Council calendar meeting schedule
Mayor Meed Ward and Councillor moved the Motion.
From this point on it was back patting.
 Mayor Meed Ward: The motion really does respond to community feedback. Mayor Meed Ward(MMW) The motion really does respond to community feedback. So this is one of those opportunities to do what Councillor Stolte said earlier when we were talking about the Charter, which is actually to tell folks when their input has made a difference. We have had a we’ve had both systems over the years that I’ve been around here. We’ve had a week between committee and council, and then we’ve had, you know, the very next week. We heard from Committee, from several community members, that they would value a longer break between committee meetings and council meetings. It would give our staff additional time to put the materials together, particularly now that we have the standing committee pipeline to permit on the Thursday, which provides really little turnaround time.
Thus just gives everyone a little bit more time and helps to address theTuesday after a long weekend as well. So we’ve reset the calendar to avoid council meetings being on a Tuesday after a long weekend, which is kind of like a Monday, but also to provide that additional space in between. That’s the intent, and I want to thank all the residents who have given us their input on this. We have heard you, and this is the result. Thank you.
Councillor Stolte: I kind of wish I’d taken the opportunity to speak first, because I don’t have a lot to add to that. Thank you for using the opportunity as a good example of exactly what we talked about in our engagement Charter, which is explaining to the community how we have used the information and the suggestions and the feedback that we’ve received from them.
 The 418 page document is shown in Councillor Kearns’ hand. Councilor Karen, perhaps just a question around the content. I want to recognize that this is a welcome breath to manage the information that’s coming before us. But I also want to say we’ll need some leniency when still in council, because this package here that’s been received. I had four days with it, four business working days. It was received on the Thursday. We had a four day long weekend, we had four days of business functioning, and then we had another three day, two day weekend, and then we were in chambers right now.
We had four days with the better part of 418 pages, not including our closed materials. And so I’m glad that we have that extra breathing room. As I did say, I’m waiting for some additional information to come to this council in this cycle. So maybe if we have a little bit more open mindedness and leniency, people might just be finding out about items when they come to committee in the public and may want to have some more dialog with us. That’s a little bit more than four business days worth of review when we get into these holiday crunches. So I look forward to a little bit of that additional breathing room as these agendas can be big or small, depending on the cycle, and we’ll see what we can do when we get to council with it.
 Nisan’s working relationship with his community is constrained by his not living in the ward he represents. Chair Nisan: I’ll just say I haven’t gotten any comments. I actually haven’t gotten any feedback that we need another week between committee and council. The information for council is this is very similar to what comes out for committee. So if there are concerns I would be happy to receive it.
We made a decision a couple years ago, to tighten up the schedule a bit, to leave time for our other and our other duties. Fortunately, I don’t see any conflicts in my calendar for for this change in year, and it can be reviewed in the next term, when that calendar meetings comes up. But I gotta say, I haven’t seen any upswell of requests for this. I’m willing to give it a shot, and maybe some sharing could occur from the two movers to me, because I have not seen any. I don’t know what problem we’re solving here, but I will just ask staff if there’s any concerns with this change, whether this messes anything up for you on your end, like, Wouldn’t want you know, any vacations to be canceled, or trips or anything. But any issues at all with this? Are we all good
City Solicitor Blake Hurley: From a legislative services perspective, the proposed amendments don’t cause any concerns. Or from from a city process perspective, there’s there’s nothing there good to go.
Nisan: Okay, that’s good enough for me.
Councillor Stolte saw it quite differently. “I have received quite a bit of feedback over the years, so it’s not something that was a groundswell as of late. To me, it was something that the mayor and I had talked about, that the whole DC conversation kind of was a culmination of having heard that feedback a number of times. And I think when, whenever you hear once, it’s a one off, and I wouldn’t have put emotion forward on a one off, but twice is a coincidence, and by the time you get to thrice, you have a pattern. And I think I certainly saw a pattern coming here.
Nisan: I’m going to call the vote on the motion, which is to direct the city clerk to amend the 2026 calendar of meetings for council and standing committees to add a full week between committee and council, all those in favor, any opposed, that carries.
By Gazette Staff
April 13th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Director of Education role to disappear – replaced by a Chief Administrative Officer and a Chief Education Officer
The Ontario government introduced the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, to strengthen school board oversight and accountability and ensure more consistent learning experiences for students to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow. The proposed changes would move Ontario toward a more accountable, consistent and modern model of high-quality education that better serves students, families and educators across the province.
“Ontario’s education system must remain focused on its core responsibility: student success. In some school boards, that focus has been lost, and students are paying the price,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Education. “Ontario’s teachers and education workers are dedicated professionals who work tirelessly every day to support students, often under challenging circumstances. They deserve stable, accountable leadership that supports their work and puts learning first. If further action is required to protect students and reinforce respect for the professionals who teach them, we will not hesitate to act.”
Despite Ontario’s record investments in education, too many boards are facing financial mismanagement, weak governance and decision making that prioritizes politics over student outcomes. Since 2025, eight school boards have been placed under provincial supervision and the recent Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results show that while there has been progress in reading, writing and math, there is still more work to be done.
 Students to be put first Ontario is taking decisive action to put an end to ongoing governance breakdowns and financial mismanagement in English public and English Catholic district school boards by proposing changes that would clearly define roles, strengthen accountability and close the gaps that have allowed failures in oversight. Through the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, the government is putting students first by proposing changes that would:
Strengthen governance and accountability
- Limit trustee discretionary expenses and honoraria, standardize the number of elected trustees to a maximum of 12, require trustees to pay out-of-pocket for certain external organization membership fees and improve oversight over school board subsidiaries and their use of public funds.
- Equip English-language district school boards with qualified leadership by establishing two new roles: the Director of Education would become known as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who would be responsible for financial and operational oversight and required to have business qualifications; and a Chief Education Officer, who would be appointed by the CEO to focus on student achievement and required to hold pedagogical qualifications, including Ontario College of Teachers membership or equivalent.
- Strengthen school board budget oversight and accountability by requiring the CEO to lead budget development, while referring budget matters to the Minister for decision when trustees are unable to reach an agreement and ensuring that the termination of the CEO requires Minister approval to help prevent reprisals and dismissals while they are carrying out their responsibilities.
- Professionalize school board bargaining by designating the Council of Ontario Directors of Education as the central employer bargaining agency for English public and English Catholic boards to ensure collective bargaining is led by professional school board staff who have expertise in the board’s operational matters.
- Set clear expectations for school board communications to ensure communications on official channels are focused on important day-to-day functions.
Ensure more consistent learning experiences
 Mandate the use of ministry-approved learning resources in classrooms across the province to support greater consistency in delivering the new curriculum while making it easier for teachers to access high-quality materials, ensuring students have an equal chance to succeed no matter where they live.
Prepare students for postsecondary pursuits by introducing mandatory written exams on official exam days in Grades 9-12 and providing greater clarity on how students’ final marks are calculated.
Encourage improved engagement in the classroom by requiring attendance and participation to be part of the final mark for students in Grades 9-12, with attendance worth 15 per cent for Grades 9-10 and 10 per cent for Grades 11-12.
This proposed legislation builds on the government’s work to strengthen school board oversight and accountability to help ensure they deliver high-quality education, with every dollar spent focused on preparing students with practical skills for good-paying, stable careers.
 By Steve McLean
April 13th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Home-town developer Alinea plans to construct 36 buildings, create new mixed-use community at 1200 King Rd.
 An aerial rendering: King Road on the left and the Aldershot GO station on the right.
All the renderings are conceptual
Alinea Land Corporation has proposed a huge, 36-building mixed-use development for an empty 121-acre site it has owned for two decades at 1200 King Rd.in Burlington, Ont.
The full scope of the project would see the development of: approximately 8,800 residential units; 600,000 square feet dedicated to institutional and educational uses; 175,000 square feet of commercial space; 141,000 square feet of office space; 126,000 square feet of retail space; a community centre combined with an arena and ice pad; a hotel; and approximately 9,100 underground and surface parking stalls.
“The proposal contemplates a broad mix of housing, retail and commercial uses, public spaces, active transportation infrastructure, recreation and entertainment uses, and institutional and educational components,” Alinea president and chief executive officer Paul Paletta wrote in an email interview with RENX.
“The intent is to create a destination that is economically significant, highly livable and strongly connected to the surrounding community.”
Burlington is a growing city in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area, bordering Lake Ontario between the two larger cities.
 Community space. The proposal includes 36 buildings rising up to 53 storeys in 26 development blocks, with Giannone Petricone Associates as the lead architect. Construction would be done in phases and last several years.
“This is the kind of development that will be financed in phases and through multiple sources of capital, rather than through a single funding event,” Paletta wrote.
“We would expect the capital stack to include a combination of landowner equity, private development capital, conventional financing, development and operating partners, and, where appropriate, government participation in components that deliver a clear public benefit.”
Even with all of this development, about one-third of the site would be set aside for natural heritage, parkland and open spaces.
The King Road site
The site is on the west side of King Road, between Highway 403 to the north and the Lakeshore West rail corridor to the south. The Aldershot GO Transit station is just to the southwest and there are also Burlington Transit routes nearby.
“This is a large and ambitious site, so the concept will continue to evolve,” Paletta wrote. “But the central idea is clear: 1200 King Road is being planned as a complete community with regional significance.”
The land has been designated for mixed uses and Alinea has applied for both residential and employment uses for the site. It’s expected that initial zonings and approvals will be completed this year. The goal is to start earthworks at some point in 2027.
 Residential, commercial and office sites are on the right closer to King Road. The left side of the rendering will be forest with walking paths. “Opportunities of this scale, in this location and with this level of connectivity, simply do not come along very often anywhere in the GTA,” Paletta wrote.
“Its proximity to the Aldershot GO area and major transportation corridors makes it a natural location for a development intended to serve not only future residents, but also employers, institutions, visitors and the broader region.”
Alinea’s history
Family-owned and Burlington-based Alinea grew from a single meat processing plant in Hamilton to become one of the largest developers of revenue-producing commercial and industrial properties, as well as residential projects, in the Halton and Hamilton regions.
Alinea is the largest private-sector land owner in the Burlington area, with more than one million square feet of existing tenanted commercial and retail development and a large inventory of future development sites.
While much of Alinea’s previous activity revolved around acquiring land, the focus now is on developing it.
Alinea’s Burlington development pipeline
Alinea’s broader publicly identified development pipeline also includes Bronte Creek Meadows, Eagle Heights and Appleby GO West in Burlington.
“Each of those projects is at a different stage, but collectively they speak to Alinea’s confidence in the Burlington market and our commitment to helping shape the next generation of growth in the city and surrounding area,” Paletta wrote. “We are focused on creating vibrant, sustainable communities through long-range thinking, responsible stewardship and strong partnerships.
“We believe that is how durable value is created – for investors, for partners and for the future residents of the communities in which we build.”
The Appleby GO West site encompasses 51 acres at the intersection of Appleby Line and Fairview Street, adjacent to the Appleby GO Transit station and close to Appleby Village and Sherwood Forest Park.
There are plans for it to include a variety of housing options, neighbourhood-oriented retail and essential services, community amenities and outdoor spaces. Buildings are proposed from 12 to 45 storeys.
Eagle Heights, also located near the Aldershot GO Transit station, is proposed to feature more than 900 single-family homes and townhomes. Almost one-third of the 252-acre site will remain undeveloped and preserved in a natural forested state.
Bronte Creek Meadows is located across the street from Bronte Creek Provincial Park and is the largest parcel of vacant land within the urban boundary of Burlington. It has development potential as a future mixed-use community.
 By Gazette Staff
April 13th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is seeking a qualified consultant with demonstrated expertise in municipal sport policy, recreation facility allocation or community sport system planning.
The consultant is expected to have experience conducting consultations/engagement with interested parties to support the review, update, and development of sport related policies, and a strong understanding of municipal recreation operations and equity-based frameworks.
This project will focus on ensuring that the City’s approach to allocating recreation and sport facilities is equitable, transparent, sustainable, and responsive to current and future community needs.
Better late than never – maybe in time for the swimming clubs to create their 2027 schedules?
  Five firms are looking into the opportunity:
Beam Group Inc.
Deloitte LLP
KPMG LLP
Optimus SBR Inc.
Sierra Planning and Management
By Gazette Staff
April 13th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A contract to:
 The Contract is for street lighting night patrol service throughout the City of Burlington to travel all streets after dark to identify, record and report non-operational or malfunctioning street lights.
One bright reader suggested asking resident to send a note to city hall saying a street light was no longer working.
Only in Burlington? Unfortunately not – municipalities do things like this all the time.
Major clean up of municipality operations badly needed – won’t happen this decade and probably not the next.
When tax payers start choking on their tax bills – maybe.
By Pepper Parr
April 12, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an Encore Presentation at the Nelson High School on Friday night.
A cast of 25 people with another dozen doing behind the scenes work to make a 35 minute production work very smoothly.
Titled Disconnected, the focus was not on the performers but on their cellphones which they seemed to be attached to at the hip.
 Totally mesmerized by their cellphones. Scenes we see all the time: students glued to their cellphones, was taking place on stage.
These students were totally mesmerized by their cellphones.
 Kidnapped, a mesmerized student was converted and helped find the solution to bring a halt to the excessive use of cell phones. They cut off access to GOPHER. Three cast members saw the dilemma. They kidnapped one of the mesmerized students and put together a plan to disconnect their peers from their cell phones. It proved to be easier said than done – but they found a way.
They shut down the GOPHER app that saw a group of people who didn’t know what to do with themselves. Used to getting everything from the GOPHER, the name of the computer application they were using, one student said, “We can look it up in the dictionary. “What’s a dictionary asked another.
 August Frade, Michelle Stern, and Zainab Majid co-wrote the script. The writing was tight, no one flubbed a line.
Before the performance began the students were “pumped”. Walking quickly from one place to place in the spaces outside the auditorium as they went through the pre-performance jitters.
Nelson drama lead Marisa Cavataio said she wasn’t sure what the turn out was going to be. “If we get 75 I will be happy”. There were at least 150 people in the auditorium seats.
The play was one of the National Theatre School Drama Fest entries. Nelson High had made it to the Regional level and would be on stage in Gravenhurst later in the month competing against other Regional high schools. The National Theatre School, located in Montreal, has put on these annual festivals for more than 50 years.
Marisa Cavataio, the lead drama teacher at Nelson, explains, “We will load up a bus with the 40+ students for the three-day outing. They will all stay in hotel rooms that don’t have mini-bars
Disconnected wasn’t a performance that had a lead male or a lead female on stage. The audience was watching a grade 9-11 students perform in a production they created. August Frade, Michelle Stern and Zainab Majid co-wrote the script.
The choreography had one superb highlight.
 The students came up with a name, GOPHER, for a computer application that would let them communicate with each other. With the focus on the students and their cell phones, which they seldom took their eyes off of, they had to come up with a way to communicate without relying on the GOPHER , the playwright’s version of Google AI.
Early in the performance, two students, Caden Kingsmill-Norton and Emily Iorfida, were conversing with each other on their cell phones – the expected back and forth babble. The English language possibilities get challenged when cellphones are the medium used to communicate; there were LOL’s all over the place.
When these two actors found themselves trying to communicate without access to GOPHER they didn’t know quite what to do
Both actors did a superb job of portraying the initial spark and shyness of a first meeting. Later in the production when access to GOPHER was gone, Caden Kingsmill-Norton was superb in the way he used his body to half curve his way around Iorfida, who sat motionless. It was something to see how he kept repeating the movement, trying to make contact. From where I was sitting, it was the best part of the performance. He was reaching for words that just didn’t come out of his mouth.
On the drive home after the performance, I found myself thinking that most people would have agreed with the message the performance was sending and wondered how many would change their cell phone habits, or if these devices had become something we felt we could not live without.
We will let you know how they do in Gravenhurst.
 By Gazette Staff
April 11th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Would it be correct to describe these as daffodils, genus name narcissus It was a late Friday afternoon, and Brant Street was close to barren.
There was some kind of sports event taking place, with young girls popping in and out of different restaurants.
Two women bundled up in winter wear paused to look at the flowers. Looking at each other, they said – Spring isn’t here yet.
It was a photograph worth taking and sharing.
Spring is out there somewhere.
 By Ray Rivers
April 10th, 2026
BYRLINGTON, ON
Mr Poilievre may have been reconfirmed as Conservative leader by over 80% of his party a few months ago, but that is not the message his MPs are hearing on the streets. So they are jumping ship to save their political lives and better serve their electors and the country.
This week a fourth Conservative came over to join the governing Liberals, in part because of the job Mark Carney is doing as PM. But they are also making a deliberate choice to leave the Tories because of their discontent with its leader, Pierre Poilievre.
 It has been a deliberate choice to leave the Tories because of their discontent with their leader, Pierre Poilievre. Hearing that as many as nine more Conservative members are contemplating switching horses, Poilievre has reacted with anger calling the loss of members a result of dirty backroom deals. He claims floor-crossing is anti-democratic – but he is wrong.
MPs are elected to represent the interests of their electors. That doesn’t change whether they call themselves Liberal or Conservative. And today’s floor-crossing MPs are clearly paying more attention to the polls than Mr. Poilievre. The Liberals are as much as 11 points ahead of the Tories when it comes to voters’ wishes. These MPs are simply going to where their constituents want them to go.
Poilievre, who has little to no experience in management, thinks he can coerce his caucus into submission. But that seems to just make them want to bolt to a winner, and for a potential role in piloting Canada through this Canada/US economic war. But Poilievre, is pretending there is no war. He is still stuck promoting the same old policies, the ones he credits with bringing down Justin Trudeau.
 Poilievre, who has little to no experience in management. Watching his MP’s in flight, Mr. Poilievre has decided to reverse years of Tory resistance to recall petitions in the ridings where his MP’s are deserting him. He is demanding that the floor-crossers be thrown out of Parliament if enough electors sign a petition against them.
But he is missing the ultimate irony – that he is living the last couple years of Justin Trudeau’s life as Liberal leader – when his caucus decided he’d passed his best before date. Its that old adage – what goes around comes around.
In the end it’s not the floor crossing MPs that are hurting the Conservative Party of Canada. It’s their unpopular leader pushing yesterday’s, and in some cases yesteryear’s, policies. If he would only leave, they wouldn’t have to. That’s what they told Trudeau.
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
40 Conservative Could Lose – Recall Petitions- Polling –
|
|
