 By Staff
April 16th,, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has called an emergency meeting of Council for 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, Saturday, April 17 that will be held virtually to make some immediate decisions. Council will receive additional COVID-19 updates at the regularly scheduled Council Meeting on Tuesday, April 20 beginning at 1 p.m. A livestream of Council meetings is available from the burlington.ca homepage.
Impacts to City services and programs
City Hall
City Hall, located at 426 Brant St., will remain closed.
 Part of the Burlington Transit fleet. Burlington Transit
Burlington Transit is an essential service and will continue to run as scheduled including specialized transit and trips to vaccination clinics. The transit terminal at 430 John St. will remain open to provide PRESTO services including SPLIT passes. Presto services are available at Shoppers Drug Mart or online at prestocard.ca. Transit schedules are available online at myride.burlingtontransit.ca.
Parking
Parking enforcement is limited to safety-related issues such as fire routes, accessible parking, no parking/stopping areas and blocked parked areas. City parking time-limit restrictions have been relaxed to help those working from home or self-isolating. Parking permits and exemptions are not required until further notice.
Recreation Services, Parks, all Amenities and Facilities
City of Burlington facilities and recreation programming remain closed, and all indoor programs have been cancelled.
Outdoor gatherings in all City parks, such as Spencer Smith Park, Lowville Park and Beachway Park, are limited to members of the same household. Those living alone may join one exclusive household.
 Tyandaga Golf Course. Outdoor recreation amenities will close, effective April 17 at 12:01 a.m., including: playgrounds, sports fields, outdoor courts, skate parks, dog off-leash areas and Tyandaga Golf Course. If you need some fresh air and activity, it’s okay to walk, cycle or jog through your neighbourhood park, but please do not linger. Please stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from everyone else in the park or on a trail and take your waste home with you to dispose of it.
Roads, Parks and Forestry
Essential services provided by the Roads, Parks and Forestry Department will continue as needed. Residents with questions or issues can email RPF@burlington.ca or call 905-333-6166.
Construction
Non-essential construction sites as defined under the Provincial emergency order will be put on hold and closed off for public safety until restrictions are lifted.
Please stay home and only go out for exercise in your own neighbourhood and essentials such as groceries. Let’s continue to work together to keep each other safe from new COVID-19 variants. More than ever, we need to support our local healthcare heroes who continue to care for those who need it and preserve hospital capacity.
As the situation evolves and staff receives and reviews the updated order from the Province of Ontario, we will continue to comply and keep you informed on available essential services and what must be closed to keep City of Burlington staff and residents safe.
By Pepper Parr
April 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The message from the Science Table at 1:00 pm was direct.
You cannot meet with people who are not part of your household indoors
 We are way above the acceptable mobility threshold – if we do not reduce it the infections will spread leading to catastrophic conditions. If people you meet are not part of your household – you meet them outside – six feet apart and wearing a mask
Get vaccinated when it is your turn.
Those instructions plus about 15 charts showing how big a mess we are in led to a 4:00 pm Press event with the Premier who put the province in the tightest movement situation since the War Measures Act was invoked in 1970.
The Premier said effectively immediately personal mobility was being restricted. You do not go anywhere other than outside for some exercise and when you do that – you do so alone or with family members.
Police and bylaw officers will be given the right to stop yo and ask you where you are going and why – and if they don’t like the answer you give they have the authority to issue you a ticket which the Deputy Premier said would amount to $750.
 The police and bylaw officers will have the right to pull you over, ask where you are going and why. Interesting note – it is the Chief Justice of the province who set that amount.
The Premier said mobility was being limited; enforcement will be increased and vaccinations will be prioritized and focused on those people most likely to get infected.
They were identified as people who have to work and live in households with people who also have to leave for work.
Big Box stores are limited to 25% of capacity
Worship – not more than 10 people
Golf courses are closed.
All non-essential construction is stopped.
Weddings limited to 10 people
The borders with Quebec and Manitoba are closed.
The province is working on having the borders closed to international travellers.
“We had few options left” said the Premier in his news briefing. “We are doing this at massive cost to the economy.”
The current Stay at Home order is being extended two more weeks.
A more detailed in depth article will follow
By Pepper Parr
April 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of years ago, when the Halton District School Board found itself having to closes some of the high schools we had citizens who were prepared to march on city hall to vent their frustration.
 The plan to close high schools in 2014 didn’t go quite the way originally planned – parent protests resulted in a much different decision. The center of the anger was Central High School, one of the schools on the first list of recommended schools to close.
The people at Central did not let than happen – and the school is still open and in the months ahead they just might get air conditioning that would make life a lot easier for both students and teachers.
The next battle for parents will not be with the school board – the province has taken steps that threaten education as we have known it in Ontario to go through a radical change.
Set out below are a number of slides from a deck that was presented to a group of people at the Ministry of Education. We do not have a list of just who attended – but we are able to see just what it was they were considering.
Parents need to pay very close attention to this initiative.
We note with regret that there hasn’t been a word from the MPP for Burlington, Jane McKenna,
 Note the name of the committee – and the date on which they met. Note the date -mere weeks ago.
Here is what they are setting out to do.
 That is a pretty aggressive time line – what’s the rush? Note even a mention as to when parents might be asked for their views. The province will just make an announcement, pobably on the Friday of a long weekend – which is when the really hard news gets released.
The province sets out what they will have to do legislatively to make this possible.
 This puts the school boards out of business – the province would centralize the content and have third parties deliver it via the internet. What can parents do? Do what they did when the school board wanted to close Central high school. Protest, let the MPP and the Ministry of Education know that you are not on for this.
If you are on for this – just sit back, watch what the government decides to do – and kiss one of the best educational systems in the world goodbye.
Links to related news items.
The full presentation presented to Ministry of Education
What parent groups and academics think of the idea – and the consequences i this goes forward.
By Staff
April 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton resumed their 2018 Ontario court case against the proposed Milton CN truck-rail hub to ensure CN complies with laws that protect the health of residents and the environment.
This Ontario case by the Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton seeks to protect the thousands of residents that live near the CN lands in Milton. “We are taking immediate action to address the serious concerns of Halton residents with respect to the proposed CN truck-rail hub in Milton,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “No proposal should be allowed to go ahead before it complies with our laws. CN must be accountable to those who will be most affected by the project, and not just the Federal Government, which ignored its duty to protect the health of Halton residents when it announced its approval of this project.”
The Ontario case follows the January 21, 2021 decision by the Federal Government on this CN proposal. This federal decision allows CN to proceed further in the approvals process without addressing the conclusion reached by its own review panel that this proposal is likely to cause significant adverse effects on human health that cannot be mitigated. This Federal decision was also contrary to the panel conclusions that the proposed intermodal was likely to cause five other significant effects on air quality, the environment, and farmland that cannot be mitigated.
 Milton Mayor Gord Krantz “The Federal Government has let us down and ignored the expertise of the panel it appointed,” said Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz. “Let me assure all Miltonians, we will continue fighting and advocating for you at all levels of government and in the courts.”
Since CN announced this proposal, the community has voiced its opposition because of serious concerns with its adverse effects on air quality and human health, the safety of local travel in the surrounding area, and the site’s close proximity to more than 34,000 current and future residents, one hospital, 12 schools, and two long-term care homes.
This Ontario court case is the second court action taken this year by the Halton Municipalities. On February 21, the Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton filed an application with the Federal Court of Canada to have the court review the decisions made by Federal Cabinet and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change that has allowed CN’s proposal to proceed further without addressing the many serious problems identified by the federal panel.
“The Federal Review Panel found that this project is likely to cause harm on human health,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “Regional Council has a responsibility to do everything in its power to hold CN accountable and ensure compliance with provincial and municipal laws.”
“While the Federal Government has given highest priority to the economic interests of CN, we put our duty to protect the health and safety of residents first,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton.
“Our communities and local representatives at all levels have voiced their concerns about CN’s proposed project,” said Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette. “We need to continue to be a unified voice for Halton residents.”
 A fear bigger that the proposal is that if it does get built – it will be expanded at some future date “Protecting the environment and safety of our communities remains Conservation Halton’s top priority,” said Conservation Halton Board Chair Gerry Smallegange. “We stand with our municipal partners and will continue to advocate for the well-being of residents in our watershed.”
CN’s proposed truck-rail hub in Milton would create only a small number of jobs and not provide the kind of investment that has been planned for and approved in Regional Official Plan Amendment 38 (ROPA 38). Although concerns with significant adverse environmental effects on air quality and human health are paramount, this proposal’s permanent harm to anticipated employment, investment, and municipal finances is also significant. CN is ignoring the substantial benefits it promised in 2008 when it sought and ultimately obtained changes to Regional Official Plan Amendment 38. The low employment and investment numbers now advanced by CN for the current proposal could be achieved elsewhere by modernizing its existing Brampton facility.
 By Tammy Fox
April 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
I find it beyond belief that we have been existing in this Twilight Zone of a pandemic for over an entire year now. COVID has, and continues to have, absolutely devastating effects on everyone – personally, professionally, economically, socially – you name it.
 Tammy Fox, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre We invested a great deal of time, effort and funds in developing a sold COVID-safety plan for BPAC last summer so that by early fall we would be in a position to welcome back reduced-capacity audiences in the safest way possible. We increased our air filtration, purchased plexiglass screens and every type of PPE available.
We invested in a socially-distanced ticketing system and seating plans, as well as patron self-screening software. We thoroughly sanitize the venue at least three times daily. When we were finally permitted live audiences of up to 50 people for October and November we scrambled to put together an exciting ‘mini-season’ of incredible artists, like Tom Cochrane, Chantal Kreviazuk, The Spoons and more.
We sold out every performance and I watched as my technical staff’s eyes welled up with tears on our ‘opening night’, overcome with emotion at having the opportunity to finally return after 6 months of suspended operation to what it is that we all do best. To the industry that we love. And then just like that we were slammed back into the ‘red zone’ and the stage lights went dim once again.
Now we are once again in lockdown. We are struggling to understand why we are not permitted to support our community and the Canadian arts ecology when we all need it most, by at the very least offering livestream performances. A typical livestream production might involve 5 – 10 people, between staff and artists, carefully and safely socially distanced in our incredibly spacious venue – but no, the province has deemed that too risky.
Film shoots involving 100 cast and crew are ok. For a long while, allowing hundreds to cram into malls and big box stores was ok. But no livestreaming allowed! Once simply can’t help but feel that the notion of the arts being somehow superfluous, non-essential to the health and spirit of a community is now up in lights on the marquee for all to see. It’s a very scary time for our industry, which has been deemed ‘the hardest hit’. Our industry will be the very last permitted to return to full operations. Ours will take the longest to fully recover.
With that said, there is an incredible amount of heart and effort going into advocacy efforts for the live entertainment sector. Federal agencies are doing what they can to keep us sustainable until life can return to ‘normal’. I do believe that people are eager to return. I feel that people are now truly becoming aware of the cavernous gap left in our lives and in our communities when the performing arts go dark. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone – but absence will make the heart grow fonder!
 There will come a day when there will once again be a full house At present, I think that the best that we can hope for is offer a series of performances outdoors on our Plaza this summer. I hope to see us being permitted to operate at a percentage of capacity by the fall. At some point someone has to do the math and see that 250 patrons spread out across a 718-seat venue is safer than 50 people crammed into a Walmart check-out line.
 An outdoor performance on the plaza where the best seats were on a marble bench. In the meantime, we are constantly trying to find ways to support our staff, our patrons and our local artists and arts organizations and to keep our volunteers informed and engaged. We have been working with the HDSB by offering students a virtual education series, and we are developing an artist residency program that will see us offering our space and services to local artists. And mostly, we are working towards remaining optimistic and keeping the faith that we will hear that applause again one day soon. It will happen.
Because the show must go on!
Tammy Fox is the Executive Director of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre
 By Lana Parker
April 16, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite the lack of data documenting benefits to children, and emerging evidence of several drawbacks and harms, the Ontario government is discussing making full-time online schooling a permanent “choice” in public education.
This idea is being introduced without adequate research, and stands to become the latest measure that raises inequality and threatens the viability of education as a public good.
The Globe and Mail obtained an Ontario Ministry of Education presentation dated March 22, 2021, detailing the prospect of continued virtual learning after the COVID-19 pandemic. The province aims to partner with TVO to offer “fully independent online learning” for “Ontario and out-of-province secondary students” and also mentions continuing “synchronous remote learning” for elementary students.
The proposal coincides with apparent plans to continue to help fund Ontario education by selling curriculum abroad. In 2015, Ontario reported it had agreements with 19 international private schools that pay the province to deliver the Ontario curriculum.
Unpacking the known harms
 While the COVID-19 environment has produced unique challenges, many of the greatest difficulties for young people have been associated with the forced shift out of schools and into online learning. Online learning does not replace the complex, relationship-oriented learning and social environment in schools.
Fully online learning has had consequences for mental health, with increased feelings of social isolation. There have also been challenges to physical health, as youth grappled with a lack of physical activity and deteriorating eyesight. Even among older youth learners, motivation and engagement prove difficult to sustain online, with a higher potential for dropping out and worse outcomes for disadvantaged students.
Despite the negative outcomes associated with full-time online study for youth and without sufficient data to support its rationale, the Ontario government is introducing an unasked for “choice” that would set a detrimental precedent for public education.
More screen time?
Some might argue that getting students comfortable with online technologies prepares them for future study and the workforce. In my research on youth literacy and online engagement, however, I explore how student proficiency in navigating technology should not be mistaken for understanding complex information.
 My work is part of a wider body of emerging research that examines how students make sense of the online environment — and how being online affects their literacy skills, including their capacities to form critical questions and navigate misinformation and disinformation.
I have also determined that literacy learning can be strengthened when students and teachers explore the emotional implications of contentious issues in a classroom community. In other words, leaving students alone in front of screens for even more of their already online-immersed day does not improve their critical thinking or engagement.
 For adolescents, learning online doesn’t replace in-person interactions with teachers, other students and community members. These interactions, far from superficial or inconsequential, are at the heart of how students learn well. In the pandemic, many teachers have voiced concerns about how an online environment hampers their ability to tailor learning and to support their students with the full range of strategies that are available in the classroom.
Yet another worrying aspect is the risk to student privacy. There is ongoing concern about how tech companies may be gaining unprecedented insight into children’s lives and how data may be used.
There are also issues of tech monopolies that muddy the line between public education and private enterprise.
Generating revenue
Students have opportunities to engage with online learning in Ontario’s current framework. There is no need to introduce compulsory online courses or the option of full-time online learning.
With all the issues implied by full-time online learning, why would Ontario consider making this a permanent feature of public education? Before the pandemic, in February 2020, the government .
In a confidential Ontario government document written sometime between March and August 2019 and obtained by the Toronto Star, the current Ford government detailed a plan to dovetail cuts to school board funding with the opportunity to “to develop (a) business model to make available and market Ontario’s online learning system to out-of-province and international students.” It is telling that the document did not foreground the benefits of full-time online learning for students.
The reasons for this shift can be attributed to the ongoing drive to privatize public education through the twin aims of reducing costs and generating new revenue. The 2019 document also mentioned examining “feasible options for selling licensing rights to courses/content to other jurisdictions.”
Curriculum sales
The current discussions should be seen in the context of Ontario’s drive to create revenue streams through international student tuition and sales of curriculum to international schools.
Ontario’s March 22 proposal for online schooling describes a plan to develop curriculum and offer an education with little teacher support.
This “business plan” follows Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announcing the appointment of a former CFL commisioner to the role of TVO’s CEO. TVO’s website has been recently retooled to include an emphasis on “digital learning.”
Potential future harms
For children, fully online learning creates the conditions for further educational inequality. It is a particular risk for children with special education needs.
It can also produce unintended consequences: a recent study based in Ecuador showed female students working online were more likely to spend time doing housework than their male counterparts. It is not unimaginable that some families could select online schooling for their children so they could help with household work, care for family members and potentially supplement family income by entering the labour market earlier. The move also risks limiting opportunities for extra-curricular socialization and learning, including experiences with the arts and sports.
Once poorly researched educational policy comes into practice, it is difficult to undo irrespective of data that details its harms. Such has been the case with the introduction of standardized testing in Ontario, which marginalizes newcomers and students with exceptionalities, and encourages a narrow curriculum.
Over time, a policy of “choice” for full-time online schooling weakens public education by diluting in-person opportunities for students and eroding funding. An impoverished public system drives families into private schools, which further erodes the public good. Defunding and marketization will leave public education in a race to the bottom.
Background links:
Expanding student access to on line and remote learning – the provincial government agenda
Toronto reveals secret provincial government report about on-line learning –
Laura Parker is an Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Windsor
 By Staff
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton had an item in a recent newsletter that included the following notice:
 Administrative offices on Britannia Road “Conservation Halton is looking for a better way to engage with residents about flood risks on their property and within their community and we’re hoping you can help. If you live in Burlington, Oakville, Milton or Halton Hills, please click here to complete a short survey. (It should only take five minutes of your time!):
A Gazette reader said: “Residents of south Burlington have been trying to impress upon the City the myriad water issues experienced in our community, and they’ve just heard numerous Millcroft residents express concerns about what will happen if the Argo development gets the green light. This is something that all Burlingtonians should be concerned about.”
 Ever since the 2014 flood Conservation Halton has upgraded the data gathering equipment they now – they are able to spot problems as they are developing and take appropriate action.
Their colour coded notices appear in the Gazette regularly.
 By Staff
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North Burlington brings some good news for the educators and their students:
$656.5 million dollars in funding to upgrade Ontario’s schools to make them safer for kids and teachers. Over $26 million dollars will be provided to schools in Halton Region to foster a safe and healthy environment for our valued educators, students, parents, and school staff.
 MP Pam Damoff speaking with a constituent in her Oakville office “The wellbeing of our community is of the utmost importance as we continue the fight against COVID-19.
“This investment is being made jointly with the provincial government through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, with 80% of the funding from our government” explained Damoff who added that: ” The majority of the funding will support ventilation projects that improve air quality in classrooms.
 Students at Central High would be mighty pleased to see air conditioning installed. Additional projects include installing water bottle refilling stations to improve access to safe drinking water, investing in network and broadband infrastructure to support remote learning, and space reconfigurations such as new walls and doors to enhance physical distancing.”
The students at Central high school will watch with some anticipation to learn if their school is going to see some air conditioning equipment. Climate change and the need to circulate air in schools built decades ago is no longer something nice to have.
By Eric Vandewall, President and CEO Joseph Brant Hospital
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
A short walk from Joseph Brant Hospital is Spencer Smith Park, a beautiful green space by the waterfront where, in past years, friends and families would gather in large numbers to enjoy the warm weather, music and food festivals and open-air movie nights.
We know how difficult this year has been for everyone – we feel it too. We all want to return to a time when we could enjoy the simple pleasures of pre-pandemic life. But we urge you to be patient, stay home and follow all public health measures. We need your help to avert a crisis.
 Eric Vandewall Across Ontario, we are seeing enormous strain on our hospitals, and JBH is no exception. The new Variants of Concern have quickly taken hold and are fueling this third wave, causing a rapid surge in cases and hospitalization of patients with more severe symptoms.
At JBH, we are currently at 94% capacity and reached full capacity this past weekend. In just two weeks, the number of COVID-19 patients in our care has more than doubled and continues to increase daily.
We are doing everything we can to make beds available to the rising number of patients – both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 – who require urgent, life-saving care. We have put all non- urgent surgeries and procedures on hold. We have added four intensive care beds and will be adding three more by the end of this week – 31 beds in total. But resources are limited, and may not be enough if the demand continues.
 Pandemic Response Unit We have been working with our regional and provincial partners in managing COVID-19 care, so that no one hospital is overwhelmed. We have the capability to transition our Pandemic Response Unit – which is currently serving as a Halton Region Vaccination Clinic – back to providing COVID-19 care within 24 hours. We would continue to run the clinic, which has already administered more than 10,000 vaccinations, in another part of the hospital.
Like many of you, our JBH staff and physicians have made enormous sacrifices during the pandemic, and your unwavering support has meant so much. You helped us get through it, and we need your support once again.
Please follow public health guidance. Stay home unless it’s essential, such as buying food or picking up medication. Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, physically distance from others and do not gather with anyone outside of your household.
There are skeptics who will try to convince you that this is all unnecessary. I can assure you, they are wrong. If this upward trend continues hospitals will be overwhelmed.
By Staff
April 15th,2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Spring – even though it may not feel like it today it is the time of year that we turn our attention to the gardens.
With the stay at home order we are not able to get into our own plots at Maple Gardens however the community gardens don’t usually open up until May anyway.
Right now though there is a way you can help us out. We have seedlings that are in need of foster care and are looking for volunteers to care for them. Please contact Sam (our Food Bank Garden coordinator) at garden@burlingtonfoodbank.ca if you would be able to help her out with this and/or over the spring and summer.
We can see one of our plots already growing a nice crop of garlic, thanks to Lisa who had planned it all out last season for us.
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or make arrangements to pick it up through our curb-side pickup option. If you are a resident in Burlington, we are all here to help. Don’t struggle – give us a call.
Grow to Give –
Grow a Row –
Buy a vegetable basket for Spring –
About the Burlington Food Bank –
Donate –
 By Staff
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government has launched a 90-day consultation to obtain feedback on how to strengthen municipal codes of conduct. With the support of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the province is working to better ensure that municipalities, councillors and heads of council maintain a safe and respectful workplace.
Link to the survey is HERE
Jill Dunlop, the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues is holding round tables with a variety of municipal stakeholders on how to strengthen accountability measures for members.
“Our government has been absolutely clear that we will not tolerate workplace harassment or discrimination of any kind,” said Associate Minister Dunlop. “It’s critical that everyone knows there are accountability measures in place for members who violate municipal codes of conduct. Our consultation will help determine what changes, if any, are required to ensure everyone can feel safe and respected in the workplace.”
The government is also collecting feedback on AMO’s recommendations for holding municipal councillors accountable, including increased financial penalties, suspension for certain violations, removal from office in certain circumstances, and better training and standards for integrity commissioners. This feedback is critical to ensuring effective accountability measures are put in place for members of council who violate their municipal code of conduct.
 It’s critical that everyone knows there are accountability measures in place for members who violate municipal codes of conduct. “Municipal councils are looking for new tools and new measures to address modern challenges in local government,” said AMO President Graydon Smith. “Where there are serious code of conduct violations, municipal councils need the authority to take actions that are measured, appropriate and effective.”
Comments for the consultation are welcome through the online survey by July 15, 2021. Anyone can participate in the online survey to provide feedback. Municipalities are also encouraged to provide official feedback through the online survey. This is another step the Ontario government is taking to hold members who violate codes of conduct accountable for creating unsafe work environments.
“I encourage every Ontarian to participate in this process and share their thoughts and comments on how to bring effective accountability to municipal governments,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “We must ensure that the right tools are available and that above all people feel safe and supported.”
The role of the Integrity Commissioners municipalities hire will be given a close look with the potential for much needed training.
Burlington had difficulty getting strong relevant codes of conduct in place. The two Goldring Council’s were at times content with what they add or were quarreling amongst each other on what they could live with in terms of a Code of Conduct.
There came a point where the then city manager had to get council to adopt the model the province had created and was prepared to impose on Councils that did have a code in place.
 By Julie Hunt Gibbons
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Many of the challenges of this pandemic have been solved through the use of technology. The tools of technology have allowed the world of work to continue from a safe distance. Education in Canada has been no different.
Last year’s March – June shut down in elementary, secondary, and post secondary in Ontario was facilitated by the use of online learning, both synchronous and asynchronous, through a host of different learning management systems and educational platforms and applications. This year our provincial public health challenges have varied by population and demographic and we have used technology to respond accordingly.
 Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education Here in Halton, and the surrounding GTHA, students have experienced a variety of synchronous and asynchronous fully online and hybrid learning models in response to the need for student cohorting and swells in Covid-19 numbers. The recent pandemic response, coupled with decades of technological innovation and growing use, have led many people to cite technology as the panacea for educational change in this province and around the globe. They would do well to read Justin Reich’s latest book, Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education” (2020).
Reich does not base his claims on recent pandemic events. In fact, he wrote this book prior to the onslaught of COVID-19 and points out that the supposedly transformative educational technology of the past decade has done little to revolutionize learning. He debunks claims such as:
Harvard Business School’s 2009 claim by Clay Christensen that predicted that half of all American secondary school courses would be online by 2019,
Sal Khan’s claim that Khan Academy videos would reinvent education,
Sebastian Thrun of Udacity’s claim that in 50 years we’d have only 10 institutions of higher education in the world as a result of the success of massive open online courses (MOOCs).
Sugata Mitra’s claim that students no longer need schools or teachers as groups of children with access to the internet could teach themselves anything.
Computers will be part of classrooms – but they will not replace classroom teachers. Reich addresses MOOCs, autograders, computerized “intelligent tutors,” and widely adopted popular educational software in-depth and traces their hype, their potential,and their ultimate shortcomings. According to Reich, despite their economic success in making their creators wealthy, their benefit has been to primarily wealthy students and they have done little, if anything, to combat growing inequalities in education. Thus this has not been “true innovation” and has not radically changed the educational system in any way. Rather these tools have been adapted, tested, used or not used by educators within the system.
Technology does, and will, continue to play a crucial role in the future of education but as nothing more than a tool for classroom experimentation and the expansion of educators’ pedagogical toolkits.
None of this should come as a surprise; the pandemic has evidenced extreme growth in the use of educational technology, but the key lesson of our online learning experiments in a pandemic have been that there is a want and need for human interaction. Educators have the uniquely human skills to engage (or not engage) students. Education is at its essence a human skill and human pursuit. Change and improvement to education must come from human iterations. There is no magic technological wand.
I join Reich in his confidence that when we take stock of the education our schools provided in our schools during the pandemic, we will see evidence of many new technological classroom and teaching strategies reflective of staff learning and the practicing of technological skills. These are valuable skills and our schools can and should build on them, continuing the process of learning how to teach, learn, and use our digital tools more effectively. Educational improvement is a journey, not a destination and technology can shape and accelerate this journey but technology alone cannot transform education.
 HDSB Superintendent Julie Hunt Gibbons
Julie Hunt Gibbons Halton District School Board Superintendent of Secondary Program & Student Success, North West Oakville Family of Schools was a part of the team that created the iStem courses that began at the Aldershot High school.
Julie was born in Ottawa, graduated from TA Blakelock in Oakville then attended: University of Western Ontario | B.A. Hon. | Sociology and Political Science; University of Windsor | MA. | Sociology (Socio-legal Studies) and University of Toronto |B.Ed. |Intermediate and Senior qualifications
Julie didn’t intend to be a teacher. She did a Masters in Sociology (Socio-legal studies) thinking it would be a good stepping stone to Law School. It was while working as a Teaching Assistant that she fell in love with teaching.
By Pepper Parr
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of weeks ago I heard a CBC interview about a book that talked about the concept of disruption and education.
Disruption has bitten deeply into retail markets and has all but killed local newspapers.
Uber turned the taxi business upside down.
The Ontario government is now thinking about disrupting education and teaching both elementary and high school students on-line.
Halton District School Board Superintendent Julie Hunt Gibbons, who will be retiring in June after a long career as a teacher, did a review of Failure to Disrupt: Why technology alone cannot transform education
Her review led us to changes the provincial government is actively pursuing.
The Hunt Gibbons interview appears in the Gazette today – the scoop on what the provincial government appears to be planning will be in the paper on Friday.
Here is a glimpse of what the government is discussing internally at the Ministry of Education.
The full report will be published on Friday.
A portion of the documents being used by Ministry of Education Consultation group.
By Staff
April 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 The AstraZeneca vaccine is available at Burlington pharmacies listed below.
Who can get a vaccine ? Adults 55 and over in 2021 interested in receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine
Costco Pharmacy
1225 Brant Street
Burlington, ON L7P 1X7
Map it (opens Google Maps)
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
Monday – Sunday: 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight)
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
Monday – Sunday: 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight)
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
- Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
Monday – Sunday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Appointment and location details
- Appointment only. Call or visit their website to make an appointment
Hours
Monday – Sunday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
By Andrew Drummond
April 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
This past weekend, over 2000 NDP delegates from across the country met at a virtual convention to discuss what direction the party should take moving forward and what policies are important for the NDP to push in the next federal election. The convention was not without its hiccups, and technical difficulties dominated the event in its first 24 hours. Delegates with a disability in particular were frustrated as captioning for the proceedings was not immediately available.
 Jagmeet Singh – a resounding 87% endorsement The most publicly notable part of any political convention in Canada is the vote to endorse the Party Leader. NDPers gave Jagmeet Singh a resounding 87% endorsement which was higher than expectations. Jagmeet also gave a keynote address on the Sunday of the convention where he compellingly argued that without the NDP’s influence the country’s vulnerable would have been for worse off than they were. He quoted a line from a popular meme online: “I’ve heard it said that in this pandemic, we’re all in the same boat. I disagree. We’re not actually in the same boat. We’re certainly in the same storm, but some of us are in leaky lifeboats.” Singh also called out that the Liberal proposal for the CERB program had been $1,000 per month with a 3-month maximum. Only through the pressure tactics of the NDP caucus was the amount and duration increased.
But the core of any convention is the passing of policy the NDP grassroots wants the party to fight the next election on. More than 800 policy resolutions were submitted by riding associations across the country, and delegates prioritized those and then debated over the three days of the convention. The most notable new policies passed are below:
 He’s just an old fashioned millionaire. Make the Wealthy Pay Their Share (80% marginal tax on incomes over $1,000,000)
Delegates in favour of this resolution argued passionately that Canadians earning this amount of income should be more responsible for ensuring a more equitable distribution of wealth across Canada. While exact figures aren’t available, the 99th percentile income in Canada is less than $300,000 per year. The number of Canadians making over $1,000,000 is incredibly small and yet a tax on those individuals would secure considerable funding for programs to help all Canadians.
Re-Establish a federal minimum wage at $20/hour
Delegates on this resolution were focused on the relationship between a minimum wage and a living wage. And after some discussion, delegates were aligned to the idea of $20/hour being necessary because of the incredibly high cost of living in many areas.
Halton was given as an example where the living wage here was $20.38/hour the last time it was calculated in 2019. The wage would only impact federally regulated companies but would hopefully have a significant impact on local economies as well.
Add Long Term Care standards to the Canada Health Act
The experience of Ontario has been noticed by people across the country. Delegates have been outraged at the poor conditions LTC residents have been forced to live in while the private companies managing the sites have been giving out huge dividends to their shareholders. With this policy, the NDP takes a stand that across the country LTC homes will no longer be allowed to be run as for-profit enterprises. It would also enshrine in the Canada Health Act a commitment that any federally funded LTC facility be required to provide a minimum of 4 hours of daily care.
Permanent Paid Sick Days for federally regulated companies
The research in the lead up to this policy shows that 58% of Canadians do not have any paid sick leave. Beyond that, the much touted CRSB program is not suited to day-to-day needs. When a worker starts getting sick, they need that first day off to prevent others from getting infected. The NDP passed a policy demanding 7 permanent sick days per year for all federally regulated companies. It is a very big step towards normalizing paid sick days as required in all businesses.
Canada’s Place in the World
 Refugee camp support has always been a large part of Canadian foreign aid. Historically, the NDP convention has shied away from taking stands on foreign policy. Resolutions calling for international action rarely get prioritized and debated. However, at this convention, the NDP delegates prioritized 2 powerful resolutions calling for action from Canada. First was to unequivocally support farmers in India against the repressive corporate takeover being funded by the Modi government. The second was calling for a boycott of all products made in the Israeli occupied territories as well as an embargo on arms sales to Israel until a fair peace is established with the Palestinian people. This was a landmark policy choice that puts the NDP clearly on the side of those being oppressed and demands Canada take action on the world stage.
 Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party NDP convention 2021 was not perfect. The technical glitches marred what could have been a bigger unifying experience for delegates (Amends were made by refunding delegate fees to all members with a disability). But policies were passed that will drive the NDP platform for the imminent federal election expected later this spring. They are bold, progressive policies that will brand the NDP clearly as the most progressive platform between the major parties. They also give a clear strategy to escaping the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
The 2021 NDP Convention made clear that the NDP members have a vision for what Canada should be and how it should take care of its people so no one is left behind. Protecting LTC homes, and fighting for a federal minimum wage will make real, material difference in the lives of Canadians. The biggest message from convention 2021 was that the NDP members share a common vision with Jagmeet Singh and are passionate about fighting for that vision in the next election.
Andrew Drummond was the NDP candidate for Burlington in the last provincial election.
By Staff
April 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We closed our border to the Americans when Trump was president. The State of Minnesota has closed its border crossings into Canada.
 Whatever happened to those Welcome to America signs? The American Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is now saying that even those who are fully vaccinated could be infected and spread COVID-19 variants if hey visit Canada.
The CDC rates COVID-19 travel advisories from Level 1 (low) to Level 4 (very high), and it has labeled Canada a Level 4 danger zone. The highest level warrants the following advice from the CDC:
Travelers should avoid all travel to Canada.
“Because of the current situation in Canada even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Canada.
“If you must travel to Canada, get fully vaccinated before travel. All travelers should wear a mask, stay 6 feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands.”
Canada closed its border to the U.S. to nonessential travelers in March 2020. More recently, emergency regulations were issued to mandate that anyone entering the country must quarantine for 14 days (some exceptions), provide contact information and monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19.
The ban on most nonessential travel to Canada from the U.S. is in place until April 21, though it could be extended.
 By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is disturbing when the City Manager feels he has to send out a message to the public asking people to be kind and considerate when dealing with people – adding a focus on the city staff he manages.
“We’re all in this pandemic together – Please be kind.
 A very poor quality screen shot of City Manager Tim Commisso taking part in a virtual Council meeting. He must be working out of a very uncomfortable location. “We get it. We’re in another Provincial State of Emergency that includes a Stay-at-Home Order, with additional restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. People are tired of having to stay home, wear masks, wash their hands a lot and anxious about vaccines.
“This is why it is more important than ever to be patient and be kind to your neighbours, fellow residents and workers that serve you in our community.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, the health and well-being of our community and staff has been and continues to be the City of Burlington’s top priority.
“The City continues to coordinate efforts to protect the public and staff from the spread of COVID-19, while maintaining essential City services.
“We ask that you be considerate and kind to City staff doing their jobs. Frontline City personnel have been working tirelessly to serve the public, despite the risk, throughout this pandemic and City staff continue to work remotely whenever possible to ensure seamless delivery of programs and services.
“Under the City’s Zero Tolerance Policy and as part of the City’s social media commenting guidelines, unacceptable, abusive behavior will not be tolerated. Words hurt: Using abusive language can have a direct and harmful impact on the people who are doing their best to help you.
“As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19. The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority.
“We are all in this together. We’re here to help you so let us do our jobs by being respectful and following the rules and bylaws that are in place to protect us all.”
“We are all in this together” – apparently some don’t appear able to get that message.
By Staff
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The New Demorats came out swinging today – they too want to ensure that teachers are vaccinated before they return to school – whenever that is.
Clearly the teacher vote is up for grabs – the Liberals want to do the same thing.
And, if students are mini virus spreaders taking what they have at home to school and they taking what they pick up at school it would make sense to vaccinate the teachers.
Let’s put some data behind those assumptions – and if the science is there – for heavens sake vaccinate them. There won’t be a better time to get the job done,
“Vaccinating teachers now is a critical step if Ontario hopes to keep child care centres open, and to re-open schools safely said Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath
 Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath Horwath’s call comes after Doug Ford ordered schools closed indefinitely, and families and early childhood educators express fears that child care could be shut down next.
The Leader of the Opposition continues: “Child care workers are frontline heroes. They have been looking after little ones — especially the children of essential workers — during the shutdown of schools, and they are worried about their safety as the third wave worsens. And we know teachers and education workers are anxious to get their vaccines before returning to classrooms,” said Horwath. “Meanwhile, students and parents are bracing for another round of school closures with no end in sight. An action plan would give everyone hope for a safe return to daily life.
 Andrea Horwath: If called upon – could she form a government? “Doug Ford marched us right back into another classroom shutdown because he didn’t want to spend the money on education,” said Horwath. “I believe our children’s safety is worth the investment. If I were premier, I’d be vaccinating teachers, education and child care workers now, and I’d be making urgent investments in a safe return to schools.”
Despite several regions shutting down all schools prior to this week, there were 12,280 school-based COVID-19 infections in the last 14 days, plus 913 cases in child care centres.
By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Members of Council are working out new approaches to meeting with their constituents.
With the next election not that far away the need to thicken the relationship with the voters becomes essential.
 Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte had made a practice of setting up a couple of coffee urns and lets her people know that you could find her at Denningers early Saturday morning on a specific date. People got to know and would drop by with their issues – sometimes a decent crowd sometimes just a couple. The point was she was available –and it worked.
Covid put a stop to that approach. Stolte, ever the innovator, decided she would hold virtual events – held one last night that went well.
 They are not the “anyone can drop in” type of event. You had to register and if you lived in the ward Stolte’s assistant would send you a link that got you in the door as it were.
The Gazette was told that these were not public events per se – they were open only to people in the ward.
Earlier in the day we had a conversation with a person who had bought a property in the Pinewood Cove area and was having a very difficult time getting the changes he wanted to make to a property he bought before moving in – he wasn’t able to get the clearances he needed. .
He didn’t, technically live in the ward and didn’t think attending would do much for him. He did take part in the Zoom event last night but finds himself no further ahead.
Stolte explained that things were not moving as well as everyone wanted them to in the Planning department and getting a building permit was close to impossible. They are seriously understaffed when it came to getting building permits. Stolte explained the One Window approach that was being created – that single window meant that anyone going to the Building permit people would be assigned a Project “manager” who would shepherd their project from start to finish.
As Stolte explained – they weren’t quite there yet – which is really not good customer service. Someone needs to rattle some chains and clear out the backlog so that people can get on with living their lives.
This particular individual said he has been told that there are no problems with his application – it is just going to take time to move it through the process. He has his trades people lined up but fears he is looking at a winter build – there is no word on just when the “being there” would occur.
Stolte gave a quick overview of what the budget looks like – where the money goes and where Council was able to do some cost cutting.
Unfortunately Stolte, like almost everyone else at city hall, has swallowed the Kool Aid when it comes to explaining the tax increase.. The tax increase this year is 2.5% – which is true. She then explained that the tax figure is an averaging of the amount of taxes that are paid to the Region and to the school boards. Burlington does all the collecting.
What she didn’t explain was that city Councillors have absolutely no influence on the school board tax; they have some influence on the Regional tax but Burlington has just 7 of the 24 Regional Council votes.
Burlington council members decide on what the city tax rate is going to be and this year it went from 2.99 in 2020 to 4.14 in 2021. Finance has projected something int the order of 5% for 2022
To use the 2.25 %number as the 2021 tax increase is misleading – dishonest actually and is a habit the bureaucrats and the politicians need to put an end to.
A lot of time was spent on the housing initiative the city has taken on. It appears to be shaping up as the issue Mayor Meed Ward will use as the strongest election platform plank come May of 2022 when election campaigning can start. The rest of Council will jump on that band wagon.
Housing at a price that younger people can afford is an issue – Council has spent a lot of time crafting policies and procedures that they expect will get the city to the point where they will have a plan they can put before the public, Hard to argue with something that could put people in badly needed decently price accommodation.
 Councillor Stolte looking for a response to her motion.  Mayor Marianne Meed Ward Stolte made it clear that the city will not be building homes – what they want to do is create an approach to providing homes that are badly needed. They talk in terms of working with different stakeholders, collaborating with people who have a strong interest in housing – perhaps making some city owned land available to a group who, under the right circumstances, would build homes that would be “attainable”
Is it a pig in a poke? Far too early to tell.
The organizational structure is a compromise with what council wanted and what the city manager said he could work with.
There is a Steering Group and a Working Group.
 City Manager Tim Commisso Every idea will be run through the Steering Group, which will not have any council representation and will be chaired by the City Manager, will however tell council about every idea they looked at.
The working group will be made up of 20 people. At this point we know that the Mayor and Councillors Stolte and Sharman will be on that committee. The rest of the spots are open to people who apply.
Just what the working group is going to do is not clear but there will be about 20 people on it.
City Staff are assembling a Working Group in support of the Housing Strategy to advise on local issues, be champions for the Housing Strategy and to provide key insights from a diversity of backgrounds, experiences and expertise. If you are interested, please fill out the form
The Steering Group is in the process of hiring a consultant and has a budget of $250,000
What is really happening is this – Burlington has decided to horn in on what is a Regional responsibility. It will be interesting to see how that works out.
There is a lot of confusion about just what affordable housing is and who gets it. There is a very clear, but complicated formula that determines if a family or a person qualifies for assisted housing – something they can afford,
Affordable had a connotation that it was welfare housing – the people involved in this new initiative needed a new name – the bureaucrats and the politicians have solved that problem. The have coined the word “attainable’ meaning that the properties would be attainable if the price or cost is low enough.
Co-op housing has been doing that for decades with deep support from CMHC. But with co-ops the residents don’t have any equity – which means they are not in the housing game and able to take advantage of the fabulous property price increases that we have seen in the past year.
Stolte explained that the initiative that has everyone a flutter is a made in Burlington approach to a Burlington problem. Housing” she explained, “ is not just a building people live in – it is about community and community is very much what this council is all about.
A draft public engagement plan will be presented to Council late May or June.
This is a significant new policy initiative that reflects the views and aspirations of this Council. It needs to be watched very carefully – the intentions are laudable – the execution of those intentions is the concern.
Related news stories:
The affordable housing issue.
A virtual meeting where the public had some input.
City wants to get into the housing game Part of a series
 By Staff
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Tomorrow night, one Blue Jays fan in Ontario will win a minimum half million dollars with Jays Care’s first virtual 50/50 jackpot of the 2021 Blue Jays season. Fans 18 years of age and older in Burlington can join Blue Jays fans in the fun and get their tickets for this massive online 50/50 at bluejays.com/5050.
All funds raised through the draw will support Ontario kids and families who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This builds off a proud history of Jays Care’s community impact I Burlington with a local Challenger Baseball league running in the community.
Jays Care Foundation’s MLB-leading 50/50 draws are back! Celebrate the start of the Blue Jays season by getting your tickets for the season-opening draw, with a minimum guaranteed jackpot of $500.000.
Sales are open through 10 p.m. on April 14th following the Blue Jays home game against the New York Yankees. Join fans across Ontario in the excitement of virtual 50/50 and get your tickets HERE now.
All funds raised through the draw will support kids and communities as they safely emerge from the pandemic. Support Jays Care and get your tickets now!
Must be 18+ and located in Ontario to purchase.
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