 By Gazette Staff
March 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a time when you might want to give your MP a call and ask if mail delivery to your door is going to come to an end.
 Something to remember. After discussions with unions, including the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, the Crown corporation said it would reach out to municipalities across the country to discuss timelines and potential locations for community mailboxes to replace home delivery in areas that still have it.
“We are also collaborating with the government on updates to our delivery standards for letter mail, which will require amendments to the Canadian Postal Service Charter,” Canada Post added.
 Change in the landscape coming – something new to complain about. Burlington MP Karina Gould might use this opportunity to be proactive and tell the residents where those community mailboxes are going to be located.
By Gazette Staff
March 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Research has linked certain high-profile, televised sporting events to a significant increase in police-reported intimate partner violence.
Toronto Police are recording 17,000 to 19,000 intimate partner violence occurrences in an average year.
A volunteer organization is putting resources in place that gives those who believe they have been abused by an intimate partner a place to turn to for help and support
 Carly Kalish, Chief Executive Officer of Victim Services Toronto points out that: “This summer’s influx of visitors and the expected vulnerabilities that come with it create an urgent need for Ask for Angela‘s increased presence across Toronto, while also presenting a long-term, infrastructure-building opportunity to make pathways to help more consistently available, convenient, and approachable.”
Ask for Angela‘s Local Presence
To expand local pathways to safety and professional support, VST first introduced Ask for Angela in the GTA in fall 2023. The trauma-informed safety initiative – which originated in the UK in 2016 and celebrates its 10-year global anniversary this year – allows people experiencing gender-based violence or exploitation to discreetly signal for immediate support at partnering locations using the code phrase: “Is Angela here?”
Through its Loblaw Companies Limited partnership, the community-based program has already effectively embedded an accessible support option into 225 local, everyday retail spaces that victims of gender-based violence and exploitation may visit alone, including grocery stores and pharmacies.
Currently, thousands of frontline staff at participating locations across the GTA are trained to recognize the Ask for Angela code phrase and follow its clear protocol to connect individuals with professional support services, with QR codes available for additional discretion and choice.
Staff have also received refresher training and quality assurance has been renewed in the lead up to this summer’s events.
 Victim Services Toronto provides immediate, trauma-informed support and advocacy for anyone in Toronto affected by crime or sudden tragedy.
Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, in over 35 languages. You do not need to make a police report to receive help.
Loblaws could provide support across the province.
Kudo’s to them for funding this Toronto phase.
By Gazette Staff
March 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 All Beer Store retail locations will be closed for Good Friday, April 3rd and Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2026.
 The matter of handling the return of the empties is one that is waiting for a resolution. The industry recycles those empties and needs the bottles. Beer Store retail locations will observe normal hours of operation on Saturday, April 4th and Monday, April 6th, 2026.
If your business needs to keep data on Canadian soil, comply with PIPEDA, or simply reduce latency for North American users, a dedicated server hosted in Canada is the right move.
Pricing for dedicated servers in Canada ranges from $59/month to $480/month depending on the provider, hardware, and management level. We evaluated the top providers across performance, Canadian data center locations, support, security features, and compliance to help you make the right choice.
Our Top Picks
After comparing uptime guarantees, hardware options, Canadian data center coverage, and pricing, ServerMania stands out as the best overall dedicated server provider in Canada. OVHcloud Canada takes the top spot for budget buyers, and Leaseweb Canada is the strongest option for enterprise workloads. Here is how all ten providers compare.
The 10 Best Dedicated Server Providers in Canada
1. ServerMania – Best Overall
 Starting price: $139/month | Data centers: Montreal, Vancouver | Uptime SLA: 99.999%
ServerMania is a Canadian-founded dedicated server hosting provider with over a decade of experience. Their Montreal data center is powered almost entirely by renewable hydroelectric energy, and they also operate a facility in Vancouver for West Coast coverage.
 The support team guarantees a 15-minute response time around the clock. Hardware includes Intel Xeon and AMD processors with NVMe SSD storage and fully customizable configurations. Both managed and unmanaged dedicated server options are available, with managed services covering OS updates, security hardening, and proactive monitoring.
Their Instant Dedicated Servers deploy in under three hours. Bandwidth options range from 10Gbps to 100Gbps with unmetered bandwidth available. The support team guarantees a 15-minute response time around the clock. ServerMania also maintains city-specific server pages for Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Edmonton, linking the entire Canadian hosting layer together.
Why it ranks #1: Canadian-owned, PIPEDA-compliant, highest uptime SLA in the market, hydro-powered infrastructure, 15-minute support, and the flexibility to scale from a single bare metal server to a full enterprise deployment.
2. OVHcloud Canada – Best for Budget Dedicated Hosting
 Starting price: $59/month | Data center: Beauharnois, QC | Uptime SLA: 99.99%
OVHcloud runs a major facility in Beauharnois, Quebec with some of the most affordable Canadian dedicated servers on the market. Servers include Intel Xeon and AMD Ryzen processors, guaranteed bandwidth up to 2Gbps, unlimited data transfer, and anti-DDoS protection built in.
Servers deploy in under 120 seconds. The catch: everything is unmanaged. You need in-house expertise for server management, security patches, and monitoring.
Best for: Developers and technical teams who want affordable, high performance dedicated servers in Canada with transparent pricing and no setup fees.
3. Leaseweb Canada – Best for Enterprise Workloads
 Starting price: $105/month | Data center: Montreal | Uptime SLA: 99.99%
Leaseweb Canada operates data centers in Montreal powered by renewable energy. Their bare metal servers feature Intel Xeon processors, SSD storage, and high performance network connectivity. Both managed and unmanaged options are available with flexible SLAs.
Best for: Enterprise organizations that need scalable dedicated hosting service in Canada with environmental sustainability and flexible managed services.
4. GTHost – Best for Instant Deployment
Starting price: $69/month | Data centers: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver | Uptime SLA: 100% Network
GTHost provisions servers within 5 to 15 minutes of payment across 22 locations, including three in Canada. All servers come with unmetered bandwidth, transparent pricing, and trial periods starting at $5/day. Servers are unmanaged with Linux operating systems by default.
Best for: Tech-savvy users who need immediate server access in Canadian data centers without a long-term commitment.
5. CanSpace Solutions – Best for Fully Managed Canadian Hosting
Starting price: $349/month | Data center: Canada | Uptime SLA: 99.99%
 CanSpace focuses exclusively on fully managed dedicated servers. Their team handles backups, security, updates, and maintenance. Hardware includes Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors with RAID-redundant drives and ECC RAM. cPanel/WHM comes pre-installed, and you still get root access.
All servers are hosted on Canadian IP addresses with built-in DDoS protection and 100Mbps or 250Mbps guaranteed unlimited bandwidth. Pricing is higher than unmanaged alternatives, reflecting the white-glove service.
Best for: Canadian businesses without dedicated IT resources that want complete control over their server without the burden of managing it.
6. GloboTech – Best for Support Quality
Starting price: $99/month | Data center: Montreal | Uptime SLA: 99.99%
GloboTech is a Montreal-based provider known for premium support and long-term client relationships. They guarantee a 15-minute first response time and a one-hour hardware replacement SLA, which is among the fastest in the industry. Both managed and unmanaged dedicated server options are available.
Best for: Businesses that prioritize fast, hands-on technical support and want a long-term hosting partner based in Canada.
7. Atlantic.Net – Best for Compliance and Regulated Industries
Starting price: $99/month | Data center: Toronto | Uptime SLA: 100%
 Atlantic.Net’s Canadian footprint is centered around Toronto with SOC 2, SOC 3, HIPAA, and PCI DSS-certified infrastructure. Servers feature Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors with NVMe storage. Optional managed services include proactive monitoring, backups, and enterprise grade security add-ons.
Pricing reflects the compliance overhead, but for businesses handling sensitive data under PIPEDA, the security and certification investment is well justified.
Best for: Healthcare, finance, and government organizations that require compliant dedicated server hosting in a Canadian data center.
8. Web Hosting Canada (WHC) – Best for Local Support
Starting price: Custom | Data centers: Montreal, Toronto | Uptime SLA: 99.9%
 WHC is a leading Canadian-owned hosting provider that prioritizes data privacy and local support. They offer bilingual customer service in English and French with phone support available. Canadian data centers ensure compliance with PIPEDA and provincial privacy regulations.
WHC also provides shared hosting, VPS hosting, and cloud hosting alongside dedicated server options. Pricing is quote-based, which may be less convenient for businesses looking for transparent pricing upfront.
Best for: Canadian businesses that want a locally owned hosting service with bilingual support and data residency compliance.
9. Kamatera – Best for Flexible Configurations
Starting price: $99/month | Data center: Toronto | Uptime SLA: 99.95%
 Kamatera provides highly customizable dedicated server solutions from their Toronto data center. Configurations support pay-as-you-go hourly or monthly billing with granular control over CPU power, RAM, and SSD storage. A wide range of operating systems is supported.
Best for: Businesses with variable workloads that need flexible dedicated resources in a Canadian data center.
10. IONOS – Best for Value (US-Hosted)
Starting price: $45/month | Data center: US-based | Uptime SLA: 99.99%
IONOS does not operate Canadian data centers, but their US servers provide low latency to Canadian users at some of the most competitive pricing available. Plans include Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors, NVMe storage, free SSL certificates, and the Plesk control panel at no extra cost. All plans come with unlimited data transfer.
The tradeoff: hosting in the US means your data is subject to US jurisdiction rather than Canadian privacy laws, which may be a concern for businesses that require dedicated resources under PIPEDA.
Best for: Budget-conscious Canadian businesses without strict data residency requirements.
Why Choose a Dedicated Server in Canada?
Canadian regulations like PIPEDA set a high standard for data privacy. Hosting on Canadian soil ensures compliance with both federal and provincial privacy laws, and Canadian legislation aligns with European standards, meaning businesses can host EU data on Canadian servers without special arrangements.
Beyond compliance, Canadian data centers provide reduced latency for users across North America. Major cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver serve as premium connectivity hubs. Canada also benefits from abundant renewable energy, particularly in Quebec, where 99% of electricity comes from hydroelectric sources. This makes Canada-based hosting secure, performant, and environmentally responsible.
How to Choose the Right Dedicated Server
Assess your traffic and workload. Consider whether you are hosting high traffic websites, gaming servers, ecommerce platforms, or enterprise applications. Each workload has different requirements for CPU power, RAM, and bandwidth.
Pick your data center location. Choosing a provider with Canadian data centers in Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver helps comply with data sovereignty laws and reduces latency for your users.
 Look for transparent pricing with no hidden setup fees and an uptime guarantee of at least 99.9%. Decide between managed and unmanaged. Managed dedicated server plans include OS updates, security hardening, and monitoring. Unmanaged gives you full control and root access but you handle everything. Many providers offer both so you can upgrade resources and management level as your team grows.
Compare pricing carefully. Most dedicated server plans in Canada are priced depending on CPU power, RAM, storage type, bandwidth, and management options. Look for transparent pricing with no hidden setup fees and an uptime guarantee of at least 99.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do dedicated servers in Canada cost?
Pricing typically ranges from $100 to $500 per month, with entry-level configurations starting as low as $59/month. Key cost factors include CPU power, RAM, SSD storage, bandwidth, and whether you choose managed or unmanaged server management.
What are the benefits of hosting in a Canadian data center?
 Strong data privacy protections under PIPEDA, reduced latency for North American users, compliance with data residency requirements, and access to environmentally sustainable infrastructure. Canadian data centers in Montreal and Toronto offer premium network connectivity for high traffic websites and enterprise applications.
Do I need a dedicated server or VPS hosting?
VPS hosting offers dedicated resources within a shared environment at a lower price. A dedicated server is the better choice when you need bare metal performance, complete control over hardware, the highest levels of security, or compliance with data residency requirements. If your online business handles high traffic websites, gaming servers, or ecommerce platforms, a dedicated server is the right investment.
What is the best dedicated server provider in Canada?
Based on our evaluation, ServerMania ranks as the best dedicated server provider in Canada. They offer the highest uptime SLA in the market at 99.999%, data centers in Montreal and Vancouver, 15-minute guaranteed support response times, PIPEDA-compliant infrastructure powered by renewable energy, and flexible managed and unmanaged options starting at $139/month.
 By Pepper Parr
March 29th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 There really isn’t much the city can do about traffic on the streets of the city.
Nevertheless, Councillors Lisa Kearns and Paul Sharman want to gather people in a room and listen to what the various partners in the traffic game have to say.
Taking part in the event are:
Burlington Transit, City of Burlington Transportation Services, Burlington Integrated Mobility Transportation, Halton Region Infrastructure & Environmental Services, Halton Region Integrated Master Plan team, Metrolinx and the Halton Regional Police Service.
Will anything substantive come out of the meeting? Will people be asked to set out their ideas?
Keep in mind that Kearns has announced she will file nomination papers in May, running for the Office of Mayor. Her objective is to let the audience see her as a Mayor.
Buringlton is facing a significant increase in population at some point in the future. The building of affordable housing just isn’t happening and until the log jams that have brought construction a standstill are worked out the focus isn’t going to be on transit.
The layout of the city is a major problem, and that cannot be changed.
There are consultants out there that do this kind of work – at some point, the city is going to have to find the people that can give the city direction.
It will be an interesting evening: an opportunity to say what you think and an occasion when you can hear what the people presenting have to say.
Burlington’s first-ever Community Traffic Forum: a dynamic, interactive event designed to bring residents together with transportation leaders, innovators, and safety experts to discuss the future of how we move through our city.
Whether you walk, bike, drive, take transit, or care about safer streets for your family, your voice matters. This forum is your opportunity to participate directly in conversations that influence traffic safety, congestion solutions, active transportation infrastructure, and the evolving needs of a growing community.
Registration is requested. The number of people planning to attend is higher than expected – more than 100.
Click HERE to register
 By Gazette Staff
March 29, 2025
Burlington, on
The new United Way has advised us that the four organizations pulled into a single organization didn’t have different payroll departments
Brant United Way
United Way Haldimand Norfolk
United Way Halton Hamilton
United Way Niagara
 are being merged into what will be known as United Way Golden Horseshoe. The effective date for joining together will be April 1st, 2026.
Why ? – efficiencies. There will no longer be a need for four payroll department. Each United Way has a warehouse. There will be just the one.
The annual fundraising drive will now have competitors from all four organizations – that should be quite an event.
The new organization will be 60+ staff members, as well as some seasonal staff who join either through the Canada Summer Jobs Program and their Sponsored Employee program.
The approximate population size of the new catchment area is 2.2 million people.
 Brad Park will serve as the Interim President of the United Way Golden Horseshoe. Brad Park will serve as the Interim President of the new organization: United Way Golden Horseshoe (UNGH). The changes are the result of more than a year and a half of study and review. Eliminating some of the overlap will allow the merged United Ways to put more people in the field.
Donations raised in each community will be spent in those communities.
The disbursement of funds will be done locally. UWGH has said there will be no changes in the 2026 distribution. They want the organizational change to settle in and then begin looking at what, if any changes can or should be made.
The United Way sector faces the same financial realities that every organization faces. It is getting harder and harder to raise funds while the needs grow at a rate that is also growing.
More as the United Way works its way through these changes.
 By Sadie Smith
March 27, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada is one of the more interesting stories on the 2026 board because of what this combination of three things tries to price in a way bookmakers don’t often get them right at the same time: host-nation advantage, a young squad still going up, and a core of proven attacking talent that is already established at a high level.
That mix accounts for the fact that Canada is being treated as a dangerous outsider and not a real favourite. The upside is obvious enough to keep the bettors interested. The limitations are obvious enough to hold the outright price long.
 Canada’s role as host is not merely a ceremonial one.
Canada’s role as host is not merely a ceremonial one.
The market respects Canada, but not enough to cut them drastically
Early outright pricing for the World Cup 2026 on SportyTrader has Canada dead in outsider territory at around +15000 to win the World Cup. In Group B they have been rated by the market behind Switzerland and behind the eventual winner of the UEFA playoffs, with Canada also well ahead of Qatar on the same board. That is a fair reflection of where the team is up to.
The betting signal is clear. Sportsbooks do not see Canada as a title threat, but they do see a path to a competitive group stage campaign. That distinction matters. For recreational bettors, the host narrative can be the story that is bigger than the underlying number. For sharper bettors, a better bet angle is often thinking in terms of group performance and progression pressure rather than outright bets with dream tickets.
Host status does matter, particularly in the group stage
Canada’s role as host is not merely a ceremonial one. Automatic qualification ensures no messy path into the tournament and home support in a group including matches in Toronto and Vancouver. That is important both emotionally, logistically, and commercially. It is also important to odds compilers, since home environments can alter the perception of teams involved in tight games in the group stage.
 The host factor especially comes to bear because Canada is not entering this tournament as a blank slate. This is no novelty side with no recognizable elite pieces. It is a team which already has players from leading European leagues and a national profile which has increased considerably for the last cycle.
The young core gives Canada a respectable upside
This is where the squad profile comes in. Canada’s camp in 2026 in preparation under Jesse Marsch had a camp dotted with players in their early 20s including Luc de Fougerolles, Niko Sigur, Nathan Saliba, Daniel Jebbison, Aribim Pepple, Jacen Russell-Rowe and Ismael Kone. That age profile is important because betting markets often respond to teams that clearly have momentum in their development, and this is particularly true if those players are entering a home tournament as opposed to aging out of one.
The appeal is not just youth for the sake of youth. It is that this generation can support the proven core and not replace it. Jonathan David is now 26 and comes as one of the headlining names in Canadian football. Alphonso Davies is the face of the national team, while the rest of the group includes tournament-level players who have top-league experience.
Proven talent lifting the floor, injuries keep the ceiling in check
 The difference between a lively host and a genuine upset threat usually comes down to availability. The caution for bettors is that the price from Canada is not long by accident. Squad depth still matters at a World Cup and so does health. Canada Soccer’s update for the month of March noted that Alistair Johnston and Moise Bombito were at camp as they returned from injuries, as well as the Bavarians noting a March setback in Davies’ injury. That does not eliminate Canada’s upside, but it is a reminder to bettors that the difference between a lively host and a genuine upset threat usually comes down to availability.
This is why the market has not over-corrected on the host factor. Canada has enough quality to be a cause for concern by opponents, but not enough certainty to be priced like a second-tier contender.
What odds are really saying about Canada
The sort of smartest way to read Canada’s 2026 price is that there is a sense of real group stage leverage but a lack of championship credibility among sportsbooks for a team. That is not an insult. It is a recognition for balance. Youth raises the ceiling. Proven talent stabilizes the floor. Home support enhances the setup. But the market still wants to see proof that Canada can bring that combination through multiple knockout rounds.
That makes Canada one of the more attractive teams to discuss in 2026 betting, even if the outright number is a long shot. The story is not whether they can win the tournament. The real question is how far the host boost and young talent will take them before the price finally catches up.
 By Gazette Staff
March 28th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 The BSA will announce its 20th annual recognition of sport excellence on June 15 at the Burlington Convention Centre.
This is the 20th year the organization has honoured top athletes and sport volunteers each year.
Athletes include Junior, Adult, Masters, Para Sport and Special Olympians who have had success in sport over the past few years.
Sport volunteers who organize, administer, coach, officiate, or run events for the Burlington Community are also honoured:
Check out the website for nomination forms and ticket orders. Nominations close on Friday May 1.
www.burlingtonsportalliance.com
 By James Portside
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The province of Ontario released the 2025 Sunshine List, listing all those who earned more than $100,000 in 2025.
In 2025, Burlington’s Human Resources budget was $191,813,064, a 7.15% increase over 2024’s base Human Resources budget of $179,021,000.
Here are some interesting items from the sunshine list for the City of Burlington.
 Now you know why they all want to be re-elected  Our former CEO, Hassan Basit, started working for the province on August 4, 2025. For the first 7 months of 2025, Basit earned $248,432.70, which works out to $1,160 a day, every day, including weekends, between January 1 and August 3. Some things are beyond words.
The number of city employees earning over $100,000 a year increased by 9.7% to 554. The 2022 list contained 393 names, the 2023 list 457, and the 2024 list 505.
Of the roughly 1,185 full-time employees, 554 now earn over $100,000 per year.
The 2025 list includes 12 people with the job title “Transit Operator” (down from 15 last year), 2 people with the job title “Mechanic” and no one with the title “Officer, Animal Control”, down from 3 last year.
Of the people we elect to manage our tax dollars, the one person with the job title “Mayor” earned $214,252.45, an increase from 2024’s salary of $202,142.37 (5.99% increase).
The Councillors’ salaries have diverged for this year only, with two councillors receiving retroactive pay in lieu of benefits.
Paul Sharman has fought hard to have his pay “corrected”. The municipal employee pension plan, OMERS, has a rule that people over 71 have to start collecting their pension. OMERS won’t accept any further contributions from employees or employers for people aged 71 or older. The city thought taxpayers could stop paying into Sharman’s pension plan, so last year he earned less total compensation than the other Councillors. Councillor Sharman saw this differently: now the city pays him the money that used to be paid into his pension plan.
A total of 22 people saw their total earnings, salary plus overtime, increase by at least 10%, this list includes our two senior Councillors (Sharman and Bentivegna), who both received retroactive pay in lieu of benefits. Only 8 of these people had changes in their job titles. These people worked for the city in 2023 and are assumed to have worked full years in 2024 and 2025.
The following people earned over $200,000 in 2025.
 Who determines the pay grade for City Staff? an all of these be justified?
All is well at City Hall. After pushing through a 5.8% increase in property tax revenue for 2025, with almost no population growth, staff are richly rewarding their own efforts.
 By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Nate Erskine Smith when he was in Burlington seeking the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. Bonnie Crombie won that race. Erskine Smith went to to win the Beaches EAst York Street in Toronto and is currently a member of Parliament and is running for the provincial seat of Scarborough East York, which is he winds, gets him into Queen’s Park where he has made it clear he will work at becoming party leader and run against Doy Ford in the next provincial election. It’s a stretch. Nate Erskine Smith opines on the 2026 Ford Budget saying they “released a budget yesterday that might well have been entitled “tired and short on ideas” instead of “a plan to protect Ontario”
It’s been too long since our last post, as I’ve had my head down focused on the provincial nomination race in Scarborough Southwest (help us here!) and serving constituents at the Danforth office. You can read this full Q&A with Beach Metro about next steps.
Need to toot my own horn on this one. I was the founding editor of what was the Ward 9 News and is now the Beach Metro.
The rundown on the Ontario Budget can be found below. We also just finished recording a piece on the notwithstanding clause (with the Bill 21 hearing before the Supreme Court earlier this week), which should be out soon. And the Uncommons podcast is returning after a hiatus, with guest Karina Gould.
Ontario Budget 2026: there is no plan.
It’s more apparent than ever that it’s past time for change.
The Ford government released a budget yesterday that might well have been entitled “tired and short on ideas” instead of “a plan to protect Ontario.” A series of re-re-announcements more than anything, mediocre past hits on repeat.
The temporary move to lift HST from new homes (in partnership with the feds) and the tax cut for small businesses will help a little for sure. Of course, it’s all deficit financed in a bloated and mostly directionless budget that would have the Tories screaming if any Liberal thought to introduce it.
Transit policy still reads like it’s scrawled on the back of a napkin, and the uncosted tunnel is top of that list. The One Fare Program extension is welcome, but it pales in comparison to the delays and mismanagement of the GO Expansion we need to connect our province. When we talk at the federal level about building with speed and scale, this isn’t it.
Public education is an embarrassing state of affairs, with total education sector funding now at the lowest percentage it’s been in thirty years. An entire generation is getting less than they need and deserve. Yes, there is some modest increase in funding for autism services, but it won’t go nearly far enough for the tens of thousands of kids on the waiting list. And while the government correctly identifies a real need – namely purchasing gaps for teachers – their proposed solution is more friendly to Staples than it is for the classroom.
Overall, funding for public education since 2018 hasn’t kept pace with inflation, and this year is no different. It is cuts by stealth and a clear signal that our kids don’t matter to this administration. They somehow find funding to put cops in our schools when we don’t have enough teachers.
And for higher education, the Ford government is moving forward with deep cuts to OSAP, pushing post-secondary opportunities away from the students in the greatest need and saddling those who can least afford it with more debt.
On housing, starts have fallen off a cliff, the Minister tells us he doesn’t even think about meeting the government’s own target – “I’m not a housing expert” is the refrain – and while the tax cut is decent short-term relief for some, there’s no support for municipalities to speed up timeline approvals, no move to use new technology, and no effort to address homelessness or support non-market housing.
On healthcare, expanded home care is welcome as is continued funding for building new hospitals. But there remains a gap from what the Ontario Hospital Association needs, and the Ford cuts to safe consumption sites will be measured in lives lost and increased emergency department visits the system can’t afford.
Hallway healthcare is worse than it has ever been, an issue Ford told us he’d fix back in 2018. If he can find “a few billion” for a Toronto convention centre no one asked for, the rest of Ontario should be asking why “a few billion” can’t be found for healthcare.
On public safety, the focus on expanded prison capacity is an absolute necessary. But so too is making the justice system function, and that’s a continued failing. It all comes on the heels of a cartoonishly failed attempt to silence protest, instead of focusing seriously on the effective enforcement of existing laws against harassment, intimidation, and hate.
On energy, the government is deficit financing untargeted consumer subsidies but leaving it entirely to the federal government to finance long-term clean energy investments that will create jobs and opportunity. We need a serious and strategic plan to drive economic opportunity through clean, affordable, and sovereign energy.
That’s just it, though. There is never a plan. Never has been a plan. Never will be a plan.
Ontario is overpriced and mismanaged, and there’s nothing in the budget that takes seriously the cost of living.
There is, though, a little change buried in the budget to our freedom of information laws. Yes, they are gutting transparency laws retroactively (retroactively!) because Ford doesn’t want the business of the province he’s conducted on his personal cell phone to be made public. After the Greenbelt and Skills Development scandals, why bother with transparency anyway?
We deserve better. It’s as simple as that.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
When the legislators stand up at Queen’s Park and talk in terms of billions of dollars in deficits, most of us pause to recall just how many zeros there are in a billion – knowing that we are never going to see one. Millions has a hope, as long as you are buying lottery tickets.
But there was a small perk for the small business sector. Taxes for small business companies are being reduced from 3.2% to 2.2%, which will give $1.1 billion in relief to 375,000 small businesses over three years.
As for the rest of the economy: health care is getting more, education is getting more:
Health and hospitals
$1.1 billion over three years for increased home and community care, serving thousands more patients plus a $1.1 billion — or four per cent — funding boost for hospitals. The Ontario Hospital Association has warned many of its members are projecting deficits as costs rise six per cent a year due to a growing population.
 This situation will only get worse – the baby boomers have already begun to overwhelm the public health system.
Education funding
Somewhere between $300 million and $400 million more annually for education over the next three school years, representing a 2.47 per cent increase from an estimated $40.5 billion this year to $41.5 billion in 2028–29; colleges and universities will receive a previously announced $6.4 billion in additional funding over four years.
 There was never a consensus on having police officers in schools. The budget includes money to put police officers in schools.
In 2026–27, the government is projecting a deficit of $13.8 billion, improving to a deficit of $6.1 billion in 2027–28 and a surplus of $0.6 billion in 2028–29 – which is the year the next provincial election is projected to take place.
All of the numbers above don’t factor in the decisions made by the President of the United States.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Doesn’t matter where your home is on the spectrum: there will be a mortgage attached to it. By the numbers:
83%
The percentage of surveyed Canadians who say they’ve never missed a mortgage payment — despite increasing financial pressure. (More than two out of three ain’t bad.)
$2.25M
The amount the Ontario government is investing to expand access to inclusive, barrier-free community spaces across the province.
Ownership Stats: Roughly 66% of Canadians are homeowners, with about 32% holding a mortgage and 20–24.6% owning outright.(Source CMHC)
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government released the salaries of Ontario Public Service and broader public sector employees who were paid $100,000 or more in 2025.
There are 908 organizations in Ontario that do not have any employees earning more than $100,000.
 There is a reason for calling the civil servant salary listing the Sunshine List. It was created by the Mike Harris government in 2006 and is read by every municipal employee in the province. There are thousands in the province that are paying that kind of money – the dollars that come out of your pocket.
What used to be called the Sunshine list is a phrase the province didn’t use in its media release.
The Gazette will need a day or two to download the data and format it to make it readable.
People can go to the list where the data is searchable.
Link to that location is HERE.
The Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996 requires organizations that receive public funding from the Province of Ontario to make public, by March 31 each year, the names, positions, salaries and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in the previous calendar year.
Over 50 per cent of this year’s growth was driven by municipalities, which includes local police and fire services whose work continues to protect Ontario communities. Of the total list, more than half is comprised of public service organizations like school boards, hospitals and public boards of health, which in large part is comprised of nurses and teachers.
 By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Post has realized that they are having a hard time of making a go of it as an online operation and have decided to go back to print – something the knew a lot about.
The Burlington Post will not be on your doorstep – there are a couple of dozen locations around the city where it can be picked up. No word on how big the print run will be.
 A collection of “ink-stained wretches” back doing what they used to do. The Post has been available since Wednesday at the following locations:
There is still a demographic that prefers reading newspapers in print rather than online. The problem is these people are north of sixty and aren’t doing a lot of buying. Is this a market advertisers want to pump money into?
They will pick up a lot of election advertising during the soft summer months.
They are probably going to bring an end to the Burlington Independent which has been publishing in Burlington for more than a year. They recently announced an Oakville edition.
Metroland, owners of the Post and the Beaver, were forced to seek bankruptcy protection and cease the print publication of weekly community newspapers across the province in September 2023.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Residents are invited to attend Burlington’s first Community Traffic Forum, a collaborative event co-hosted by Councillor Lisa Kearns and Councillor Paul Sharman, focused on the future of local mobility and transportation safety in Burlington.
The Community Traffic Forum will bring together residents, City staff, regional partners, and transportation experts for meaningful discussion on traffic priorities, mobility challenges, and future‑focused solutions across the city. The forum is designed to encourage constructive dialogue and gather community input to help inform transportation planning and road safety efforts.
 Traffic backed up on Lakeshore Road at Brant. Event Details:
- Date: April 1, 2026
- Time: 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:15 p.m.)
- Location: Art Gallery of Burlington
- REGISTRATION IS A MUST. Click HERE to register
 Councillor Kearns at one of her ward meetings. “As Burlington continues to grow and develop, the pressures on our roads and transit systems continue to increase,” said Councillor Lisa Kearns. “Traffic congestion and mobility challenges cannot be addressed in silos. We need to work together, across City departments, regional partners, and with our community, to identify solutions now, rather than waiting until challenges become much harder and more costly to fix.”
 Councillor Sharman: the reality is that growth can be managed more effectively with modern solutions- particularly on-demand and flexible transportation systems. “Traffic and congestion in Burlington are shaped by our unique location at the end of Lake Ontario, where Highways converge around a natural bend in the corridor. This creates a bottleneck that regularly pushes highway traffic onto local roads as drivers try to get around delays. Further, while there’s a perception that more high-rise development will automatically increase congestion, the reality is that growth can be managed more effectively with modern solutions- particularly on-demand and flexible transportation systems that reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles and make better use of our existing road network.” ~ Councillor Paul Sharman
Participating organizations and partners include representatives from:
- Burlington Transit
- City of Burlington Transportation Services
- Burlington Integrated Mobility Transportation
- Halton Region Infrastructure & Environmental Services
- Halton Region Integrated Master Plan team
- Metrolinx
- Halton Regional Police Service
- Additional regional and community transportation partners
Event Details:
- Date: April 1, 2026
- Time: 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:15 p.m.)
- Location: Art Gallery of Burlington
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to rise today to present a petition on behalf of residents of Burlington and citizens of Canada.
 Following the tragic loss of her daughter Katie Pryla, a constituent of mine noted that connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome, often go undiagnosed, despite clear clinical signs such as scoliosis, hypermobility, long limb proportions and early connective tissue complications. It can lead to unforeseen medical consequences, particularly for those who become pregnant.
Therefore, the petitioners are requesting that the Government of Canada establish national screening guidelines for Marfan syndrome and related connective tissue disorders, especially for patients presenting with scoliosis or similar connective tissue disorders; implement national education and awareness programs for physicians, specialists and other health care professionals on identifying and managing connective tissue disorders; require genetic and cardiac screening protocols for IVF and high-risk pregnancy patients with connective tissue indicators; and support public awareness initiatives to educate Canadians on the signs and risks of Marfan syndrome and the importance of early education.
If the government were to do such things, it could help prevent the tragic and unnecessary loss of life.
I am pleased to be able to present this petition on behalf of my constituents.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Additional GO train service Due to a number of ongoing events in Downtown Toronto on March 27 and 28, we have added some Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East service to help get you to and from your events.
Lakeshore West:
Friday, March 27:
- 16:46 departs Oakville GO making all stops to Union Station 17:30.
- 17:16 departs Oakville GO making all stops to Union Station 18:00.
- 17:46 departs Oakville GO making all stops to Union Station 18:30.
- 18:16 departs Oakville GO making all stops to Union Station 19:00.
Saturday March 28:
Eastbound-
- 10:57 departs Burlington GO making all stops to Union Station 12:00.
- 11:27 departs Burlington GO making all stops to Union Station 12:30.
- 13:02 departs Burlington GO making all stops to Union Station 14:05.
- 13:32 departs Burlington GO making all stops to Union Station 14:35.
Westbound-
- 12:10 departs Union Station and ends at Exhibition GO at 12:16.
- 12:40 departs Union Station and ends at Exhibition GO at 12:46.
- 15:02 departs Union Station making all stops to Burlington GO 15:32.
- 16:02 departs Union Station making all stops to Burlington GO 16:32.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Registration is now open for spring recreation programs.
The City has enhanced the Recreation Fee Assistance Program, so more Burlington residents can access quality programming that supports health, wellbeing and community belonging.
 Last month, City Council received a staff report outlining enhancements made to the City’s Recreation Fee Assistance Program in 2025 to improve access and better meet the needs of individuals and families facing financial barriers to participation.
Staff made enhancements to the program to better support residents:
- Broadened eligibility criteria now include residents living under the Low‑Income Cut Off (LICO) as well as those with a household income up to 25% above the LICO. This extends support to those experiencing near‑poverty or cyclical financial hardship.
- A streamlined two‑year approval cycle and a revised support model to minimize applicant paperwork, maximizes access to funding, and creates a predictable process.
Summer camp support has been expanded, helping families access childcare during school breaks.
Foundational to the program are principles of confidentiality, equity, accessibility and responsible management of City resources, while ensuring that all residents have fair access to recreation programming regardless of financial barriers.
More information about the City’s recreation fee assistance program, including eligibility criteria, an online calculator to help determine eligibility, application instructions and an FAQ, visit Burlington.ca/FeeAssistance.
By Gazette Staff
March 26th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award will be given to Ron Foxcroft for his impact on officiating in the league. The Fox 40 and Fluke Transport owner and former basketball official received the honour at the 2026 CFL Coach of the Year Celebration on March 25 at The Westin Edmonton.
 Foxcroft joins Wally Buono, Norman Kwong, Bob Ackles, and John Hufnagel. in being given the Leadership Award.  A piece of plastic got turned into a multi-national corporate endeavour. Innovative financing and a measure of moxie made it all come together. Foxcroft’s signature invention – the Fox 40 pealess whistle – rings out hundreds of times during each CFL game.
CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston said: “Too often, good officiating goes unnoticed and underappreciated – but not by Ron,” , his efforts to recognize CFL officials is unmatched and we deeply appreciate all he does to uplift them as they prepare for their biggest moments on our game’s biggest stage.”
While Foxcroft is best known for his career as an NCAA basketball referee, his interest in officiating spanned other sports. For over 30 years, Foxcroft and Fox 40 have honoured Grey Cup officials. He annually hosts a luncheon for the crew ahead of the championship, presenting each member with a Grey Cup Officiating Ring for reaching the pinnacle of their profession. Foxcroft is a staunch supporter of officiating across multiple sports, including Canadian football, at the grassroots and amateur levels.
Foxcroft follows an impressive list contributions to the CFL; he joins Wally Buono, Norman Kwong, Bob Ackles, and John Hufnagel.
Hugh Campbell is a 10-time Grey Cup champion and one of the greatest players, coaches, general managers and team executives in CFL history.
By Gazette Staff
March 27th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 For more than two decades, Women as Career Coaches (WACC) has brought together youth and mentors for an evening of storytelling, guidance, and career exploration.
On Thursday, April 9, 2026, this signature event returns to the Burlington Convention Centre, featuring inspiring voices from the local community, including Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Judy Lung, an industry leader at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Golden Globes, and Shazia Akbar, founder of Okare AI.
WACC 2026 will once again connect students with women and gender-diverse professionals from across industries, including the arts, skilled trades, politics, AI and more, offering meaningful conversations, real-world insights, and powerful mentorship moments that help shape future career pathways.
 Shazia Akbar will give insights into machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). She has done very well in an industry that was male-dominated for a long time.  Judy Lung has established a reputation in the promotional side of the film industry, serving as a leader at the Toronto International Film Festival. WACC is a long-standing community movement, one that builds confidence, sparks curiosity, and empowers young people to envision what’s possible. Through interactive networking, small-group discussions, and engaging spotlight speakers, attendees gain valuable perspectives from those who have navigated diverse and often non-linear career journeys.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will share insights from her leadership journey in public service, while Judy Lung will offer a unique perspective from her work with the Toronto International Film Festival, the Golden Globes and Canada’s creative industries, and Shazia Akbar will give insights into machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI)—demonstrating the many pathways to success available right here in the region and beyond. More speakers will soon be announced.
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Time: 5:15 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Burlington Convention Centre, 1120 Burloak Drive, Burlington
Women as Career Coaches welcomes women, women-identifying, two-spirit, non-binary, and gender-fluid participants. Thanks to generous community support, the event remains free and accessible to youth attendees.
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