 By Pepper Parr
January 11th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The City today released data on the impact COVID19 has had on city hall
 The reality that the restaurant and hospitality sectors have been dealing with for months has made its way to city hall. Thirteen people have become infected by the virus; City Manager Tim Commisso said that all 13 cases have been resolved. There was no detail on whether any of the 13 had to be admitted to hospital – just that they had been resolved.
There have been staff layoffs – particularly at the school crossing guard level.
196 people have been laid off; 290 jobs have reduced hours and 68 people were asked to put in additional hours.
City Manager Tim Commisso said that some of the people who were laid off have advised the city that they are looking for work elsewhere and may not be able to return to the city.
Staff morale has been impacted.
Council learned that 700 hours of work were required to get the provincial lockdown in place and that it will probably take that much to get back to what was once the lick down is lifted..
The reality that the restaurant and hospitality sectors have been dealing with for months has made its way to city hall.
 By Pepper Parr
January 11th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Vaccinations are taking place now and there is a plan to do the mass vaccinations that will be needed to bring this virus to heel.
 The big picture: sets out the rate at which the city and the Region will get us all vaccinated. The city administration created a Task Force that would work directly with the Regional Public Health Office which has asked the city to find a possible three locations at which vaccinations can be administered.
 The make-up of the Task Force – city side They asked that one of the three be the Haber Recreation Centre which has been used in the past for measles vaccinations.
The way this will roll out is to have the city providing the space with the required security, backup power supply and the on hand staffing that will be needed. Parking and transit access were also important.
The public will be given details on who is to show up when.
Council learned that it is going to be many months before everyone is vaccinated. Sheila Jones, one of the Executive Directors, who guided the presentations made by staff said she thought it could be completed by August.
There are three phases to the plan. The time lines for each phase are not cast in stone. All the people who are working on this task are fully aware that everything is both fluid and dynamic.
Some people may be getting their vaccinations at a Doctor’s Office; some may get their vaccination at a pharmacy, assuming they are part of the picture.
 Who does what?  Burlington Fire Chief Karen Rocke will work with City Staffer Amber Rushton to lead to Vaccination Task Force Amber Rushton and Fire Chief Karen Roche are the staff members leading this Task Force. More on Ms Rushton in a separate article.
The Plan they are administering so that vaccinations can be given quickly and efficiently includes:
Having the needed equipment in place
Staffing
Site set up
Traffic control
Site security
Public safety and volume management.
Sites that are set up will have to stay in place until the public vaccination is complete – we are talking about many months.
There will be a military liaison person attached to the Task Force as well as someone from the Mayor’s office – that was defined as the Mayor’s Chief of Staff Victoria Al Samadi.
The Task Force reports directly to the Emergency Control Group weekly.
One of the problems that has plagued this health crisis is the, at times, very poor messaging by the province.
The Regional Public Health Network hasn’t earned all that many gold stars for the way it has communicated with a worried public. However, they have been good at getting data out.
 Reporting structure is a work in progress at this point – but there are very good people in place to make it all happen. This next phase is going to require very tight communication between the city – they are going to provide a location that is ready the moment the nurses walk through the door ready to put needles in arms – and the Region, that is going to bring the thousands of doses that will be needed to the location and ensure that there are enough nurses on hand to work from 8:30 am to about 5:30 pm seven days a week.
There are still a lot of questions to be answered. Things will be moving very quickly by the end of the month when the public vaccination takes place.
One message to the public: the City and the Region have a very firm grip on what has to be done. The role for individuals is to be patient and to trust the civil servants to do their jobs. The really do know what they are doing.
 By Pepper Parr
January 9th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Update: Since publishing this piece the following information from a source that can be considered reliable. “ If I have read the articles correctly, the chief left the country on December 26th as we went into full lock down and as of today, he has not returned. I would call that an extended vacation.
Is it time for some good old fashioned police work?
The Gazette reader reaction to the news that the Halton Region Chief of Police was out of the country for a period of time, albeit with the permission of the Chair of the Police Services Board, has been significant.
Most of those that commented want to see the Chief fired including a former police officer who has taken up politics as a new career option.
Rob Burton, Chair of the Police Services Board and Mayor of Oakville (I got it right this time) did say that with hindsight he might have made a different decision. Many don’t seem prepared to accept that explanation; the Mayor of Burlington certainly isn’t on side.
In a Statement released by Mayor Meed Ward yesterday she was both pointed and direct. The Chief had no business being out of the country.
It is not healthy for a part of society to have lost faith in the man who runs the police service.
So some questions:
When did the Chief of Police ask the Chair of the Police Services Board for permission to leave the jurisdiction and travel to Florida to take care of some personal business?
When did the Chief of Police leave for Florida, how long was he there and when did he return to Canada?
Once that information is made public we can lay that over it when the Premier announced there would be a lockdown.
With all that information we will know if Burton was irresponsible and the Police Services Board can decide if they want to take any action and if there should be any repercussions.
Overriding all this is the Advisory that has been in place from both the federal and provincial levels for some time advising the public not to travel outside the community.
The failure to follow those advisories has Quebec with a curfew in place; be off the streets at 8 pm and stay at home until 5 am.
Is this what we are going to see in Ontario?
By Staff
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor issued the following statement a few minutes ago.
For full transparency and accountability, I have not travelled outside the country or province in more than a year and have not left the City of Burlington since before the Provincial shutdown.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward being sworn in as Mayor I am just as troubled and frustrated as the community about continued news of travel outside the country or province by elected representatives, health officials or community leaders. This erodes public trust at a time we need to work with the community to defeat COVID-19.
I immediately spoke to Halton Regional Police Services (HRPS) Chief Stephen Tanner, when I learned today (from the media) that he had travelled outside the country to attend to a property, with the permission of the Chair of the HRPS Board, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. I expressed my concern about the travel. I appreciate that Chief Tanner has now apologized and said it was a poor decision and one he deeply regrets.
I encourage those with properties outside the province to consider local property management companies and continue to avoid non-essential travel. I have heard from constituents who also have properties outside the province who are not travelling to those properties, and they expect the same from their community leaders.
Clearly, as community leaders, we need to hold ourselves not only to the same standards we expect from the public, but a higher standard of accountability, transparency and behaviour. We are in a public health emergency when all non-essential travel is being discouraged by our public health officials and provincial and federal governments.
Accountability starts in our own backyard. My expectations are that no senior City staff or Council members will be travelling outside the province for non-essential trips during the shutdown. I can confirm that no senior staff at Burlington City Hall has travelled outside the province since the province-wide shutdown. I also asked and have received confirmation from all City Council members that none of them have travelled outside of the province since the shutdown.
As a new measure during virtual City of Burlington Committee and Council meetings, and other public meetings, I will be voluntarily disclosing where I am calling in from. I have asked all of my City Council colleagues to do the same.
Additionally, I have put on the agenda of our upcoming Emergency Control Group a discussion of what further measures are warranted to ensure our staff and council walk the talk, lead by example and hold ourselves to the same and higher standard than we expect of the community.
We are in the worst of this pandemic. It is all hands on deck. We need to trust each other and work together. To do that, we all need to make the same commitments and sacrifices to beat this deadly virus.
We need to work to restore trust when it has been broken, as it has recently with many announcements of travel by health, elected and community leaders.
I have a question: Why does saying “it was a poor decision and one he deeply regrets” close the matter. That’s just not right.
By Pepper Parr
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Corrected: Rob Burton is the Mayor of Oakville and not Burlington – When I type Mayor my computer adds Burlington.
Chair of the Police Services Board Rob Burton, who is also the Mayor of Oakville said today that “Chief Steve Tanner informed me in advance of his travel to tend to a property matter. I had no objection.
 Halton Regional Police Chief Steve Tanner has the full confidence of the Chair of the Police Services Board. “Things can always look differently in hindsight, can’t they, and things looked differently back before the partial lockdown began when I didn’t have an objection.
 Rob Burton – Oakville Mayor and Chair of the Police Services Board – gives the police chief some wiggle room “Since then, I would have responded differently. Chief Tanner continues to have my full confidence. The Chief leads our police service in an exemplary manner and will continue to do so.”
It would appear that the Chief advised the Chair – the Chair said ‘no problem’ bring back some of those Cuban cigars with you’. Then the lock down was imposed. Did the Chair direct the Chief to get back pronto – and is the Chief in place now or is he self isolating?
Related news story
Police Chief in the sunny south
Burlington Mayor releases a Statement
 By Pepper Parr
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
UPDATED
 Is there anyone left in the country?
What do you say when the Chief of Police is reported to be in Florida?
Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner is reported to have been or is still in Florida.
Global News broke the story an hour or so ago.
No notice of a police convention in Florida.
There is a report that the Chief is in Florida on a property related matter.
Another report has police union members outraged.
The Gazette has reached out to Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, who is the current Chair of the Police Services Board – the level that hires the police Chief. He has not returned our request for comment.
Public trust just goes down the toilet.
 By Pepper Parr
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
There is some chatter about the level of staff turnover at City Hall and there have been Staff Reports that reflect what is going on in city hall – it wasn’t a pretty picture.
That may be changing.
The Mayor recently used her Newsletter to welcome Enrico Scalera as the new Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry Department.
 Enrico Scalera named Director Parks, Roads and Forestry Scalera brings 30 years of private and public-sector experience in engineering and operations to the City of Burlington. For the past 10 years, he has served as Director of Roads and Works Operations with the Town of Oakville and was responsible for road infrastructure maintenance, fleet and operations facilities.
Burlington scooped a senior staffer from Oakville? That is news.
During his time with Oakville Scalera oversaw the department implementation of many program improvements and enhancements including Asset Management and Work Order and AVL systems and implementation of customer service and response tracking systems.
Scalera is a graduate of the Bachelor of Applied Science Program in civil engineering from the University of Toronto and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Ontario One Call, the Provincial agency advocating for best practices and communicating locate requests for underground infrastructure.
Something about Burlington attracted the man. Our City Manager appears to be in the process of putting together a different team.
 By Mildred Austria
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
‘Who says you can’t have fun and earn a living at the same time? Brian Christopher from Burlington, Ontario, proves that it is possible to take gambling to a level that is more enviable than having a lucky streak. From classic to progressive slots, gambling has been more than enjoyable for the 39-year-old gambling enthusiast.
 Christopher is not making money directly from winning at slot machines, although he occasionally earns some from them. He is having slots as his “full-time job” by being a YouTube who plays slots. He is now one of the leading YouTubers who specialize in videos about wagering.
Christopher did not plan any of his YouTube fame and money-making. It was in April 2016 when he posted his first ever video on the video sharing platform. He thought only his family and friends would consider giving his video the views. However, in around a month after posting his first video, he noticed his followers were growing rapidly. This led to him getting an invite to be part of YouTube’s partner program, allowing him to monetize the content he posts.
He said he decided he would record some of the instances he was enjoying slots after seeing others doing the same. It would be fun, he thought, and he was not seriously considering giving it a lot of effort. It was just about him filming for fun.
After seeing the growth of his channel and making money out of the videos he used to post without any thought of monetization, Christopher decided to make it his full-time job. He eventually planned trips to casinos where he can create his unique content. He also thought of posting videos daily since nobody playing slots was doing it at that pace.
Christopher thinks that his channel grew further because of the frequency he was posting videos. He was not doing something that is in a very narrow niche. It’s not the same as the content produced by many of the top YouTubers around. However, he managed to attract regular viewers of his videos because he was doing it daily, so he had something new to offer to his subscribers every time they visit his channel.
In an interview with The Star, the successful YouTuber expressed elation over doing something he enjoys. He said being a gaming-focused YouTuber is so much fun. He unapologetic ally professed his fondness for gambling and his desire to entertain people, two things he is able to do and make money from by being a YouTube video blogger.
On average, YouTuber content creators earn in the range of $3 to $5 for every 1,000 views their videos get. A single video with a million views in a month can already generate a hefty amount to pay for living expenses.
Christopher’s channel averages 207,000 views per day. Many of his videos are already above the 1 million view mark. As of January 6, 2021, his channel has already accumulated more than 201 million views and 314,000 subscribers.
Mildred Austria tracks and analyzes the any ways social media is used by several sectors.
 By Staff
January 8th. 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
A group of people who object to the slaughter of pigs at the Fearman plant in Burlington have shifted their focus just a bit and want to see the slaughterhouse shut down because they believe there are a number of people working in the plant who have become infected with the Covid19 virus. They are demonstrating outside the plant
Their information, which could not be confirmed, was that 29 workers at the Fearman plant have become infected.
 A 150 year old corporation that plays a significant role in the Burlington economy is part of the Sofina Group that is close to the largest pork producer in Canada. The Public Health Unit reports on the number of new infections but they don’t break that data out with enough detail to know if there have been infections at the plant.
Fearman’s is a very large employer operating a plant that is said to process 10,000 pigs each day.
The torontopigsave group has organized a small demonst5ation at the plant that started at just after 9:30 am.
Trevor Miller told the Gazette that the small number of demonstrators (there are just five) was done for two reasons – they didn’t want their people to create a crowd that could spread the virus and they wanted to ensure that there was not a repeat of the Regan Russell tragedy.
 Regan Russell, was run over by a truck transporting pigs into the Fearman plant last June Ms Russell was run over by a transport truck that was getting ready to enter the plant on June 19th, this year when the accident took place.
The demonstrators are asking why the business is continuing to operate during the lockdown while elsewhere in Canada and worldwide similar facilities are shut down to slow infections. Two days ago the City of Toronto released a report condemning the company for posing a significant risk to public health.
 Save the pigs activist watering pigs in a transport truck while it was stopped at an intersection just before entering the slaughterhouse. “There’s no reason to put the lives of slaughterhouse workers and their communities in harm’s way to produce non-essential products,” says Trevor Miller with Toronto Pig Save. “The 10,000 pigs who lose their lives there every day, along with the employees now contributing to overloaded hospitals and ICUs, deserve to be treated with the same privileges as granted to white-collar workers throughout this pandemic – the chance for healthy lives.
“Many employed in this industry are themselves members of vulnerable and marginalized populations and have found themselves forced into unsafe work spaces.”
By Staff
January 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Will the lights be on forever?
 Well maybe not forever – but there are reported to be lighting the evening skies until the end of the month with a number of people wanting to see them on until March.
One of our sources said he “posted a mention on two Facebook pages and in less than 24 hours got 200 likes.”
The lights have been a festival season feature for more than 25 years.
Given the mood of the city and the oppressive feelings keeping the lights on would be nice.
 By Staff
January 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The drug bust that took place on Wednesday was not some simple street level dealer: this was a serious collection of drugs and a lot of cash.
The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Burlington Street Crime Unit completed a lengthy drug investigation with a pair of arrests and a large drug seizure.
On Wednesday January 6, 2021, investigators executed residential search warrants at two residences (one in Burlington and one in Kitchener).
As a result of the investigation the following drugs were seized:
12.3 grams of cocaine
562 oxycodone pills
5.6 grams of methamphetamine
52 Vivan pills (Amphetamine Derivative)
4 LSD tab
11.1 grams psilocybin
343 grams cannabis
In addition to the drugs, police also seized approximately $23,000 in Canadian currency.
Patrick Jones (46) of Burlington has been charged with:
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Psilocybin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Oxycodone
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Amphetamine Derivatives
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – LSD
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Distribution
Malgorzata Zoravkovic (39) of Kitchener has been charged with:
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Psilocybin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Oxycodone
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Amphetamine Derivatives
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – LSD
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Distribution
Both accused have been released pending a court appearance.
 Anyone with information in regards to these investigations is asked to contact Detective Scott Heyerman of the 3 District Street Crime Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 2342.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
 By Pepper Parr
January 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
At the beginning of a year people make resolutions.
Losing weight is one that is at the top of many resolution lists.
We care about the way we look.
Some people care much more than others and go to great lengths to change their natural appearance
Emily Lauren Dick, Burlington author, graduated from Wilfred Laurier University where her focus was on Women’s Studies. She began to learn about the intense focus on what women should look like.
The fashion world set the tone, the media picks it up and men were persuaded that THIS is what an attractive woman looks like.
Billions of dollars were poured into the marketing of what women had to look like – the pressure on young women – girls actually, is intense.
For many young people it was not a pretty picture.
Anorexia was prevalent as early as the middle years of school.
 Interviews with 75 women about what they look like and what, if anything, they want to do about it. Emily’s book, Body Positive, is made up of a lot of pictures and interviews she did with more than 75 women who came in all shapes and sizes.
It’s not easy being a girl today. We live in a culture in which Average Girls feel bad about themselves for being unable to achieve society’s ideal standards of beauty. The media makes it nearly impossible for girls to develop a positive body image. Many of you may feel alone in your struggle with your body image. But you should know that your experience is . . . well, average.
Some of the quotes from the interviews actually hurt:
“The media pressures girls of all ages to be perfect and cool-looking, from having the newest Barbie when they’re young to having the perfect everything when they [are] elementary-school age and older. It’s ridiculous because people get teased . . . about their appearance— not even their personality, but their appearance—and it’s so hard not to get wrapped into it. People usually do. I know I do.”
—Madeleine
“The media is the biggest reason for my being anorexic.”
—Alli
“Perfect skin, long eyelashes, big eyes, pink lips . . . I don’t know, I just think it’s pretty. That’s always shown in films and in magazines and stuff. I just love the look I can’t do. I’m just ugly, and I can’t be [bothered] to do makeup—don’t have much money for makeup anyway.”
The book tends to focus on younger women – because Emily feels that is where the most help is needed. “This is the age most impacted by anorexia”, she said.
The objective is to teach people to be who they are and that who they really are is perfectly alright.
This is a book you work with – the pictures themselves say a lot about different sizes and shapes – it is the comments and the questions that are out to readers that makes it worth the time and effort for those who question what they look like and go to some length to change that look.
You can order online anywhere that sells books – specifically Amazon Canada, Chapters Indigo, Amazon US, Bookshop, Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Barnes and Noble, Workman!
By Staff
January 6, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Buying a house is something most people know a little bit about.
 The Baxter was a very successful condo development; seen as a prime location and an attractive building. Not the same with a condominium. The rules are a little different for the condo world.
The province has released a CondoGuide that sets out just what the buying process is and what you need to know. The Guide was developed by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) and approved by the Minister as a helpful resource for the buyers of residential pre-construction/new condo units.
Realtors are required to give you a copy of that guide and to allow a ten day cooling off period once the paper work is completed.
The Condo Guide equips prospective buyers of residential pre-construction/new or resale condo units with information on condo ownership and the condo purchase process.
It also contains various topics including moving into a residential pre-construction/new condo unit, condo living, and how condo owners can resolve issues.
Although the Condo Guide is primarily written for condo buyers, if you have recently purchased a unit, or even if you are a long-time condo owner, the Condo Guide may also be of interest to you as it covers many topics relevant to condo ownership.
You can access a copy of the CondoGuide HERE
By Staff
January 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a smallish development put forward by one of the premier developers in the city.
The application is under review.
Second community meeting to take place virtually Thursday evening.
Zoom coordinates are:
Webinar ID: 944 0610 6407
Passcode: 917193
 Rendering of what the development would look like when completed. The purpose of the second public meeting is to present and discuss the latest revisions to the proposed residential development at 2273 Turnberry Road. Since the last meeting with the community in March 2020, Branthaven have been working with City of Burlington staff to refine the concept for the property to address a number of the comments heard from the residents as well as municipal and other agency comments.
The original plan has been resubmitted to the City after substantial discussions with staff, and has been included on the Committee of Adjustment agenda for January 20, 2021.
 The site is currently a vacant lot. Proposed configuration appears to be the same as the houses to the right.  Quite tight. It’s currently a vacant lot, fronting onto Appleby Line, backs onto Turnberry Road, and abuts Taywood Drive to the north, and a Private Condo Road to the south.
Proposed 70 townhouse units.
Overall heights include 2- and 3-storey units, with basements.
18 visitor parking, including one Type-A Barrier-Free space.
Zoned: RM3-104 – Townhomes permitted use under current Zoning By-Law.
Land Use Designation: Residential – Medium Density.
Not that much in the way of information on what took place at the March meeting. Unusual for a development to be before the Committee of Adjustment and the Planning department at the same time.
By Pepper Parr
January 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
“So you live in Burlington” you were asked. Nice place? As a city does it work?”
Tell me more about what the civic administration is like.
 Burlington looking west. Well, you might answer – Elections in Burlington can and have made a difference.
The 2010 election brought Rick Goldring in as the Mayor – that got rid of Cam Jackson who wasn’t a bad Mayor – people didn’t like his style and Goldring was a nice guy, responsible and respected. He didn’t have a vision when he began to wear the chain of Office; he wasn’t Cam and that was what mattered.
He didn’t do anything wrong nor did he do anything.
 Marianne Meed Ward was just a citizen when this picture was taken – she of course went on to become a Councillor and then Mayor. His eight years as Mayor was all the time Marianne Meed Ward, then a Councillor for ward 2, needed to position herself for a job she aspired to from the day that she ran against Rick Craven in Ward 1 in 2006.
The day after the 2018 election Rick Goldring was still trying to figure out why he lost.
Meed Ward had a clear objective: she was going to change the way development was done in the city.
She had made numerous much needed changes as a City Councillor and she was really sure that she had the job in the bag.
The City Manager, who Meed Ward fired the day after the was sworn in, is reported to have said to a person who worked at city hall that, if Meed Ward won he was “toast”.
At the final meeting of the 2014-18 council Meed Ward showed just what she was going to be able to achieve. Using a “point of personal privilege” she ripped into comments that were made by defeated members of Council, saying that this kind of behavior would not be tolerated.
She set out to take the steps needed to get an Official Plan the city badly needed.
It’s not a perfect plan but it is a very good plan that puts in place the tools the city needs to shift where the development takes place.
The developers would have preferred to be able to continue putting up structures that have begun to reach the 30 storey level but they will build wherever they can build.
Burlington is a great market to develop in. The fact that the province is pushing to increase the rate at which the population grows has helped the developers. Their dream is to be able to eventually build north of Dundas and Hwy 407.
Few fully understand what Meed Ward has been able to achieve. In two years she has changed everything at the development level and at the same time given the developers areas within the city that they can build in.
 That football shaped area, lower right, was always ripe for development. Once some land assembly was completed development proposals rolled in with heights well above 20 storeys. The downtown core will have a number of high rise buildings. Will Meed Ward manage to save the “football” – it is going to be a challenge, there are major major dollars that have been invested and those kinds of dollars have a voice.
 The water front was a focus point for Mayor Meed Ward when she first ran for the ward 2 seat. Way back in the beginning of the Meed Ward run for the Office of Mayor the waterfront was her focus – never forget that.
The Planning department that she has always wanted is beginning to come together. She has a City Manager with whom she works well.
The Official Plan should make it through the appeal stage because it is a good plan that a mayor made happen. Sure she had a Council that was compliant – five of the seven were so new they had to learn how to be Councillors and leave the heavy lifting to the Mayor.
This is part of what Burlington is.
Tell me about Burlington – Part 1
 By Pepper Parr
January 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be a Receive and File report – no action will be taken unless there is a council member who asks for a change.
The purpose of the report in terms of the city’s current focus on its Vision is to:
• Building more citizen engagement, community health and culture
• Deliver customer centric services with a focus on efficiency and technology transformation
The report from the Clerk’s Office states that: “Accountability and transparency are key drivers in the Clerks Department. In working towards greater transparency there are small initiatives that have been completed during 2020 with respect to Council meetings.
“As these items touch upon how Council business is conducted, an information report has been provided to apprise Council and the public. The enhancements to accountability and transparency focus on the following areas:
• Staff Directions – new public reporting process, with dates assigned to all deliverables.
• Declarations of Interest – creation of an online register.
• Increasing Clerks Department open data sets.
The Gazette will be doing an article on each of the three and will start with the approach the city is taking to the matter of declarations of pecuniary interests.
 Councillor Galbraith is consistent in declaring his conflicts however we have not heard him say that he sent a notice to the Clerk. The City is required by the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act to maintain a publicly available registry of all declarations of pecuniary interest made by members. The registry must include the original written declaration provided by the member of Council. At present, the City of Burlington maintains a register, however it is not posted publicly and is only available upon request.
That the city has basically hidden the public information on declarations of pecuniary interest and in the process appear to have defined their view of transparency and accountability.
The Council of 2010 and 2014 liked it that way, particularly the member for ward 4 at the time.
“The Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, members of Council and local boards to declare any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in relation to a matter under consideration. A pecuniary interest relating to a matter is one where there is a reasonable likelihood or expectation of financial loss or gain by the member or related persons as defined in the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
“The onus to declare a pecuniary interest rests with the member, and there is time dedicated for these declarations on every meeting agenda. Members must complete a written statement of pecuniary interest and submit it to the Clerk. All declarations of pecuniary interest are recorded in the meeting minutes.
Enhancements Planned
“Staff have made enhancements to the declarations of pecuniary interest process to improve customer service, ensure greater accountability and transparency and comply with legislation.
“Currently the statement form is a word document that must be printed and completed or completed electronically and emailed to the Clerk. Moving forward the statement form will be automated and made available through the City’s website as an online form.
“Completed forms will be sent directly to the Clerk, reducing time delays and manual intervention. Conflicts will be filed in the City’s agenda management system and will be publicly available following each meeting in a conflicts registry, available to the public by way of the City’s website, will improve customer service and public access to the information.”
We all know how easy it is to find what you are looking for on the city’s web site.
“The new process is expected to be implemented in January. Further communication of the process will be provided to members of Council and local boards. Previous declarations made from the beginning of the term will be reflected in the registry.”
Will there be an announcement when the Registry is up and running? Don’t hold your breath waiting for that one.
 Kevin Arjoon City Clerk Kevin Arjoon, City Clerk said: “Accountability and transparency are key drivers in the Clerks Department. In working towards greater transparency some smaller initiatives were completed in 2020. As they are associated with Council and the meeting process, staff have provided a report to inform Council and the public of the program changes.”
What’s missing in the Clerk’s department is a passion for really serving the needs and interests of the public. Does the phrase: “How can I help you”, ever pass over their lips.?
By Staff
January 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Online payments for the services listed below are currently unavailable:
• Parking Ticket Payment
• Parking Permit Renewal
• Dog License Applications/Renewals
• Freedom of Information Requests
• Property Information Requests
• Business License Renewal.
By Pepper Parr
January 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Alan Harrington is a bit of a history nut. He has spent a lot of his spare time with the Historical Society and decided recently that he wanted to tell more of the Burlington story.
He chose a building many walk by if we are heading to Spencer Smith Park
He tell us that: “Viewers of CHCH television Evening News are informed at the end of each broadcast ,that the anchor gets “her hair done in Burlington at the corner of Lakeshore & John”.
“Often that is the ONLY mention Burlington gets on CHCH out of Hamilton. But, what building is at the corner of Lakeshore & John? – and how old is it?
 John Waldie, former Reeve of Burlington when it was a town, a member of the federal Parliament at a time when Sir John A McDonald was Prime Minister. “The original store was built by W. Bunton in early 1830 and bought by John Waldie in 1847.
“Waldie was one of Burlington’s greatest entrepreneurs and benefactors. He was Reeve of Burlington for five years, and sat as a Liberal for Halton in the Dominion Parliament from 1887 to 1891.
“Waldie rebuilt the building in 1860 / 1865 to become his General Store which sold “everything”; probably in order to supply needs for his thirteen children.
 The location when it was the Waldie General Store. J Waldie & Co. General Store below featuring distinctive three second storey windows in this drawing from 1877.
After prohibition ended in 1927, the Brewers Retail (Beer Store) began operations and the building was opened as a Brewers Retail store.
Evolution continued in 1960 when the building became Burlington Motors.
 A fire resulted in the top floor being taken off – how often does an insurance company office file an insurance claim? In 1966 it was renovated again to serve as three retail outlets and then changed further in 1973 with new tenants and new windows being installed as insurance against inclement weather.
Times have changed and now the building is shown as it is today as a hair salon.
Why did it go from three storeys down to just two? Did they want “a little off the top” ?
Actually a fire in 1973 resulted in the destruction of the upper floor while CAIG Insurance was its occupant.
 Corner of John and Lakeshore today. Property is one of the Molinaro holdings. 
Alan Harrington, when he was President of the Historical Society with then Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward checking out an historical marker on the waterfront.
By Pepper Parr
January 4th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We fully expected that expensive tent put in place between the parking garage and the hospital would eventually be used. While expensive – the construction was a prudent move.
Plans were announced by the Joseph Brant hospital today to open the Regional Pandemic Response Unit to provide space for COVID-19 patients from the Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant and Burlington (HNHBB) region.
 Building the unit was a prudent if expensive decision. How well the public follows the lock-down rules will determine how much use it gets. This is as serious as it gets. This week, hospitals will begin identifying and working with patients who have progressed in their care and could receive care in the PRU, a state-of-the-art, all-season field hospital located on JBH grounds.
Hospitals have had to cancel elective surgery and focus on the pressure created by the number of people infected by the virus and needing a higher level of care.
The infection levels are hovering at the 3000 new infections daily – with the number of deaths rising as well.
“The Pandemic Response Unit was built to care for COVID-19 patients whose condition has stabilized but require support that cannot be provided at home, such as oxygen therapy and medication, as well as ongoing monitoring of their symptoms and some personal support,” says Dr. Ian Preyra, Chief of Staff at Joseph Brant Hospital.
“Transitioning these individuals to the PRU allows them to complete their recovery in an inpatient unit that is specifically designed to provide the type of care they need.”
The healthcare teams working in the PRU comprise of physicians, nurses, patient care assistants, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, home and community care coordinators.
 The space will have everything needed to comfort patients who will be very very sick people when they get to this point. The PRU is a key component of a regional strategy developed by HNHBB hospitals to meet the rising demand for COVID-19 care during Wave 2, while helping to minimize potential disruptions to scheduled and community care. The strategy is being led by the HNHBB Hospital Incident Management Structure (IMS) team, which includes representation from all regional hospitals, including CEOs and clinical leadership.
Under the plan, the PRU serves as a regional resource that can receive patients from four hospitals that are providing acute COVID-19 care: Joseph Brant Hospital, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton Health Sciences (Hamilton General Hospital) and Niagara Health. Any transfers will be determined based on care needs and in consultation with patients and their families.
“Our healthcare system is being stretched to its limits,” says Rob MacIsaac, President and CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences and IMS co-chair and a former Burlington Mayor. “Opening the Pandemic Response Unit is a necessary step in our continued efforts to preserve critical hospital capacity for the sickest patients. All of the region’s hospitals are working closely together to ensure that care can be delivered safely with limited disruption to patients.”
 JBH president and CEO Eric Vandewall brought the building of the PRU ahead of schedule – he realized immediately that the city would at some point in the future need the facility. JBH’s Infection Prevention and Control team was closely involved in the design of the PRU, leveraging current research and best practices in the care of COVID-19 patients. Its features include a filtered, negative pressure ventilation system, allowing for treatments that may generate aerosols to be safely performed. It also has durable, easy-to-disinfect surfaces, as well as other features to provide a comfortable environment for patients, such as natural light, portable laptop tables and free WiFi to connect with their loved ones during their stay.
The 16,000-square foot structure was constructed in April 2020, after the Ontario government requested that hospitals implement capacity plans at their sites. It was built as a collaboration amongst Joseph Brant Hospital, community-based health care providers, the City of Burlington, and Halton Region.
By Pepper Parr
January 4TH, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We learn next week how city council wants to handle the budget request for $13,306,000 in Capital spending.
That covers the cost of roads, buildings and the spaces used to run the city.
The budget breaks this amount into three parts.
New/Enhanced facilities – $566 million
Infrastructure renewal – $12,684,000
Growth – $56 million
In the graphic below the city’s finance department also sets out what they expect to be require in the way of Capital Spending through to 2030 INSERT GRAPHIC FROM PAGE 27
 The bottom three entries for each year set out the category of spending falls under. The Capital spending the city does has to be put in context. The forces driving the expenditures and the requirements of the Municipal Act.
The city put a 25 year Strategic Plan in place in 2015. Council working with Staff created what they call V2F – Vision to Focus which boils down to which parts of the Strategic Plan this council will focus on.
Five focus areas were created:
1: Increasing Economic prosperity
2: Improving Integrated City |Mobility
3: Supporting Sustainable Infrastructure
4: Building more citizen engagement
5: Delivering Customer Centric Services
The 2021 budget process began with a Budget Framework Report. This was presented to Council for consideration and
approval in September 2020, after which staff began the preparation of the budget.
The next step was a comprehensive review of the budget by internal staff teams. The capital budget was reviewed by
the Corporate Infrastructure Committee which is made up of the Asset Category leads and members of the Finance team.
This review ensured the proposed budget was submitted and aligned with the City’s financial policies and that capital
projects were prioritized according to the City’s Asset Management Plan and coordinated across asset categories.
Following the internal staff reviews, the budget was then forwarded to the Leadership Budget Review Team where
it was reviewed from a corporate perspective.
Then Public Engagement. There are weaknesses on both sides of the engagement issue. The city has yet to come up with a way to put the information out in a format that truly engages the public. That is not because they aren’t trying – they just haven’t come up with a way to make the review something that draws the public.
 Citizens gather for budget discussions. This meeting involved a number of city firemen who were attentively listened to by then Councillor Craven, on the right in the blue shirt. There was a time when budget public meetings drew large audiences. On the other side – few people really care – those that do argue that the decisions have already been made – the public engagement events that take place amount to the city asking questions and looking for approval.
It is interesting to note that the city has numerous Advisory Committees but does not have one related to budget matters.
The City says it is continuously looking for ways to improve and increase transparency for the public. Staff continue to use the City’s website as a communication medium through videos, webcast and online surveys.
The City will be hosting a Virtual Budget Town Hall on Jan. 20, 2021. This event will allow residents, organizations and business owners to learn more about the 2021 budget.
The “Budget Basics” video continues to be available on the website which explains how the City develops its budgets.
In addition, a revised version of Burlington Open Budget, on the City’s website, is available to the public to allow residents to view the 2021 budget data in an intuitive and illustrative form.
 Burlingtonians will show up for public meetings and take an active part in any discussion – but they have to be given background briefings and decent oportunity to study and prepare. Budgets are long, complex documents – far too much to be taken in at one gulp.
The Gazette will follow up with detail on:
Where does the money come from – yes – it all eventually comes from the pockets of the tax payers.
Where are the pinch points?
Specific examples of Capital spending.
|
|
