 By Catarina Mendez
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A significant change occurred on April 4th, 2022, in Ontario’s online gambling market. This sector, which until that date lacked regulation and thus became a hot spot for offshore betting sites, became a legal jurisdiction, and with it came some changes.
 Getting legally registered in Ontario is a very very strict process Since the legalization of online gambling in the province, several brands from North America and Europe keep joining the list of licensed operators.
Although these betting operators must meet strict regulations and take several steps before launching their websites in Canada, it doesn’t seem that the new additions will slow down soon.
What Brands Are Legally Operating Already?
At the time of this article, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO) have already received registration from thirty-three gambling websites. These two entities are responsible for regulating and overseeing the operations of all Ontario sportsbooks and online casinos.
Before the regulated gambling market opened, several brands had already submitted their application for registration, which led to thirteen gambling websites going live on April 4th, 2022. The first brands to launch their operations in the province were:
● BetMGM
● Caesars
● BetRivers
● Royal Panda
● LeoVegas
● Coolbet
● bet365
● 888
 Over the past three months, several other companies met the strict regulations and security standards that AGCO and iGO set for them, thus joining the original thirteen:
● Bally Bet
● DraftKings
● ComeOn!
● FanDuel
● KnightSlots
● NorthStar Bets
 North Star and Rivalry are two brands available to gamblers in Ontario ● Bwin
● PartyCasino
● Pokerstars
● Unibet
● PlayOjo
● PointsBet
● Rivalry
● SlotsMagic
● Spingenie
● TheScore
Many of the currently legal brands in Ontario provide multiple gambling products, including casinos, sports betting, and poker. The companies that own and operate brands with separate product websites must apply for registration for each platform.
Nevertheless, this hurdle doesn’t seem to hinder gambling companies’ drive to join the regulated market, as there is already a long list of brands waiting to receive their registration.
New Brands Coming To Ontario… Soon!
As mentioned before, joining Ontario’s regulated online gambling market isn’t easy, and the process often takes time. Due to this, the companies behind gambling sites usually apply for registration several months before their preferred launch date to ensure they can meet all the steps established by the regulatory authorities.
 Companies must complete two seven-step processes to launch their websites in Ontario legally. Firstly, they require AGCO’s approval which depends on multiple security, reporting, and compliance registrations. Once they receive this approval, they’ll have to complete the additional steps from iGO, which include, among others, submitting information about Anti-Money Laundering systems and configuring secure data communications.
The timings to complete all of these strict processes take more than two months, and, depending on the gambling platform’s unique properties, it could take even longer. However, once the brands receive AGCO’s approval, it’s only a matter of time until they become available for Ontario bettors.
Betway, Casumo, BetVictor, Betway’s Spin Casino, and Jackpot City have all received approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission. As such, you can expect to see some newly launched websites in the upcoming weeks.
Along with these brands, fourteen others await the license to complete the launching process.
Conclusion
Ontario has always been an exciting gambling market for offshore operators, who were able to launch their platforms without the need to meet strict regulatory standards. Before April 4th, 2022, several international operators took charge of the gambling industry in the province and did so at the potential expense of players’ safety.
Since the launch of the regulated market, gambling brands must ensure that all players’ winnings are paid and that their personal and financial information is safe. Likewise, sportsbooks now must comply with the gambling standards and offer fair and competitive odds.
Perhaps one of the most important aspects for players is that licensed gambling websites must provide responsible gaming tools, such as deposit and play time limits and the possibility for self-exclusion.
It’s possible to see that the regulated market brought an array of advantages for players and allows for healthy competition between brands. If the trend continues, we can expect Ontario’s gambling industry to expand continuously to become a global leader.
 By Pepper Parr
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a nice bit of news:
Announced last week, Burlington Economic Development will lead the newest phase of the Digital Main Street program in Burlington with a Digital Service Squad at TechPlace.
Working directly with brick-and-mortar businesses, the squad will support businesses with website creation, social media content, and more, to develop or improve their online presence. Eligible businesses will also be able to apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant.
Digital Service Squad member Ana Nobrega will be available starting July 25th. Contact Ana at ana@techplace.ca for additional information.
 By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Earlier today at approximately 11:42am the Halton Regional Police Service responded to a motor vehicle collision in the intersection of Appleby Line and No 2 Sideroad in the City of Burlington.
A red Ducati motorcycle was travelling northbound on Appleby Line and collided with a black Volkswagen Jetta that was turning left from No 2 Sideroad onto Appleby Line. The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. The Collision Reconstruction Unit has assumed carriage of the investigation.
Any witnesses to the collision who have not yet spoken to police are asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 5065.
 By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
There a number of commercial organizations in Burlington that go out of their way to give back to the city in which they do business. Of course the events they sponsor keep their name in the public eye with a favourable view.
Nothing wrong with that and we congratulate those that see their role as working with the public to make Burlington a better place.
 A fun example of this Giving Back is:
THE ROCCA SISTERS PRESENT – KIDS MINI FEST!
Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At three locations:
Brant Hills Park (2255 Brant St.)
Cumberland Park (562 Cumberland Ave.)
Millcroft Park (4520 Millcroft Park Dr.)
Great picture!
By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has its name on a new list.
A panel of 101 golfers travelled across the country and judged golf courses on nine criteria.
They ranked 100 golf courses and said that the Burlington Golf and Country Club was # 61 on their list
The course opened in 1924.
 Ranked 61st out of 100. The judges noted that the removal of many trees has made a big difference to the original Thompson design
So much for the urban canopy.
The SCOREGolf Top 100 courses in Canada.
What began as a grading of the country’s top 15 tracks in 1988 grew to a list of 25 in 1990, to 50 in 1994 and 100 by 2000.
Initially the ranking was completed by a small group of mostly golf professionals. Today the ranking is done primarily by public players or private club members.
The list is released every two years.
The Hamilton Golf and Country Club ranked #4
By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
On October 24, 2022, people across Ontario will have the privilege of casting their ballots for Mayor, Town and Regional Counsellors, School Trustees, and in Halton’s Case, the Regional Chair.
So few vote in our municipal elections. But it’s the level of government that has the greatest impact on the quality of our daily lives. From drinking water to waste management, emergency services to social services – our local and regional governments provide every day services that keep our communities safe.
A group of residents across Halton’s four municipalities are challenging all voters to participate in the Municipal Elections on October 24, 2022.
The 2022 Ontario Provincial Election saw an historically low voter turnout. While our current Premier was returned to power with 40.8% of the popular vote across Ontario, in reality, that represents only about 18% of eligible voters.*
A high voter turnout will provide our municipal and regional politicians with a strong mandate to advocate for our communities with all levels of government – Federal and Provincial.
Halton can do better. This is a CALL TO ACTION
A website has been set up to energize the Halton electorate and challenge residents to get out and vote. It is not a partisan site. It is not designed to promote any single politician or support party interests.
Visitors will not be asked for money.
The site does deliver information encouraging interested individuals to register to run in the elections, and will provide easy-to-access candidate information to all Halton voters.
The goal: to be a reliable and trusted “go-to” source for Halton Municipal Election information.
Mary T. Cardamone, a real estate sales representative at The Cardamone Group is the founding sponsor of the site, and is challenging other businesses and individuals across Halton to join the effort.
“I love Oakville, and I love Halton,” says Cardamone, “and that’s why volunteering in our communities, and voting in elections is so important to me.
We need to show everyone that local government matters. I am throwing out a challenge not only to Halton, but to residents across Ontario to make the next municipal elections matter.
We can and will do better in 2022.”
For more information, visit the website at www.haltonregionvotes.org, or email us at info@haltonregionvotes.org.
 By Margo Shuttleworth
July 29th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
As the deadline draws near for people to submit their names to run in the upcoming municipal election, there is a notable absence of names being put forward to run for School Board Trustee. At first glance, this can be seen as a vote of confidence from the community that we are doing things right at the board table. However, with several Trustees in Burlington and Oakville not seeking re-election, it has left places at the table to be filled.
 Dr. Margo Shuttleworth, Chair Halton District School Board The role of a trustee is not an easy one. There is a large time commitment involved in juggling work commitments, however, it is extremely rewarding. We have done many great things over the past four years during my term which, as a board, we are all proud of:
We launched and are responding to our Reimagine Forward initiative
We created a Multi-Year and are working hard to fulfil our goals and commitments with a focus on students’ learning and achievement, mental health and well-being, equity and inclusion, indigenous perspectives and environmental leadership
We have work hard to represent those traditionally underrepresented groups
We have asked hard question but have always ensured we are kind and respectful
(and probably most importantly) we have worked collaboratively as a team to support students, families and staff
These great achievements are some of the amazing pieces of being a trustee. We all came to the table for different reasons, and that diversity of opinion is something that makes our board so great.
Please consider what your reasons may be. Look at it from a positive lens, what you can add, how you can contribute and how you can serve your community. Reach out to your Trustees to get information as to what is involved. I know the Trustees who are seeking different paths in this upcoming election are happy to chat and would welcome the opportunity for some new and diverse voices to be at our table. We want our students to see themselves within the people who represent them. It is disappointing that we have not seen more interest in the trustee role, but I hope that people will reach out to either myself or your local trustee, find out what is involved and consider the opportunity.
Dr Margo A Shuttleworth is the Chair of the Halton District School Board and the Trustee for ward 4. She can be reached at Shuttlewortm@hdsb.ca
905 691 4508
Twitter: @margoshuttle
Facebook: Margo Shuttleworth Burlington Ward 4 Trustee
Instagram: Margo4Trustee
By Pepper Parr
July 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Yesterday, or maybe it was the day before Regional Chair Gary Carr officially announced he was running for re-election.
Today, the Region published a notice that on July 13th Council approved a direction to maintain low tax increases in 2023.
Is there a connection between the two – there certainly is – the one thing Gary Carr has done is keep taxes down – he has kept taxes so low that the Region has a better credit rating that the government of the United States.
 Waste water treatment plant in Burlington’s Beachway The Report lays the foundation for keeping taxes at or below the rate of inflation in 2023 while investing in critical programs and services that meet the needs of our community. The Report maintains the priority to ensure the property tax rate increase is targeted not to exceed 3 per cent and the water and wastewater rate increase is targeted not to exceed 4.1 per cent.
“Halton Region has maintained a strong financial position throughout the challenges of COVID-19 and through the pandemic recovery,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “This ultimately positions the Region to minimize the financial impacts on residents and businesses while delivering high-quality programs and services that support the health and well-being of all members of the Halton community.”
If that sounds like a re-election platform – it is.
Most of the Regional Councillors are running for re-election
 Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette – retiring. Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette has already announced that he was retiring.
 Is Gord Krantz, currently the longest serving Mayor in the province and probably in the country as well facing the possibility of defeat in October? Milton Mayor Gord Krantz is said to be facing a contender. Male and a current Council member is all we have at this point.
The key priorities for the 2023 budget include:
Public Health – an ongoing focus on the COVID-19 response, continuing vaccination needs and requirements and supporting the Public Health’s pandemic recovery. This includes the revitalization of Public Health services that have been suspended during the pandemic, such as catch-up of grade seven immunizations. Budgetary impacts include uncertainties in additional funding from the Province to offset costs.
Waste Management – investments in key initiatives that will extend the lifespan of the Halton Waste Management Site, increase waste diversion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also includes ongoing planning for the transition of the Blue Box program to full producer responsibility in 2025 and monitoring the impacts of COVID-19 on the amount of solid waste material being generated.
Road Operations – investment in expanding the road maintenance program to ensure the state-of-good-repair of our roads and to support the expansion of the Region’s transportation infrastructure to accommodate growth.
Housing Services – investment for the Halton Rental Assistance Program (HRAP) due to an unprecedented increase in households in the shelter system related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Services for Seniors – making investments that support more direct hours of care for residents in long-term care. Also responding to increasing costs associated with additional staffing as a result of funding limitations.
Employment & Social Services – supporting the provincial government’s transformation of employment support services, including a new service delivery model to meet the needs of the local economy.
Paramedic Services – maintaining existing service levels while addressing increased costs associated with inflation, increased call volumes, response times and population and other growth pressures.
Children’s Services – investments to increase quality, accessibility, affordability and inclusivity in early learning and child care based on the Federal and Provincial Government’s Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement.
Digital Strategy – continuing to invest in expanding the delivery of digital services to the community. This includes investments in digital technology to support decision-making and delivery of the most requested customer-facing services digitally.
Throughout the budget planning process, there will be a continued focus on finding cost efficiencies across all areas to achieve these targets. The 2023 Budget and Business Plan is scheduled to be reviewed by Regional Council on January 18, 2023 and consideration of approval is scheduled on January 25, 2023.
Interesting to note that there is no mention of what it is costing to run the Office of the Medical Officer of Health – Covid19 responses have blown the budget they have wide open. There isn’t much in the way of efficiencies at that level
By that time the re-elected will have been sworn in and their immediate worries will be over.
 Is there a new Mayor for the Town of Milton in this picture?
By Pepper Parr
July 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Candidate Angelo Bentivegna willing posed for photographs that were used on his run for Council in 2018.
The Love My Neighbourhood story that we have been following was attended by two members of Council: Mayor Meed Ward and Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna.
Mayor Med Ward stopped responding to questions from the Gazette almost from the day she was elected. Before then she was always available.
We put the following questions to Councillor Bentivegna:
Do you have any comment on the Love My Neighbourhood you attended with Mayor Meed Ward?
Did you personally know the people who held the event ?
You were aware of the Love My Neighbourhood program – I have heard you speak about it very favourably in the past.
Did you read the rules and restrictions set out in the program application?
Did you yourself sponsor or support anyone in your ward who received funds for an event.
And added the following comments in the email sent to the Councillor
I would like to follow up with this story before the end of the week – if you would like to talk about this on the record – let me know.
I recall an occasion when you didn’t fully understand what “working a room” meant.
There is another phrase you should find useful: Get out in front of a news story before it takes over.
Early in his political career Bentivegna was available for interviews and photo sessions.
We look to him to explain his position on the Love My Neighbourhood event
Related news stories:
Director of Parks and Recreation explains
By Staff
July 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
It couldn’t happen at a more inopportune time.
The pool at the Aldershot High school will be closed on July 29
 Pool to be closed from 9:00 am to 4:00 on the 29th – Friday Halton District School Board will be completing maintenance in Aldershot Highschool which will impact Aldershot Pool.
As a result, Aldershot Pool will be closed on July 29 for drop in programming from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will re-open for programs at 4 p.m.
That is a very short period of time for any kind of work to be done.
Kudos for the short break in the swimming schedule.
Let’s hope they can stick to the schedule.
Please check online before heading to the pool for a drop in program. The other indoor pools, as well as our outdoor pools, are open as usual. burlington.ca/dropinandplay
By Staff
July 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette asked for some comment on the street party that was partially funded by the city and attended by the Mayor last weekend.
Here is the response from Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation, Community and Culture:
“Love My Neighbourhood is a program that has been running for several years. It provides a one-time per year grant of up to $500 per neighbour, resident or street section, condominium, or apartment group in Burlington.
“Not all applications require the full $500 support. These funds support the neighbourhood with nominal costs associated with insurance coverage, equipment rental fees and entertainment with the neighbours also contributing to the overall event.
“Organizers must agree to provide a free and inclusive event or activity to their community. Invitations are often sent by the organizers to their local councilor or all members of council.”
There is a list of what is what is and is not covered by funding.
The information on the city website is crystal clear on alcohol and cannabis:
 Is that wine in those glasses – maybe it’s water. Is alcohol or cannabis permitted?
“The City will not fund or permit the purchase of any alcohol beverages, tobacco or cannabis products. Alcohol or cannabis products are not permitted at Love My Neighbourhood events or on public property.”
Here is the link to the rules for those applying for a grant – they are lengthy and they are very clear.
Director Glenn said: “To date, we have approx. 70 applications for 2022.” And adds: “Hopefully this helps clarify.”
To some degree it does. We will ask now if there is a procedure in place to recover the grant and will Glenn advice members of Council individually what the rules are?
The one thing this incident has done is raise the profile of the program.
 By Brian Hall
July 27TH,2022
BURLINGTON, ON
With the recent school year just ending and report cards being given out, coupled with the recent Province of Ontario election now behind us, perhaps the time is right to shift our focus to the Municipal Election this fall and in particular, a report card on Mayor Meed’s first term as Mayor.
Here are 3 subjects to consider:
 Currently under construction opposite city hall this tower will be 26 storeys high. 1) Original Election Platform – this was built on the promise to deal with and resolve the continued high rise condominium buildings destroying Burlington’s downtown appearance. Well, she has a 0 -7 record with the Land Tribunal people, resulting in mega legal fees for the taxpayers of Burlington, which currently are running close to $250,000 now. Grade score on this subject – “F”
2) Needless Spending – for special crosswalks to highlight only 1 small segment of many marginalized groups in the City and at a cost of $50,000 or more. What the City did to the Halton Catholic School Board, and I am not Catholic by the way, was a total ‘slap in the face’ and the City should be ashamed. Grade Score on this item “F”
 Mayor Meed Ward at a diesel bus delivery announcement. 3) Transit – Each & every year over the past 15 years, Burlington Transit has probably averaged a staggering loss of $15,000,000 per year for a total of approximately $225,000,000 or just shy of a quarter of a billion dollars in total.
Thanks in part to the many outside consultants that the City continue to go to, who do not know Burlington, plus the lack of City leadership to find a better solution.
The City needs a good transit operation and the current one is not a good one and the fact the council and the Mayor continue to do nothing about it, is extremely disappointing and frustrating to see our tax dollars wasted with large empty buses. We need to be like a gardener and cut it right back so that new growth can come instead of wasting money year after year. Grade Score on this subject “F”
Well there you have it and the overall grade score of 3 ‘F’s, doesn’t look like a passing grade to me. Can’t wait till this October.
Brian Hall is a ward 3 resident who has operated a business that serviced the construction sector of the Burlington economy.
By Frank P. Mickens
July 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
While the gambling regime in Canada was previously rippled with obscurity, the coast is much clearer now as provinces now have the leeway to enact regulations and issue licenses pertaining to the gambling industry within their territory. In exercise of this right, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation regulate the gambling scene in Ontario, which includes the Greater Toronto Area.
The gambling industry has recorded major success in Ontario, with several land-based casinos, race tracks, and slots providers available in the province. This love for gambling is also translated onto the digital scene as online gambling has become popular in many areas of the territory. Today’s post is by Frank P. Mickens of https://ontariocasino.online/, a virtual casino review service in the province.
How many people gamble online from the Hamilton area?
Recent surveys have shown that a large percentage of adult Canadians living in Ontario have at one time, or the other tried their hands at online gambling. The province’s population stands at a staggering 14 million people, representing a huge market for the online gambling industry.
 This population strength and accessibility of gambling platforms have made it easier for most of the population to explore their gaming interests. Hamilton bears some interesting similarities to its mother province, Ontario. The city is home to a port which makes industries and commerce commonplace. The city’s population is just under 600,000, but that hasn’t stopped its inhabitants from gambling online.
Hamilton area families are gambling savvy and manage to find time out of their busy schedules for gaming and entertainment. Hamilton area families are also huge lovers of Bingo, which happens to be one of the most popular online gambling games of chance in Ontario.
Gambling Safely Online in Hamilton and Greater Toronto areas
As entertaining as online gambling may be, the foundation to having endless fun is the security of your data and funds. Since wagering is done online, customers are required to make deposits via bank transfers or card payments. So it is essential that you gamble on trustworthy websites only. Some of the ways to verify a website’s trustworthiness are by:
1. Licensing status:
Under Canadian law, operating casinos and iGaming businesses (whether virtual or land-based) is illegal without obtaining a federal or provincial license. If the gambling house has no license, it is safer to stay away to avoid falling victim to fraudsters. An operator’s licensing status also shows whether they have met the minimum financial requirement set by the government and are bound by Canadian laws or not.
2. Reviews
The reputation of a gambling house is also a key factor to consider. This is because offshore gaming platforms may still offer Canadians their services without obtaining a license. In such situations, it is advisable to read about the company’s services, terms, and the experiences of other users before plowing in. Fortunately, sites like ontariocasino.online help research these sites, so you don’t have to.
3. Use Prepaid Cards
Even if you’re not conversant with the risks of virtual gambling today, entering your financial information online requires some caution. For this reason, it is advisable to use prepaid cards which are not connected to your bank account to make payments on these platforms. These cards have a preloaded fixed amount which you can top up via the issuer’s trusted channels. This helps to keep your funds and private information safe.
 4. Encryption
Encryption software helps online casinos to protect their servers and customer data from getting hacked. As companies with large access to data, funds, and customer information, it is important that virtual gaming platforms are well protected. Encryption software ensures that your activities and exchanged data with online platforms stay private and invisible to third parties.
5. Accessibility and User Experience
A virtual gaming platform’s selling point is how easy it is to use and how well it adapts to the various devices of its customers. Thanks to the wide reach of online gaming today, you can access these platforms via smartphones, laptops, iPads, and many other internet-enabled devices. A good gaming website should have a friendly user interface that lets you enjoy the games seamlessly regardless of your device.
Residents of the Hamilton Area and Greater Toronto can look forward to more exciting games thanks to the current legal stand on gambling in the province. This comes at a time when lots of scrutiny and regulation are being channeled into the gambling industry to make it even safer and more enjoyable.
 By Staff
July 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The city web site has had a remake.
It looks different – and at first run it is better than what was there.
Search times take a bit – the communications people explained that there will be small tweaks to adjust how quickly searches on the web site are loaded.
 It is certainly a much cleaner look and searches seem to be a little faster. Give it six months and see how it works. It is certainly an improvement – how much of an improvement – only time will tell.
If you run into problems – send us a comment. Staff advised us the day the new version was made operational that the calendar and link is working. It does take a couple seconds to load. Testing on various browsers and on galaxy s10 and iphone occurred.
In a comment after we published the communications people said:
With any website launch it’s an iterative process. We’ll provide ongoing maintenance to keep it fresh and up to date. Look out for a formal City media release for the hard launch of our website this week.
Specific to our site search, our site search tool cludo is highly configurable based on use reporting. With each search, the site becomes smarter, faster and more accurate. This is a new install on a new site with a lot of navigation changes; we anticipate a couple weeks for site search result optimization.
You’ll see upgraded news and notices tools to better refine searches. Trending search results on the homepage too.
The team working on this remake were quite young – they brought a different perspective to their work.
Let’s give it a chance and at the same time record the problems.
By Staff
July 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Second boosters also available for immunocompromised youth 12-17
Following Provincial direction, starting Thursday July 28, 2022, parents and guardians can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for their children aged six months to under five years through Halton’s online booking system.
Immunocompromised youth aged 12 to 17 can also book their second booster dose (fifth dose) if at least six months have passed since their first booster (fourth dose).
Appointments are available starting Thursday July 28 at Halton Region Paediatric Clinics in convenient locations across the region (no walk-ins for six months to under 5 years age group).
Residents should check Halton’s Vaccine Clinics webpage regularly as dates and locations may vary from week to week. Appointments are also available through the Provincial booking system, participating primary care providers and pharmacies.
 Children aged six months to under five years will receive the Health Canada approved lower dose paediatric Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in a two dose series at a recommended eight weeks apart. For children who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, three doses are offered at four to eight weeks between each dose.
“The availability of a COVID-19 vaccine for Halton’s youngest residents is exciting news for Halton families,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health. “The lower dose paediatric Moderna vaccine has been through rigorous scientific reviews and is the safest way to gain protection from COVID-19 and its variants. I strongly recommend vaccinating young children to protect them and their families.”
Parents and guardians with questions are encouraged to speak with their health care provider or contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service offered through SickKids. Information on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine should be accessed from reliable and accurate resources. A list of resources can be found at halton.ca/COVIDvaccines4kids.
Important information & instructions
Starting the morning of Thursday, July 28, the following groups can book appointments for COVID-19 vaccination through Halton’s online booking system:
Parents/guardians of children aged six months to under five years of age can book first dose appointments for the lower dose Moderna paediatric vaccine. Appointments begin Thursday July 28 by appointment only (no walk-ins). Children must be six months of age at the time of the appointment.
Immunocompromised youth aged 12 to 17 can book their second booster dose (fifth dose) if at least six months have passed since their first booster (fourth dose). Use Halton’s online calculator to find out when you are eligible.
First and second doses for children five to 11 years of age are offered by appointment or walk-in at Halton’s Paediatric clinics. Note: Walk-in availability may vary and residents should check Halton’s website before visiting a clinic.
Appointments to receive the lower dose paediatric Moderna vaccine are also available through the Provincial booking system, and on a limited basis at participating primary care and paediatric offices, as well as at participating pharmacies and Indigenous-led vaccination clinics.
Residents who require assistance can call 311 to book their appointment. Please only call if you require immediate booking support or do not have internet access.
Residents requiring additional assistance, language supports or other accommodations at a community clinic can contact 311 prior to their appointment to arrange for supports.
Transportation services to and from appointments are available, free of charge, for those who require it and parking is free at all clinic locations.
To prepare for an appointment:
complete the COVID-19 self-assessment before arriving at the clinic;
bring your child’s health card;
wear a mask (children 2 years of age and under are not required to wear a mask);
for children attending a clinic with an adult who is not their parent or guardian, bring the completed informed consent form; and
learn more about how to prepare for vaccination by exploring the fun activities from the Halton Heroes.
To learn more please visit halton.ca/COVIDvaccines4kids.
 By Pepper Parr
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Rick Greenspoon’s trip to city hall to file his nomination papers took a circuitous route.
 Rick Greenspoon: “It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” When he learned that ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stole had said she was thinking hard about not running again, (she quickly recanted that comment – gave some thought to running for Mayor and decided that she would run for re-election after all) Greenspoon met with Stolte and let her know that was interested in running in ward 4.
When he learned that Stolte was in the race to retain her Council Greenspoon decided he would run in ward six. His residence in one block away from the ward 6 border.
“It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” said Greenspoon.
Stolte was working with Millcroft residents who were battling an attempt by a developer to turn some of the golf links into housing – there are two groups: one, Millcroft Greenspace Alliance, is fighting the Argo plans to develop some of the land that was part of the golf course the community was built around. The other group, MAD – Millcroft Against Development will be meeting with Greenspoon later this week.
The Alliance was not happy with what the current Council member, Angelo Bentivegna, was doing for them, and by extension the Mayor who had aligned herself with Bentivegna, and were looking around for someone who might do a better job for them.
Stolte mentioned Greenspoon to them – and thus a candidate was born. The connector in this was Dainty Klein – she and Greenspoon spent two and a half hours in conversation – Rick left that meeting knowing he was going to be running in ward 6
 Rick Greenspoon: had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall. So who is this guy?
Originally a Montrealer, fluently bilingual, Graduated with a degree from what was then Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) from the Health Sciences faculty.
Rick moved to Burlington when his employer transferred him to the city. A transfer returning him to Montreal didn’t come about – which worked for Greenspoon – he came to love the city.
Back in the 80’s when he had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall he and some of the other retailers in the city petitioned council for changes in the hours retailers could operate.
In those days stores were open Monday to Thursday and Saturday until 6:00 pm. Open until 9:00 pm on Friday.
Chance came his way and Greenspoon left retail and has spent the last 34 years in the automotive field where he operates an automotive brokerage business in Burlington.
He also served as a vice president with The Magic of Metals Children’s Foundation and worked with others to channel the foundations charitable donations into the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Before the group closed things – they were getting older and the charitable sector was undergoing a change they raised over $2,900,000.00. Most of the donations came from the servicing sector of the steel industry.
Greenspoon spent over 20 years in minor hockey with both the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario as a referee, a supervisor and instructor.
 The campaign literature – side 1 Played hockey with the Old Timers, realized his physical limitations and now referees some of their games.
He has been an active participant in the Sound of Music.
The first thing Greenspoon made clear to me during a lengthy interview is that he was seldom the #1 person in the many organizations he has been involved in. “I am very comfortable and prefer to work in the background to bring about changes.”
He and his wife Louise raised two daughters who got into soccer and when they completed their educations they moved into the medical services sector; they are not campaigning – yet.
One of his daughters posted on her Facebook page: Mt Dad does more that talk the talk – he walks the walk.
Greenspoon has learned that there is a lot more to municipal politics than he at first realized. There are many issues he has yet to decide just where he stands – he has a lot of reading to do in the next few weeks. It will be interesting to hear how he worked his way through some of the 1000 page plus consultant reports.
Greenspoon is not yet doing the door to door thing and his web site is a work in progress. He does have a single piece of literature that he hands out.
 Rick Greenspoon: approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. He is bothered by the sense of apathy he is experiencing and has yet to find a campaign manager.
Is he up to speed on the major issues? Not quite – he has yet to look at a budget document – that will be a bit of a shock once he starts going through the pages.
Parkland dedication issues – not read that document yet either.
But there is a deliberateness to Rick Greenspoon. He listens, gives you a pretty straight from the shoulder answer – if he doesn’t know he will tell you he doesn’t know.
His approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. The answer is not always obvious but Greenspoon believes there is always a way.
“When people say you can’t do that” Greenspoon first asks – “Why?”
On the affordable housing issue Greenspoon can only say “we have to do something.”
 By Staff
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has launched a new centralized volunteer program to better serve volunteer needs.
You can now access City volunteer postings in one place to learn how to get involved. All volunteer opportunities with the City can now be found at burlington.ca/volunteer.
 Michelle Dwyer, Manager of Engagement and Volunteers doing a little volunteering of her own. As volunteer postings are shared year-round, residents will be able to apply for opportunities in areas such as:
Adult Programs
Advisory Committees
Animal Shelter
Aquatics
Child, Youth and Family Programs
Festivals & Events
Skating
Student Theatre
Tyandaga Golf Course
Recruiting for fall program volunteer opportunities will be posted in August. We encourage residents to check out the fall positions for the Animal Shelter, Child, Youth and Adult Programs and Swimming.
People can create a profile through burlington.ca/volunteer to receive email updates on new opportunities as they become available. Each volunteer posting will include requirements for that opportunity which may differ depending on the scope of work.
Michelle Dwyer, Manager of Engagement and Volunteers said: “Our residents make a positive impact volunteering in our community every day. The City felt it was important to bring together all of the City volunteer postings shared across different platforms into one easy to find location. Our new volunteer program is intended to be helpful for everyone from students looking to complete volunteer hours for school to the active seniors giving back to Burlington.”
What Dwyer didn’t say is that the city also saves a bundle on staffing costs when volunteers take on the work.
Our understanding was that Volunteer opportunities were handled by Community Development Halton for the four municipalities in the Region where two Heather’s: : Johnson and Thomson were running a Regional wide program.
By Staff
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This is not something you will want to tell the kids about as they enjoy the summer weather – the Minister of Education has promised that back to school will be on time in September and everything will be operational.
 Band practice – after a two year hiatus! In announcing the Plan to Catch Up Minister Stephen Lecee said: “ After two years of pandemic disruptions, Ontario today launched its Plan to Catch Up for the 2022-23 school year. The plan, which is supported by the government’s historic investments in education, starts with students back in classrooms, on time, with the full school experience including extracurriculars like clubs, band and field trips.”
The focus is on “ensuring students receive the best stable learning experience possible, and that starts with them being in class, on time, with all of the experiences students deserve,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, adding. “We have a plan for students to catch up, including the largest tutoring program in Ontario’s history, a modernized skills-focused curriculum to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow, and enhanced mental health supports.”
The Plan to Catch Up is squarely focused on the priorities of parents and includes five key components:
 Mental health support part of the Plan to Catch Up Getting kids back in classrooms in September, on time, with a full school experience that includes extra-curriculars like clubs, band, and field trips;
New tutoring supports to fill gaps in learning;
Preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow;
Providing more money to build schools and improve education; and
Helping students with historic funding for mental health supports.
The government is going to open the flood gates to pay for key investments including:
More than $26.6 billion in funding for the 2022-23 school year, the highest investment in public education in Ontario’s history.Investing more than $175 million for enhanced tutoring support programs delivered by school boards and community partners, with a focus on reading, writing and math $304 million in time-limited funding to support the hiring of up to 3,000 front line staff, including teachers, early childhood educators, educational assistants, and other education workers.
Investing $14 billion to build state-of-the-art schools and classrooms and renew and repair existing schools, including $2.1 billion for the 2022-23 school year.
Allocating $90 million for mental health initiatives and supports for students, a 420 per cent increase from 2017-18.
Additional funding to support students with exceptionalities through a $93 million increase in funding for the Special Education Grant and over $9 million in funding to support the new de-streamed grade nine program, with an emphasis on supporting students most at risk including students from racialized, Black, immigrant, and Indigenous communities.
 The buses will be back on the road in September “With almost 50,000 children benefiting from Ontario’s tutoring investments every week, and summer learning programs underway province-wide, Ontario’s plan is getting students back on track,” added Minister Lecce. “With an emphasis on getting back to basics, our government is focused on strengthening life and job skills in the classroom, so that students graduate as financially literate, technologically savvy, emotionally intelligent leaders, ready for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Ontario’s public schools have an enrolment of over 1.4 million elementary students and over 650,000 secondary students.
Quick Facts
As of the beginning of April 2022, ministry-funded tutoring programs were underway across the province. From May to June 2022, on average, approximately 49,000 students participated in tutoring programs each week, with an average group size of less than five students to provide tailored and focused support.
With supportive policies and programs delivered by the ministry, school boards and partners, Ontario students have overcome many of the challenges of the pandemic, and graduation rates continue to rise. In 2020-21, 84.2 per cent of the 2016-17 grade nine cohort of students received their high school diploma within four years and 89 per cent of students received their high school diploma within five years.Since August 2020, more than $665 million has been allocated to improve ventilation and filtration in schools as part of the province’s efforts to protect against COVID-19.
These investments have resulted in improvements to existing ventilation systems; deployment of over 100,000 standalone HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices to schools; upgrades to school ventilation infrastructure; and increased transparency through public posting of school board standardized ventilation measure reports.
Up to 9,000 HEPA filter units were deployed to child care centres to provide further protection against COVID-19.
Over the course of the pandemic, child care programs stayed open and served children and their families, including providing emergency child care for front line workers during periods of school closure and remote learning. •
 By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What would we do without attentive, sharp eyed readers who know the smell of dead fish when it gets near their nose ?
Here is what came in today:
Are you aware of this? This is from the Mayor’s Facebook page.
What a great way to campaign on the taxpayers dime and look like a hero at the same time.
Why are the taxpayers of Burlington funding private street/block/condo parties? So I can plan a party at my condo building and the city will help pay for it?
Our taxes are already high enough. Is she going to attend every one of these parties along with the sitting councillor for the area?
The timing of this seems very questionable. I discussed this with several people – they were all dumbfounded.
Would love for you to investigate and report on. I keep thinking that I must be missing something.
 Why Mayor Med Ward thought this was acceptable – taking part in an election event that was paid for with tax payer dollars ?  It wasn’t just the Mayor that was sucking on the public “teat”; ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna was in their as well. What the reader is referring to is a city program that was put in place to give neighbourhoods and opportunity to get to know one another better and to improve parks, playground, spruce up the ravines.
The deal was, the last time we looked at it was the people applying had to come up with half of the amount they wanted to spend. That half could be “in kind”. The purpose of the grant, in the past at least, had to be spelled out and reviewed by Parks and Recreation.
Sparks will fly on this one.
It was a good program. I doubt very much that this version of the program as it played out was approved.
I expect bot the Director of Parks and Recreation, the people who run the program and the City Manager will be making phone calls on Monday.
The stunning part is that the Mayor was quite alright with seeing tax payers dollars used to pay for a campaign event.
You wonder sometimes just how far a politician will put their nose into the public trough?
The purpose of the Love My Neighbourhood program is set out pretty clearly on the city web site:
Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Glenn has this to say about the program: “Now more than ever, we need to build our sense of community and connections with our neighbours. This program is designed to help remove some barriers and build stronger connections among neighbours and communities by putting people together and having fun.”
By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
When people decide they want to run for public office they usually want the public to know more about them.
Steve Rieck filed nomination papers which got his name on the list of people running for office that the city maintains. Included in that listing there is something in the way of contact information.
Rieck provided an email address – nothing more.
There is some information on LinkedIn, a web site where you write whatever you want about yourself – sort of a self promotion service.
Given that that is all there is at the moment – we pass it along.
There are some contact listed that we will follow up on to see just who Rieck is and why he wants to be Mayor.
Do take what is posted on LinkedIn with several large doses ofs salt. Not a word of it has been verified
About
‘An innovator that strives for constant improvement in making businesses more efficient and the world a better place.’
 Steve Rieck A well-rounded, resourceful and entrepreneurial leader and creative thinker capable and business visionary. A flexible and adaptable entpreneur and ‘people person’ who is ambitious, driven and adaptable.
Over 30 years of business experience ranges from
several start-up’s to large companies;
visioning and strategy leader;
marketing and sales roles,
processes and strategy efficiencies;
lead company turnarounds and acquisitions;
operational sales mgt, marketing, strategic alliances;
HR consulting, recruiting and staff coaching and training.
A natural networker with strong ability to ‘bring together the right mix of people and resources’ to get the job done.
Goal: to lead a high-growth organization that requires entrepreneurial energy and leadership to bring out the best in people, technology and resources to get worthwhile results.
To give back to community, I have personally started and provided seed funding for several NGO’s, Children’s health and environmental Charities and NGO’s. I have contributed as board member for a handful of technology and climate NGO’s.
My passions include the environment; technology; and working with great, ‘walk the talk’, like-minded people who want to make a difference!
Experiences:
* industry experience in environmental and green products & technologies, pharmaceutical/medical, internet, technology, software and communications industry.
* new product and marketing development,
* leading sales and dev team initiatives,
* new business research and development,
* senior sales, marcom and PR roles,
* deal-making, relationship-building and partnering,
* hiring, training and retention of staff.
* Senior mgt, new venture incubation, launch and management’An innovator that strives for constant improvement in making businesses more efficient and the world a better place.’ A well-rounded, resourceful and entrepreneurial leader and creative thinker capable and business visionary. A flexible and adaptable entpreneur and ‘people person’ who is ambitious, driven and adaptable. Over 30 years of business experience ranges from several start-up’s to large companies; visioning and strategy leader; marketing and sales roles, processes and strategy efficiencies; lead company turnarounds and acquisitions; operational sales mgt, marketing, strategic alliances; HR consulting, recruiting and staff coaching and training. A natural networker with strong ability to ‘bring together the right mix of people and resources’ to get the job done. Goal: to lead a high-growth organization that requires entrepreneurial energy and leadership to bring out the best in people, technology and resources to get worthwhile results. To give back to community, I have personally started and provided seed funding for several NGO’s, Children’s health and environmental Charities and NGO’s. I have contributed as board member for a handful of technology and climate NGO’s. My passions include the environment; technology; and working with great, ‘walk the talk’, like-minded people who want to make a difference! Experiences: * industry experience in environmental and green products & technologies, pharmaceutical/medical, internet, technology, software and communications industry. * new product and marketing development, * leading sales and dev team initiatives, * new business research and development, * senior sales, marcom and PR roles, * deal-making, relationship-building and partnering, * hiring, training and retention of staff. * Senior mgt, new venture incubation, launch and management
Activity
There are 217 followers which could mean 217 votes
Mere minutes after publishing this article we received the following from the candidate:
Coming Soon…
A New Kind of Mayor/CEO of Burlington
(if YOU want it)
A businessman, serial social entrepreneur, non-profit Executive Director, innovations consultant, climate advocate, and community leader. Industries include Cleantech, Wind Energy, E-learning, recruiting, and consulting. Recently launched innovations-based micro-venture think-tank focused on cleantech,
well-being, and social ventures.
Interest in marketing and climate psychology (why we do things we do and why we overcomplicate things and how to seek opportunities in problems). Fascinated by climate psychology and the WHY we are not solving the climate crisis. (Hint: We don’t want to!)
Community leadership roles:
Founder/co-founder/board member/lead of several community groups and initiatives from Burlington Green & BG’s Youth group, DADA, Bitnet (VP and Chair Jobfairs), AWP, Electric Vehicle Advocate, etc.
Interesting tidbits:
I love nature, jogging, biking, good people, acts of kindness, God, alone time and meditating.
TED Talks. EV’s.
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