By Scarlet Hobler

October 27th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

It’s okay to believe that every casino in the country has one advantage over the majority. That’s often not true, as there are fake and unlicensed e-gaming platforms out there. To avoid getting scammed of your betting points, you need a guide to help you make the right choice. We’d share some pro-tips and hints to look out for when selecting your preferred betting platform.

Have you tried a few e-gaming sites and somehow didn’t feel comfortable with the graphics? Did their excessive promotional packages turn you off? Would you love to know how to select the right website like a professional? Read until the end to understand why it’s possible not to fall victim to scams in such an overpopulated sector. Let’s get started!

Verify their Licenses

A casino’s legitimacy is everything in the online gambling Industry, and we aren’t talking about referrals here. Licensed online casinos have higher chances of operating under fair gameplay policies. In some cases, it goes beyond acquiring their license to practice gambling. Online gambling sites need to be regulated and vetted frequently to ensure they still play by the rules. Licensing is an essential criterion in your quest to choose an online casino as a Canadian.

Trustworthy Canadian online casinos must be licensed by the respected gambling authorities in the country. While at it, stop to verify that their licenses are indeed as valid as they claim. Slots, roulette, and blackjack players in Canada visit only legit online casinos that have been accredited by the gaming commission and reviewed by trustworthy experts. This list of legit e-gaming platforms in Canada is mostly trusted by thousands of Canadians to play casino games without worries.

Double-Check their Banking Options

Making presumptions depending on how popular a Canadian online casino is on social media wouldn’t do the trick. Players ought to be concerned about how they intend to get their real money after playing and winning. It is important to skim through the payment methods outlined on a gambling site when choosing an online casino. You can easily miss out on a good opportunity to win more money if you fail to get your deposits credited to your profile on time.

Check that they have a good lineup of payment options, credit/debit card methods, e-wallet services, and cryptocurrencies. Gambling becomes more fun and interesting when you can easily make deposits and withdrawal transactions without delays. Read through online casino reviews about the operator to see what active users have to say about payments. Platforms with one or two payment options are huge red flags. Try to avoid them as much as possible.

Preview the Games the Casinos Offer

Never choose a betting website without confirming they have real money casino games. Many often complain about playing online casino games without getting cash rewards. This is because not all card or table games come with money rewards. You have to check the game selection of a site before registering. A casino’s gaming library determines how financially buoyant they are, enough to offer multiple games.

Canadian casinos are always known to have good game selections in their libraries. Choosing the best online casino here wouldn’t be that difficult. Players looking for the best online casinos for Canadians with a wide range of games would get a nice pick if they consult with the reliable reviews. Some of the top e-gaming platforms in the country have at least 400+ games in their library to choose from. A good way to get a preview of what games online casinos offer is to read through reviews.

Gifts, Bonuses, & Promotional Offers

Bonus offers and promotions mean a lot to players that choose to make money from e-gaming. Bonuses like free spins can double your betting strength for more wins. Platforms offering higher welcome packages and bonus credits are more likely to have the finance to bankroll huge jackpot wins. They might not have the best wagering requirements for when you intend to withdraw, but you’d get your money guaranteed.

The wagering terms that come with every bonus package should be of great concern to players. Only choose websites with fair wagering conditions after reading their withdrawal policy sections. In our experience, most e-gaming promotions attract stricter wagering conditions than most people realize. We have users spend weeks on long calls with the customer support team over misinterpreting the wagering terms. You can avoid this by picking carefully.

Ask about the Casino’s Reputation

After all is said and done, you need concrete proof that the operator truly does what it claims. One of the best ways to clear this doubt is by reading a review on the website. This would grant you access to an expert view of the operations and added features of the website. It’s like sitting back to watch a hyped movie’s trailer and film review before streaming it on your device. Another way to get ahead of this is by reading feedback from active users.

When you visit review sites, some actual users have played a few games on the website. They’ve tested first-hand how their promotional packages, games, payments, and withdrawals work. Watch out for their ratings and feedback on certain aspects of the e-gaming platform. You’d get other information on the live chat feature of the casino, and withdrawal limits, amongst others. A casino without a convincing reputation isn’t worth trying at all.

Conclusion

Before choosing a casino, there are several factors to put into consideration. There are lots of casino choices for gamers in Canada today. Most of them offer a high-performance e-gaming experience, while others do not. It’d be difficult to achieve if you do not know what factors to look out for before making a choice.

We’ve listed some hints professionals use in selecting a reputable and trusted e-gaming platform. Every casino is unique in one way or another, but reputable ones share similar qualities. Master the tips mentioned above for a much easier way to select a platform that guarantees fun and secure e-gaming. Do not forget to make available the necessary information needed for the KYC verification to get your account running.

By Pepper Parr

October 25^th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

During a meeting with the Toronto Board of Trade yesterday the Premier and the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs talked about what a new piece of legislation is going to do to get more homes built.

The following are short excerpts from the 45 minute session.

Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Steve Clarke and Premier Doug Ford talking to member of the Toronto Board of Trade

The Premier said:

“So I’ll just expand upon a bit on the gentle density. So we feel as a government that another way to unlock more housing is to allow more gentle density. And one of the ways that we propose to do this is by expanding what’s allowed to be built without further planning applications.

“Our plan would permit up to three additional residential units on most pieces of urban land, right including up to three in the main dwelling or two in the main dwelling and then one in an associated building.

“These would be as of right. That’s to say they’re not going to need a bylaw amendments, they’re not going to need any additional permits. This is going to create a broader mix of rental housing that could help homeowners pay their mortgages.

“There’s more that we’re also going to be putting some protections in for new home buyers.

“We the doubling of those maximum fines for those builders and vendors who try to make money on the backs of new homeowners. By unfairly cancelling those contracts. We have to come down hard on them. We have to allow the home construction regulatory authority to be able to use those fines to compensate those homeowners who have been treated unethically.

The Premier added:

“We need to stop doing things that aren’t working. We need to start doing things that get shovels in the ground faster.

“We need to speed up the approval process and work with partners for the first time.

“We’ve heard the municipalities as well. They have challenges as well if you don’t give them the tools to to get the permits done because it nothing’s more frustrating to a developer. And I’m sure it’s frustrating. When I was down there. I got frustrated. And I’m not telling you something that these developers if you’re out there don’t know already.

“You put your application into what I called the carousel. It gets on the carousel and it goes around for comments. It goes to transportation, it goes to parks, it goes to heritage and goes around and then it comes off the carousel. God knows when and guess what? They look at it and it goes back on the carousel again, and it just keeps going around so we have to make sure that we call it the shot clock, the shot clock, be it in football or being in basketball.

“You know we have a certain time frame for the municipalities to get an answer back because when we look around the world this becomes our number issue with our number one trading partner – the United States.  We do approximately $400 billion of two way trade every year with them.

“So I like using them as an example. No matter if it’s a commercial sit,e industrial site, or housing. I’ll use Ohio for example. You can get a permanent in six months. That’s what we need to do.”

There is more – we will double back to that event and pass on what the Premier is telling the municipalities.

By Staff

October 25th, 2022

BURLINGTON,ON

We asked the candidates that didn’t win their wards for comments on the results.

Ward 1 candidate Robert Radway and Ward 2 candidate Keith Demoe got back to us

Here is what they had to say.

Robert Radway said: “would like to congratulate Mr. Galbraith and his team on the election.

“I am very proud of what the Radway Team has accomplished in this campaign. We certainly look forward to the next election and especially speaking to more constituents about the concerns they have in Ward One.

Robert Radway: Sitting at his table in a Tom Hortons coffee shop.

“I was very pleased that many Ward One residents felt it was important to vote and earning 2,404 votes was a wonderful feeling. Thank you for all of your support.

Development is still on the minds of many Ward One residents and Mr Galbraith will be on notice when deciding on matters for all residents concerning his conflict of interest.

I hope the council truly takes into consideration what residents want for their neighbourhoods and the city for our future.

Thank you

Keith Demoe who ran a very lean campaign had this to say:

Keith Demoe holding what was perhaps the biggest hand held sign used in the election. He plans to roll it up for another day.

“I’d like to thank those who voted for me and those that assisted me in delivering postcards to most doors.

“This was my first time and plan to jump back in, whether it’s local, provincial, or federal. I am still happy with my results…I worked for those votes as did Tim O’Brien. I can share that I underestimated the amount of time involved in canvassing…this is something one must start early.

“You cannot meet everyone and must plan different events to get people out. I was an unknown and looking back would say that an open debate with crossfire is a much needed.

“From city view, the public spoke and are not looking for change at this time. I’d also like to thank Pepper Parr for getting my name out there with his readership.”

By Daintry Klein

October 25th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

First, Congratulations to the entire Council for achieving re-election. Their work on the challenges of the pandemic and their extensive initiatives and policies which set a framework for our great City should be commended. The continuation of this Council allows them to own their plans and initiatives.

The benefits of an election, whether it is status quo or not, allows the community through candidacies and investigations, to bring areas for improvement to light.

Perhaps the seclusion of the pandemic contributed to the issues surrounding transparency, but we have heard the Mayor commit to improvements highlighted in the Aird & Berlis report.

The Millcroft residents want to keep the community that was created and not change the layout of the golf course and tamper with the storm water management system that is in place.

The return to in-person meetings will also facilitate more genuine discussion.

The benefits of an election, whether it is status quo or not, allows the community through candidacies and investigations, to bring areas for improvement to light.  Perhaps the seclusion of the pandemic contributed to the issues surrounding transparency, but we have heard the Mayor commit to improvements highlighted in the Aird & Berlis report.  The return to in-person meetings will also facilitate more genuine discussion.  Millcroft Greenspace Alliance looks forward to collaborating with the Council to contribute ideas and possible solutions to keep Burlington as the best City in Canada.

In the Municipal government, there is no “opposition party” which highlights the importance of engaged taxpayer Citizens and independent press to provide the forum for accountability.

The Gazette asked a number of people to comment on the 2022 election. Daintry Klein is part of the Millcroft Greenspace Alliance that wants to ensure that the Millcroft community does not have to experience changes that will alter the original design or tamper with the storm water management system in place. 

By Stephen White

October 25th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

It seemed to take forever to tabulate the results of yesterday’s municipal election but the outcomes are finally known. Personally, I was a bit surprised by the margin of victory of several incumbents. I thought in a couple of races, particularly Wards 4 & 6, that it would be a lot tighter. The level of voter turnout was disappointing, but not altogether unexpected.

There are, I think, three things that continue to resonate for me when evaluating the results. First, being an incumbent provides a huge added advantage. It is hard to estimate the “bump” that being an incumbent provides but I would estimate it is somewhere between 10 and 15%.

Second, if someone plans on running for office waiting till late August to “throw your hat in the ring” is far too late, especially where there is an incumbent. Incumbents have name recognition, visibility and profile. Unless a municipal contender has strong presence in the community, a war chest of $10-20K, and a team of 25 to 50 dedicated volunteers, their chances of victory are slim to non-existent.

The third realization is that in a race where there are more than three candidates you might as well just anoint the incumbent. Vote splitting works to the advantage of the office holder. We’ve seen this reality play out so many times in the past, yet sadly, many candidates will hang in there to the bitter end rather than support another challenger with better prospects of success. Lest one doubt the salience of this observation just look at the HDSB results in Wards 4, and 3 & 6, or even the Ward 4 and 5 Councillor races, for confirmation.

I spent a lot of time this year working on the Oakville municipal election. Unlike Burlington, the long-time incumbent Mayor barely eked out a victory over his challenger with a margin of less than 1,000 votes. A few Councillors were defeated. I attended one Candidates’ meeting in Ward 1 and the meeting room was packed half an hour before the event started. Everywhere I went Oakville residents were talking about the election and the issues. People were deeply concerned about the future direction of their community, and beneath the surface there was a palpable anger at the direction the Town was heading.

By contrast, Burlington’s municipal election barely elicited a yawn. In spite of the unceasing drama at City Hall over the past four years, including many contentious development applications and several integrity and conflict of interest investigations, many residents I talked to simply weren’t interested. One resident I talked to Monday night completely forgot to vote.

How can two similar communities exhibit such widely differing approaches to municipal political engagement? I submit there are three things at play. First, in Oakville candidates can post election signs on public property. This sounds like a small thing, but in truth it provides challengers with an opportunity to promote their candidacy, build awareness, and level the playing field. Simply, they aren’t solely dependent on friendly homeowners who will support their election bid by agreeing to post a sign. Some may contend it is “pollution”, but since they get taken down after election day the environmental impact is probably marginal.

Second, Oakville’s election structure has one local Town Councillor and a Local/Regional Councillor. Having two representatives for each ward provides more prospective avenues for aspiring candidates to seek and win election. It also provides an additional conduit through which residents can express their opinions and make themselves heard. If politics is about access and involvement, this type of structure has its merits.

Third, Oakville has several vibrant and active Residents and Neighbourhood Associations. I checked a few years ago and I counted fifteen. These groups have been active for several years on multiple fronts, and not just re-zoning and development applications. I’ve lived in Ward 5 in Burlington for nearly five decades, and the last time I checked into my local ratepayers’ association it was essentially moribund.

Despite what Doug Ford and his Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark may think, municipal government is important. It is the level of public administration that is closest to the everyday needs of constituents. On any given day more residents will interact with, or be affected by, local issues and municipal services and programs, than they will by provincial or federal agendas. That said, one would naturally suppose that more residents would be interested in opportunities to opine about, engage with, or have a say in, who their elected representatives will be.

The Mayor and Burlington Councillors will be returning to City Hall shortly. I wish them well. The next four years will be difficult. Development will again be the predominant issue. An intransigent provincial government that is hell bent on stuffing its intensification agenda down residents’ throats doesn’t augur well for a community struggling to maintain its history and identity while dealing with issues of housing affordability. Add to that budgetary challenges, worsening traffic congestion, and upgrading existing infrastructure, and the challenges are enormous.

How Burlington Council will balance these competing interests will be interesting. They will have to get hit the ground running. Hopefully, they get down to work a lot faster than it took to compile Monday night’s election results.

Stephen While is a Human Resources consultant who also teaches at Sheridan College.  He has been an active observer and critic of civic life in the Region