 By Pepper Parr
January 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Delivering the Annual State of the City address is an opportunity for the Mayor to tell the citizens of the city what has been achieved and to set out how the year went from her perspective.
It’s a significant event – serious and quite political and very polite.
But this year there was some fun as well.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward delivering her 4th State of the City address wearing the Chain of Office – something she didn’t wear previously. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward mentioned how the address would go and added: “They’ve given me about 40 minutes and I’ll try to stick to that. We have a lot to talk about and a lot to share. And you won’t want to miss the rapid fire q&a. That’s all questions. I have no idea what they’re going to ask me what Tim’s gonna ask me is always got a few curveballs in there. So stick around for that too”.
At the close of the 45 minute address Tim Caddigan, Senior Director, YourTV and Community Relations took over the podium. He had a bunch of questions from the audience that was virtual (which we will follow up on). The fun part was the rapid fire session.
Read how it went.
Tim now for the rapid fire so no okay is your favorite so I’ve 20 questions for you run through them fairly quickly. What was the last film you saw?
Mayor: Oh, wow. Come back to me on that one.
Tim: Okay. When the sound of music comes roaring back, what band would you like to see featured?
Mayor: Well, I know Suzy nail is going to be there. And I know finger 11 is going to be there to have our awesome Burlington band. So I’m very excited about that.
Tim: What is the first social event you look forward to post pandemic
Mayor: getting together with my team more often? And you know, oysters and martinis at my favorite restaurants. But that’ll happen on Monday. Actually, we were 50% capacity, which is awesome.
Tim: If you could travel to any point in time, what period would that be?
Mayor: March 2019 and 2020 and no pandemic? That’s what I would do.
Tim: This is a double barreled question: what bores you.
Mayor: Well, people who are rude,
Tim: what excites you?
Mayor: The people in our community who do amazing things.
Tim: If you could we’re here at the BPAC pack. If you could bring one app to the Burlington Performing Arts Center, what would it be?
Mayor: Walk off their choice?
Tim: Have you taken up any new activities during the pandemic?
Mayor: Not that I can mention. I’m doing well. I’m doing a lot more hiking outside which is awesome and and that’s actually how I get some of my social interaction in my team and my friends and I we go for hikes so it’s safe.
Tim: If you could accomplish one thing for Burlington this year. What would it be?
Mayor: Getting affordable housing so people can continue to live here.
Tim: What is the first app that you access on any given day?
Mayor: Oh boy is Wordle and up. I get that every morning with my son it’s a great way to get my brain going. Better, you know Instacart kept my groceries delivered.
Tim: Toughest thing you accomplished or faced in 2021.
Mayor: Getting the urban growth center in the major transit station area moved we had many behind the scenes meeting with ministry staff, the minister himself our MPP it was touch and go for a very long time and and we finally brought it home which was great.
Tim: What’s one thing you would like? To improve upon?
Mayor: Well, you know what, just being better at getting our businesses to yes faster. We have work to do there.
Tim: On a scale of one to 10 How much do you like rapid fire questions? tag on a scale of one to 10 how fonder you have zoom meetings?
Mayor: Well, they’re, they’re handy, but I really do prefer in person meetings if you’ve got back to back and you need to get a lot done, but nothing replaces being face to face. There is something about spending your weekend sweatpants however, wearing nice shoes today.
Tim: What do you think will be the greatest biggest change for Burlington, five years from now?
Mayor: How we’re going to accommodate growth? You know, I given our experience of blowing past our numbers for 2031 12 years early. That could happen with 2051 We need to manage it. Well. We need to make sure everyone’s welcome. We need affordable housing strategy, which we’re working on. And we need to make sure that the parks and the community amenities the social infrastructure keeps up because that’s what that’s what creates the angst if we don’t have that and we have population growth where we’re not serving our community. I
Tim: think of all politicians who have had to step up during the pandemic. Is there one Ontario mayor that you’ve admired throughout the pandemic?
Mayor: Oh, there are many, many I may want to get one off to give a shout out to: Jeff Lehmann in Barry who’s the chair of our Ontario Big City Mayor’s caucus. He’s been just outstanding in our advocacy and hurting 29 mayor’s which is like herding cats but getting us on the same page with some of our advocacy has been awesome. If
Tim: you’re a fan of Wordle this might be appropriate. What’s your favorite word?
Mayor: Kindness
Tim: that doesn’t go with five letters. Yesterday’s word was whack. I don’t know. It was a lucky guess for me is there are certain word you start with every day.
Mayor: Oh, we my son and I do it together. So we pick very off color words to start with. It seems to be a good strategy though.
Tim: What’s your favorite month and why?
Mayor: October because that’s when I got married to my awesome husband who is watching I know from our couch. We celebrated 28 years of marriage which makes me feel super old. Our kids are in their 20s and I love my life. I love the people in my life and I love what I do.
Tim: Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you for doing that.
Mayor: Thank you. Yeah, that was okay. If I remember the movie that I don’t know the name. I’m sorry. I just remember for you to check out I think it’s called the Perseids Canadian production and it’s about – it has Christopher Walker in it. Just discovered it out of the blue a couple of weeks ago. Great movie and Canadian. Wow, actually North Country. That’s the name I wanted – Charlie’s there on about women fighting for their rights to be recognized and no harassment. So a bit of a theme there.
 By Pepper Parr
January 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
During the Mayor’s State of the City address early this morning we learned that the Waterfront Hotel property study that started back in 2015 and was put on a pause in 2018 – is now back on and will begin on February 15th.
 This is what the intersection of Brant and Lakeshore Road might look like – south east corner The Mayor did add that while the study is back in place – there is an application with the Planning department. That application MUST be before council in April with a recommendation to
Approve
Approve with modification
Reject.
Quite how the city managed to do next to nothing with the study – which was paid for by the developer, is something no one has ever explained.
The consequences may be terrible.
 The new Burlington skyline?
By Pepper Parr
January 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Coyotes in Burlington were ward 4 and 5 issues. There must have been something about the downtown core they didn’t like.
That is no longer the case.
When ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns began to get calls – she, to use a phrase the Mayor likes, got into giddy-up mode and began to put together a ward 2 approach to the problem.
Then happenstance came into play.
 Walking path along Maple Lane. No coyotes The city’s Animal Control people bought 1200 Fox 40 whistles – the coyotes don’t like them all that much.
 Signage with what to do should you see a coyote When Kearns learned that Ron Foxcroft made a whistle she put out a call to him.
Turns out the two of them go back some distance.
When Lisa was in high school, at Cardinal Newman on Grays Road in Stoney Creek, she did a project on Fox 40. Ron says she got “100” on her high school project.
They have been BFF as a result.
On a cold Wednesday Ron Foxcroft, his son Ronnie, and Lisa Kearns will be outside blowing on whistles.
It would be nice if a couple of coyotes would show up to see just how good the whistle sound is on scarring the critters off.
Where do you get a Foxcroft whistle?
Team Aquatic Supplies just placed an order for these, so they have plenty in stock. They are also available at Al’s Source for Sports, Team Aquatic Supplies to go along with SAIL, MEC, Canadian Tire and Fox40Shop.com.
 By Pepper Parr
January 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
It is not unusual for the public to express dismay and concern when bail is given to an accused person for what many feel is a serious crime.
The sentences handed out seem very short at times.
A recent very serious case that involved a number of jurisdictions came to a close last week when a number of people were sentenced to prison for a long time.
The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has an update to provide on a sentence delivered in connection with Project Lynx, a seven month investigation that targeted a highly organized and sophisticated drug network involved with drug trafficking, importing and money laundering.
In April 2021, the HRPS announced 7 arrests and more than 40 charges in connection with this investigation.
On January 20, 2022, Ajmer Singh (45) of Mississauga received a sentence of 13 years and 222 days for 1 count of possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl. Singh also received a 10 year (concurrent) sentence on 2 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine.
In addition to these sentences, the courts also ordered the forfeiture of $727,883 cash, a vehicle used in the commission of the offences and several pieces of high end jewellery.
 Deputy Chief of Regional Operations Jeff Hill Deputy Chief of Regional Operations Jeff Hill stated, “Mr. Singh’s sentencing sends a strong message that those who put some of our most vulnerable community members at risk will be held accountable. This type of activity will never be tolerated in our community and our members will remain relentless in battling the ongoing opioid crisis and bringing those involved in trafficking to prosecution.”
Community safety is a shared responsibility. We urge anyone who can provide information regarding the trafficking of illicit drugs to call the Drug and Human Trafficking Unit at 905-825-4777 ext. 5331.
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.
Related news story
Original arrests
 By Pepper Parr
January 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON,ON
A reader we hear from often was a little on the grouchy side yesterday.
 He suggested that we ask the Liberals who represent Burlington in the House of Commons why why Canadians are being ripped off by paying HST on this compulsory Covid19 PCR tests.
Looks like 2 tier medical testing to me he adds
Indeed has the old codger got a point?.
 By Akhila Komma.
January 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Increase in demand for crypto casinos in Hamilton
The online gambling industry in Canada as a whole is really growing. Especially now that we are in a global pandemic, many people are looking for alternative activities to keep busy. For example, in Ontario, Hamilton, it has been reported to have a high number of local gamblers.
The introduction of crypto casinos has also played a significant role in the rise of online gambling activities in Hamilton.
But there are so many iGaming sites making it hard for users to know exactly where to play. So, it’s always good to go through comparison sites to get an overview of the best online crypto casinos. For example, Fairspin Review covers all the basic information you need to know before joining the website.
 Why Hamilton residents are joining online crypto casinos
Simple signup process- the best thing about online crypto casinos is that they have an easy sign-up process. You will only have to provide a few key details, and you are good to go. The registration form mostly asks for name, email address, date of birth, physical address, and payment method.
Better bonus offers- every Hamilton punter wants to enjoy bonus offers. So, to make the experience more exciting, the online Bitcoin casino operators offer a variety of player bonuses. For example, there are new player bonuses, reload bonuses, daily/weekly bonuses, cash back offers, VIP programs, and more.
Accessible via mobile devices- being able to play any online crypto casino game on the go sounds fun. For that reason, most online casinos in Hamilton are fully optimized for mobile phones. So, it’s easy for any punter to access the websites from wherever they are on any portable Android or IOS device.
 A plethora of casino games- the best iGaming websites have a huge games lobby. In most cases, you will get to play crypto slots, table games, jackpot slots, provably fair games, and live dealer games. This ensures that all players’ tastes and preferences are taken care of.
Secure gambling environment- online Bitcoin casinos are known to use the latest software encryption for data protection. So, you are assured that all your account details will always be secure at a crypto website. Also, blockchain technology ensures that all your transactions are safe from any third-party intrusions.
Quick payment processing- you can be sure of a quick deposit or withdrawal process when using cryptocurrencies. Unlike other payment methods, it only takes a few minutes for the transactions to be completed. What’s more, there are zero transaction fees making them ideal for people who prefer to save up on every penny earned at an online crypto casino.
Hamilton online gambling laws
 Online gambling is legal in Canada. But, different provinces are allowed to come up and enforce their own gambling laws. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, normally known as OLGC, regulates gambling activities in Hamilton. But there are also online gaming sites that operate in Hamilton that gaming commissions outside of Canada regulate. Some include the UK Gambling Commission, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and the Malta Gaming Authority.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the online crypto casino industry in Hamilton is growing. This is as a result of the casinos offering more than just the usual gambling experience. You get to enjoy anonymity, amazing bonus offers, and a huge selection of casino games. Especially now with Covid, there is limited movement, and people are forced to stay indoors. So, if you are looking to keep busy and at the same time make some money, you should consider joining an online cryptocurrency casino.
 By Staff
January 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Community Development Halton is a Not for Profit organization, supported financially by the Region of Halton.
Community Lens is prepared by Community Development Halton to disseminate and interpret important community data as it becomes available.
 2022 is the year communities in Halton and across the province hope will spell the beginning of the end of COVID-19. Unfortunately, as Community Development Halton writes this, such a positive conclusion to a long two years may be premature. Encouragingly, though, some of the preliminary data on the reduced severity of the Omicron variant may be cause for guarded optimism.
Notwithstanding this renewed sense of hope, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to discourage people from describing Omicron as “mild,” because “increased transmission is expected to lead to more hospitalizations.”
What is perhaps less well known is an awareness of some of the research that is taking place around the impacts of COVID-19, and how the pandemic may permanently impact employment sectors, workers, and communities in the years ahead. Last year, Community Development Halton studied the impacts of COVID-19 on older adult populations and published our findings in a series of Community Lens publications in late 2021.
Continuing our focus on the impacts of COVID-19, this Community Lens, the first of 2022, analyses the findings of a 2021 ‘GTA Employer Survey.’ Undertaken by the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group (PHWDG), the survey findings provide instructive insights that are “emerging from the lockdowns and the view of labour market issues during this period of recovery.” This is the 11th annual survey of employers that the PHWDG has carried out; 2020’s survey also looked at the impacts of COVID-19.
Conducted between August and October 2021, the survey was sent out to “700 employers, with an average response of 490 answers per question, from a cross-section of employers in Peel and Halton Regions, as well as from the surrounding Greater Toronto Area… 72% of the respondents are employers in Peel and Halton, many come from other parts of the GTA.” In total, 187 employers from Oakville (62), Milton (56), Halton Hills (17), and Burlington (52) responded to the survey.
The Impact of Lockdowns on Employment
Employers were first asked about the impact of lockdowns on employment levels. Unsurprisingly, smaller employers reported disproportionately larger impacts on employment levels. 39% of employers with 1-4 employees, for example, reported a large decrease (defined as over a 33% reduction of the workforce).
While 23% of companies with 5-19 employees reported a large decrease, it dropped to 4% for companies with over 100 employees. Put another way, “employers were more likely to decrease their employment levels rather than increase and that tendency increased the smaller the firm.” The most impacted sectors were, due to the nature of provincial lockdowns, the Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade sectors, while the sector with the lowest employment impact was in Transportation and Warehousing.
Community Lens is prepared by Community Development Halton to disseminate and interpret important community data as it becomes available. For more information please contact us at data@cdhalton.ca or 905-632-1975
Remote Work
Pre-pandemic the “incidence of remote work was low,” with the prevailing perception that employee productivity would be lower away from the office. The pandemic very quickly shifted this misconception, with the caveat that remote work isn’t appropriate for every employee or employer. In an analysis on remote work, the management consultancy McKinsey & Company found that “the potential for remote work is highly concentrated among highly skilled, highly educated workers in a handful [emphasis added] of industries, occupations, and geographies.”
 Working from home has its challenges. Before the pandemic, “61% said that their non-essential workers never worked from home and 92% said that their non-essential workers worked from home 20% or less of the time.”
During the pandemic, “48% of employers said that their non-essential employees worked from home 80% or more of the time; [while] 28% said these employees worked from home 100% of the time.”
Beyond the pandemic, one-third of survey respondents said that they can see “employees work from home 30% to 70% of the time.” The report adds, “many employees [expect] to return to the workplace, but a considerable number will work from home some of the time.”
Although workplaces in the survey shifted to remote work out of necessity and expect to retain some form of this flexibility into the future, employers were, nonetheless, more likely to offer “concerns” with remote working rather than “identifying benefits.” Employers referenced some of the challenges they envisioned with a remote work environment, namely, “maintaining a team spirit and a corporate culture and, to a slightly lesser extent, the ability to properly on-board a new employee.” In addition, closely aligned to the team spirit concern, employers expressed the belief that “innovation” may suffer in a workplace environment that was geographically splintered.
Vaccination Policy
The federal government announced on December 7, 2021, its intention to “make vaccination mandatory in federally regulated workplaces,” extending the mandate beyond the previously announced requirement that all federal employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. This followed earlier Government of Canada announcements, across several months, in which sector-specific federal mandates were declared.
 Corporate vaccination policies varied at first – but were soon set as mandatory vaccination. Other municipalities and public institutions are also developing and publishing their own vaccination policies and mandates. The City of Toronto, for example, announced that all employees would have to be “fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine series by October 30, 2021.”
Community Lens is prepared by Community Development Halton to disseminate and interpret important community data as it becomes available. For more information please contact us at data@cdhalton.ca or 905-632-1975
Indeed, this month (January 2022), after previous vaccination deadlines were extended, almost 500 employees that had not received the COVID-19 vaccine lost their positions with the City of Toronto.
Meanwhile, in Halton Region, the City of Burlington has introduced a “revision” to its “Staff Vaccination Policy” which now makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory “for all City employees.” The Town of Milton, Halton Hills, and Oakville15 have all made similar announcements on mandatory staff COVID- 19 vaccinations at various stages over the last number of months.
The 2021 PHWDG survey found that employers are also thinking about the vaccination question in their own workplaces.
- One-third of employers are mandating that employees be
- One-third is either encouraging their employees to get vaccinated “or are providing an ”
- Under a third of employers in the survey “have either no policy or are leaving the decision to their ”
 Forecasting the number of jobs that will be available is difficult and will remain so for a period of time Post-Pandemic Hiring Projections
Looking into the future and making hiring predictions is proving to be challenging for many employers in the survey, in a context where Ontario has had strict, unpredictable, and extended lockdowns at various points over the last two years.
When employers were asked what their hiring intentions were over the next three months, assuming there are no changes from today, they provided the following responses:
- 18% said they “cannot predict” their hiring decisions on low skilled workers in the next three
- 16% said they “cannot predict” for mid-skilled
- 17% cannot predict their intentions for highly skilled roles in the next three
A reminder that the survey was administered between August 31 and October 5, 2021, during which the provincial COVID-19 picture was largely positive: “New cases, hospitalisations and ICU occupancy [were] not increasing”; vaccination uptake was strong in Ontario (although children, 5-11, were still exposed to COVID-19 as unvaccinated individuals, authorization for this age group didn’t arrive until 19th November 2021); however, the upcoming inevitable cold weather, which would drive people indoors where the virus would circulate and thrive, was a recurring source of seasonal “instability” that Ontario’s Science Table was factoring into its projection models.
It is likely that with the rapid increase in cases experienced in December and January in Ontario, caused by the now-dominant and highly transmissible Omicron variant, employer uncertainties are beginning to resurface – if indeed they ever went away.
Community Development Halton will continue to analyze the impacts of COVID-19 across 2022. Our next Community Lens, which will be published shortly, will be a complimentary analysis to this issue. In it, we will investigate the experiences of racialized workers over the last two years and assess Canada’s economic outlook for 2022 from a worker and consumer perspective.
As always, if you have any questions or feedback about this Community Lens or any of Community Development Halton’s other social policy and planning work, you can email data@cdhalton.ca.
Footnotes in the article are available at the CDH website
Community Lens is prepared by
 By Pepper Parr
January 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Tomorrow, Thursday, bright and early, Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will be delivering her fourth State of the City, an event sponsored by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.
 Her speech will set out what she has accomplished, and there is a lot to be proud of, and what she hopes to achieve during the last year of her first term as Mayor.
It will also be the first marker she puts down on the election campaign she will head into, probably as soon as the provincial election results are known in June.
Meed Ward could be in for a battle if rumours that former Mayor Rick Goldring decides to run for the job he lost to Meed Ward in 2018.
The State of the City address can be watched on the Chamber of Commerce web site.
You do need to register.
Click on the LINK to get to the registration page and scroll down.
 By Staff
January 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Marcello Alaimo, operator of Exquisite Living released some comment on the draft of the Housing Task Force that is expected to release the report and its 58 recommendation at the end of the month.
The task force that was asked to find ways to make Ontario housing more affordable wants to do away with rules that entrench single-family homes as the main option in many residential neighbourhoods, according to a draft report.
The nine-member Housing Affordability Task Force, chaired by Scotiabank CEO Jake Lawrence, wants to “create a more permissive land use, planning, and approvals systems” and throw out rules that stifle change or growth — including ones that protect the “character” of neighbourhoods across the province.
The wide-ranging 31-page draft report, which is making the rounds in municipal planning circles and could look much different when it’s officially released Jan. 31, makes 58 recommendations.
 Zoned commercial, spitting distance to the QEW, minutes from downtown – owner wants to rezone and make it residential. It includes discussions on speeding up approval processes, waiving development charges for infill projects, allowing vacant commercial property owners to transition to residential units, and letting urban boundaries expand “efficiently and effectively.”
It also calls for all municipalities — and building code regulations — not to make it just easier for homeowners to add secondary suites, garden homes, and laneway houses to their properties, but also to increase height, size and density along “all major and minor arterials and transit corridors” in the form of condo and apartment towers.
© Kate Porter/CBC One of the task force’s recommendations is to create rules that would bypass community opposition to adding density in existing neighbourhoods. 4-storey complexes in all neighbourhoods.
But perhaps the most controversial recommendation is the one to virtually do away with so-called exclusionary zoning, which allows only a single-family detached home to be built on a property.
 Built by the ADI Group – this four storey could be placed anywhere in the city if the Housing Task Force makes it through the legislature. Instead, the task force recommends that in municipalities with a population of more than 100,000, the province should “allow any type of residential housing up to four storeys and four units on a single residential lot,” subject to urban design guidance that’s yet to be defined.
According to the report, Ontario lags behind many other G7 countries when it comes to the number of dwellings per capita. And housing advocates have long argued that more modest-projects — duplexes, triplexes, tiny homes and townhouses — are needed in established neighbourhoods, especially if the environmental and infrastructure costs of sprawl are to be avoided.
But neighbourhood infill and intensification is often a hard political sell.
“While everyone might agree that we have a housing crisis, that we have a climate emergency, nobody wants to see their neighbourhoods change,” said Coun. Glen Gower, who co-chairs Ottawa’s planning committee. “So that’s really the challenge that we’re dealing with in Ottawa and in Ontario.”
After last week’s housing summit with Ontario’s big city mayors, reporters repeatedly asked Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark if he supported doing away with zoning for single-detached homes, as other jurisdictions like Edmonton and major New Zealand cities have done.
Clark said he’d heard the idea but did not give a direct answer one way or the other.
© CBC Coun. Glen Gower is the co-chair of Ottawa council’s planning committee. He welcomes the discussion about housing affordability in the task force report, but concedes that allowing four-storey, four-unit dwellings in every neighbourhood could be a hard sell.
Reduce construction barriers, approval requirements
Many of the recommendations revolve around making it easier and faster for builders to construct homes.
According to the draft report, not only would a streamlined process allow dwellings to get on the market faster, but reducing approval times would also save developers money which, in theory, could be passed onto residents.
The report cites an Ontario Association of Architects study from 2018 showing that costs for a 100-unit condo building increase by $193,000 for every month the project is delayed.
That’s why, for example, the task force is recommending that any “underutilized or redundant commercial properties” be allowed to be converted to residential units without municipal approvals.
The draft report also calls for quasi-automatic approval for projects up to 10 units that conform to existing official plans and zoning, and goes so far to recommend that municipalities “disallow public consultations” for these applications.
The report speaks to reducing what the task force characterizes as “NIMBY” factors in planning decisions, recommending the province set Ontario-wide standards for specifics like setbacks, shadow rules and front doors, while excluding details like exterior colour and building materials from the approval process.
The task force would even eliminate minimum parking requirements for new projects.
Politicians say more than just supply needed
The report touches on a number of subjects it believes unnecessarily delay the building of new homes, including how plans approved by city councils can be appealed.
It recommends the province restore the right of developers to appeal official plans — a power that was removed by the previous Liberal government.
And in an effort to eliminate what it calls “nuisance” appeals, the task force recommends that the fee a third party — such as a community group — pays to appeal projects to the Ontario Land Tribunal should be increased from the current $400 to $10,000.
© CBC NDP housing critic Jessica Bell supports doing away with exclusionary zoning, but says many more measures, including building more affordable homes, are needed.
That doesn’t sit well with NDP MPP Jessica Bell, the party’s housing critic. who said “My initial take is that any attempt to make the land tribunal even more difficult for residents to access is concerning,” said Bell, adding the NDP is asking stakeholders and community members for feedback.
The tribunal can overturn a municipal council’s “democratically decided law,” she said, “and I would be pretty concerned if it costs $10,000 for a third party to go to the land tribunal and bring up some valid evidence.”
While she was pleased to see the task force address zoning reform to encourage the construction of town homes, duplexes and triplexes in existing neighbourhoods — the so-called “missing middle” between single-family homes and condo towers — Bell said increasing supply is not enough to improve housing for all Ontarians.
 “We need government investment in affordable housing,” she said. “We need better protections for renters, and we need measures to clamp down on speculation in the housing market … We need a more holistic and comprehensive approach than what we are seeing in this draft report right now.”
(While the task force was directed by the province to focus on increasing the housing supply through private builders, it acknowledges in the report that “Ontario’s affordable housing shortfall was raised in almost every conversation” with stakeholders.)
© CBCGreen Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner says he’s opposed to the task force’s recommendation to allow urban boundaries to expand.
Expanding urban boundaries another concern
From his first reading of the report, Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner agreed with the zoning recommendations but said streamlined processes need to be balanced with maintaining public consultations and heritage designations. “One of my concerns with my very quick read of the draft report is that it talks about expanding urban boundaries … and I’m opposed to that,” he told CBC.
 Everything to the left of the red line along Hwy 407 and Dundas are part of the rural boundary. “We simply can’t keep paving over the farmland that feeds us, the wetlands that clean our drinking water [and] protect us from flooding, especially when we already have about 88,000 acres within existing urban boundaries in southern Ontario available for development,” he said.
Schreiner said he’s also “deeply concerned” that the report discusses aligning housing development with the province’s plan for Highway 413 in the GTA. “I simply don’t think we can spend over $10 billion to build a highway that will supercharge climate pollution, supercharge sprawl, making life less affordable for people and paving over 2,000 acres of farmland
 By Susan Henry
January 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Addicts are everywhere. Maybe you’re one of them. Even if you think that you’re clean and nothing triggers you, there must be something that you’re interested in that you can spend the rest of your life doing. Have you ever met someone who’s an online gambling addict? What do you think about those people? Are they ridiculous to be addicted to something like that?
We all jump to conclusions and judge those people in the wrong way. But what if they have their reasons and they are convincing! Addiction is dangerous no matter what people are addicted to, but that doesn’t mean that addicts are totally out of their minds. Here is a list of the reasons that make online gambling very attractive to get addicted to, but before getting into it read about the best online casinos in Canada.
 Online gambling means you can play from wherever you are located and there is a cell tower nearby. Source of money
Right in your home, on your comfortable couch, having fun and gambling online without making any effort. If you are good, you’ll be able to bet your money and take it back in addition to what others have a bet. What a life, having fun and playing with earning money simultaneously. This thing alone is a trigger for addiction, but the list is still long.
Fun
They’re games, and they can’t be but fun and entertaining—the entire engagement between you and your mobile phone screen until you achieve winning. The fun is unstoppable, and it increases with every new game, win or lose.
Access
If you don’t have money, you can play. If you don’t have a laptop, you can play. Whenever you want, you can play. It’s accessible and always available for everyone, no matter who and where they’re. When something is that close and accessible, you can’t help but take advantage of it.
Reality escapism
When you have hard times, your mood is down. You don’t have the energy to talk to people; your online casino is opening its hand wide open to give you a big hug and get you out of that reality that’s killing you.
Free time
Online gambling is an entertaining option to spend your free time. But what if someone doesn’t have anything but free time. No job, no study, no life. Has the world’s time and doesn’t know any way else to spend it but by gambling online. Free time is a problem when filled out with the wrong things.
Bonus
“Play for three days and get this reward, play for a month in raw and get something free” there’s always something like that in all games. Online casinos are no different. In this way, they’ll encourage people not to think about leaving the website, not even for a single day.
 A very very wide variety of games that can be played online. Variety
You think that you know all the gambling games in the world, you’re mistaken. There’s a great number of different games online. You’ll constantly be challenged to learn the new game and get to know its rules and how to win in it. Fun never ends
Win/lose
You get into the online casino, you do your best and try every possible option to win, and you win. This thrill that you’ll feel is not something you want to feel once in a lifetime. You’ll continue playing to win over and over again. Or let’s say you did everything, but you had bad luck, and you want to make up for that. You won’t be relieved until you win many times after that loss, which will take forever.
 It’s not all a game of chance – you need to be able to think about how the cards have been played. Intelligence
Online gambling is not only a way to win or lose money as you spend some time online, and it’s a lot more. Studies have shown that online gambling improves memory, math skills, and decision-making skill. When first starting to gamble online, a person is not the same after a while. He’ll be smarter, and no one will ever feel that he has gotten enough intelligence. They think that there’s more by time, so they never stop.
Conclusion
Addict or not an addict. We’re all human beings, and we’re subjected to turn into any version of us, good or bad. We should support those who are struggling with a bad habit because they don’t need a new burden. If you’re not planning to join the addicts’ group, manage your time and know when to stop.
 By Staff
January 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Have you seen the TS-01-22 item on the February Community Planning committee meeting?
The city started off with Rainbow Crosswalks, then it was benches, one in each ward.
 Has the idea of recognizing and celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community become an election issue ? That would be a shame. The recognition matters – but let’s not exploit it. Now there are going to be banners on utility poles on streets.
They are reported to come in at $9,500.
“Where did this come from?”, asked a reader. ” Doesn’t seem to come from any Councillor’s kitty. An Art project? Are we going a little overboard on this issue?”
The come from a Staff Direction that will be issued to the Director of Transportation Services to install Rainbow Pride Banners along the section of Brant Street between Fairview Street and Ghent Avenue for the month of June, in the following years; 2022, 2023 and 202 – assuming this passes council.
They are taking this quite a bit further than many people expected..
Remember, the Mayor fell in love with this idea – put her heart into it. And it is an election year.
The Gazette wants to be crystal clear on this issue. Every community group deserves and has the right to be recognized and respected. Burlington has been a leader at the recognizing; so much so that the Catholic School Board actually came around.
Is the city now making a mockery of the way we recognize?
By Pepper Parr
January 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The east end of the city has had a coyote problem for close to ten years – the critters seemed to have taken a liking to the downtown core – which has a lot of people getting a little edgy.
 They are now being seen in ward 2 Ward 2 Councollor Lisa Kearns wants something done and is taking steps of her own to serve her constituents.
Kearns seems to have all kinds of clout.
The Burlington Animal Service Department just ordered 1,200 Classic Fox 40 Safety Whistles – 600 blaze orange, and 600 yellow.
 Fox40 whistle – Coyotes do not like the sound of these things. Ron Foxcroft, the inventor of the Fox 40 whistle, said recently that “Someone at the City is very smart to think of this. Kudos to the City”.
Will we soon see Councillor Kearns on the street with a whistle of her own?
 By Athena Zhuang
January 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, O N
A year washed to the shore,
Revealing shells from visiting the globe and building sandcastles for new relationships,
But the clock hits zero,
And instead of one, we start at two.
To consider traveling is to consider new friends: new hands to meet, new cultures to touch.
Where do your eyes go this year?
A cell phone as the world during quarantine,
Of diving with the dolphins and swinging with the monkeys
Where we transport to anywhere
And build a world from a screen, until our planet burns down
To raise a glass of your voice,
To spill a jar with your sounds,
And to reveal your stories
On why we must change the world
To see change is one, to enact is two.
To demand for action is three.
Let us do all.
Papers flying not as planes but as ambitions,
Soaring through the air in Straight Lines of As
And of becoming the stellar pupil the stars adore.
Books and courses at my mouth,
Consuming Shelley, Dickens, McQuiston, and Hemingway
Of self exploration from calculus to philosophy
Of a non-linear world of imperfection in numbers but perfection in curiosity
Of sparkling eyes filled with stars of education.
When the clock strikes midnight, and it is over,
Will you be happy that another year happened,
Or happy that another year passed?
Athena Zhuang is a grade twelve International Baccalaureate student from Burlington. “As a child, I created mind-maps to record my New Year’s resolutions. This year, I used a new medium: poetry.
“The poem depicts my goals for 2022. It discusses how I, as a teenager during quarantine, hope the upcoming year will unfold. I reveal my dreams for traveling before going to university, making new friends in the virtual world, my advocacy for the climate, and more.”
The need continues.
This food drive is community wide – something the citizens of the city have been doing for more than two years.
By Cirillo Ambrossi
January 25th 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are on the lookout for amazing gambling sites in Canada, you have plenty of options. The online gambling market is growing rapidly. This means that the number of people who play online casinos is increasing every day.
As far as Canada goes, the situation is not much different. According to Statistics, Canadians spent over $1 billion on online gambling every year. That is about three percent of their total spending budget.
Why Are Canadian Online Casinos So Popular?
In 2022, more and more Canadians are seeking out online casinos because of their benefits. The casinos offer a wide variety of games and bonuses. They are convenient, affordable, and they offer more value for your money.
 You can play interactively on some gambling sites Nothing beats the ability to enjoy your favorite games from the comfort of your home. You can play 24/7 without having to worry about time or location restrictions.
Online casino games are not affected by weather conditions as you don’t need to travel to physical casinos. In addition, you can deposit and withdraw money through electronic banking methods.
There are different types of online gambling Canada. Casinos are classified based on whether they provide real cash or virtual currency (such as points). Therefore, there is something for everyone. If you are a new player, you have the chance to try out new games without putting your money on the line.
What Do You Need to Know When Playing Canadian Online Gambling?
Before signing up with any new site, there are several things that you should know. Having the relevant information will improve your experience.
Know Your Limits
First, you need to know your limits. Before registering with a particular online casino, it’s important to understand the amount you can afford to lose. Base it on your playing experience and the size of your bankroll.
For example, if you’re a novice gambler, you might only want to wager $5-$10 per game. On the other hand, experienced players might prefer betting $50-$100 per spin.
Know Which Games Are Available
Once you decide on the kind of games you’d like to play, you need to look into the options offered by the online casino. This may mean checking out reviews and ratings for each casino.
Also, pay attention to how often they update their database. One of the biggest benefits of online casinos is that they bring you a wide variety of games. You shouldn’t miss out on this benefit by choosing the wrong online casino.
·
 Some bonuses can be very attractive Find Out About Bonuses
All reputable online casinos offer bonuses for both new members and loyal players. However, not all bonuses are created equal. Make sure that you find one that gives you a decent amount of free money. Researching about bonuses is important even when you have a huge bankroll.
Emerging Trends in the Canadian Casino Market.
In 2022, the casino market in Canada has been experiencing a shift. The industry is growing fast, and many new names are already cropping up. Here are a few trends to look out for:
The Use of Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrencies are becoming mainstream. The number of Bitcoin ATMs has increased by over 50% since 2017. This means that people can now buy bitcoins without having to go through an exchange or bank account. Other cryptocurrency exchanges are growing rapidly as well. There are currently over 1,000 cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide.
The reason behind the growing popularity of Bitcoin among online gamblers is its anonymous nature. You can make transactions without having to provide any personal information. Furthermore, there are no limits on how much money you can transfer or withdraw from the casino. Transactions are pretty fast as well.
The Breakthrough of VR
Even though VR is a pretty costly technology, it is fast making its breakthrough in Canadian online casinos. Although there is still a long way to go, many online casinos are already adopting it. VR casino games take your playing experience to the next level.
 It is the responsibility of the gambler to play responsibly.. Know your limit and stick to it. Focus On Responsible Gambling
Online casinos in Canada are working on strategies to promote responsible gambling. The Canadian government announced new measures to protect players from online gambling addiction. These include:
• A ban on advertising or promoting gambling products to minors
• A minimum age requirement of 18 years old for all online gaming sites
• A ban on accepting wagers from Canadians who live outside of Canada
• A ban on accepting wager from Canadians with an income below $50,000 per year
The Canadian government will be monitoring the industry to ensure compliance with the new rules. According to the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA), they will be looking at ways to make sure casino games are not being used by people who have trouble controlling their gambling habits.
They are also considering how to prevent underage gamblers from accessing online gaming sites. The CGA is concerned about the impact of online gambling on vulnerable groups such as youth, seniors, and those living with mental health issues.
Increased Growth of ESports Betting
The popularity of esports games among Canadian audiences is increasing fast. Currently, the audience is in hundreds of millions. There are plenty of competitions and tournaments to bet on, and studies suggest that esports could be getting more popular than traditional sports. It is only a matter of time before they pull audiences as big as in traditional sports like basketball and football. It is no surprise that almost all of Canada’s top bookmakers are including esports in their offers.
 esports betting is expected to grow into an $8 billion market Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games in Canada are already popular. In 2022, however, they could be getting a bigger share. Players are interested in the human experience, and live dealers offer that without compromising the online experience. In 2022, there will be more live dealer games. Casinos that didn’t already offer them may start doing so.
Continued Market Growth
The surest thing about Canada’s online casino market in 2022 is that it will continue to grow. Although the pandemic was a major contributor to its growth, many other factors make online casinos popular. The advancement of mobile gaming, unique bonuses, and better payment methods significant contributor as well.
 By Pepper Parr
January 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
For some the financial fall out from the Covid19 pandemic has been manageable. A few are actually doing better during these tough times.
For others, the financial damage is severe, especially in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Some have been wiped out, lost everything and are struggling emotionally as they do their best to deal with what is left.
The City has developed a COVID-19 Property Tax Payment Plan program for 2022 that should help those struggling from day to day
 No patrons The program offers eligible residents and businesses that continue to face financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic a monthly pre-authorized payment plan to assist with the repayment of property tax installments.
It was approved by city council on January 11, 2022.
Individuals must apply for the 2022 COVID-19 Property Payment Plan program by completing the online application at burlington.ca/propertytax.
The program will allow eligible property owners who are unable to pay their property taxes by the regularly scheduled tax due dates, to make payments under a pre-authorized payment plan. If eligible, equal monthly withdrawals will be made that will allow for the property taxes to be paid in full by Dec. 1, 2022. No penalty or interest will be applied for the duration of the payment plan as long as payments are made.
Additional details:
- Applicants will be required to attest they are experiencing financial hardship directly related to COVID-19, e.g. loss of employment, business closure, prolonged suspension of pay
- Property owners that have an unpaid balance on their tax account from March 1, 2020 onward may include this amount in the property tax payment plan (eligible owners cannot have any property tax amounts owing prior to March 1, 2020)
-
 Joan Ford – Chief Financial Officer Eligible property owners have the ability to choose which date they would like the pre-authourized monthly payment plan to begin. Options include March 1, April 1, May 1, June 1 or July 1 (applications are due 10 days prior to the withdrawal date).
Joan Ford, Chief Financial Officer for the city explains: “With new COVID-19 variants and changes to provincial restrictions, the City recognizes that residents and businesses continue to face uncertainty and financial pressures. The goal of the property tax payment plan is to support taxpayers and help ease the burden of meeting the regularly scheduled property tax due dates, without facing penalties.”
By Pepper Parr
January 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Later this week we expect to be able to show you some of the subtle changes to the look and feel of what we deliver.
We have developed a more efficient way to get the news in front of you.
There are going to be different editions of the paper:
A Morning Edition, an Afternoon Edition and a Breaking News Edition.
 The Morning and Afternoon editions go out at specific times. The top three stories are a click away – the rest of the paper is just as easy to get to.
Breaking News goes out the moment there is critical news. When there was a Covid19 outbreak at the Joseph Brant Hospital – that was Breaking News. We pride ourselves on getting news out very quickly – especially when it matters a lot.
 Each issue arrives in your email once you’ve subscribed. There is no subscription fee. You can cancel anytime and go back to logging in the way tens of thousands do daily.
And of course you can go to the web site anytime and look at everything including the archives which hold everything we ever published.
Changes have been tested; staff is now being trained. There will be a separate news story during the week explaining how easy it is to sign up. You can also unsubscribe anytime you decide you don’t like us any more.
Best of all the news is FREE!
 By Ray Rivers
January 22, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of years ago Ray Rivers was visiting Ukraine to get a better sense of a country to which he was culturally attached. At the time we arranged for him to meet with Canadian troops who were training a Ukrainian army unit.
I visited Ukraine a couple of times after the Russian invasion in 2014. The second time, in 2017, my wife and I volunteered to teach in their school system for about a month. We were part of a multinational effort, called Go Camp, involving some 1100 volunteers from 75 countries to share our language and culture with young Ukrainian students.
 I taught some French, music and drama, and before I left gifted my guitar to a promising young music student. Burlington’s MP (Hon) Karina Gould’s office had passed along some Canadian lapel flag pins which were well received by the students. We were billeted by the parents and literally became part of their families, struggling with the language but sharing meals and laughs and stories of who we are.
We asked, at every appropriate occasion, about the situation in the country. What did they think about the war and Ukraine’s future relationship with Russia? They were reluctant to open up but mostly they said they didn’t know. They didn’t understand what Putin wanted and why he was attacking their country. And they really didn’t want to talk about the conflict, especially those who had fled from the war zone in the Russian occupied Donbas.
 It was as if they were ashamed and embarrassed – unsure if they were to blame in some small way – perhaps their nation had moved too quickly to expand its horizons, promote a market economy, embrace democracy and adopt other western ideals. Almost like a battered spouse or victim of bullying would react, they couldn’t wait for the topic to change. It hurt too much to talk about it.
Not everyone was happy with their government, their leaders and all the corruption that had been going on. Still, nobody said that they’d rather be Russian, even if the government pensions were higher there, as we were told by one woman, a retired school principal now cleaning classrooms to supplement her retirement income. And there were a number of bright young people hoping for a visa to come to Canada to live, and, more often than not, being rejected.
There is still a good deal of attachment to Russia – a doctor who worked weekdays at a hospital in Moscow and came home on the weekends – a young woman completing her advanced degree in petroleum engineering at a Moscow technical college. It is more difficult for them to commute now since no flights are allowed between the two nations. And while many people still use the Russian language, it’s more common among the older crowd who are used to saying ‘Da’ instead of ‘Tak’ for yes, but nobody seems to mind.
 Ukraine citizens protesting the high levels of corruption in their country. Ukrainians thought they knew what they wanted when they declared their independence along with those other Soviet republics and satellites when the USSR disintegrated. Ukraine was so eager on being a model of peacefulness that it gave up its nuclear arsenal, the third largest in the world. In return the US, UK and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum which guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Or so they thought. But when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, the other signatories just shrugged their shoulders. President Obama, who’d been given a Nobel peace prize, was quick off the mark to say what he wouldn’t do. He wouldn’t try to stop Russia – wouldn’t send defensive weapons to help Ukraine. And with that he gave license and argument for every wanna-be nuclear power – the only way to guarantee your defence is with a nuke in your backyard.
When it comes to defence, good fences make good neighbours. And if your neighbour is a bully then you needed to be ready for him/her. So Ukraine called on its wannabe European partners, and potential future NATO allies, for help. Canada, with the world’s second largest Ukrainian diaspora, sent a couple hundred military trainers, gave the country some night vision goggles and a couple hundred million dollars in development assistance.
Mr. Trudeau says he’s only thinking of sending over what Kyiv really wants, some high tech defensive weapons that could help stop Russia’s vast assembly of tanks and planes. Perhaps he alone understands Mr. Putin’s mind allowing the argument… that a poorly armed Ukraine will better deter a Russian invasion than one appropriately outfitted with high tech armament to fight off an invasion.
 Foreign Minister Melanie Joly meets Canadian soldiers. There are currently about 200 Canadian Armed Forces members in Ukraine as part of an international training mission to help improve Ukrainian soldiers’ combat skills. My publisher had organized for me to visit the military base where Canadian instructors are training Ukrainian soldiers. There was not much joy around. This is, after all, a conflict with no apparent end in sight and a lot of death and suffering in the meantime. Putin has the overwhelming upper hand. We were told that taking pictures of the snipers training was forbidden since, with Russian agents still active, that could make the recruits targets.
Known as Kievan Rus or Ruthenia, Ukraine was the largest country in Europe in the 11th century. But the invaders over all the intervening years have done their best to create one jigsaw puzzle or another. Mongols, Ottoman Turks, Swedes, Polish, Lithuanians, Austro-Hungarians, and the Russians all have had a crack at occupying Ukraine – or some part of it. One of the current day ironies is that it was Ukrainian migrants who first left Kyiv to found Moscow and Russia.
Putin has been pretty clear about what he’d like – a return to the glorious days of the Soviet Union, presumably pre-Afghanistan invasion. Humiliated by the break up of the USSR, he is determined to wreak a kind of vengeance by humiliating the USA, breaking up the EU and destroying NATO. He wants to be back in the USSR. And he wants to take Ukraine, formerly one of the most populous and productive republics in the union, with him.
Russia has twice as many troops in uniform (280,000) as Ukraine, and a very modernized military machine, including nuclear weapons. But what would be the point of nuking the heck out of Ukraine if it is be included the new USSR? And though Ukraine is out-soldiered and out-gunned, it has developed a civil defence organization numbering some 300,000. So while a blitz invasion might get Russia well into the heart of Ukraine it’ll have trouble holding onto it.
The folks we met while over there understood that Russia might invade their homeland, but despite all the pessimism they were resolved that that would not be the end of it. According to a recent survey up to a third of the population of 44 million are prepared to pick up a firearm and join the fight for their country.
Perhaps what I took for traces of sadness in their smiles was just plain tiredness – tired of just another autocrat trying to crush their new-found freedom. Tired of conflict. But then again, perhaps they also understand that this conflict is bigger than Ukraine. Because on the other side of the world President Xi is preparing his own invasion plans to put an end to another democracy, this time on the island of Taiwan.
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links
Go Camp – What Does Putin Want – Putin –
Ukraine History – Budapest Memorandum –
US Naive – Trudeau Waffles – More Waffle –
Biden Must Stand Up –
 By Pepper Parr
January 21st, 2022
BURLINGTON, 0N
Ontario today reported 4,114 COVID-19 hospitalizations, 590 in the ICU and 64 deaths; is this what the Minister of Health meant by a “glimmer of hope”?
 Yesterday Premier Doug Ford announced when and how he would open up the province and return to normal business.
January 31st
restrictions would be reduced.
February 21st restrictions would be reduced even further.
March 14th restrictions would disappear.
Setting out information like this might be good politics but it is bad public health practice.
Once again the Premier got it wrong.
What he needed to say was that when hospitalizations are at ??? and ICU patients are at ??? THEN restrictions will be lowered.
It is decisions made by individuals that will bring down the number of people infected and the number of hospitalizations.
Stop the bromides Mr. Premier. Let people take responsibility and when the data indicates that people are being responsible, then lift the restrictions. I, too, want to go out to a restaurant for dinner – but I don’t want to compromise my health.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
January 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This report sets out the very awkward situation in which the Planning department finds itself.
If you love your city and you care about what it is going to look like in five years, read on. The report is lengthy.
The city has had a Waterfront Planning Study in the works since 2015. At one point the Planning Department advised that they did not have a planner assigned to the file.
Most people thought progress was being made – turns out everyone was wrong. Nothing (at best very little) was being done.
 The boundary for the Waterfront Study area was clear. The study was paid for by the developer who got tired of waiting and decided to move on with his long term plans While city planners were asleep at the switch the owner of the property wasn’t.
 Darko Vranich, has significant property interests in Hamilton and Burlington which include the adult entertainment site Solid Gold in Aldershot and that small motel immediately east of Bridgewater and doors away from Emma’s Back Porch. The Waterfront Hotel is owned by Darko Vranich, who owns Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Road Inc., the site of the hotel he wants to demolish and put up a two tower development – one at 35 storeys, the other at 30 storeys – both would sit atop a five level podium.
Back in April 28, 2021, the consulting firm, Bousfields (leading the development application team), met with staff in the Planning Department to determine the requirements for a complete development application.
The developer wanted to amend the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law to facilitate the owner’s proposal to redevelop the site with a mixed-use development that does not conform to in-effect Official Plan policies or Zoning By-law regulations.
That meeting should have triggered some action on completing the Waterfront Study – apparently it didn’t.
The city provided the developer and their representatives with a preconsultation package (by email – May 5, 2021).
The preconsultation package outlines the following;
Types of applications required (Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment);
Application fees required;
Requirement to hold a Pre-Application Public Consultation Meeting prior to submitting an application;
Required Information for Complete Application.
In accordance with the requirements set out in the preconsultation package, the applicant consulted the Burlington Urban Design (BUD) Panel regarding their proposed development on August 19, 2021. At a meeting less than a week ago the Director of Community Planning, Mark Simeone, was not aware that a meeting with BUD had taken place.
Another example of senior city staff not being fully briefed on everything which was now in play. Staff were fully aware of the scale, size and scope of what the developer had in mind. The public didn’t have a clue until a virtual Pre-Application Consultation Meeting was held via via Zoom September 8, 2021.
Lisa Kearns, the Ward Councillor and Mayor Meed Ward attended and took part – the news was not new to them.
 Years before the pre-consultation meeting at which the public got to see what the developer had in mind, a group of citizens believed there was a better way to develop the Waterfront Hotel site and they formed Plan B and created the idea of a thin red line beyond which there would be no development.
The city, in the meantime, had hired a group to hold public meetings at which different concepts were developed. The Plan B people were never really sure if they were being heard by the city planners. When the graphic below became public it was pretty close to what the Plan B people were prepared to settle for. Was it close enough to the three concepts the city made public? And, by the way, what are the current concepts the city planners have for the site? Nothing anywhere that sets out the city’s position.
You can bet real money that the developer knows what they want – at this point all we have is what they presented last September – and that wasn’t a pretty sight.
 The green area is what Plan B wants left open allowing a clear view to the lake from Brant Street.
On October 22, 2021, City staff received a submission package from the applicant requesting amendments to the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit the proposed development at 2020 Lakeshore Road.
On October 26, 2021 the City received the application fees set out in the preconsultation package. City staff confirmed receipt of these materials and fees as of October 26 and initiated a completeness review to determine whether the required information and material, as identified in the preconsultation package, had been provided.
The Planning Department, at first, took the position that the development application was not complete but sometime after the January 13 council meeting at which the development application was deemed incomplete the matter was on the January 18th council meeting as an Urgent Business matter. At that time the application was deemed to be complete.
Sometime on the Friday between the 13th and the 18th meetings new information from someone (either the city planning staff or the consultant for the developer or the city’s outside legal counsel) was provided resulted in the application being deemed complete.
The development application that was deemed incomplete did not have the the following required information:
1. Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment;
2. Park Concept Plan;
3. Angular Plane Study.
Staff notified the applicant that their application had been deemed incomplete.
Subsequently the applicant submitted a request to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for a motion date to determine if the application was in fact in complete. The OLT never did schedule a date for such a motion to be heard.
On December 17, 2021, the applicant provided the following additional materials to the City in relation to their applications:
1. Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment;
2. Park Concept Plan;
3. Angular Plane Study.
Sometime before January 18th, City staff reviewed the additional materials provided and determined that with the receipt of additional materials described the development application was deemed to be complete December 17, 2021.
The clock was now ticking – starting December 17th, 2021 the city had 120 days to produce a Staff report on the development.
The immediate impact was the loss of about 30 days that could have been used to review the development application to be in a position to complete a review of a very big and a very complex file dumped on a department that was understaffed and had very recently added 15+ planners to staff who had to work in an office environment dictated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sometime in February, 2022 the city will hold a required statutory public meeting at Council Committee to consider the development applications. It is expected that the statutory meeting will be virtual, which will crimp the number of delegations made at Council.
Sometime in April, 2022 a Staff recommendation report will be sent to Committee followed by a special Council meeting.
The city has three options:
Approve the application
Approve the application with required changes
Refuse the application setting out the reasons for the refusal
If refused the developer will take the case to the Ontario Land Tribunal
That is not the whole story.
 The night Marianne Meed Ward was elected Mayor of Burlington. When Marianne Meed Ward ran for Mayor in 2018 she told the citizens of Burlington that she wanted the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) to be moved north – to where the Burlington GO station was located.
It took a lot of energy and political guts to take that position but as Mayor, Marianne Meed Ward pushed and pushed and pushed.
And the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing eventually agreed and the UGC boundary was moved north with the southern boundary pushed north from Lakeshore Road to about Prospect.
Unfortunately, in the same decision, the Minister grandfathered a number of development sites and said they would fall under the rules of the old UGC – which ran right to the lake. Right where the Waterfront Hotel development is to take place.
The decision didn’t help.
Council passed a motion last week that included an amendment.
Deem, in accordance with sections 22.1, 22(5) and 34(10.2) of the Planning Act, that applications submitted by Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law for lands at 2020 Lakeshore Road as made and complete on December 17, 2021, as the required information and materials were provided on that date; and
Direct the Director of Community Planning to notify Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. that the required information and material have been provided for the applications to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law for lands at 2020 Lakeshore Road, in accordance with sections 22(6.1) and 34(10.4) of the Planning Act.
The amendment:
Direct the Director of Community Planning to complete the processing of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law for lands at 2020 Lakeshore Road within the statutory time frames, and bring forward a recommendation to Council and the Community to provide input and a decision before the statutory review period expires.
So what now?
There is a very senior planner on the file and an all hands on deck attitude is infusing staff – many who are working remotely. Not the best situation to create the sense of team needed to get the very best out of people who have been pushed to the limit for more than 20 months.
To add to the troubled situation, Heather MacDonald, the chief planner as well as an Executive Director with the city, advised the city manager that she was going to retire. This apparently was not a surprise to the city manager.
Members of Council are limited on what they can say about a development that has yet to be put before Council with a Staff recommendation. As a result there hasn’t been as much as a peep from any of them.
 What was Councillor Galbraith opposed to? We do know that Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith was not very excited about what took place in those Closed sessions. He didn’t vote for the decision to direct Burlington’s legal counsel to proceed that came out of the Closed session. Because it was a Closed session the public will never know what Galbraith was opposed to.
Way back in 2010 Marianne Meed Ward ran for Council as the ward 2 candidate running on a platform to Save the Waterfront. Burlington may be about to see shovels in the ground by the end of the year putting a dagger in the heart of what Meed Ward set out to do
The Plan B group that wanted the western edge of any development on the hotel site to be limited by what they called a “thin red line.
At one point the Planning department appeared to be onside – no one is sure at this point if the thin red line concept will be applied.
What we do know is that the Planning department is working hard at completing their report that will go to city council and that sometime before it goes to Council there will be a required Statutory meeting at which the developer can tell their story (they are not required to take part) and citizens can delegate on what they don’t like.
It will be quite a meeting.
 Lovely design with great architectural features – but is this what the citizens of the city want in the downtown core?
 Is this the new look of the city skyline?  Is this what the entrance to Spencer Smith Park going to look like?
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