 By Keith Sundaram
February 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Mike Malott is a 24-year-old Featherweight contender.
Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Boxing, and finally MMA were all a part of Malott’s fighting experience that began in 2007. Dalhousie College in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia attracted Malott. In 2010, Malott began learning Muay Thai and Boxing at Titans Gym Academy, his personal gym.
 Since being active in combat sports, Malott has competed in Ufc, Grappling, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Judo, both as an enthusiast and a professional. As a result, he has an extremely diverse fighting style.
In May 2012, he made his professional MMA debut by submitting James Saunders in the first round. To pay for his opponent’s flight from Toronto to Trenton, Nova Scotia, Mike Imperato (3-0) forfeited his prize 6 weeks later. Mallot, competing for free, submitted Imperato by armbar in the second round. Malott stated this in an interview following the bout: “This fight was a freebie for me. This isn’t a job for me; it’s a hobby that I enjoy. I’d gladly pay for this experience, and I’ve already done so as an amateur.”
How Malott joining the competition will affect Canada’s UFC betting industry
UFC betting is gaining a lot of popularity in Canada thanks to a massive rise in viewership, having all these Canadian fighters join such a major global competition, Sports lovers from all across Canada are supporting their fellow local athletes as much as they can in an attempt to bring their nationality to the top of the leaderboards. Mike Malott is an incredible fighter and since he will debut in the UFC this April, we are sure to be seeing an upsurge in Canadian views on the UFC, as well as Canadians betting on the sport, since he will be deemed as the underdog by the oddsmakers, there will be a good chance for people who bet on him to make a significant profit.>
How to join in on the UFC betting action in Canada
For long-term success, it’s frequently more than simply fortune that is required. This is also true in the Octagon, where competitors rise to the challenge when the chips are down. Betting on the UFC, like other professional sports, might be challenging, particularly for those who are just casually interested in MMA. However, this does not rule out the possibility of profiting from UFC wagering. To learn more about the different MMA betting markets, get exclusive UFC betting tips, and how to earn a profit while betting on the world’s most intense contact sport, it’s ideal that players looking to have some wagering fun to turn to trustworthy sources of reliable information to learn all there is to know about the top trustworthy online sportsbooks for UFC events providing UFC betting odds, MMA betting odds for other mixed martial arts leagues, including Bellator fights.
Is it possible to profit from UFC betting?
You’ll have to put in some effort if you want to profit from any sports gambling possibility. Everybody would do it if it were simple, there would be no winners.
To be a good UFC bettor, you’ll need a variety of skills and information in addition to a basic understanding of the sport. Even the most ardent UFC fans might not have been the best bettors in the business.
An individual admires too much the favorite combatant. To put it another way, if you’re a big fan of Connor McGregor, you probably love seeing him compete.
However, you must be realistic and accept the possibility that he will lose. Even more so if the opponent he faces is well-matched against him.
There are five defeats on McGregor’s record as an example. A superb submission artist might put him in serious jeopardy, as four of his victories have come by submission thus far.
 Another approach to profit from UFC gambling is to select the sort of bet you want to put down. The most popular types of wagering include money lines, over/under round totals, and means of winning.
The Moneyline is a prediction of the winner of the bout. The number of rounds the fight will last before it is declared a draw is known as the “over/under” or “tallies” wager. After that comes a forecast of how you think the winner will be victorious, whether by knockout or submission.
In order to have a long-term winning streak and to place the greatest wagers, you must be able to decipher odds. So, let’s take a closer look at the UFC betting odds.
What formula is used to determine the UFC’s odds?
When a duel is scheduled, the gambling industry adjusts the worth of the boxers in the matchup.
A money line choice is the most typical type of line you’ll come across.The odds will shift somewhat in favor of specific combatants as more bets are placed on them. A sportsbook will modify the odds if too many people bet on one boxer, making it more enticing to gamble on the other.
 By Staff
February 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is reporting 842 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 281 in ICU on Sunday. We have broken that 1000 hospitalizations barrier – which is a good sign.
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns – isolating  Burlington Member of Parliament Karina Gould – isolating. At the same time Burlington’s ward 2 Councillor reported that she had COVID19 and was isolating. There is a report that MP Karina Gould has COVID19.
The province notes that not all hospitals report on weekends. There are also at least 2,001 new cases of COVID-19.
So it is out there and it is being transferred from people to people.
Gould and Kearns are committed mask wearers and are also in the public sphere.
On Tuesday March 1st, the province opens things up.
Another really important concern is the number of people who still believe this is all hokum and there is nothing to worry about.
 By Pepper Parr
February 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Some facts:
Municipal election results for Mayor of Burlington
Rick Goldring won with 21,797 votes. Goldring defeated Cam Jackson and Marianne Meed Ward ran and as a Councillor and won in ward 2. Anne Marsden was not a candidate in the 2010 election.
In 2014 Rick Goldring ran for re-election and won with 23,360 votes.
 Anne Marsden delegating at Burlington city council with her husband David Anne Marsden ran and got 3,043 votes.
In 2018 Marianne Meed Ward ran for Mayor and defeated Rick Goldring.
Meed Ward – 23,360 votes
Goldring – 16,781 votes
Anne Marsden ran against Gary Carr for Regional Chair
Gary Carr – 79,775 votes
Anne Marsden – 41,136 votes
The data above is all a matter of public record on either the city of Burlington web site or the Region of Halton web site.
On February 24th, Anne Marsden released the information set out below.
Marsden does not provide dates for the votes she lists. The amounts spent are a matter of public record.
The Goldring data is for the 2018 municipal election as is the data for Meed Ward.
The Marsden number represent the number of votes she got from the voters of Burlington who chose her as Regional Chair in 2018.
The data Marsden provides appears to be intended to convince people that Marsden is a credible candidate and can pull in a lot of votes without spending very much money.
We believe the numbers are misleading and were intended to mislead.
Anne Marsden has positioned herself as a person who hews to the truth and argues vociferously that she has the facts and that she is right.
She has on occasion done a good job of digging out facts – especially with the C. difficile outbreak at the Joseph Brant Hospital in 2009.
The virus overran the hospital from May 2006 to December 2007- the information was not released until 2009.
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
February 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
We have learned that the Brant Plaza Postal Outlet located inside the Pharmasave in the No Frills plaza is closing.
 Pharmacy stays – post outlet due to close April 6th This was not a store decision. Canada Post issued the order effective April 6th.
A resident described it as a “Very sad as it’s a very busy outlet. An integral part of the downtown core. “
A grassroots campaign to save the outlet has started by with people texting 55555 with the words SURVEY or by going to canadapostsurvey.ca.
You have to use the outlets number 105314 when inputting the survey data. At the end they can put in a comment
A Canada Post outlet on Brant closed a number of months ago – that operation was shifted to the Bridgewater development. It is inside the tower on the east side – very small sign.
 By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The resumption of the paused Waterfront Hotel site study began on the 15th.
On balance is was a good first step – even though it was hobbled by the fact that there is an active development application before the city’s Planning department while the city studies what should be done long term with the property.
One of the things the public learned was that the city has the right to take a certain amount of land as park land dedication. Burlington, in the past, had accepted cash in lieu of land so often that the development community felt that it was the common practice.
 The two red X marks are parkland the city might take from the developer. The Planning Act permits a municipality to acquire a portion of the property as parkland. It is evident the city will be asking for what it is entitled to in the way of parkland dedication.
At this point the land the city appears to be going after is a 20 metre strip of land on the west side of the hotel running from the property boundary on Lakeshore Road and the southern boundary.
During the meeting city staff announced they had put together a survey that they wanted people to answer.
The Gazette look at the survey questions and found it very limited. There were two questions, along the lines of: ‘What do you think’ and ‘what is your postal code’.
We thought we might have gotten it wrong and we asked city staff the following:
I am doing a piece on the survey that came out of the most recent Waterfront Study meeting – finding that all they appear to want is your view on the site development and your postal code
Is that the extent of the survey?
The response was brief:
If the survey responses are going to guide where the Waterfront Site Study is going the answer may well be – not very far.
The survey closes Tuesday March 1st – link to the survey is HERE
Related news story”
Resumption of the Waterfront Hotel site study
 By Staff
February 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington will follow the direction from the Provincial government and will no longer require visitors to City recreational facilities to show proof of vaccination as of March 1.
 Masks, physical distancing and active screening are still required until further notice.
More information will be shared if there are additional impacts to recreation facilities or programs once the full regulations are released by the province.
Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation, Community and Culture said: “Regardless of any changes, our staff will always work to providing the safest and highest quality programming we can offer. Please be patient with staff as we work through implementing any change and as we take cautious steps on the journey to fully reopening our facilities and programs.”
I wouldn’t throw out the card yet or delete it from my cell phone. Wait until the pandemic gets renamed to an endemic.
 By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns is recovering from Covid19. There was a bit of a glitch in the web cast of the February 22nd, Standing Committee meeting at which there was a meeting on the resumption of the Waterfront Study.
What was available to the public did not include the first six to eight minutes of the meeting during which ward 2 Councillor Kearns announced she had contracted Covid 19 and was isolating at home.
She stayed on the web cast during which we did hear a bit from Councillor Kearns but not the usual robust on top of an issue Lisa.
A polite mention from the Mayor at the end of the web cast wishing Kearns a speedy recovery would have been nice.
Kearns advises us that the first few days were difficult but she is on her way to a full recovery.
 By Staff
February 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Some City web applications and online forms temporarily unavailable for scheduled maintenance March 3
 On Thursday, March 3, 2022, the following applications and forms will not be available starting at 10 p.m. until Friday, March 4 at 2 a.m.:
- Burlington calendar
- Application to search for City parks and facilities
- The City’s online job application platform
This maintenance work has been scheduled in the evening hours to limit the disruption.
 By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Quiet, quaint, downtown Burlington may become a thing of the past.
The owners of the Waterfront Hotel have filed a development application to build two towers on the site; one at 35 storeys, the other at 30 storeys with both sitting on a five storey podium.
 This is what we have. Some development can be justified – but it has to be the right development for the city. There is a public that is opposed to a development of this size. Disturbingly there is also a city council that has been less than vocal in its views on the development.
During the Statutory meeting held earlier in the month the Mayor, the ward Councillor and one other member of council spoke out not totally against the development but certainly against the height the developer was asking for.
 The developer would like to make Lakeshore |Road 6 m narrower; they want to put up towers that will rise 40 storeys.  This is what the developer want to build. It is very good design, it could well win awards – it is the location that is wrong.  Of the limited number of delegations (there were six) the one that drove home just what the issue is came from Plan B, a group that has 500 supporters and 5000 people following them on the Facebook page – which you can find right HERE
There are two processes being handled at the same time which to many seems awkwardly odd. The city is processing a development application while at the same time the city is working its way through a Waterfront Study that will “inform” and guide the development of the area.
Part of the study is a survey that is asking people how they feel about some of the ideas that were put out during the Statutory meeting last week.
Confusing – true – the developers, their legal counsel and their planning consultants are quite comfortable with the confusion – they understand the issues and they have a tonne of money invested in the process.
For parents dealing with the fallout from Covid19, stressed and struggling to run households – finding time to respond to a survey about an issue of which they may not be fully informed, is a stretch.
 Two processes – out of which there will be only one result and it may not be made by the city council you elected.
The survey isn’t the easiest to navigate. They appear to be looking for responses from people who live in specific parts of the city. When you are asked to enter your postal code, you have to know what it is – you get a thank you for taking part.
We live in a time when there are serious decisions to be made – don’t leave it up to the people you elected unless they are fully transparent and prepared to be accountable for the decisions they make.
Are these three now mute? Do they not have a view of how the city should grow?
 Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte  Angelo Bentivegna ward 6. While members of Council are elected by the people in a specific ward the have a responsibility for the growth of the city as a single entity.  Kelvin Galbraith, ward 1. Based on the Statutory meeting last week Councillors Bentivegna, Stolte, and Galbraith have some explaining to do. And one might ask – where is the most experienced Councillor on this issue – other than his remarks on the failure to come up with a vision, Councillor Sharman hasn’t had much to say.
 By Pepper Parr
February 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Anne Marsden A few days ago Anne Marsden released a statement saying she was going to support Jane McKenna who announced she was running for the office of Regional chair.
Many thought Marsden might run for Regional chair – she had in the past and did remarkably well.
This afternoon Marsden threw another curve ball and announced she would run as Mayor of Burlington in the October election.
 She then provided some data on the top three candidates in the 2018 election.
The first reaction was – how embarrassing for Rick Goldring.
There are others who have an interest in being the Mayor of Burlington.
 By Staff
February 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General’s has awarded the Halton Regional Police Service a Victim Support Grant
The $200,000 in funding, to be issued over a two-year period, will facilitate an expansion of supports offered to victims and survivors of intimate partner violence in Halton region through a multi-pronged strategy.
 Collectively, these complementary, victim-centric strategies focus on enhanced partnerships between police and non-police partners to better respond to the complex needs of survivors and help create safe places across our region for survivors to report violence and coercive and controlling behaviour.
A portion of the grant will be used to embed a dedicated violence against women (VAW) support worker from Halton Women’s Place* within the HRPS Intimate Partner Violence Offender Management Unit (IPV-OMU). As a result, the IPV-OMU will be better positioned to provide survivors safety support, community referrals, crisis, group and individual counseling, and advocacy, which will help mitigate risks to survivors.
 Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Jeff Hill To better meet the needs of our diverse community, the VAW worker will also work closely with the IPV-OMU and the Victim Services Unit of the HRPS to access their volunteer crisis workers who amongst them, speak 15 languages. Additionally, HMC Connections** would also provide consultation and support in terms of strategies for providing services and supports that are culturally appropriate and address the complexities faced by newcomers to Canada.
A portion of the grant will be used to provide enhanced intimate partner violence risk assessment training to Halton Women’s Place staff and HMC Connections staff.
Recognizing that victims and survivors of intimate partner violence may have more comfort accessing support through non-police agencies, this training will ensure that non-police partners who are dealing directly with survivors of intimate partner violence have access to the same risk assessment tools as police. This training will bolster their ability to identify and mitigate risk for their clients.
Intimate partner violence is an ever-present secret carried by far too many in our community. The HRPS, and our community partners, know and see the toll of violence on families. In 2020, the HRPS responded, on average, to more than ten intimate partner violence incidents a day in the community.
The true incidence of intimate partner violence may never be known, as we recognize that much of it goes unreported to police. While the complexities of survivors are unique, the commonality they share is the need for a safe place to report intimate partner violence. The strategies funded through this grant will provide a safer pathway forward for survivors, including through reporting.
The HRPS, Halton Women’s Place, and HMC Connections extend their gratitude to the Solicitor General for granting this funding for new intimate partner violence victim supports. These initiatives will support our steadfast commitment to ensure that Halton region is a place where every person can safely live, work and play without fear of violence.
“The Halton Regional Police Service believes it is the fundamental right of every person to live free from the threat of violence and to feel safe in our community,” says Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. “This grant will help expand the reach of our collective efforts to ensure survivors know that they are not alone, that support is available, and ultimately help them begin their journey of healing.”
 “Halton Women’s Place is thrilled to expand on our partnership with the HRPS through this new initiative, which will provide women who have experienced violence with greater support and safety options,” says Laurie Hepburn, Executive Director of Halton Women’s Place. “This integrated approach with the placement of a VAW counsellor at the HRPS and support from HMC Connections will help build capacity and capabilities to best serve our community.”
“The risk assessment training is going to give our Settlement Specialists tools to identify people at risk and to make sure they now where and how to reach out for support,” says Kim Jenkinson, Executive Director of HMC Connections. “It is critical to get information to people early – they need to know they are not alone and there are people and systems that can help them. Being able to identify people at higher risk will also allow us to customize and tailor the information provided to the cultural needs of the client.”
By Staff
February 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Below is an invitation from Statistics Canada to participate in a crowdsourcing initiative to collect data on Canadians’ access to and experiences with COVID-19 testing. Everyone is encouraged to share their insights, especially parents and people living with children.
 In this new crowdsourcing initiative, we are seeking your experiences with testing for COVID-19, particularly with using rapid tests. This information will help assess the use of at-home COVID-19 testing, access to rapid testing kits in Canada and vaccination status.
Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire and feel free to forward this email to others—the more people that participate, the better the data.
Participating is easy and secure
Click HERE to participate:
This survey is conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, which guarantees that the information you provide will be kept confidential, and used only for statistical and research purposes.
 By Staff
February 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
From time to time a citizens group is formed that has a significant impact on decisions made at city hall. Plan B is one of those groups – it is small – less than five people; all retired or thought they were.
Their concerns started to take shape when they became aware of some of the plans that were being bandied about related to the re-development of the Waterfront Hotel site.
 The Plan B people have been at this for a long time – more than five years. They have not always been heard.. The group was solely focused on ensuring that any redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel :
Enhances the Brant Street gateway to Lake Ontario &
Extends the green/ open space of Spencer Smith Park
They acknowledge & respect the property owner’s right to profit from his investment, and that this will necessitate a “reasonable” amount of massing & building height. What tyey are looking for is a “Win Win Win” for all parties.
Emerging Plan B concept from Planning partnership gets close to what they wouldlike to see; it seeks to balance the Developer’s Current Concept with Plan B’s (the community’s) Concepts. The concept is premised on the following:
Achieves the Urban Design objectives for the Downtown
Achieves a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) that balances the base permissions of 5.0 with the Developer’s Current Concept which represents approx. 7.5 FAR
Buildings are located east of the ‘Thin Red Line’ , representing the view corridor south of Lakeshore Road, proposed by the Downtown Mobility Hub Study.
- A new significant open space defined by the ‘Thin Red Line’ located on the west portion of the property, contiguous with the waterfront park
- Buildings that provide a clear landmark visible from the park, Brant Street, John Street, Lakeshore Road and Lake Ontario
- A potential development yield that is viable and provides some incentive for redevelopment
Note: PLAN B neither supports nor objects to tower height
There are very significant difference between what the existing rules permit and what the developer is asking for.
 The Burlington Urban Design panel, made up of professionals who have no interest in the development put forward a number of recommendation. Few got anything more than the time of day. The Applicant’s Response to Community Input in Plan B’s Opinion
- Silent on/ Ignored most Public input & recommendations
– Waterfront Planning Study re: Key Policy Directives – June 2018
– Burlington Urban Design Advisory Committee – August 2021
– PLAN B – Thin Red Line
- The Application relies heavily on UGC/ MTSA designations downtown to justify intensification
– While the Complete Application was not submitted until December 17th grandfathering by the November 10th ROPA order is assumed
The Plan B people assume that the developer is prepared to let their case be determined by the Ontario Land Tribunal.
 The thin red line phrase came out of a meeting with city planners – The Plan B people took it and ran with it. Citizens’ PLAN B recommends:
- The Applicant’s proposed Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to eliminate the Waterfront Hotel Planning Study as a prerequisite for this application be REJECTED.
The Waterfront Hotel Planning Study will be completed within the statutory time frame of processing this application
The June 2018 Key Policy Directives already reflect key Community Feedback
Collaboration, good faith negotiations needed for a “Win Win Win”
Citizens’ PLAN B also recommends:
The Applicant’s proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment (ZBA) to fit it’s proposed application should be APPROVED with Modifications.
Key community feedback from the Waterfront Hotel Planning Study, Burlington Urban Design Advisory Committee, PLAN B must be reflected in the application’s modifications
Limit building heights to yield of FAR 6.0:1 (per EPC#3).
A “good faith” compromise between Base Permission of 5.0:1 and Applicant’s aggressive ask of 7.76:1
Plan B thinks this may avert acrimonious & lengthy legal debates before the OLT & an unpredictable outcome for both parties.
The city is seeking response to a survey that closes March 1. Link to that survey is set out below.
Link to the survey is HERE
By Staff
February 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor of Milton is not happy.
The Regional government made a decision earlier in the month related to the Preferred Growth Concept that impacts all four municipalities in the Region.
Mayor Krantz wants to be able to expand the urban boundary for Milton and use some farmland to handle the growth that has to take place.
 Citizens told the Regional Council that farm land had to be saved. A majority of Regional Council agreed The 58 people who delegated at the Regional meeting took the position that climate change was far too important and that to have a chance of meeting the reduction in C02 gasses being pumped into the environment farm land had to be saved.
Thus the letter to the Minister;
The Hon. Steve Clark
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
RE: Halton Region Official Plan Review
Dear Minister Clark,
As you are aware, Halton Region Council and Councils in municipalities across Ontario are engaged in ongoing discussions to finalize their Official Plans. As you know from your time as Mayor, determining a community’s Official Plan is a very important decision and one that cannot be taken lightly.
 Gord Krantz – longest serving Mayor in the province. I appreciate the opportunity I have had to connect with you, your staff, as well as with
the Hon. Parm Gill, Milton’s Member of Provincial Parliament, regarding this issue over the past few months. We appreciate your ongoing attention and interest.
On behalf of the Town of Milton, I am writing to continue to ensure you are aware of our position with respect to Halton Region’s Official Plan review. As we have previously communicated, it is critical for Milton – and indeed for the financial health of Halton Region – that an Urban Boundary expansion is contemplated. Based on recent discussions at Halton Regional Council, we are concerned the Preferred Growth Concept that will be approved will not allow for the expansion required to strategically and appropriately manage the coming growth.
As per the provincial policy and mandates, Milton is committed to intensification and densification of our existing urban structure. To better serve our citizens and to align with A Place to Grow – The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Milton is building complete communities and A Place of Possibility. We are intensifying, developing, and creating 15-minute walkable, accessible, integrated neighbourhoods with jobs, schools, transportation, community services, parks and recreation facilities and a variety of homes that are easily accessed with multi-modal – walking, cycling, bus and GO Transit rail – connections.
As you know, Halton Region municipalities are maturing at different stages. Milton is at a different stage of development from both Burlington and Oakville. Both of these municipalities were granted urban boundary expansions over a decade ago and as a result, have already developed to their outer edge. Milton is seeking the same opportunity and consideration to grow in the right places, with the right uses. We have a strategic growth plan capable of responding to a variety of residential and employment market demands including and especially transit-oriented development.
Increased population across Halton Region is unavoidable and must be strategically planned. Milton Council continues to demonstrate its commitment to intensify and densify our community and to allocating growth – residential, commercial, mixed-use and industrial to ensure the development of complete communities. For Milton, an urban boundary expansion will ensure the ability to strategically manage anticipated growth pressures and the proper use and allocation of land from now until 2051, while continuing to protect the over 71 per cent of Milton’s community that consists of the Greenbelt, Natural Heritage Systems and farmland.
We continue to communicate to our Halton Region Council colleagues that we are concerned that establishing a hard, urban boundary will create a number of unnecessary and avoidable risks to Milton and to Halton Region including:
• Removal of Milton’s ability to direct growth to the appropriate location, for example, designating industrial/warehousing and logistics abutting the 400 series highways
• Incompatibility within employment lands
• By 2031, stalled assessment growth creating fiscal instability for Halton Region and Milton
• Increased pressure on the residential tax base resulting in increases to property taxes
• Disruption to Milton’s ability to create compatible, complementary and complete communities
• Elimination of Milton’s ability to create desirable mixed-use, complete communities with local amenities
• Increased risk of actual urban sprawl
 Four decades as a politician – Gord Krantz is still at it. On February 16, 2022, Halton Region Council will discuss a Notice of Motion (NOM) which contemplates no urban boundary expansion until 2041. Should that NOM be approved, this will mean that Milton will experience a 10 year gap in our available employment lands as our current supply will be at capacity by 2031. Further, it will mean disruption to the appropriate balance between residential intensification and new greenfield development to 2051.
Milton’s members of Halton Regional Council and I will continue to work with our colleagues to find an amenable solution. However, in advance of Halton Region Council’s decision regarding the Preferred Growth Concept, I felt it critically important that Milton’s position be clearly communicated to and understood by you.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration of Milton’s position. If you or your staff have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mayor Gordon Krantz Town of Milton
The decision made at the Region will go to the public again, sometime in April as a Statutory meeting.
The province requires a commitment from the Region as to what it is doing to comply with the need to grow requirement the province has put in place.
 By Staff
February 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Black History Awareness Society (HBHAS) is a passionate group of multi-culturals, dedicated towards implementing cultural education into the public and institutional mindset towards appreciating the values of inclusivity, equality, and self development while depleting bullying, prejudice and inequality on any and all levels.
We are a “community” globally focused on mitigating negative relations towards all marginalized communities and individuals.
Our mission is learning, uncovering and promoting Canadian Black History towards a progressive inclusive future through annual events including the Halton Freedom Celebration: Jazz & Blues Festival, the Emancipation Art Exhibition, a HBHAS Gospel presentation, and HBHAS Presents – speaking engagements to the public, elementary, secondary, university & college students; businesses; youth mentoring; community groups; and, historical, genealogical and heritage organizations.”At this moment, we all face a choice. We can choose to press forward with a better model of cooperation and integration, or we can retreat in a world sharply divided and ultimately in conflict.” – President Obama, United Nations General Assembly Conference.
“Halton is the fastest growing visible minority region in Canada growing 78% within a five year span with Milton growing 176% in visible minority growth within the same time frame.” – Canada Census 2016.
“Burlington is the first city in the world to acclaim August as Emancipation Month” – 2018 Halton Freedom Celebration Festival – Dwight Lee III
“The Emancipation process started in the Burlington/Branford/Hamilton area, where two parliamentarians seeing a Joseph Brant slave screaming at her bounty hunter abductor, due to the Fugitive Slave Act in the U.S., took this incident back to Parliament initiating the Lieutenant Governor in legislating the 1793 Act against Slavery which abolished new slaves being brought into what is now Canada.; This promoted the, August 1st, 1834 British Abolition against slavery in most of the Commonwealth.”
By Pepper Parr
February 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A Statutory Meeting is required under the Planning Act to allow the public to learn what a development application is about.
During these meetings the city planning department sets out what the application is asking for and what the current Official Plan and Zoning bylaw permits.
Wednesday evening the city presented the following two slides;
 The difference between what is permitted under the current in-force Official Plan and what the developer wants is astounding.
Recommendation:
Direct staff to continue to process the submitted applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for 2020 Lakeshore Road, including evaluating and incorporating any/all comments received by Committee and the public at the Statutory Public Meeting, as well as the comments received through the ongoing
technical review of this application by agency partners and internal departments.
Plan B, a small citizen group gave an excellent delegation that highlighted just how much the developer is asking and how little they are prepared to give.
The application makes mention of narrowing Lakeshore Road.
They realize that they have to provide some parkland – and have suggested cash in lieu of land would be satisfactory.
This is a complex story, not all that easy to follow yet critical in terms of what the downtown core of the city will look like and what in the way of impact it will have on Spencer Smith Park.
What was disappointing was just how little members of Council had to say when there was an opportunity for them to make comments. Mayor Meed Ward spoke as did ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns and Councillor Nisan. The others appeared to be mute.
More to come on this one.
By Pepper Parr
February 22, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The event is set up as a Statutory Public Meeting taking place during a Standing Committee this evening, Tuesday at 6:30 pm
Log into the city calendar and work your way to the Committee meetings part and select the 22nd.
That will get you into the meeting where you can watch and take part.
The Statutory Review is required by the Planning Act. The review is about an Applications to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law owned by Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. Addresses: 2020 Lakeshore Road
There are two process taking place within the same basic time frame.
 Many wonder what the one process means to the other.
Applications were submitted by owner and deemed Complete on December 2021
The site is : 0.76 hectares; Frontage on Lakeshore Rd: 114 m, Frontage on Elizabeth St: 50 m
Proposed Mixed-Use Development is as follows:
- Residential: 557 apartments
- Hotel: 122 suites
- Retail/commercial: 4,445 m2
- Office: 4,348 m2
- Two tall buildings: 35 & 30 storeys with 5-storey podiums
- 598 parking spaces
- Proposed Floor Area Ratio: 76:1
What it works out to is set out below.
This is what the owners of the Waterfront Hotel want to do with their space. It is your city and your park. Is this the best the city can get? What will the site look like from different streets that leads to Lakeshore road ?
The question the Gazette is asking is set out in the graphic below..
Take part in the Statutory meeting this evening and if you don’t like what you see stand up on your hind legs and bark. Do the same thing if you like what you see. It is your city – it is your park.
By Staff
February 22, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Be advised – there will be a provincial election on June 2, 2022
The Ontario government is making life more affordable and convenient for nearly eight million vehicle owners by eliminating licence plate renewal fees and the requirement to have a licence plate sticker for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, effective March 13, 2022.
“As the cost of living continues to go up, our government is cutting costs for families to make life more affordable,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Eliminating the fee to renew your licence plate and refunding the cost of doing so for the past two years is a concrete way we can put and keep more money in the pockets of hard-working Ontarians.”
 The government is introducing red tape legislation later today that would enable the province to refund eligible individual owners of vehicles for any licence plate renewal fees paid since March 2020. Upon passage, vehicle owners will receive a cheque in the mail starting at the end of March and throughout the month of April.
“Our government is taking strong action at a time when the cost of living and doing business in Ontario is skyrocketing,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “For many families, driving is an absolute necessity. Eliminating licence plate renewal fees and stickers is part of our government’s commitment to support drivers as we continue to build Ontario’s transportation network, including by building the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413.”
To receive a refund cheque, vehicle owners who have moved recently will need to confirm that their address information on their vehicle permit or driver’s licence is up-to-date at Ontario.ca/AddressChange by March 7, 2022, and pay any outstanding fees, fines or tolls. For more information and/or assistance with changing an address, vehicles owners can call ServiceOntario’s dedicated line at 1-888-333-0049.
“Our government is putting money directly back into the pockets of Ontario families and workers to help make life more affordable,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Government and Consumer Services. “Eliminating these fees and stickers is just one of the ways we are reducing the burden on Ontarians and making it easier, quicker, and simpler for Ontarians to access critical government services.”
Under the proposal, renewal fees will also be eliminated for passenger, light duty commercial vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds that are owned by a company or business. However, no refunds will be given for the period of March 2020 to March 2022.
“Small businesses play a vital role in fostering Ontario’s economic growth,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “Starting next month, eliminating renewal fees for vehicles owned by a company or business is just one of the many ways we are supporting small businesses across the province so they can continue to thrive and contribute to their communities.”
Vehicle owners will still be required to renew their licence plate every one or two years at no cost to confirm their automobile insurance is valid and pay any outstanding Highway 407 tolls and other municipal fines. The government is working with partners to develop a new, more user-friendly process that will continue to validate automobile insurance requirements, support law enforcement efforts and collect municipal fines and unpaid Highway 407 tolls.
The Ontario government is also investing in Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology as part of its commitment to provide police with the tools they need to do their jobs, improve public safety and strengthen roadside law enforcement efforts across the province. An ALPR system can read thousands of licence plates per minute allowing officers to process more information on licence plates. It also has the capability of capturing vehicles of interest such as amber alerts, drivers with a suspended licence, and stolen vehicles.
Renewal fees and requirements for licence plate stickers for heavy commercial vehicles and snowmobiles remain unchanged.
Quick Facts
• Eliminating renewal fees will save vehicle owners $120 a year in southern Ontario and $60 a year in Northern Ontario for passenger and light commercial vehicles.
• Vehicle owners should update their address before March 7, 2022 in order to receive a refund for fees previously paid by the end of April 2022.
• Physical licence plate stickers have been eliminated in other jurisdictions in Canada including Quebec, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Alberta.
• Driver’s must continue to renew their driver’s licence every five years online or at a ServiceOntario centre and pay a $90 fee.
• ALPR is tested technology already being used by a number of Ontario police services.
The Gazette wishes to point out that a provincial election is scheduled to take place in June.
By Staff
February 22, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Appointments to the following committees, were announced by Council on the 15th; took a week to get the list from the Communications department.
 The Waterfront Access and Protection Advisory Committee which was sunset by the city made some very useful contributions to the way the waterfront issues were managed. Burlington Seniors’ Advisory Committee
Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Committee
Burlington Sustainable Development Advisory Committee
Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee
Committee of Adjustment
Approve the following appointments to the Burlington Seniors’ Advisory Committee for a term to expire on December 31, 2022:
Bob Chepyha
Kerry McGregor
Peter Buckley
Margaret Doma
Sara Elkabany
Ron Minaker
Deepak Sharma
Approve the following appointments to the Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Committee for a term to expire on December 31, 2022:
Ashley Wall
Rajan Chopra
Rajan Sharma
Approve the following appointments to the Burlington Sustainable Development Committee for a term to expire on December 31, 2022:
Dave Bourns
Dave Rokosh
Sarah Merriam
Approve the following appointments to the Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee for a term to expire on December 31, 2022:
Ken Harris
Don Prescott
Patricia Debly
Doug Benton
Cindy Bond
 Committee of Adjustment, the only committee that pays its members has made some pivotal decisions on small property adjustments and approving requests for changes to a zoning. Approve the following appointments to the Burlington Committee of Adjustment for a term to expire on December 31, 2022:
Robert Martin
Filippo Capuano (Alternate)
Hany Aly (Alternate)
The disappointing part of this announcement is that the appointments are just for the balance of this year; all end on December 31st, 2022.
There are a lot of new faces, which is good, new blood is vital. However, experience counts for a lot. It will be hard for these committees to make useful decisions.
The Gazette would like to hear what others have to say.
 By Pepper Parr
February 21st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Marty Staz is just one of those people I have always liked.
I thought he was the better candidate in ward 1 during the last municipal election but with 10 candidates in the race it was more of a crap shoot than the selection of a candidate.
 Marty Staz – figuring it out. I recall watching Marty at one of the city events where there were large posters with graphics related to low rise, medium rise and high rise guidelines. Marty, spent some time looking at the posters then got into a conversation with the planning staff member on hand to answer questions.
Marty has spent a good part of his working life in the real estate business – he sells it and brings a specific skill set to the work.
The Gazette gets dozens of Facebook message – there isn’t always enough time to spend on them – often they are a self promotion picture, occasionally they are quite funny. I have a couple of favourite people I make a point of clicking on.
Marty send one along earlier today.
Marty didn’t write the piece – but he knew the kind of message that would resonate on Family Day in Ontario.
Right on my friend, was my immediate response.
Related news story:
Staz on fixing a housing problem
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