By Gazette Staff
September 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) today announced a transformational gift commitment of $1 million from longtime Foundation supporters and Burlington residents Ralph and Susan Sgro.
 These funds will support a new donor-advised fund, the Lindsay’s Loves Fund, created in honour of the Sgro’s late daughter, Lindsay (Sgro) Bridge, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 44.
Lindsay had an unmistakable enthusiasm for life that brought people together. Her deep love for the arts and the Burlington community remains a hallmark of her life and an enduring part of her legacy.
 Lindsay (Sgro) Bridge “Through ‘Lindsay’s Loves,’ charitable causes that she championed will continue to be supported, with a special focus on providing children and youth with access to art programming,” Susan said.
The fund will also support well-being for families and children.
A dragonfly, the symbol of this legacy fund created by the Sgro family in Lindsay’s honour, beautifully reflects her spirit. Dragonflies represent change, inspire creativity, keep dreams alive, and remind us that anything is possible.
“BCF guided us through this journey with compassion and thoughtfulness,” Ralph said. “They took the time to understand our vision and provided the support and structure we needed along the way. Through BCF, we were connected with many meaningful organizations that can now be supported through the Lindsay’s Loves Fund.”
 The Sgro family The Sgros, retired owners of McDonald’s Restaurants in Burlington and Waterdown and current owner, their son Ryan Sgro, have long been generous supporters of charitable causes. Since 2007, the Sgros have been fundholders at BCF, with Susan serving on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for six years, including a term as Chair from 2004-2006.
In 2014, the couple was named Philanthropists of the Year by the Foundation.
“We are honoured to receive this gift from the Sgro family and partner with them to honour the legacy of their beloved daughter, Lindsay,” said Megan Tregunno, Foundation CEO. “Thanks to their generosity, numerous children will benefit from access to activities that Lindsay loved.”
The fund is expected to provide its first grant later this month.
 By Gazette Staff
September 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Municipal spending seems to be a problem across the province.
Niagara Region councilors voted down the largest ever grant request for a developer in the upper-tier municipality’s 55-year history — a $40-million request through the City of Welland. The request was made to build luxury condos which would have cost local taxpayers for many years.
 In a report from the PTA we learn that”
“The denial of this request is a victory for Niagara taxpayers. It’s still very concerning watching a number of members of regional council support this project, in light of homeowners and businesses who have watched property taxes rise at multiples of inflation year-after-year while homeowner incomes have been rising at just the inflation rate (or less). As we see the number of people falling into arrears with their property tax increases, some tone deaf politicians continue to support giving millions of tax dollars to developers to build luxury homes.
“The support by council members is despite the KPMG study which noted there was no evidence these grants/incentives generated any additional revenue for the municipality. Despite this some members of regional council continue to support these grants. Mayor Sisco, who has been a strong supporter for these grants, noted his internal finance staff were able to show these incentives generated a 220% return on investment.
I”t is interesting and concerning the contrast between KPMG’s independent findings of no benefit and the city finance department’s findings of a 220% return. The City finance department is not independent and has a vested interest in seeing the development go forward. Mayor Sisco’s statement about a 220% return clearly lacks credibility. His vote in favour shows a shameful disregard for the people’s hard earned property tax dollars.
“Mayor Sisco was the deciding vote in the largest ever property tax increase for the City of St. Catharines. Maybe before we start providing incentives/grants to developers for luxury homes, we should get our own internal finances under control. Maybe the Mayor of St. Catharines can have his finance staff figure out how to come up with a zero-budget increase for a change.”
Burlington has its own issues with taxes that rise well above the rate of inflation.
 By Gazette Staff
September 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
In their 2024 Customer Satisfaction Survey, Burlington Public Library staff learned that one of the most common requests related to Library space was a need for quiet study or work areas.
The request got turned into something real: an online system to book free meeting spaces at BPL.
 Opens on the 15th of September Starting September 15, the existing workspaces will switch from first-come, first-served availability to online booking, allowing you to reserve your spot in advance. And we’re adding three brand-new spaces at our relocated New Appleby Branch!
The work spaces include:
Central Branch
- Two quiet pods ideal for virtual meetings
- One meeting room for individual or group work
New Appleby Branch – Relocated branch opens September 15
- Three meeting spaces equipped with a whiteboard and screen, ideal for group meetings and collaboration
Tansley Woods Branch
- Two small glass-walled spaces with a whiteboard, ideal for quiet study and working
Workspaces will be available to book up to seven days in advance. Due to the high demand for these spaces and to ensure equitable access for all library users, bookings are limited to four hours per week. If you require more time, please consider our room rental service, with rooms available at all branches for a small fee.
New Workspaces at New Appleby
The relocated New Appleby Branch in the Robert Bateman Community Centre (5151 New Street) will open on September 15—and we’re thrilled to welcome you to our new branch! Check out the photos below for a sneak peek at the new meeting rooms that will be free to book starting September 15.
 Meeting Room A, near the entrance of New Appleby Branch.  A view of Meeting Room B, which will seat up to eight people. How to Book Free Space
The new booking system will make it easier and more convenient to access free workspaces for individual quiet study, virtual meetings, phone calls and group collaboration.
To learn more, check out our web page on free workspaces.
 By Gazette Staff
September 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 City Hall wants to hear from you. The City since 1998, this biannual survey helps Burlington staff and Council measure and improve quality of life and services and programs in the City.
Burlington residents are invited to share their thoughts on life in the City.
How to give your feedback
Third-party researchers will contact a statistically relevant sample of homes in each ward. A total of 750 telephone surveys will be completed, with a combination of land and cell phone numbers randomly called. The caller ID for the survey will show the text as “BurlON Survey”.
Residents are also invited to complete an online version at Get Involved Burlington. This online survey gives residents whose telephone numbers were not chosen an opportunity to provide input. Residents are encouraged to take part online.
The survey results will provide the City of Burlington and City Council with valuable insights on items such as:
 Yes – just how will the results of the survey be used? And can we know who is doing the survey? Satisfaction with City services and quality of life in Burlington
Value of City services for property taxes
Preference on municipal property taxes: to increase, decrease or maintain
How survey results will be used
City of Burlington residents share their feedback in many ways year-round. The Community Survey is one important source of feedback that helps inform City business plans, communication initiatives and public engagement programs, budget and spending decisions, and strategic focus areas. The Community Survey also provides the opportunity for benchmarking and to monitor progress of community responses compared to previous years.
The most recent Community Surveys were completed in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. The Community Survey is now conducted every two years.
2023 Community Survey Results Key Highlights
- 92 per cent of respondents were “Somewhat satisfied” to “Very satisfied” with the services provided by the City of Burlington
- Quality of life was rated highly with 79 per cent of respondents ranking Burlington “Very good” or “Excellent”
- The City of Burlington outperformed both the Ontario and national averages for both quality of life and overall satisfaction with services
- Services that were identified as strengths through community feedback are Fire Services, parks, sports fields and trails, recreation facilities and festivals and events
- Survey respondents would like to see road safety and traffic, cost of housing, over-development, public transportation and pedestrian infrastructure and infrastructure improvements prioritized
The full 2023 results and results of past Community Surveys can be found at Burlington.ca/CommunitySurvey.
The running of a survey has to be put into context. The tax increases for the past four years shown below, set out how much it has cost for the services that are provided. If people are prepared to pay for the services they are getting, they should at least know what it is costing.
 A 44% plus cumulative tax increase is hard to swallow when inflation is at just over 2%. The city has some explaining to do as to why this was necessary.
By Pepper Parr
August 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Naval Ships’ Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park was unveiled on May 14, 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of VE Day and honouring those lost at sea during the Second World War. The monument was funded by public donations and is dedicated to the memory of Canadian naval and merchant navy personnel and ships lost during the war. The Armed Services are recognized annually – Remembrance Day was created for that purpose.
The Merchant Marine will be remembered today at a short ceremony at the Memorial in Spencer Smith Park.
The statute of a seaman stands atop the memorial. On the north side there is a list of all the merchant ships that were lost. These are the ships that carried the supplies that Great Britain relied upon to feed the British people during the war.
Seventy-five ships were lost.
 The names of the merchant ships lost during WWII are listed on the north side of the monument.
By Pepper Parr
September 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Andrea Grebenc had some cogent comments on why school board trustees are needed and what they have done, but, other than pressing the local MPP to urge the government to leave well enough alone there wasn’t much in the way of concrete steps parents could take.
 Natalie Pierre speaking in the provincial legislature. The problem is that Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre is part of the problem. Photo ops and toeing the party line covers the job she does. She doesn’t really have the support of the community – squeaked in by less than 50 votes during the April election.
During the Grebenc interview we expressed some concern about nothing in the way of a statement from the HDSB trustee chair. Grebenc explained that the Board doesn’t meet in the summer and now meets just once a month. Fair enough, the Board will meet sometime, hopefully soon.
We asked if Grebenc planned on delegating on the mater. She explained that the rules are that you can delegate on issues on the agenda. There is provision to waive that rule but the trustees have to approve a request to delegate by a majority vote. One would think that as a former Board chair they would permit a delegation.
The trustees serve on a number of committees – the audit committee, one that Grebenc has never served on. There is a Discipline Committee – they review decisions on suspending a student on behavior issues.
Why have trustees not spoken up? They fear repercussions and they don’t want to have to put up with social media blow back.
 Grebenc serving as Chair of the School Board. Grebenc also explained that the province determines what the budget is going to be. Once the board has a budget they decide what they can do and what might have to be cut. Salaries eat up more than 80% of the budget – not much left to squabble about.
Two areas where the trustees in Burlington have been effective is special education and French immersion.
There was a major battle to get additional funds allocated to Special Education and the baord view prevailed.
One of the really strong programs is the Baccalaureate program. It is a very popular and well attended program in Oakville. Burlington has its version of the program but it isn’t as well attended as the Oakville offering.
We have already reported on our efforts to get a statement from current Chair Amy Collard. Other than saying there had not been a response Collard had nothing to say.
What was particularly disappointing with the Collard response is how effective she was when the Board decided that two of the five high schools had to be closed.
 Amy Collard staring at then Director of Education Stuart Miller when the Board was debating the closure of Burlington high schools. Collard was withering in her questioning of the Director of Education Stuart Miller. She managed to have the decision to close Bateman High school moved back by to years.
For reasons that I’ve been able to discern Amy Collard just gave up and it looks as if the government has given up on the concept of school board representing the interests of the community.
School Board and City Council are as local as you can get. Once you loose it – it will be very hard to get it back.
The Minister of Education doesn’t see it that way.
Education Minister Paul Calandra calling the way school boards operate a “very old model” and promising to announce changes before the end of the year. He has already started looking at other options, including getting rid of elected trustees.
“The work they’re doing right now, they will not be doing in the future — there is absolutely no way,” Calandra told the Toronto Star in an interview. “The model just has to be updated, one way or another.”
 Paul Calandra: “..school boards operate a “very old model”. He added: “any change that I do make with respect to trustees, it will be accompanied by a very robust mechanism” for parents to “have their voices heard if there is an issue that they need to have addressed with their child in the school.”
The revamp “is all about making it better for students, parents and teachers,” he said.
Critics warn that eliminating elected trustees won’t solve any problems — and could create a whole set of new ones. They point to places like PEI or New Brunswick, where trustees were reinstated after public outcry, or Nova Scotia, where they are set to make a return after the education centres that took over their work left families feeling shut out of the system.
This story isn’t over.
By Gazette Staff
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
They are back to school starting tomorrow.
Students don’t always look where they are going and drivers have to get used to more people crossing streets and on their bicycles.
 At crosswalks – this is a very dumb thing to do. To the parents: remind your children that walking and looking at the cell phone can be very dangerous.
 By Pepper Parr
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Bruce Leigh is a frequent commenter on the Gazette.
He recently said the following in response to an article we published on an individual who was expressing an interest in running for office. A link to that article appears below.
You quote a potential maybe candidate as saying:-
“I do think – as I said in our meeting – that our Representative Democracy is meant to elect representatives, not leaders.”
That was the original concept of our democracy. But with the advent of party politics at federal and provincial government levels the elected representative is above all chosen because of the party’s policy platform and so must toe that line whether or not the constituents like it or not
At municipal government level the councilor is the true representative not being party affiliated. The Mayor is the elected leader.
 Kearns. “She does not take up fights on behalf of constituents if they do not align with her beliefs or more importantly to her, with her career path.” I tend to agree with your maybe potential candidate in the case of Ward 2 Councilor Lisa Kearns. She does not take up fights on behalf of constituents if they do not align with her beliefs or more importantly to her, with her career path.
How representative is Focus Burlington of the city’s 190,000 residents? How many residents are signed up as members of Focus Burlington?
Just because a few residents get together and form a group and then become noisy that does not make them representative of residents as a whole. It’s noise should be no more valuable than a single individual’s noise.
In the article underneath a photo, there’s a caption that says “Delegations don’t feel they are heard”.
That feeling is probably there because the vibe coming back from City Council is that they’re doing what they are required to do (i.e listen to residents’ delegations) and then they will do what they want to do.
 Delegates feel they have a valid argument or position and when it is not accepted they get upset and say they are not being heard. But also delegates are like most humans. They feel they have a valid argument or position and when it is not accepted they get upset and say they are not being heard. Just because you or I get up and make a delegation which is then not accepted or acted up on by Council does not necessarily mean Council did not hear us.
Wayne’s comment here exemplifies this. “Note that when citizens speak up and see little to no adjustment from City Hall, apathy sets in.” Just because you take and voice an opinion does not make it the right position nor are you necessarily representative of the majority of residents
Wayne, you have options. Stand to be elected for office, or volunteer to work for someone standing that you can support,
Sharon, you want MMW and a majority of Council replaced. Easy to say. Have you identified who you would replace them with? Are you going to stand for election?
Standing on the sidelines whining is not an option if you really want to make change happen.
If the 2026 election turnout is a repeat of the 2022 election (26%) and the majority of Councilors are re-elected it would seem to say residents are not as bothered by decisions made at City Hall as you are.
Newslink:
The people we elect
By Gazette Staff
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Former Halton District School Board Chair Andréa Grebenc is warning that recent signals from Education Minister Paul Calandra and the Premier about removing elected school board trustees would silence community voices, weaken accountability, and widen the opening for inequities and privatization in Ontario’s education system.
“Trustees are not ceremonial figures,” said Grebenc, who served eight years as trustee and four as chair. “They are elected officials with legislated responsibilities under Ontario’s Education Act — responsibilities that directly affect students every day.”
Trustees’ core duties include prioritizing student achievement and well-being, developing and monitoring policies, exercising fiduciary and resource stewardship, overseeing the Director of Education, representing and communicating with their communities, and serving on mandatory committees such as Special Education and Audit.
“These responsibilities translate into real decisions — from ensuring resources reach children with special needs, to holding boards accountable through audits, to shaping policies that reflect local community values,” Grebenc added.
Trustees Hold Governments Accountable
Trustees have repeatedly brought forward community voices when government announcements lacked evidence. In 2019, Halton trustees raised alarms about the government’s plan to move 25,000 children with autism into public schools with almost no notice and no resources. Their advocacy sparked protests and forced the province to back down.
That same year, when the province proposed larger class sizes and mandatory eLearning, Halton trustees organized one of the largest community consultations in Ontario. Nearly 7,000 parents responded, overwhelmingly rejecting the plan. The report was cited in Question Period, and the government scaled back its proposals.
“This is a clear pattern,” said Grebenc. “The province makes sweeping changes without evidence, and trustees are the ones who analyze the local impact on schools, student achievement, and well-being. Without trustees, these changes go unchallenged.”
Concerns About Unelected Supervisors
Grebenc also raised concerns about unelected supervisors appointed by the province to oversee boards.
 Andrea Grebenc: “Education is a government service meant to be comprehensive, effective, and equitable.” “The supervisors currently in place overwhelmingly come from financial and legal backgrounds, not education. They are paid exorbitant amounts, yet deliver no clear outcomes or benefits over the democratic system already in place,” said Grebenc. “Education is a government service meant to be comprehensive, effective, and equitable. With a calculated 30 per cent return on investment, weakening the system through political appointments should concern every Ontarian.”
Trustees Defend Communities
Trustees are often the most effective line of defence against short-sighted provincial priorities. The province has already shown interest in selling off prime school land to developers without considering long-term needs.
“Eliminating trustees would not solve Ontario’s education challenges,” said Grebenc. “It would silence local voices, weaken accountability, and turn schools into political assets rather than places of learning. Trustees fight for students, families, and communities. Without them, public education would lose its vital connection to the people it is meant to serve.”
We will be interviewing Grebenc later today. When she was Chair of the HDSB she was very effective.
 By Pepper Parr
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Students in the Region of Halton return to classes tomorrow.
Today, the teachers are working on a Professional Development day.
The Halton Wentworth (Hamilton) students returned to class today.
I’ve never understood why teachers take time at this critical point in the school year – but they do.
Attached to this article is the school calendar for the HDSB.
In August, we published a piece from Brock University on the bullying we are seeing in schools. There is a link to that article.
  The students in our schools face a much different social environment and challenges that didn’t exist a decade ago.
Parents now need to look for signs that their children are facing new and different pressures.
Social media has changed the way they interact with each other. It is now so terribly easy for one child to hurt another with words they type out.
The academics have taught us how to recognize the signs – use what we have been taught.
It is more important now than ever before that we keep ourselves open to our children; listen to them, let them know that you are there as a parent.
I often hear parents say “My child is one of my best friends” – children have dozens of friends – they have just the two parents. Be a parent first.
Links:
School calendar
Brock University on how to combat bullying
 By Ray Rivers
September 2, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Mark Carney never actually promised that he’d get rid of Trump’s tariffs. He said he’d deal with Trump and build Canada-strong but he knew that Trump was determined to apply tariffs on all of America’s trading partners. And Carney has conceded that some level of American tariffs on Canadian goods and services is inevitable.
He also knows that coping with this massive trade disruption we’re experiencing is going to be challenging. And it may be even worse next year. The USMCA agreement which still allows Canada to export most goods tariff-free expires next year. And given the US president’s feelings about tariff-free trade, the chances of a renewal are slim.
 The choice of re-building our economy or becoming the 51st state. So it is up to us to reinvent the Canadian economy, turning the clock back to a time when Canada was largely self sufficient in how we earned our livelihood. Those would be the days we made things like white goods, guitars and pianos, textiles and leather clothing. Those were the days before we allowed Brian Mulroney and subsequent political leaders to sell us out to the Americans. And now we face the inevitable – the choice of re-building our economy or become the 51st state. There was a reason why Trump used that phrase.
If tariffs are good for big economies, like the USA, they are even more important for the sustainability and perseverance of their smaller neighbours, like Canada. In fact, as Mr. Trump will find out eventually, big economies benefit even more from greater access to international markets. But that door is rapidly closing for him as he alienates his allies and friends,
 Realigning the Canadian economy is going to take time. We will be a stronger, more independent nation. Carney’s decision to take down most of the retaliatory tariffs is a recognition that, with a few exceptions, they dampen economic activity in the short run. It’ll take time for the result of policies geared towards import substitution to kick in. In the meantime Carney’s job is to stick-handle the economy and the tenuous relationship he has with Mr. Trump.
Leader of the opposition, Mr. Poilievre, has voiced his concern that it looks like retreat. And our PM has made significant concessions to American negotiators in the hope of getting a deal in Canada’s favour. His plan is to cooperate rather than resist. But the puck is still on the ice. Elbows up.
 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 link:
Carney
 By Laura Fuerte
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 The situation is workable sometimes, but messy. Since single-event wagering got the green light in 2021, the market has shifted fast—maybe faster than regulators planned for. What looked like a simple yes to betting turned into a maze of provincial rules, fees, and enforcement styles that don’t always match. Some provinces opened doors. Others kept the locks on. International platforms are left threading a needle between licenses, gray zones, and gaps in national policy. The situation is workable sometimes, but messy.
Provincial licensing: the operational maze
 Did the paperwork, paid the checks, and got in. Not cheaply, and not casually. Here’s the crux: every province plays by its book. Different taxes, different audits, different “do this, not that.” Ontario is the clear outlier with a structured, open program for private operators. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM—names you’d expect—did the paperwork, paid the checks, and got in. Not cheaply, and not casually.
Elsewhere, the approach is entirely unique. British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec—government-run platforms rule the roost, such as PlayNow and Espacejeux. This forces a choice for sport betting canada operators: try for limited, pricey licenses where they exist, or risk the awkward “is this allowed?” lane in provinces without them. Getting coverage across the whole country requires managing several playbooks at once.
Gray market use and uneven enforcement
Plenty of Canadians still click into offshore sites. The legality of these sites varies depending on who you ask. They’re not explicitly authorized by provinces, and federal rules are not exactly crystal clear either. Some regulators push hard. Others appear to have bigger worries.
That limbo cuts both ways. Players may get weak consumer protections or no real dispute process. If money vanishes, getting help is difficult. Operators, on the other hand, may face reputational hits and possible penalties later—even if enforcement today feels light. It’s a risk calculation, not a free pass.
Consumer protection isn’t one-size-fits-all
 Without a single national standard, safety rules jump around. Ontario leans heavy on responsible gambling tools, audits, and clear disclosures. Other provinces, especially where government platforms dominate, may apply a simpler set of checks—some would say too simple. The result is that international platforms end up building different versions of the same product just to stay compliant.
Age checks add to the complications. In some provinces it’s 18, in others 19; cooling-off periods and deposit limits also shift by province. That means duplicate systems, more cost, and fewer economies of scale than operators might expect in a unified market. This is annoying. For now, it is necessary.
Sports integrity
On match-fixing and integrity, Canada mostly relies on general fraud and conspiracy laws. That likely covers many scenarios, but not all, and it leaves operators guessing where the hard lines are. Compared with places that spell out sports bribery and data misuse in detail, Canada is lighter on specifics.
So platforms build their own playbooks: data monitoring, suspicious bet alerts, cooperation with leagues. This approach works to a point. Lower-tier events and cross-border competitions are trickier, where the signals are fuzzier and oversight changes. The lack of a uniform standard makes “good enough” hard to define.
 Advertising:these can change from province to province and, occasionally, mid-season. Marketing rules and age checks: moving targets
Advertising is another patchwork. Celebrity endorsements, bonus offers, placement rules—these can change from province to province and, occasionally, mid-season. Brands trying to grow quickly may find themselves rewriting campaigns more than they expected. Verification follows the same pattern. Different legal ages, different proof, different timelines. The tech can handle it, but seamless onboarding takes a hit when every region tweaks the checklist. Now, many apps are available on both Android and iOS.
 The entire industry is regulated by provincial authorities in Canada, adding layers of complexity to the compliance process. What this all adds up to
International sportsbooks can succeed in Canada, but the road isn’t straight. Ontario offers a clear door; several other provinces keep it mostly shut. Gray-market usage lingers, enforcement is uneven, and integrity rules could be sharper. For now, the pragmatic path is careful compliance planning, province by province, with a willingness to adapt as the rules shift. This situation is not ideal. With patience and a good legal team, it is probably survivable. The entire industry is regulated by provincial authorities in Canada, adding layers of complexity to the compliance process.
By Pepper Parr
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever the ADI Development Group is in the news, it usually isn’t a pretty story.
 Early rendering of Nautique, an ADI development. This time, it was a court case that they won. They are permitted to buy out their partner, Morgan Investments Group Inc. (MIG)
MIG partnered with ADI to get the Nautique, a development through the final stages of development at Lakeshore Road and Martha.
That development was a pivotal item that resulted in high rise towers being developed south of Fairview in the city.
Denise Baker, a lawyer with one of the best law firms in the development business convinced the then OMB that a transit station on John Street was part of a transit system that was needed to justify a high rise tower. The transit station was not much more than a transfer point where passengers could transfer from one bus line to another and purchase bus tickets. The city has since closed the station and will, at some point in the near probably, tear it down.
Baker did a superb job – my only regret was that I wasn’t in the room to hear her plead the case.
The Nautique decision was one of the events that brought an end to Rick Goldring serving as Mayor.
 The development ran into every possible problem: the pandemic didn’t help. A Superior Court Judge recently ruled that Adi Development Group can buy out its business partner on Burlington’s Nautique waterfront condo, for about $18.4 million. It was a bitter battle for control of the site.
The Morgan Investments Group Inc., an investment firm led by Nigel Morgan, and Adi Development Group, led by Tariq Adi, came together in 2014 to build the 25-storey, 254-unit project.
Unit sales did not go particularly well.
The project also made headlines in late 2022.
 The early marketing included prices that will not, if ever, be seen again. After complaints from buyers that they were asked to pay more than they originally agreed for units, and told they would have their purchase agreements cancelled if they refused, Adi Morgan Development Group (Lakeshore) Inc. paid a $60,000 penalty and $2.6 million to purchasers as part of a settlement with the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA).
The dispute landed in civil court earlier this month, with the two parties disagreeing even on whether the project was completely finished, and each one looking to buy out the other and end the relationship.
The parties were deadlocked and unable to make decisions on, among other things, the price of the remaining 54 unsold units. The building faced COVID delays and then the collapse of the condo market. Morgan’s camp thought the units were overpriced, Adi’s said they had responded to the market with a good pricing strategy.
 The ADI brothers. They were new to Burlington in 2000. Their first development on Guelph Line was a low-rise structure that proved to be popular. Morgan’s legal team had asked for a “shotgun” sale, a mechanism where one or more of the shareholders buys out the shares of another. Morgan had also wanted to see Adi replaced as the exclusive listing agent, and to add a third board member.
In the August 27th decision, Justice William Black ruled that Adi could buy out Morgan, for about $18.4 million.
The justice found there was oppression on both sides, a legal term that basically means they were unfair to each other — Adi said Morgan bought out a loan without his knowledge to gain the upper hand, and Morgan said Adi did not share enough financial information and decision-making with him.
“This was a just outcome and a spectacular victory for us,” said Justin Nasseri, one of Adi’s lawyers. “ADI has steered the ship to safety. Its focus will be on homeowners and customers and delivering value to them while we sell the balance of the units,” he added.
Morgan Investment Group declined to provide a comment on the decision.
On the justice’s finding of oppression, Nasseri said Adi “acted in good faith and ethically at all times.”
The unravelling of the relationship in court offered a glimpse behind the scenes into the tough conversations developers are having across the GTA, as the condo market falters.
The Toronto-area average condo price dropped to $615,000 in July, the lowest in four years.
By Gazette Staff
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on those Canada is Not for Sale toques and hats.
 The politicians were handing them out like candy. The political party leaned into the theme during the last provincial election. At many photo ops during the winter campaign, PC politicians wore tuques with the slogan and handed them out like candy.
It tied into the party’s political pitch: voters must “Protect Ontario” by re-electing the PCs to fight U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs.
 Doug Ford loved the hats – seldom seen without one on his head. According to newly public election finance filings, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario paid $278,910.71 to the company behind the hats, Jackpine Dynamic Branding, during the campaign period.
The party also transferred over 600 tuques, bought for $23.19 each before the election, to the campaign.
It obviously worked. Doug Ford is the Premier and the RCMP seem to have lost interest in the Greenbelt scandals
 By Pepper Parr
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Development seems to always been an issue in Burlington,
“Council doesn’t listen to us” is something heard almost daily
“And we certainly don’t want THAT” is heard just as often.
“We want what Brant Street was five years ago.”
“And everything we don’t want goes to the Ontario Land Tribunal, where the city loses because we don’t hire the really good lawyers.”
I was combing through the Gazette archives last night looking for a specific picture a reader had asked for and came across this article about a meeting that took place in September of 2024.
There was a public meeting at which a development proposal was introduced. It was a short meeting held in a room that wasn’t very big. The reaction seen in the photographs tells the story. The developer didn’t show the visuals again.
It does show that developers do listen to what the public thinks.
 The development was something the public had not seen before – and they didn’t like what was being displayed. It was shown just the once at a community centre.  Representatives had difficulty getting their plans across to people. The size of the proposal was beyond what anyone who attended the meeting was prepared to even consider.  Some people were stunned at what the developer was proposing.  Mayor Meed Ward listened to an upset constituent.  There was nothing about the development proposal that anyone liked.
By Pepper Parr
August 31st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
“That idea that you don’t have an obligation to come into the office very often, that’s pretty much gone,” said Iain Dobson, co-founder of the Strategic Regional Research Alliance (SRRA) — suggesting work-from-home no longer defines most people’s “new normal.”
Dobson added that: “There’ll be very few people who work completely remotely.”
That might be the situation in Toronto, where the banks and large corporations take up a lot of the office space. The situation is not the same in the smaller cities
Traffic congestion in Toronto is almost impossible; not much better in parts of Burlington.
 Service Burlington department at City Hall The employers with production schedules haven’t changed who comes to work and who doesn’t. If you want to be paid – you show up.
The city has a policy that defines some jobs as “in the office every day” unless your job takes you out of the office.
Some jobs are split between in and out of city hall
And some jobs can be done from almost any location – and the city lets people work from home. We are aware of several people in the finance sector who seldom get to City Hall – they can do their work from a home office.
Does policy impact the level of service the public gets? There are departments that serve the city very well; there are some that need improvement. Service Burlington has never really worked. The people managing the telephones don’t have the training needed to be able to answer all the questions. The Region has the same problem; the police – they are a bit better.
City Hall is not the pleasant place it used to be. Walk in today, and you are faced with a large, open and for the most part vacant space. Sterile is the word that comes to my mind. There are people behind glass walls. Sometimes there is a security guard.
In a conversation with an individual who understands municipal government, I was told that when he went to the Service Burlington counter, the Clerk could not tell him who the City Manager was – we call the city Manager the CAO.
There was a time when it was different. The pictures below show City Hall staff taking part in a United Way fundraising event.
 City Hall staff pull a truck during a United Way fundraising event.  Clerks give everyone that funny look all the time – and take best costume prize during the 2011 United Way fundraising event. The culture, the tone, the values, and the commitment to serving the public is set by the City Manager. One of the problems with Burlington is that City Managers don’t stick around for very long.
Tim Dobbie was the City Manager for more than a decade. He knew every staff member by name; they understood what he expected and tended to deliver most of the time.
Curt Benson now serves as the CAO who manages the city. We know he will be in place until the 2026 municipal election.
After that, the new Council will decide if they want him to continue.
Benson is a decent bureaucrat. A planner by training, I’ve never seen him skirt an issue or give a fuzzy answer. I’ve heard him say, on more than one occasion: “We will try”
He doesn’t pontificate; usually has the answers in front of him. He prepares for his meetings.
Is a top-notch planner. Can he evolve into a City Manager?
Let us hope so.
By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Developing emotional awareness early in life is essential for healthy development.
Research shows that learning emotional regulation in childhood lays a foundation for long-term well-being and contributes to stable relationships, academic success and reduced behavioural issues.
Interested? Get in touch with the folks at Eagles Nest – 905-689-8721
They are hosting an Open House on September 7th, 2025
 By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
On Sunday September 7, 1:00 pm, LANA BUTTON introduces One Can at A Different Drummer Books – 513 Locust Street Burlington
Admission Free
Our brilliant friend Lana Button, award-winning creator of delightful stories to help young people learn, visits us with her new picture book, written in collaboration with Eric Walters and illustrator Isabelle Malenfant, a moving story of community and helping families in need, One Can.
 “The text is finely tuned to a child’s understanding…the focus is on considering what the recipient needs, and what we can give. A perfectly calibrated introduction to the concept of economic differences.” —Kirkus Reviews
By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is pleased to announce the phased opening of the Robert Bateman Community Centre, a transformative multi-use facility that will serve as a vibrant hub for education, recreation, and community engagement.
This September, Brock University will officially welcome students to a dynamic learning environment at its Burlington Campus. This marks a major milestone in the evolution of the City’s largest facility.
Additional key milestones include:
 Library portion of the Bateman Centre will open during September. September: The gymnasiums be available to both Brock University students and the broader community until those renovations begin, with the goal of minimizing disruption to community access.
Sept. 15: Burlington Public Library opens its relocated New Appleby Branch, featuring a large collection of materials to borrow, comfortable seating, soundproof digital media studios, bookable meeting rooms, and an engaging children’s area.
Nov. 24: TechPlace to open and offer services.
Fall 2025: Halton District School Board is expected to take occupancy.
Late 2025 to Early 2026: City staff will present a comprehensive report to Council detailing proposed options and timelines for Phase 2 of the Robert Bateman Community Centre renovations. This next phase will focus on completing the remaining indoor areas and developing the outdoor spaces surrounding the facility.
A grand opening celebration for the Robert Bateman Community Centre is being planned for early 2026. Once details are confirmed, invitations will be extended to Burlington residents and community partners to join in marking this exciting milestone.
In the meantime, only portions of the facility that are actively offering services are open to the public. Other areas remain closed as work continues. For safety reasons, access to these sections is restricted to authorized personnel, including construction crews and City staff.
The City just can’t stop patting itself on the back for a development that was almost as costly as the Pier. The historical timeline on this one:
 Aerial view of Bateman as a High School. Track and sports field became a parking lot. 2017 – the Board of Education considers closing two high schools in Burlington.
2020 – June 30 – Bateman High School closes.
2021 – June – The school board declared Bateman as surplus.
2021 – June 23 – Burlington issues a press release:
City of Burlington to submit expression of interest to purchase surplus Bateman High School site; partner with Brock University – City of Burlington
2021 – December 14 – Council approved $3 million for a preliminary design
There was no mention of a total project cost at that time. The 2021 Engagement Matters report stated: “Preliminary engagement has occurred with key stakeholders and partners. As part of the scope of work outlined in the RFP, a public engagement plan will be developed and delivered in the future as a fundamental component of the environmental, preliminary design, and architectural and engineering services.”
The city did not present a public engagement plan until after the contract for Phase One was issued.
2022 – April – Councilor Shawna Stolte is sanctioned for stating, in late 2021, “the reality is that the final cost will be well above $50M.” Councilor Stolte lost a week’s pay.
2022 – May – Burlington starts public engagement on the Bateman project without presenting costs or the need for additional parking. The video is available here: https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool/widgets/149117/videos/10649
2022 – October 26th – Municipal elections are held across Ontario. Every member of Council was returned to office in the 2022 municipal election.
2022 – November 22 – The city announces a land swap, plus $7.9 million, with the Board of Education and Burlington acquires the Bateman property. https://www.burlington.ca/en/news/city-of-burlington-completes-deal-to-purchase-robert-bateman-high-school.aspx
2022 – November 25 – The city announces the cost is now over $72 million. https://www.burlington.ca/en/news/redesign-adaptive-re-use-and-costing-plan-proposed-for-former-robert-bateman-high-school-building.aspx
While there are many unusual aspects to the Bateman project one that stands out is that before the election there was no mention of the building containing asbestos, apparently, this was public knowledge. After the election, information started to appear about the true cost of the renovation. The project is on track to cost over $100 million. Much of the renovated building will be leased by Brock University and the Haltech Regional Innovation Centre.
John Best, publisher of the Bay Observer said: “I submit that the city engaged in deliberate obfuscation of the financial scope of the project, as they engaged in public consultation. Indeed, those members of the public who participated in surveys and town halls had no idea for what they were actually providing buy-in, making the public consultation piece a sham“.
Ombudsman unable to rule on council’s handling of Bateman
By Gazette Staff
August 30, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Republished from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Each generation has learned to figure out the dominant media of its time. Boomers learned to decode TV advertising. Gen X questioned the news. Millennials fact-checked viral posts. Gen Z learned how to spot inauthentic influencer branding.
Gen Alpha – individuals born after 2010 – is facing something unprecedented.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how content is created and shared, and young people today must learn to distinguish what is real. Today’s children are surrounded by content that looks and sounds real, yet is entirely generated by AI.
 A visitor experiences a real-time AI-generated video during the Premier Conference & Exhibition on Computer Graphics & Interactive in Vancouver Aug. 12, 2025. Liang Sen/Xinhua via ZUMA Press A new literacy challenge: When fake looks too real
The pace and realism of artificial intelligence are accelerating. Tools like Google Veo 3, for example, can generate high-resolution photorealistic videos with striking accuracy all from a single text prompt. The results can resemble anything from casual street interviews to reimagined historical events. The lighting is natural, the gestures eerily lifelike and the pacing believable. Earlier digital fakes were easier to identify with obvious signs like visual glitches or awkward animation. Now those visual giveaways are becoming harder to spot. Members of Gen Alpha, at an age when they are least equipped to assess what’s on their screens, are growing up with content realistic enough to trick experts.
This isn’t the same as watching a CGI (computer-generated imagery) live-action Disney remake or playing a hyper-realistic video game. It’s true that children can sometimes confuse fantasy with reality. But by the time they are five or six, they typically understand that content defying basic logic — like talking mammals or magic spells — is imaginary. These cues help their developing minds separate fiction from fact.
Children’s reasoning becomes more refined between the ages of seven and eight. They start applying a mix of logic, context, personal experience and trusted input from others to what they see, although it is still inconsistent. But just as that ability sharpens, AI-generated content removes the very cues they rely on.
It mimics the look and feel of real footage, can imitate the voices or appearances of trusted people and blends seamlessly into their feed in between YouTube videos and TikTok clips. Since children’s ability to evaluate media is still developing, this level of realism makes it harder for them to tell if they are watching a person or a program pretending to be one.
And it’s not just children. Many adults sometimes struggle to tell the difference, especially when content looks credible. Even when it is labelled as AI-generated, the small display warnings are often missed, misunderstood or ignored by viewers.
The effects become harder to ignore as Gen Alpha continues using this content to form an understanding of the world. This past June, Alberta police issued a provincewide warning after Cybertip.ca reported nearly 4,000 sexually explicit AI-generated deepfake images and videos of youth between 2023 and 2024. This has raised concerns about how AI is being used to exploit and harass young people.
The same advances making video generation more accessible are also driving its misuse in exploitative and deceptive ways. Children are encountering misinformation as well as faulty AI-generated “educational” science, history and current events videos. Research shows that when teenagers lack the tools to evaluate digital information, it limits how they participate, learn and make informed decisions online.
These gaps in digital competence are tied to educational and civic outcomes, such as school performance, access to online opportunities, as well as political and societal participation. These disparities may persist without digital literacy in schools, parental guidance at home and clearer safeguards from platforms.
Building AI literacy where kids learn and live
Addressing these challenges requires action across multiple fronts. Provinces and schools boards in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have begun piloting AI education initiatives. However, there is no consistency across jurisdictions, nor is there a unified framework to support teachers, guide parents and ensure that students develop the ability to understand, evaluate and use AI responsibly throughout Grades K-12.
In most classrooms, AI digital literacy remains optional, fragmented or absent altogether. School boards offer professional development, but teachers note that concerns about AI can’t be meaningful addressed in the limited time provided. A national survey commissioned by the organization Actua showed that less than half (48 per cent) of educators interviewed felt equipped to use AI tools in the classroom.
Some 46 per cent felt confident teaching responsible AI use and 42 per cent felt ready to teach students how to use artificial intelligence effectively.
School librarians have raised similar concerns. They point out that many students lack the foundational skills to critically assess AI-generated content, even as smart tools become more integrated into learning environments.
Globally, a 2023 review of AI literacy efforts found that most programs neither assess what students actually understand nor give much attention to the broader socioeconomic consequences of poorly applied machine learning. Without structured support and dedicated training, the responsibility falls unevenly across schools and classrooms. This leads to inconsistent learning conditions and widens existing gaps in AI literacy.
The burden on parents is just as heavy. They are expected to manage children’s exposure to increasingly advanced AI tools that generate voices, images and videos. At the same time, they must evaluate and consent to a growing number of apps and devices that collect their children’s data. Yet many parents lack the knowledge, tools or guidance needed to make informed choices. Before expecting parents to help children use AI wisely, we need to give adults the resources and confidence to understand it first.
Towards a more equitable AI future
Co-ordinated national efforts are needed to ensure all schools have access to trained educators, inclusive AI curriculums and the digital infrastructure for equal learning opportunities in classrooms and at home. AI tools like writing assistants or text-to-speech programs can support learning and improve accessibility for students with different needs. But those benefits only matter if children understand how the tools work and can judge the reliability of the information they produce.
The groundwork for a stronger, more cohesive countrywide approach to AI literacy for youth should include:
- A national K-12 AI strategy that aligns provincial efforts and ensures consistent instruction across provinces.
- Required AI training for teachers entering the profession and as part of ongoing professional development to give educators the skills needed to use AI in the classroom confidently and responsibly.
- Lessons on deepfakes, evaluation of AI-generated media and principles of data rights and consent as part of AI literacy education taught at age-appropriate levels throughout Grades K-12.
- Expanded access for families to bilingual AI literacy resources that contain clear, plain-language guidance to help parents support their children’s use of AI at home and complements what children are learning in school.
- Clearer and consistent labels on AI-generated content — including deepfakes — across digital platforms to support transparency and young users’ awareness.
The digital world is changing quickly. If Canada wants the next generation to grow up informed, capable and confident in what it sees, AI literacy must become a priority. The longer we wait the harder it becomes to teach what should have been learned from the start.
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