 By Pepper Parr
August 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Summer in the city on a quiet Sunday
Whatever heat there is going to be hasn’t arrived yet.
The streets are quiet. Groups gather around the strip malls.
In the downtown core there is a place where the traffic builds – the Centro Market that is tucked in behind the store on Brant Street – accessed off John Street.
 Social distancing limits the number of people who can actually shop – a decent line up, seen on the right, with people waiting for their turn. Life when there is a pandemic hovering over us like a huge dark cloud changes much of what we do.
 People line up, waiting for their turn to enter the market while a guitarist plucks at the strings. At the market it means standing in line – six feet apart, properly masked waiting for someone in the parking lot doing their shopping to leave so that the next person in line can go in.
There is a quiet casualness to it all. A musician plays a guitar quietly.
 The back hoe rests – waiting for the construction workers to return on Monday. Yards to the south of the market there is a massive back hoe parked for the weekend – waiting for construction workers to show up on Monday to continue with the excavation of the site that will see The Gallery, a 24 story development that will, when completed, change not only the look but also the feel of the downtown core.
Just to the north of the market – the Bentley, another condominium takes its place. As high as it is – it doesn’t feel as if the building is looming over the street even though it is flush with the side walk.
None of it seems to change the feel of the market in a parking lot.
 Produce is set out on table on on the tail gates of vehicles. What is missing is a spot where one can sit at a table with a checkered table cloth drinking good coffee, perhaps a double espresso and a croissant.
Can one hope?
 By Pepper Parr
August 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council ended a long work day on Thursday – starting at 9:30 am and adjourning at just after 10 pm that night.
They started out as a Standing Committee, rolled it over into a Meeting of Council and passed a number of significant bylaws.
There was an interesting debate on plans to create a Registry within which members of Council would let the public know who they have been meeting with.
Politicians at every level don’t particularly like Registry’s. Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns has had one in place for some time. She brought forward a Motion asking that there be a Registry that included every member of Council
During the debate Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said she has had a Register since the day she became Mayor.
 Transparency was Meed Ward’s operative word before she was even elected to office. That was a surprise to me – it was something I had never heard of before. With Mayor Meed Ward everything she does that is new and different is mentioned often. She sees and positions herself as a politician who is going to do things differently. She used the words accountability and transparency every time she delegated at Council as a citizen.
The Gazette reached out to the Mayor’s Communication staffer. Got a message that he was working from home. Our message to the Communications Staffer was:
At the Standing Committee last night the Mayor said that she keeps a record of everyone she meets with along with minutes of the meeting and that that information is publicly available.
Can you tell me where that information is located?
Thank you
Shortly after we got an email from Suzanne Vukosavljevic, Manager of Communications, City Manager’s Office. We did not reach out to Vukosavljevic – she appears to have been advised by the Mayor’s Communications Staffer that the Gazette was asking questions.
She responded:
 Marianne Meed Ward after being sworn in as Mayor of Burlington The Mayor’s Office maintains a record of meetings with developers, with minutes. They are not online but, as stated, available to the public upon request and can forward.
We responded asking for a link to the information.
Vukosavljevic replied:
Good afternoon Pepper,
The Mayor’s Office maintains a record of meetings with developers, with minutes. If there is interest in a particular meeting, we can forward those minutes. The only meetings that have taken place this year have been:
- Clearview – Adam Peaker, June 29
- Millcroft Golf Course – Frank Bon, Feb 6
Thanks, Suzanne
That is not quite good enough. Where are the records? Written up in a little black book? Are they in a place where they can be accessed by people in the Mayor’s Office and changed?
During the debate the Mayor said the information was public and that it was online.
That isn’t the case. It certainly isn’t transparent.
Politicians are judged by what they do – not what they say.
We applaud the Mayor recording her meetings and keeping minutes.
We would like to see the complete record of every meeting along with the minutes. The public has a right to see everything not just what City Hall functionaries decide to make available.
In a conversation with a former Mayor of the City he said that anyone who wants to do something in the City meets with the Mayor. “It all comes through the Mayor’s office” he said.
Of course it does and the Gazette wants a mayor who preaches accountability and transparency to practice what she preaches.
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
August 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 He can’t seem to stay away from the City.
 One of the first things Marianne Meed Ward did once she had the Chain of Office around her neck was to call a meeting of her newly sworn in members of Council and went into a Closed session where Council agreed that the City Manager was to be shown the door – dismissed – fired is the word people like to use.
There was never any word on what it actually cost the city to dismiss James Ridge – but it wasn’t cheap.
The city would have had to buy out the balance of his contract, cover the cost of moving him out of Burlington and probably something for perceived pain and suffering on the part of Ridge.
In the municipal world, at the City Manager level – these things happen – you take your lumps and move on.
Ridge cleared his desk on either Tuesday December 4th or the 5th. He knew it was coming. He had said to one of the security people before the election that “If she wins I am toast”. Since his departure Ridge has tweeted frequently on Burlington events.
A June 28th tweet has a number of people in Burlington very disturbed. One reader of the tweet commented “We knew it all the time”.
Ridge commented on how many people in the city voiced their concern over the possible demise of a very popular commercial location. Commenting the way he did can only be seen as very unprofessional.
The words that galled people were Ridge saying it was “pensionable time!”
That’s more than unprofessional – that’s just plain crass.
 By Staff
August 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Did you know that Burlington has a Rifle and Revolver Club? It is located on the upper part of King Road in Bayview Park.
David Bot, president of the club, is one of the applicants involved in a challenge in Federal Court to the Government of Canada’s order prohibiting firearms designed for sporting or hunting.
 Gun and rifle club located in a safe isolated location. A city park with a fabulous view. Competitive shooters, gun ranges and businesses based in Ontario and Québec have launched a challenge in Federal Court to the Government of Canada’s order prohibiting firearms designed for sporting or hunting.
On May 1, 2020, the Government of Canada enacted Order in Council 2020-298 that made Regulations reclassifying as prohibited a large number of previously non-restricted or restricted firearms. The Regulations broadly refer to nine models and their variants as well as two categories of firearms based on bore size and muzzle energy. Over 1,500 models of firearms are now prohibited, meaning that several hundred thousand sporting and hunting firearms are unusable and now worthless.
The applicants bringing the challenge include the following:
The individual applicants know each other through their lawful competitive shooting activities. All are members of gun clubs responsible for the operation of their respective federally approved shooting ranges as well as the International Practical Shooting Confederation, which operates worldwide.
 Competitor at a shooting competition in Burlington. The business applicants have suffered direct foreseeable losses as a result of the challenged regulation and each of the owners of those businesses are competitive colleagues of the individual applicants through their respective sporting activities.
Lawyers for the applicants, Eugene Meehan, Q.C. and Thomas Slade of Supreme Advocacy LLP in Ottawa, filed the application for judicial review in Federal Court on August 11, 2020.
“Parliament makes it clear that firearms reasonable for sporting or hunting cannot then be prohibited by Cabinet regulation. Just as Canadians have to follow the law, so does Cabinet,” said Meehan. “Many of the newly prohibited firearms have been imported, sold, regulated, and used for years for sporting and hunting. It is inauthentic to say otherwise. Urinating on somebody’s leg and calling it rain is constitutionally indefensible.”
 Bay View Park has a skyline view that is probably the best in the city. “The number of challenges to the Regulations are a sign of their dysfunction. This particular challenge is designed to complement rather than conflict with those other cases. We specifically are not bringing a Charter challenge, but instead are focusing primarily on the fact the government overstepped its statutory mandate. The government’s narrative keeps changing. The facts don’t,” said David Bot, President of the Burlington Rifle and Revolver Club.
The Executive branch of government can make regulations by way of Orders in Council. Executive legislation, however, is not subject to the same high scrutiny as laws passed by Parliament. For this reason, it is important that the government is careful in making regulations and ensures they adhere to limits established by Parliament and Parliament’s legislative intention.
By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
So how deep is the financial hole going to be?
The city treasurer put some numbers on the table – they don’t look all that good.
Earlier in the week the City got a big chunk of money from the federal and provincial governments. More than $4 million was to cover some of the costs of running the City.
Revenue has been low – mostly from the Parks and Recreation services the City provides.
Here is what Joan Ford, City Treasurer gave Council on Thursday.
The city has been very generous on the time people have to pay their taxes. There have been deferrals on due dates – which can get a little confusing. The Table below shows what the shortfall is on the April tax levy.
There is a total of $7, 708,000 + outstanding from the April tax levy. A number of people and organizations enrolled in the Tax deferral the city put in place. That amount comes in at $2,260,000 +
Ford set out for Council what all this was doing to cash flow. The table below shows the Cash flow projections that were in place for the 2018/2019 fiscal year and what Ford and her staff think the projection will be for 2020.
Using the data they have the Finance people set out the estimated revenue loss from tax supported and non-tax supported programs – then added to that what they expect to have to spend on COVID-19 matter. Ford told Council that to date the City has spent about $400,000 on Covid-19 tasks.
Seven million was saved on what they called “expenditure restraint”. Unless it was absolutely necessary – funds were not spent even though they were in the budget.
That still leaves a shortfall of $7,743,834.
Standing back from the detail and looking at the bigger picture – where is the pain? Parks and Recreation. Transit, the orange marker wasn’t as deep but substantial nevertheless The service was offered free of charge. That changes in September but at this point the transit people have no idea what revenue might look like.
The Parks and Recreation revenue losses were a surprise.
The city let all the part time people go shortly after the Emergency legislation was passed. Discretionary spending was cut and almost $3.2 million was saved in other “Business as Usual” expenses.
There is only so much that can be squeezed out of a budget. Also there are found expenses that occur the moment you turn the lights on.
There is a very bright and tough minded crew of people who look at the services that are provided and ask: How can we redesign this service so that the public gets what they expect and we can be more efficient.
The most recent re-design resulted in an additional $1.7 (almost $1.8) million being added. Some savings with leaf collection – always a contentious issue in Burlington – were made.
That now has the shortfall at $9,541 + million.
Getting a handle on the damage COVID-19 is doing to the City’s finances in a situation that is both dynamic and fluid leaves the city with what cannot be described as a pretty picture.
The finance people know that things will not remain the same – normal is no longer a state of affairs that can be seen as certain.
The Finance department did a sensitivity analysis. Starting with what they see happening now that we are into Stage 3 they looked forward and did a calculation based on an additional 5% revenue loss and then a 10% revenue loss.
Those numbers are set out below.
Members of City Council need now to take those projections to bed with them and think long and hard: Are they ready to tell the public that there is going to be a $13 million revenue loss. If they have to make that kind of a statement they had better have some solutions and not just assume that a tax hike will cover that off.
City Council might be approaching that point of desperation that many in the commercial, especially the hospitality sector, are experiencing. City’s cannot go bankrupt nor can they run a deficit. Should they reach that point the province sends in regulators who take over. That’s when a staff reduction is given a hard close look.
By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Council, meeting as a Standing Committee yesterday put in a 14 hour day. They got a little silly near the end of the day and items that needed more time got a bit of a bum’s rush.
We are seeing more in the way of delegations – not seeing the delegators actually – we get to hear them only.
 Joe Lamb, a one-time aspirant to the job of Mayor, explained to council how things worked in well run condominium corporations. Joe Lamb, a one-time aspirant to the job of Mayor, delegated on when a mask has to be worn in condominiums, which did not fall under the Emergency legislation.
City Council wanted those who live in condominiums and apartments to come under the mandatory mask bylaw.
Lamb was more than prepared to cooperate with Council.
In a media release put out this morning we were advised that Condominiums and Apartment Buildings have been added to the Temporary Mask By-law
In an effort to expand protections and reduce transmission of COVID-19, as of Aug. 20, the temporary Mask By-law will apply to most common areas of condominiums and apartment buildings, with the same exemptions effective August 20th.
The temporary Mask By-law, that was originally described as temporary has been extended until Jan. 31, 2021. The By-law can still be rescinded earlier or be extended beyond Jan. 31 2021
The temporary Mask By-law states that masks or face coverings must be worn in enclosed, public spaces including most common areas of condominiums and apartment buildings. Exemptions apply.
Exemptions
The By-law includes exemptions for those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons including mental health concerns, children under the age of five and other reasonable accommodations.
Children under five years of age should never be required to wear a mask or face covering.
The By-law also permits the temporary removal of a mask or face covering when receiving services, having a meal or engaging in athletic or fitness activity. The by-law does not apply to child care facilities and schools, employee-only areas and areas that are not enclosed (i.e. restaurant patios).
 Mayor lets the public know that she is a big time mask believer. It wasn’t always thus. Adjusting to the mandatory Mask By-law will take some time. Residents are encouraged to be kind and compassionate with each other, and to approach fellow community members who may not be wearing a mask with understanding and offers of assistance, rather than judgement.
For more information about the Mask By-law, visit burlington.ca/masks.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward insists that: “We listened to our residents who have been requesting additional protections for public areas in condos and apartments. We need to use every tool we have to keep our community safe wherever they are. We also thank those buildings in our city who have already voluntarily asked residents to wear a mask in common areas.”
 By Staff
August 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
While this incident took place in Action (Worth the Drive they say) it is a fine example of how citizens can work with police.
On June 22, 2020 the Halton Regional Police Service responded to a report of a stolen skid steer from a parking lot in Acton.
 Not the easiest thing to put in the back of a pick up. An alert neighbour gave the police all the information needed to make an arrest. The skid steer (Bobcat, valued at approximately $15,000) had been parked at a lot in the area of Hillcrest Street and Eastern Avenue. An alert citizen advised police that he observed two suspicious pickup trucks in the area of the skid steer at approximately 6:20 pm. He observed a male load the skid steer onto one of the trucks prior to leaving the area without properly securing it. He provided police with detailed descriptors of the trucks and the male loading the skid steer.
Investigation determined that the skid steer was in-fact stolen and the information provided by the citizen was crucial in aiding the investigation.
On August 13, 2020 the suspect was located and arrested by Halton Regional Police officers in the city of Guelph.
Kyle Rideout (32) of Erin has been charged with:
-Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000.
Rideout was released from custody on a Form 9. The skid steer has been recovered by police. The investigation is continuing in efforts to identify other suspect(s) involved.
A form 9 is an appearance notice, simply a notification provided by a peace officer of the upcoming court appearance as well as information on when the person must attend for fingerprinting for offences that are indictable or hybrid (straight summary conviction offences do not require fingerprinting).
 Anyone with information in regards to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Sheena Baker of the 1 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2129.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
People charged with a criminal offence are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Staff
August 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
For those who want to get deeply into the weeds on just what the province is telling the school boards what they are required to do the Memorandum from the Ministry to the Boards wiill be interesting.
Purpose
The Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that students1 across Ontario receive a consistent approach to remote learning in times of extended interruption to conventional in-person learning, such as when public health emergencies, pandemics, natural disasters, or other unplanned events force the closure of classrooms or schools.
This memorandum provides direction to school boards2 on remote learning requirements, including implementation and reporting. This memorandum also identifies effective practices that school boards should develop to support students during remote learning.
 Classes like this will be difficult to hold. During full or partial school closures, or under any other periods of remote learning, it is crucial to keep students engaged in their learning. Students should have access to a school community, a support network, and authentic educational experiences in order to continue to progress in their learning.
This memorandum must be implemented in alignment with collective agreements. Where there is a conflict between the memorandum and a collective agreement, the collective agreement must prevail.
Definitions of “Remote”, “Synchronous”, and “Asynchronous” Learning
In the context of this memorandum, “remote learning”, “synchronous learning”, and “asynchronous learning” mean the following:
Remote learning: Learning that occurs when classes are taught at a distance and when students and educators are not in a conventional classroom setting. Remote learning takes place in times of extended interruption to in-person learning – for example, as a result of a pandemic or natural disaster. Classes can be synchronous or asynchronous and can be taught online through a Learning Management System (LMS) or by using videoconferencing tools. In some cases, they may be delivered through emails, print materials, broadcast media, or telephone calls.
Synchronous learning: Learning that happens in real time. Synchronous learning involves using text, video, or voice communication in a way that enables educators and other members of the school- or board-based team to instruct and connect with students in real time. Synchronous learning supports the well-being and academic achievement of all students, including students with special education needs, by providing educators and students with an interactive and engaging way to learn. It helps teachers provide immediate feedback to students and enables students to interact with one another.
Asynchronous learning: Learning that is not delivered in real time. Asynchronous learning may involve students watching pre-recorded video lessons, completing assigned tasks, or contributing to online discussion boards.
Remote Learning Requirements for School Boards
 Classes like this won’t take place as long as the pandemic is with us.
2. Minimum Requirements for Synchronous Learning
During periods of remote learning where students are at home for more than three days in a given week, boards must ensure that students are provided with synchronous learning. The minimum requirements for synchronous learning help to ensure that students have access to both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities.
The scheduled synchronous learning sessions must be communicated to parents and students. Educators should use their professional judgement to provide some flexibility to students on an individual basis when students are unable to participate in synchronous learning.
The table below outlines the minimum amount of time per day that students, depending on their grade level, must be provided with synchronous learning as part of their scheduled or timetabled learning.
Division Grade Level of Students Daily Minimum Synchronous Learning Time Requirement*
Elementary Kindergarten 180 minutes
Grades 1 to 3 225 minutes
Grades 4 to 8 225 minutes
Secondary Grades 9 to 12 The higher of 60 minutes for each 75-minute class period** or 225 minutes per day for a full course schedule
* This is in addition to asynchronous learning time.
** The synchronous learning time requirement for any period that is not 75 minutes should be adjusted to reflect this ratio.
The synchronous learning time requirements outlined in the table above may be divided into shorter periods throughout the school day. For example, a child in Kindergarten may participate in an opening exercise for 10 minutes with their whole class, as well as a combination of whole-group and small-group sessions throughout the school day, and a 10-minute closing exercise with their class at the end of the school day.
It is expected that synchronous learning will be provided for large and small groups of students each day, in a manner similar to in-person classroom teaching. Synchronous learning time may include students working independently and in small groups while engaged in a virtual classroom with the teacher overseeing their learning and available for questions. The synchronous learning requirements are a part of the 300-minute instructional day during which teachers remain available to students as per the previous section “Minimum Requirements for Engaging Students during Remote Learning.”
Additional group meetings may take place between educators and students as needed to address specific learning needs. Where students are able to attend in-person classes and also participate in remote learning, school boards should plan, where possible, to assign different educators to facilitate both formats of instruction. This will ensure that students are engaged in their learning with appropriate levels of support.
3. Process for Exemption from Synchronous Learning
School boards must allow for students to be exempted from the minimum requirements for synchronous learning stated above, on an individual basis.
School boards must develop a process to obtain and acknowledge the receipt of exemption forms. Requests for an exemption must be made in writing. Exemption from synchronous learning may be requested by parents or by students who are 18 years of age or older, and students who are 16 or 17 years of age but have withdrawn from parental control.
 Social for sure – but no distancing. School is not going to be the same. To support meaningful access to education, alternative learning approaches must be put in place for all exempted students – for example, correspondence, print, or broadcast media instruction that is based on the individual student’s needs and circumstances. Additional supports for parents should also be considered. Exempted students must be provided with a daily schedule or timetable in accordance with the 300-minute instructional day.
4. Protocols for Delivering Remote Learning
School boards must ensure that the delivery of remote learning includes the following elements:
Communication Processes
School boards must inform students and parents about remote learning requirements, including the process for exemption from synchronous learning, and expectations for student attendance and engagement.
School boards should clearly communicate a process whereby parents can inform the school of any issues that their child may be experiencing with remote learning, and provide steps that parents may take to resolve any issues.
Teachers should communicate with the principal, students, and parents a regular schedule of synchronous learning sessions that fulfills the minimum time requirements, as part of their remote learning timetable. Teachers should accommodate parents who request a meeting through other modes (e.g., by telephone, through a virtual platform) when an in-person meeting is not possible.
Differentiated Assessment and Instruction
Teachers should provide daily opportunities for each student to receive meaningful feedback.
The policy outlined in Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, 2010 continues to apply during periods of remote learning and teachers should employ assessment for, as, and of learning (including diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment), as required.
Teachers should provide differentiated support to all students, including English and French Language Learners, and students with special education needs who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Supporting Students with Special Education Needs
Where appropriate, educators should provide more opportunities than the minimum requirements for synchronous learning for students with special education needs, based on their individual strengths and needs, and provide differentiated support and instruction.
Educators should continue to provide accommodations, modified expectations, and alternative programming to students with special education needs, as detailed in their IEPs. If it is not possible to meet a student’s needs through synchronous learning, educators and families will work together to find solutions.
School boards are encouraged to provide continued access to assistive technology, including Special Equipment Amount (SEA) equipment, where possible, to support students with special education needs as they participate in remote learning. In situations where access to assistive technology is not feasible, educators are expected to work with students and parents to determine workable solutions on an individual basis.
Student Attendance and Safety
Student attendance must be taken daily at the elementary level and per course at the secondary level. Principals must ensure that student attendance records are submitted and that a staff member is assigned to contact parents in the case of an unexpected absence, in accordance with school and board attendance protocols.
In cases where a student is unable to participate in a synchronous learning session – for example, their device may be shared with a parent in the home – teachers should be informed, and they should make curriculum and assessment accommodations on an individual basis.
Boards may review how attendance counsellors could be used to further support student attendance, engagement, and well-being.
Boards must ensure that teachers follow school board-established procedures related to online safety, privacy, and cyber security.
5. Access to Remote Learning Devices – such as Laptops or Tablets – and the Internet
School boards must work collaboratively with parents to ensure that all students have access to remote learning devices and the Internet during remote learning. School boards are expected to provide remote learning devices and Internet connectivity to students who do not otherwise have access to them, and to develop policies on how these resources will be allocated on an equitable basis.
In situations where students do not have access to remote learning devices or the Internet, and a school board is unable to provide this support, school boards should have a process in place to work collaboratively with students and parents to establish alternative arrangements on an individual basis.
School boards should also consider how to support students in Education and Community Partnership Programs (ECPPs), including students in youth justice ECPPs, where access to the Internet may not be available or may be restricted due to a court order.
Teachers should work from a school or board facility during remote learning, where possible, with reasonable accommodations if required. If this is not possible, teachers should maintain regular communication with the principal. School boards should support educators in accessing remote learning devices and tools to support remote and synchronous instruction.
6. Standardized Suite of Synchronous Learning Platforms
School boards must provide teachers with a standardized suite of synchronous learning platforms to ensure that students have a consistent learning experience, and provide teachers with training on these platforms. The platforms will allow real-time communication between educators, students, and parents during remote learning.
Synchronous learning platforms should include live video, audio, and chat features and be fully accessible. To support student safety and well-being, school boards should consider providing a tool that allows educators to control student microphones and cameras. School boards may also wish to consider synchronous learning platforms that include virtual whiteboards, recording features, participant polling features, and file uploading and sharing features.
7. Cyber Security, Privacy, and Online Safety
Ensuring the protection of privacy and the cyber security of educators, students, and parents is paramount to supporting a safe and inclusive learning environment for remote learning.
School boards must review their cyber security and privacy policies, and develop updates related to remote learning. These policies must include clear protocols and procedures for educators to follow so that they can ensure student safety and security during remote learning. These protocols must be clearly communicated to educators, students, and parents.
Board protocols should ensure that students and educators do not share passwords, that student initials are used for account creation instead of full names, that teachers are the last ones to leave synchronous learning sessions, and that students and teachers are aware of and respect board policies regarding digital conduct and privacy.
School boards should provide professional resources to all school staff to increase cyber security awareness.
Effective Practices
To support students and educators during periods of remote learning, school boards should develop effective practices, including:
providing technical support for remote learning
providing educator training
using standardized platforms
setting out roles and responsibilities
1. Providing Technical Support for Remote Learning
School boards should provide technical support to educators, students, and parents for the use of board-provided devices and access to the Internet during remote learning.
Technical support should be responsive to immediate needs. It should assist users who have specific technological problems and questions. In the context of remote learning, technical support should span the full spectrum of users’ technological needs, including devices, connectivity, security, and digital learning tools and applications.
Board staff, educators, students, and parents should know where to seek help when they encounter technical issues during remote learning. School boards should provide clear information on who can provide help (e.g., board staff, service providers), and how users can access that help (e.g., by email, telephone).
2. Providing Educator Training
Educators should have access to subject- and division-specific training to support remote learning.
School boards should deliver remote learning strategies and educator training related to:
student and staff safety;
student and parent comfort levels with technology, and the levels of support that may be required;
effective use of digital tools;
effective pedagogy and assessment;
student and staff mental health and well-being;
accessibility and differentiated instruction for all students, including students with special education needs.
3. Using Standardized Platforms
Educators should use board-approved synchronous learning platforms that are fully accessible.
Principals should ensure that educators have access to a suite of appropriate technology products, tools, and resources to support the delivery of remote learning. To ensure that students have a consistent learning experience, the maximum number of synchronous learning platforms used within a school should be three, where possible.
4. Setting Out Roles and Responsibilities
School boards should consider the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, educational assistants, early childhood educators, and other school and board staff during remote learning.
Teachers are expected to carry out the instructional duties assigned to them by their principals and to comply with all professional standards and obligations under the Education Act and the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996. These include having responsibility for the effective instruction and evaluation of the progress of students in the subjects and classes assigned by the principal (including by electronic means), preparing and submitting lesson plans to the principal, and communicating regularly with parents.
Technology Enabled Learning and Teaching (TELT) contacts at each school board can play an active role in supporting communication of the policy, educator training, and implementation of remote and synchronous learning. For example, they can support the use of the ministry’s Virtual Learning Environment, which provides educators with training related to digital learning tools.
Implementation
School boards must ensure that the requirements outlined in this memorandum are implemented by the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.
School boards are encouraged to consider local needs and circumstances, and to consult with local partners in their implementation of remote learning. In the French-language education system, the implementation of remote and synchronous learning should take into account Ontario’s aménagement linguistique policy and support the vitality of the French-language culture in a minority setting.
Monitoring and Evaluation
School boards are required to report at the end of the school year on their activities to fulfill the direction outlined in this memorandum.
School boards are expected to develop and implement a process for regular data collection, and to collect data related, but not limited, to:
areas in which educators require additional support in implementing remote learning, including providing student and educator access to technology and the Internet;
strategies to provide training related to the identified areas of need, including learning and well-being;
details of implementation progress and monitoring activities, including the number of exemptions from synchronous learning and what alternative approaches were used;
parent and student feedback on the impact of remote learning, including:
level of student engagement in learning;
ease of online learning participation;
access to teachers;
ease and access to technology;
information on how parent and student feedback is being taken into account in the delivery of remote learning.
Data covering the school year must be provided to the ministry no later than July 31 of each year in which there are periods of remote learning.
School boards are expected to make adjustments to their implementation of the requirements in this memorandum based on parent, student, and staff feedback collected throughout the school year.
Upon request of the ministry, school boards may be required to report on the following data during the school year:
for any given calendar month, the number of students engaged in remote learning;
for any given calendar month, the number of students provided with the minimum requirements for synchronous learning;
for any given calendar month, the number of students exempted from the minimum requirements for synchronous learning.
1 In this memorandum, unless otherwise stated, student(s) includes children in Kindergarten and students in Grades 1 to 12.
2 In this memorandum school board(s) and board(s) refer to district school boards, school authorities, and Provincial and Demonstration Schools (including the schools operated by the Centre Jules-Léger Consortium).
3 In this memorandum, parent(s) refers to parent(s) and guardian(s).
By Pepper Parr
August 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
This afternoon and probably well into the evening the Standing Committee on Corporate Service debated a change to the way council meets.
While operating under the rules put in place during the Emergency council was permitted to meet virtually which isn’t quite the same as meeting in city hall council chambers where we can see the members of council and catch the interplay between council and staff.
A staff report from the City Clerk would like Council to approve the amendment to Procedure By-law 04-2020, as amended to allow for electronic meetings to occur without a declaration of an emergency.
This report is supposed to be about: Building more citizen engagement, community health and culture
Background and Discussion:
In response to the COVID-19 virus, in March 2020 the City of Burlington closed all city facilities including city hall to public access. Over the following months the city had to shift much of its workforce to work remotely. As the city continues to operate, meetings must occur to ensure that the necessary approvals are obtained. At present the City of Burlington is slowly bringing in-person services back online.
March 16, 2020 – All city facilities, including city hall, were closed to the public. It was determined that all meetings during a three-week period would be cancelled including the regularly scheduled March City Council meeting.
March 19, 2020 – Ontario legislature passed Bill 187, the Municipal Emergency Act, 2020, to enable municipalities, during a declared emergency, the ability to allow for virtual participation, and to conduct Council meetings electronically with members who participate remotely being counted for the purpose of quorum.
March 24, 2020 – Special Council meeting held to enact necessary Procedure By-law amendments to allow remote participation. A meeting guide was posted to the city’s website which provides additional information on how virtual meetings will occur.
April 20, 2020 – Procedure By-law amendments to enable virtual delegations and to re-establish Committee of the Whole to allow for the city to be nimble when agenda planning.
May 25, 2020 – Proposed path forward to allow for statutory public meetings in accordance with the Planning Act R.S.O. 1990, and the addition of an August cycle of committee meetings.
July 21, 2020 – Ontario legislature passed Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, which allows for electronic meetings beyond a declared emergency, and proxy voting at Council.
During this time the Province has provided municipalities a framework for local councils to meet virtually. Based on the experience over the past months, Council and committee meetings may be required to be conducted virtually for some time.
On July 24, 2020, the Region of Halton moved into Stage 3 of Phase 2 of recovery. At the time of preparing this report, staff are seeking clarification on the indoor gathering sizes.
Should there be a change to public health guidelines and indoor gathering sizes, accommodations to the physical set up of Council Chambers may be introduced, based on advice from Halton Public Health and the City of Burlington’s facilities, and health and safety teams.
This is the point at which the Staff report should have ended.
The report goes on to say and suggest that the amendments afford local councils the ability to pass amendments to their procedure by-law to allow remote participation beyond a declared emergency and introduce the concept of proxy voting at council meetings.
If you give them the right to shut things down significantly and limit real public participation – they will use it.
In the report we are told that: “Bill 197 – the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 On July 21, 2020 Bill 197 the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 received royal assent. Bill 197 was an omnibus bill and contained several amendments to various acts. Amendments to the Municipal Act are contained in schedule 12 and focus on council procedure matters. The amendments afford local councils the ability to pass amendments to their procedure by-law to allow remote participation beyond a declared emergency and introduce the concept of proxy voting at council meetings.
Staff are recommending to amend the City of Burlington Procedure By-law to allow for remote participation at Council meetings after a declared emergency. Supporting the amendments would afford the municipality with additional flexibility when determining whether to maintain a declaration of an emergency.
These amendments will also be extended to standing committees and advisory committees of Council.
Council should be aware that once the declaration is lifted, all previous notice provisions for City Council are reinstated. The clerks department will work with staff to ensure that special meetings adhere to the 72-hour notice requirement.
Schedule 12 also introduced the ability for a municipality to pass procedure by-law amendments to afford for proxy voting at Council meetings. An excerpt of Schedule 12 related to proxy voting is provided as Appendix B which we will publish as a seperate article and link it to this article.
At this time an amendments package has not been provided to Council. Staff require additional time to review the legislation and recommend a path forward to Council.
During this time, staff will monitor other municipal units and their respective Councils to better understand how the legislation is used and the proxy voting rules implemented. There may be a benefit to allowing for proxy voting if a second or third wave to the pandemic occurs, the ability to use proxies may allow for greater flexibility to Council members. Advisory Committee Meetings During the past few months, staff took the time to refine the remote Council and standing committee processes. In addition, some City of Burlington advisory committees have also met virtually:
Audit Committee – June 10, 2020 (standing committee with members of the public) •
Committee of Adjustment – July 15, 2020 CoA met twice each week for a period of time to get caught up on the variance applications. Those meetings went well.
Burlington Downtown Parking Advisory Committee – July 21, 2020
The balance of the committees will resume in September with the caveat that they will only convene to provide input on city business, or staff reports. The clerks department will work with the staff committee liaison, and the advisory committee chairs to ensure that this balance is achieved. Narrowing the scope will ensure that when the committees meet, they focus on advancing municipal business. It has been observed that virtual/remote meetings take longer than in-person meetings and require additional support to run. Residents may tune into the meeting by way of a weblink. Individuals who wish to delegate are able to submit a request by way of the clerks department.
The rules as established by the remote participation guide will apply. For reference, an excerpt of the remote participation guide regarding public participation will be provided as a seperate piece that will be linked to this article.
The advisory committee review is in process. At the April 20, 2020 Council meeting substantive direction was provided to staff. It is anticipated that initial pieces of the review will be brought forward in the fall, along with a schedule of when the balance of the staff direction deliverables may be presented.
Strategy/process
With the current situation presented by COVID-19 and the public health recommendations to physically distance, holding in-person committee and Council meetings have become a challenge. With the recent amendments to the Municipal Act, by way of the Municipal Emergency Act 2020, and the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, regarding remote participation at Council and committees of Council has allowed for City of Burlington business to continue. Staff are currently leveraging technology to ensure that the advisory committees will be brought online in September.
Options Considered
Other models or combinations of participation were discussed at length. (Who took part in those discussions? Just the bureaucrats and maybe a couple of Councillors?)
Staff will continue to monitor public health, in terms of indoor gathering sizes and best practices. Should there be a change in how Council meetings are physically set up, staff will advise Council and the general public through the communications department. Any changes must be in lockstep with advice from Halton Public Health and upon the review of plans by the City of Burlington facilities, and health and safety teams.
The cost amounts to acquiring a Zoom license. Planning acquired their own Zoom license to ensure that there is no overlap of meetings, as one license can only conduct one meeting at a time.
There is no reason at this point in time to move on the report recommendations.
 Sometime in November, assuming the infection numbers remain low (the colder weather may bring on an increase – we just don’t know yet) Council should be able to resume normal meeting set ups. There is more than enough room to spread them out around the horse shoe and put staff further back in the Chamber and provide just two rows of seats for the public and keep spaces of at least six feet between participants.
It can be done – all it takes is a will on the part of the administration with strong direction from Council.
The Gazette’s assumption is that those elected really want the electors to be in the room.
 By Staff
August 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council does have to come up with a budget before the end of the year.
The Province of Ontario announced as part of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement that the City of Burlington will receive $4,470,700 to support municipal operating pressures for Phase 1 and Burlington Transit will receive $1,571,213 to support municipal transit systems for Phase 1.
 Joan Ford, the city’s Director of Finance doesn’t have to worry as much about where the money to pay the bills is going to come from. Senior City staff will be presenting the monthly COVID-19 verbal update to the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee Meeting on Thursday.
At the last monthly update to Burlington City Council on July 9, the City was estimating revenue losses of $18 million. The City was able to mitigate $9.9 million for a projected year end shortfall of $8.1 million before needing to draw from reserve funds.
If memory serves us correctly the shortfall was in the $4 million range
Municipalities will be provided with up to $1.6 billion as part of the first round of emergency funding under the Safe Restart Agreement.
This funding will help municipalities like Burlington protect the health and well-being of residents, while continuing to deliver critical public services to our community and assist with economic recovery.
Through the Safe Restart Agreement with the federal government, $695 million will help municipalities address operating pressures related to the COVID-19 pandemic through the first round of emergency funding, and over $660 million will support transit systems. The province is also providing an additional $212 million through the Social Services Relief Fund to help vulnerable people find shelter.
 There will be money for the transit service – will there be passengers willing to ride the buses – especially if they are crowded. In addition to the support for municipalities, the government is providing over $660 million in the first phase of transit funding to the 110 municipalities with transit systems. The funding can be used to provide immediate relief from transit pressures, such as lower ridership, as well as for new costs due to COVID-19, such as enhanced cleaning and masks for staff.
In the second phase, additional allocations will be provided based on expenses incurred to ensure the funding meets the needs of municipalities. As part of the Safe Restart Agreement with the federal government, up to $2 billion is being provided to support public transit in Ontario.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “This is exactly the support we need from our upper levels of government to continue to provide the services our residents need, in the midst of COVID-19. Today’s funding announcement for Burlington will allow us to continue to serve our community without service cuts, unacceptable tax increases or depleting reserves.
By Staff
August 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Regional Chair Gary Carr is pulling out all the stops.
He has sent an email to every name in his Rolodex.
His effort on this one is the equivalent of an election campaign.
The issue is the 400 acre rail-truck hub that CN Rail wants to build in Milton.
 CN Rail is going to have to get by this guy: Gary Carr, Regional Chair when he was a goal tender. Carr had this to say:
As you may know, CN is proposing to build a 400 acre truck-rail hub in the Town of Milton. As part of the Federal Review process, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is in the final stages of public consultation regarding their environmental assessment of CN’s proposed truck-rail hub and I am writing to you today to ask you to take action to have your voice heard on this issue. The Agency is accepting comments from the public on the potential environmental assessment conditions for the project until August 21. I am encouraging everyone who lives or works in Halton to learn more about the proposal and to take action to make sure the Federal Government knows where you stand on this issue.
Here are the facts:
• The proposed site is immediately adjacent to existing and planned residential areas. Approximately 34,000 current and future residents, twelve schools, two long-term care homes and one hospital are located within one kilometer of the site.
• The proposed hub will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and result in 1,600 truck trips to and from the site each day. These truck routes will lead to more traffic on our roads and traffic will continue to increase as the site’s capacity grows. This congestion poses a risk to the safety of motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and families in the area.
 CN has not said what it wants to do with the 800 acres that are not part of the application. • The proposed facility is contrary to Halton’s planning strategy developed over 20 years ago—planning that is irreversible at this stage.
• Through their review, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada determined that CN’s proposed truck-rail hub in Milton is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on air quality and human health.
• The Panel identified six potentially significantly adverse effects on human and environmental health as well as a risk for at least 16 additional potentially adverse effects, including the impact of noise on residential communities.
• This is not business as usual—the impacts to air quality and human health are unprecedented and put Halton residents at risk.
 1600 trucks a day are projected to come in and out of the transfer point – 7 days a week. The Halton Municipalities have been advocating to the Federal Government to refuse approval of CN’s proposed truck-rail hub in Milton since 2015. My position and that of the Halton Mayors who stand with me is that this project should not go forward given the Panel’s findings of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. If the Federal Government approves this project, they are sending a message that the health and safety of Halton residents is worth risking.
Voicing our concerns
We are concerned that this is only the start—CN has not disclosed their plans for the other 800 acres of their 1,200 acres of land in Milton, and potential expansion in the future would increase the effects on health, traffic, safety and the environment. We call on the Federal Government to do the right thing and refuse approval of CN’s proposal.
To continue our advocacy efforts against this proposed truck-rail hub, we’ve created a video that highlights the many impacts to our community and those who live here.
 Milton has hundreds of homes in the immediate area – their health and welfare is said to be at risk. Make your voice heard
Now is the time to act so you can voice your opinion before the Minister announces a decision by September 23. To make your voice heard, you can:
• call or email your Member of Parliament and tell them that the health of your families and neighbours matter;
• submit your comments directly to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada by using the link on halton.ca/cn;
• sign the online petition posted by Milton Says No and Milton R.A.I.L. and join others in your community in the fight against CN’s proposal by August 16; and
• be a part of the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #sayNO2CNhub and following @RegionofHalton.
For more information about CN’s proposal and the Halton Municipalities’ position on this project, please visit halton.ca/cn. Together we can do what’s right for our community and ensure that Halton remains a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.
By Staff
August 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON,ON
Robin Bailey, Executive Director of the Burlington Food Bank, does a two-minute You Tube broadcast almost every day of the week to talk about the things people have to do to stay healthy – Eating the right kind of food regularly has been his theme for the past month.
Robin is in the food business – collecting it through donations and buying whatever is not donated so that the people in Burlington who need food have a place to go.
There are a lot of people not able to work due to COVID. Those who are self-isolating need someone to go out and buy food for then or have food delivered to them.
Robin is on the delivery side of that equation.
 Cookie treat from the Wellington Square Meals program to the volunteers at the Food Bank Bailey points out that “One of the adverse effects of the covid crisis is the financial stress that most of us are feeling and that’s not good for your body overall. We need to eat healthy right now and we are proud to be able to produce and provide fresh healthy food choices. We receive fresh produce from our garden and from the community as well as purchasing fresh food. We also have protein options we can add to your support. Stress causes us to make unhealthy choices and financial stress may cause you to skip meals so we try to get everyone to ask for the support they need.”
Some of that food, not necessarily healthy got delivered to the Food Bank from one of their clients – the Wellington Square Meals program sent over small cookie bags to thank the Food Bank for their support.
“If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or they can now pick it up. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.”
By Staff
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service – Drug and Human Trafficking Unit has concluded an investigation into an incident that occurred at a Burlington hotel in July, 2020.
Two females (ages 16 and 18) were identified as victims of human trafficking as a result of the investigation. The Halton Regional Police Service, with assistance from the Barrie Police Service, has since arrested two males in relation to the incident.
 Charged are:
Kevaun Orlando Parkes (22) of Brampton
• Trafficking in Persons – Child
• Material Benefit – Trafficking in Persons – Child
• Material Benefit – Purchasing Offence – Child
• Knowingly Advertise for Sexual Services x2
• Trafficking in Persons – Adult
• Material Benefit – Trafficking in Persons – Adult
• Material Benefit – Purchasing Offence – Adult
• Withhold or Destroy Identity Document – Adult
• Assault
• Procuring – Child
A youth offender (male) from Brampton has been charged with:
• Trafficking in Persons – Child
• Material Benefit – Trafficking in Persons – Child
• Material Benefit – Purchasing Offence – Child
• Knowingly Advertise for Sexual Services x2
• Trafficking in Persons – Adult
• Material Benefit – Trafficking in Persons – Adult
• Material Benefit – Purchasing Offence – Adult
• Procuring – Child
Both parties were held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Police believe there may be further victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Dan Ciardullo of the Drug and Human Trafficking Unit at 905-825-4747 ext 4973.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
The Halton Regional Police Service is a member of the Halton Collaborative Against Human Trafficking along with several other stakeholders and agencies. This Collaborative is dedicated towards providing services and support to those who have experienced Human Trafficking in Halton and surrounding regions. Local organizations such as “SAVIS” (www.savisofhalton.org) are able to provide first response care and support to victims of human trafficking.
By Pepper Parr
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was pathetic.
The media release was from the Office of the Mayor. She was exited about the change in the name of a committee that is part of AMO – Association of Municipalities in Ontario,
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward was acclaimed recently as a member of LUMCO – Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario
They recently changed their named to Ontario’s Big City Mayors and that was important enough to put out a media release.
Really?
“LUMCO is excited to announce its new name: Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM). While the name has changed, our mission remains the same: to represent the interests of Ontario’s 29 biggest cities, and almost 70% of Ontarians, through public policy development, advocacy and discussion.
 “Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) is comprised of mayors of Ontario cities with populations of 100,000 or more.
“OBCM provides a voice for big city mayors in policy debates that impact Ontario cities. Through policy development, advocacy, discussion and partnerships, Ontario’s Big City Mayors support strong and effective cities.”
The Mayor and two of her Council members did themselves proud earlier this week last week when they “took a knee” at the Black Lives Matter graphic painted on the sidewalk outside city hall.
 Thousands of young people marched on city hall to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.  The Mayor and two Councillors did the “taking a knee” gesture beside the Black Lives Matter outside city hall. The graphic had relevance – especially after the march of several thousand people who demonstrated outside city hall a number of months ago.
But “taking a knee”? That is a gesture we see at sports events in the United States where people of colour in the sports sector have been poorly treated for decades.
“Taking a knee” in that venue makes sense and has an impact.
In Burlington a passer-by might well ask: ‘What are they doing’?
By Staff
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The wearing of face coverings/masks is known to pose a significant barrier to the Deaf community, as masks make it harder to lip read and understand sign language.
To better serve the demographics of our community, while continuing to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, Halton Regional Police Service officers are now equipped with ClearMasks™.
 “Our ability to communicate with the members of our community is absolutely essential,” says Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie. “With guidance and input from the Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf, we have now removed a significant communications barrier.”
“By introducing ClearMasksTM within Halton Regional Police Service, anyone from the Deaf community can now have more accessible dialogue with police officers,” says Jayne Leang, Director of Business Relations at the Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf.
“In an emergency situation, allowing a person who is Deaf or hard-of-hearing the opportunity to see the officer’s facial expression or attempt to read their lips, helps in the exchange of potentially life-saving information.”
These Health Canada-approved masks feature a transparent window, allowing the mouth to be fully protected, while fully visible, for those who use speech reading, lip reading or who are profoundly deaf and use American Sign Language, which is heavily dependent on facial expressions
By Staff
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
They are at it again – cars being towed from the No Frills Plaza on Brant Street.
 They lie in wait at the entrance to the parking lot. They lie in wait – watching people drive in, do some shopping and then leave the parking lot on Brant to do other errands.
The moment the tow truck driver sees the person leave the parking lot they swoop in and put the hook on the vehicle and take it off to the pound. $300 will get it back.
A Burlington resident who lives in a unit that has a clear line of site to the parking lot wrote the Mayor.
Good day Ms Mayor,
I live above the No Frills parking lot on Brant Street. I sit on my deck and watch cars being towed every day out of the No Frills lot.
I do understand that there is signage but it’s not very visible. I watch families park and go to the Dollar store, then No Frills and then walk off the lot and they’re towed instantly.
My concern is that the signs are not big enough, not prominent enough.
I believe in this climate when people are broke and desperate enough to shop at the Dollar store that we shouldn’t apply parking penalties that are over 300 dollars.
The parking lot is empty these days, it’s not about space, it’s about greed and it really breaks my heart. Please help.
I saw 8 cars towed between 4:30pm and 730pm today Tuesday August 11th.
 The signs are clear – and they are not small. The signs are very clear in the parking lot. And there is public parking yards away. And there is a lot of space in the parking lot.
The towing company that has the contract acts on instructions from the owners of the property.
Greed could well be the driving force. Getting tired of people not bothering to read the No Parking Signs and taking advantage of the available space could have made the owners decide it is time to crack down.
Will a call from the Mayor do any good? Not really – the parking offenders have to be more careful and the property owners might think in terms of being a little charitable.
Times are tough for a lot of people – except for the tow truck drivers who take great delight in hooking up a truck. I’ve watched them.
The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research, an annual event in Burlington since 1981, won’t take place this year – the social distancing rules determined by the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t permit large gatherings. And Terry Fox events are very large gatherings.
There is a collection of people who have done outstanding community service to grow the event to the point where they have raised $2.2 million.
They were not prepared to just let the event dribble away – it was going to take more than a pandemic to close them down.
The committee running the virtual event this year has taken a very creative approach to informing the community and telling parts of the unknown story.
Profiles of the people who got the event to where it is today appear on the Terry Fox Burlington Facebook page and are being republished by the Gazette with permission.
 By Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Meet Rick Craig
 Rick on the right, Gerry on the left at the Terry Fox monument For me, Rick Craig has always been the quiet, but thoughtful committee member who does our accounting. He would pass around financial statements at meetings and tell us how healthy our bank account was. Do we need to hold another fundraiser this year, or can we afford to wait another year? Rick had the answers. While he took on this role on the committee due to his background in the field, Terry Fox was more than just a number or a statistic to him.
Rick Craig was one of a few Burlington residents to see Terry run through Burlington on July 13, 1980.
 Lakeshore Photo of Terry Fox running through Burlington on July 13, 1980. Photo by Mark Mulholland “Of course, I’d been following him all the way from Newfoundland, and so did my wife, and we heard he was coming through Burlington,” recalls Craig.
Rick made his way down to Lakeshore Road around 8:30 a.m., before work, with the hopes of catching a glimpse of this incredible young man he had been following in the news. His wife, Gerry, was on Plains Road, with the couple’s young daughter.
“I remember it was a bit of a foggy morning, and he hadn’t come along…at the time I thought he’d come along, so I was thinking I had to get to work, and ‘should I stay?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to stay,’ and all of a sudden there he was coming out of the fog.”
Joining the Committee
Rick Craig is a community-minded guy. He’s friendly and always willing to lend a hand. It’s with this spirit of generosity that he sought out new opportunities to get involved in Burlington events. Years ago, he and Gerry saw an article in the local newspaper asking for volunteers to join the Burlington organizing committee. The year Rick joined there was a small but motivated group. He had fun that first year and has been helping ever since.
When reflecting on why he’s stuck with it all these years, Rick said, “I do it for the cause, but I also do it for Terry.”
 Rick Craig (on the right) with volunteer George Schroeder The Organizers Workshop
Aside from the September run, the event that Rick looks forward to the most is the annual Terry Fox Organizers Workshop in Toronto. Here, representatives from run sites all across Ontario gather on a Saturday in May to watch presentations from other organizers, doctors, scientists, cancer survivors and other special guest speakers. There’s a barbecue lunch, raffle prizes (where Rick lucked out and won several the year I joined him), but at the end of the day you leave feeling humbled, hopeful and more determined than ever. You literally laugh and cry throughout the day. It’s pretty special.
“I’ve been to about eight of them,” said Craig, “and each time you leave inspired to get going.”
The Cuban Connection
Rick and Gerry Craig are avid travellers. At least they were, pre-COVID. During our chat, Rick shared a story about a trip they took to Cuba around 2010. Rick, like many long-time committee members, has a large collection of Terry Fox t-shirts. Wearing one of his many shirts, he went to a local market with Gerry and caught the attention of one merchant.
 Rick Craig went back to his hotel and packed up his shirt to gift to her. The woman at the stand said, “Terry Fox!” And Rick replied, “Oh you know [about] Terry Fox?” She said, “Yes, I run every year.”
He asked her if she had a shirt and she said no, so he went back to his hotel and packed up his shirt to give to her.
In exchange for his kindness, she gifted Rick and Gerry with some of her wooden carvings. They of course refused, but she insisted. The carvings are special mementos from that trip.
Rick took a photo with the merchant and her “new” shirt to remember this special moment. This story truly shows the global reach Terry Fox has these days. What started as a uniquely Canadian event in the 1980s is now happening all over the world.
Rick giving the shirt off his back to a vendor in Cuba.
Family Man
Though Rick has experienced many wonderful things during his years of involvement in the Burlington Terry Fox Run, one of his favourite memories was seeing his kids run by him on the course. Though he won’t be volunteering along the route this year, he still plans to participate in his own neighbourhood.
While he’s not a runner, he plans to ride his bike for the 2020 Terry Fox Run and collect donations just like he would any other year.
Thank you Rick (and Gerry) for your continued support and unwavering dedication to the cause!
Delegating before city council is both a tradition and an important part of citizens getting their views before those elected to guide the city and direct the administration on what they want done.
Burlington has some fine delegators; people who do their homework and believe their role is to hold city council accountable. Yesterday Hunter Lawson delegated on the plans the Region of Halton has for the updating of its Official Plan.
Lawson delegated several hours before Curt Benson, Planner for the Region, talked about the five Discussion papers the Region has prepared. Benson referred to the Lawson delegation several times during the long explanation he gave members of Council. Hunter Lawson had been heard and Curt Benson had listened.
Lawson now gives his opinion on what public engagement is all about.
 By Lawson Hunter
August 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Council held a workshop on July 8th and a Council Meeting on July 15th to deal with the Region’s upcoming Official Plan Review (ROPR) and how it relates to Planning changes recently made by the Province through the Greenbelt Plan, the Growth Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement.
A City’s Official Plan must conform to the Region’s Official Plan which must conform to several Provincial Bills and Regulations. Over the past two years, the Provincial government has been busy making drastic amendments to Provincial Plans and the Provincial Policy Statement. This is why the citizens of Burlington must be informed and engaged.
Five Discussion Papers were drawn up that form the key themes of the Regional Official Plan Review:
Climate Change;
Natural Heritage;
Rural and Agricultural System;
Regional Urban Structure; and
North Aldershot Planning Area.
I delegated to Council to urge them to go beyond what the Region has planned for Public Engagement. From what I can gather, it is limited to the an online survey and one or two Public Information Centres, which will be difficult given our challenges with social distancing due to coronavirus. I propose that the City of Burlington hold its own Public Engagement strategy to inform the public of the importance of the Regional Official Plan as it relates not only to Land Use but to the Climate Emergency that this Council has declared. We need a ‘made in Burlington’ engagement plan. (Note: Curt Benson, Director of Planning Services at the Region, later told Council that there would be 4 PICs)
 Though the Regional Official Plan is not slated to be finalized until Q4 2021, and the Region has hinted that Public Engagement will be undertaken – my concern centres on the fact that public engagement was slated to run from July 15th to Sept. 28th. Summer months are well known to be a slow time to engage the public. The time between July 15th, the day that Regional Council accepted the Discussion Papers, and July 29th, the day that public notice was sent of a request for comments, is a concern. The next Regional Council meeting will be Sept. 16th, when it’s expected Council will discuss public feedback, which is twelve days before the public engagement period ends. Neither inspires confidence that public engagement will be full and effective. (Note: Benson later told Council that Regional Staff would require considerable time to evaluate and prepare a report for Council’s review)
Public engagement is also noted for Phase 3 of the process but by that time Regional staff will have prepared ‘preferred options’ which will limit public discussion, as we have seen over and over again – a public display of an either/or choice or worse, “adopt this or nothing”.
In comparison, the City of Burlington has held extensive public engagement regarding the City’s ‘Adopted Official Plan’ and specifically the ‘Taking a Closer Look at Downtown’. Surveys (online and paper); 7 Citizen Action Labs; 17 pop-up events; outreach to 130 students and the Burlington Youth Council and the Halton Multicultural Council; walking tours; 3 drop-in sessions; and an upcoming online Town Hall on Aug. 18th. An unprecedented amount of effort.
 Scoped Review of the Downtown portion of the affirmed but not yet adopted Official Plan So I must ask, “Is Downtown Burlington more important than North Aldershot, the Rural and Agricultural System, Climate Change?” Each of the five topics that the Region is seeking public comment on is important in its own right. How much emphasis does the Region and the City place on these planning issues?
The timing of public engagement needs to be pushed back into the Fall to allow for a comprehensive process and full disclosure so that residents can digest, and discuss among themselves, the various reports, some of which are longer than 100 pages.
If the Region is not prepared to do this, then the City of Burlington must insist on these changes so that at least Burlington is prepared to look into the future and make its own Official Plan the best that it can be.
A municipal Official Plan does not inspire most residents to take notice. Despite the endless discussions this Council has had on its ‘Adopted Official Plan’, most Burlington citizens, outside of a few committed downtown residents, have only a vague notion of the significance an Official Plan has on how this city will look and operate for decades to come.
We need the Province to hear more than just a nice letter stating that the Region is discussing Climate Change and Natural Heritage and the rest. Each deserves comprehensive public engagement not only with ‘stakeholders’ but with the public that will be affected by those issues and by the Province’s changes to Plans such as the Growth Plan and the Greenbelt Plan, to specific topics such as lessening Environmental Assessments and removing restrictions that protect Endangered Species and eliminating zoning designations.
This is, perhaps, our best chance to let the Provincial government know exactly how we feel about those changes and how we want our city and region to look, feel, and develop for our children and future generations.
 Appleby GO station – one of the hubs (now called MTSA’s) – Major Transit Service Area – where the city wants intensive development to take place. Think in terms of concentrations of apartments I’m sure someone will note that it is the traditional practice of the Province to allow public feedback through letters, online postings or the Environmental Registry. But, you also have to admit that several of these changes were made under the cover of the COVID crisis, behind a wall of secrecy or hidden within some omnibus bill.
This is our chance to be heard. Public Engagement needs to reach the highest level we have ever known in this community. We need to pull out all the stops, educate, explain and underscore that changes to legislation and the Official Plan will have a major impact on our community for the next 30 years.
The Official Plan is the most significant tool that a city has to influence how neighbourhoods will look. How and where parks and amenities are located. What mixture of high, low and mid-level housing will be allowed. What transit and transportation methods will have priority. Where and what kind of development will be permitted – rural or urban, greenfield or intensification. Will we have walkable, complete streets or continue to bow to the car culture? Where and what kind of industry and business will be located in appropriate areas?
 Lawson Hunter All of these things, and more, affect our promise to reduce GHG emissions over that same 30 years. The Land Use policies ‘we’ decide to enshrine will ensure that our air is clean, our neighbourhoods are livable, that we can accept the influx of new residents that we know are coming, 1.1 million residents in Halton by 2051, depending on whose forecasts you choose to accept.
Public Engagement, if done right, represents an unparalleled opportunity to discover what the public really wants our city, region and planet to look like – now and in the future.
Does that not require an extensive, well-funded and timely occasion to inform and listen to what the majority of citizens want?
 By Pepper Parr
August 11th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was the end of a long week – with the week ahead not looking all that much better.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller is being pressed on all sides – the situation he faces is far more challenging that the closure of two high schools. Stuart Miller and his team are bushed. They have been given their marching orders by the province; they now have to make it happen with what they have.
Every elementary student will be in their home classroom – teachers will come to them; the students will take recess and lunch together and not mix or mingle with other students. In some grades they will be asked to wear masks.
There are likely to be some classes that will have in excess of 25 students – some report that there will be classes with 30 students – when you add the teacher and the EA that is a pretty full room making it difficult to stick to the six foot apart rule.
It is going to be a challenge to keep the different classes apart come recess and lunch – a scheduling nightmare.
The secondary students will do a day in a classroom – just 15 in the class, the following day they will work from hone on-line where they will be taught synchronously by their teacher.
Parents who are concerned about the safety of their children, teachers who are apprehensive and an HR department that needs to make sure they have access to supply teachers who may have to replace classroom teachers who decide they do not want to be in classrooms.
 The clean ups at every school will be very through and very frequent. Custodial people have to be hired as well.
The teachers were sent a 79 page document setting out the way the school board administration expects things to work in a situation that is both dynamic and fluid.
Parents will be getting a document with much of the same information on Monday and are asked to let the Board of Education know what they plan to do with their children.
“Some parents won’t get back to us” said Miller. “We will have principals at the schools calling those parents to find out what they want to do.
“We also have number of households who have more than one student going to high school. That will mean each student having access to a laptop computer which for some families may not be in their budget.
The Board will ensure that everyone has what they need to be able to take part on those half days when high school students are being taught synchronously as a class on-line.
There will also be some students who will attend a class within the school due to limitations they have with on-line learning.
The teachers doing the online teaching will do so from the schools – perhaps not from the actual classroom but their base will be the school.
 The upgrade at Nelson high school meant to accommodate the students transferring out of Bateman has been delayed – keeping students in their old school. Delays at Nelson high school where additions are underway to accommodate the transfer of students from Bateman high school to Nelson – with Bateman to be closed at some future date – will be delayed due to construction issues that resulted from the shutdown of the site when a worker was tested positive.
The province has budgeted for some 500 nurses who will be available to schools. With 105 schools in the Region and 44 School Districts in the province those nurses are going to be stretched pretty thin.
Exactly what the nurses are going to do is not clear. What is clear to Miller is that he has an excellent working relationship with the Medical Officer of Health, (MOH) Dr Hamid Megani. All the bases will be covered.
The overriding concern is having a procedure in place for those schools where a hot spot turns up. The Board wants to be able to move quickly and isolate any outbreak and ensure that if there is one it is limited to a classroom and not school.
Everyone is working full out on ensuring that they get it right the first time.
Miller, who has been an educator for more than 35 years, said that what he is going through now “is not something they taught us in principal school.”
 How many students in each bus – are there enough buses? Getting the students to school is another challenge that is being worked on. How many children will be permitted on each bus – will there be enough bus drivers. And how will the bus routes and schedules be worked out. The service is operated by an arm’s length operation that serves both the Separate and Public Boards.
In the past few weeks the number of new infections in the Region have been low – 0 in some days and the MOH has been able to move very quickly tracing who the infected person has met with. That same dexterity will be used to track the students.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller facing the biggest challenge of his career – making sure the students he is responsible for educating are safe. There are dozens of pinch points – the school board administrators believe they have identified all of them but the words “fluid” and “dynamic” are used to describe everything they have to deal with.
There are a lot of “not sure” statements being made. A lot of trepidation on the part of parents, teachers and board administrators.
The public isn’t hearing a word from the trustees.
If the infections in each municipality can be kept low that should be reflected in the school environment.
What happens when parents who have worked from home begin returning to their offices and the colder weather becomes part of everyday life?
We are going to have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
 By Staff
August 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Fine Arts Association has some exciting news.
 Janet Jardine – in her spiffy 5th Avenue look. Janet Jardine, along with artists Victoria Pearce and Anne More, will be featuring art inspired by scenes along the Bruce Trail at The HUB in Burlington Centre, (formerly the Burlington Mall) from September 19 to 25.
The group got the go-ahead to use the venue for their fundraiser show benefiting the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
Jardine is learning online methods to offer a virtual presentation of the art show as well (date[s] to be confirmed) for those who are not comfortable or able to attend in person.
30% of the proceeds from the show will go to the Conservancy. 10% to Burlington Fine Arts Association.
 Mind Your Step! Buffalo Crag Lookout, Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area by Janet Jardine. Stay tuned for more details on how it will all work, and sneak peeks.
Jardine saw it as: “… such a beautiful winter walk and view, though I was happy to have spikes on my boots that day!
“The Bruce Trail brought us out to this icy patch at the Buffalo Crag Lookout at Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area. Good spot for a railing.
“In the distance, a portion of the Niagara Escarpment arises, a view toward Mount Nemo Conservation Area.
“I love winter hikes. How about you?”
Prints will be made available, starting at the same time as the September show.
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