Ontario New Democrats issued a statement, after Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing announced aprovince-wide inspection into corruption and integrity in policing:
“We are encouraged that an inspection into Ontario’s police processes will take place, after this deeply disturbing incident.
“Trust in our province’s law enforcement institutions must be carefully maintained through transparency and unobstructed public oversight; particularly in Toronto, which should demand much of this inspection’s focus. No stone should be left unturned to ensure that Ontarians feel safe in their communities, and to restore accountability and public trust.”
Not much from the police on the continuing investigations. Nothing to tell us?
BFAST should be commended for getting this news out. We certainly appreciate it.
Raewyn Jackson, formerly a vice-president at Metrolinx, is Burlington’s new transit director. With more than 10 years’ experience in transit operations based in Toronto, she’s been involved in the transportation industry for over 20 years. She was appointed to the Burlington position in mid-December, replacing the retired Catherine Baldelli, but as of this writing, the city has not issued a news release to announce it.
Burlington Transit Director Raewyn Jackson (LinkedIn profile photo)
Before her appointment, she had spent 2025 as vice-president of rapid transit operational performance for Metrolinx, where she worked with performance management and operational readiness teams. Prior to that, she was vice-president of rapid transit operations, where she instituted measures to strengthen safety and performance. Prior to becoming vice-president, she held several senior management roles with Metrolinx.
She also has 10 years of operational experience in running Toronto’s subway system and another 10 years leading multi-disciplinary teams dealing with emergency dispatch, security operations, gate planning and other critical issues for the GTA Airport Operations Control Centre.
“I’m energized by solving complex operational challenges that make transit safer, more reliable, and more customer-focused,” she says on her LinkedIn profile.
While it’s been a busy time for Jackson as she familiarizes herself with her new responsibilities, she’s made it clear that one of her priorities will be listening to transit riders’ concerns.
An initial meeting between Jackson and BFAST is scheduled for this Friday.
BFAST congratulates Raewyn on her appointment and looks forward to continuing the excellent communication we’ve had with the previous two transit directors.
United Way Halton & Hamilton (UWHH) get ready to mark National 211 Day on February 11 and highlight the essential role of 211 plays in helping residents navigate growing housing instability, mental health challenges, and economic pressures.
How 211 Works: A Front Door to Support
211 is a free, confidential, non-emergency information and referral service that connects people to critical social, government, and community supports. Available 365 days a year by phone, text, and online, 211 is accessible in more than 150 languages.
When someone contacts 211, they are connected with a trained navigator who listens with empathy, helps identify their needs, and connects them to appropriate local services. Whether someone is searching for housing support, mental health resources, income assistance, or caregiver supports, 211 helps people navigate what can often feel like a complex and overwhelming system.
Beyond individual support, 211 also serves as Canada’s largest database of community and government services and plays a vital role in identifying emerging needs and service gaps across communities.
Why 211 Matters More Than Ever
United Way Centraide Canada is a proud founding partner of 211 in Canada, providing funding, leadership, and advocacy to expand access nationwide. At a time marked by rising living costs, housing shortages, and rising demand and need for social services, 211 continues to act as a critical connector, ensuring people can find help when and where they need it.
“211 is often the first place people turn when they don’t know where else to go,” said Brad Park, President and CEO of United Way Halton & Hamilton. “It offers something incredibly powerful in moments of stress. A human connection, clear information, and a path forward.”
What Local 211 Data Is Telling Us About Halton and Hamilton
Local 211 data from 2025 provides a clear picture of the growing pressure facing residents across Halton and Hamilton.
In 2025, 211 received 8,063 contacts from people in the region, representing an 11 per cent increase compared to the previous year. From those contacts, 9,582 distinct needs were identified, an increase of 14 per cent, highlighting that many individuals and families are reaching out with multiple, interconnected challenges.
The top three needs identified locally remained consistent with previous years:
Housing supports, including crisis and emergency housing, domestic violence shelters, homeless drop-ins, and supportive housing
Mental health supports, such as counselling, therapy, support groups, and crisis intervention
Information and referral services, including access to public computers, information lines, and libraries
While the top needs remained the same, housing became an even more prominent concern in 2025. Housing-related needs accounted for 17.5 per cent of all identified needs, up from 16.6 per cent in 2024, signalling deepening housing instability across the region.
Adults continued to make up the largest share of people contacting 211 locally, accounting for 45 per cent of contacts, while older adults represented nine per cent. These trends reflect sustained demand for supports related to housing stability, mental health, income security, and aging at home.
“Local 211 data gives us a real-time window into what people are struggling with right now,” said Park. “When we see rising contacts and growing housing-related needs, it’s a clear signal that the pressures facing our community are intensifying, and that coordinated, accessible support is more important than ever.”
Using Data to Strengthen Community Response
In addition to supporting individuals, 211 data helps governments, funders, and service providers better understand changing community needs. This insight supports more responsive planning, smarter investment decisions, and stronger coordination across the social services sector.
“211 doesn’t just help people find services, it helps communities understand where systems are under strain,” Park added. “That knowledge is critical if we want to build solutions that are effective, equitable, and grounded in lived experience.”
As National 211 Day approaches, United Way Halton & Hamilton encourages residents to remember that help is just three digits away, and to support sustained investment in services that ensure everyone can access the care and support they need to live with dignity.
Commissioner, Community Services Jaqueline Johnson
When we learned that City CAO Curt Benson would not be taking part in today’s Councul meeting and that Commissioner, Community Services Jaqueline Johnson would be the Acting CAO for the meeting we asked the City Communications people – why?
The answer we got was pretty limp:
Commissioner, Community Services Jaqueline Johnson is Acting CAO this week while CAO Curt Benson is out of the office.
There is something amiss. The agenda is heavy – there are many reasons why the City CAO be in the room and perhaps asking questions.
This is a potentially interesting situation. An item on the agenda:
Direct the City Clerk to report back to Council by May 2026 with an updated Staff Council relations policyto include a section designed to guide the Mayor’s decision making when considering the use of Strong Mayor Powers., including that ”Strong Mayor Powers directions will only be delivered in writing in accordance with Ontario Regulation 530/22,” and
Direct the City Clerk, in consultation with the Integrity Commissioner, to draft an amendment to the Council Code of Good Governance that stipulates that an individual member of Council may only seek to direct staff and local boards/committees through a motion memo that is adopted by Council. Finally, that staff may only seek to direct the staff of independent boards as formerly directed by Council.
CAO Curt Benson
It isn’t immediately clear why this action is being taken. Can one assume there are some kinks in the relationship between Council and City Staff?
One source told the Gazette that the problem was not at the Council level.
The City CAO, Curt Benson is in place to ensure that staff use Council policy to direct the work they do. We will hear what he has to say on whatever the issue is.
Council will discuss the direction at its meeting today. The meeting might require two days.
JUNO Award-winning artist Jully Black aka Canada’s Queen of R&B is going on a 13-city “Jully Black Live Experience” national tour. The Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee who was named one of “The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever” gets set to add another notch on her impressive career belt, by captivating audiences nationwide with her classic catalogue of songs. As a proud Black Canadian woman, this tour was deliberately mounted during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, and is both personal and powerful. It’s been almost 30 years since she received her first JUNO nomination (and win) for “What It Takes” with rapper Choclair, while she currently enjoys a 2026 JUNO nomination for her collaboration with rappers TOBi and Saukrates on the track “Who’s Driving You”.
No stranger to the big bright concert stage lights, as a performer, Jully’s torn up stages alongside artists like Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Elton John, Celine Dion, and Jesse Reyez.
“The world feels heavy right now. People are tired. My specialty is hope, joy, faith, and connection. These shows are not just concerts, they’re experiences,” says the Gemini Award-winner. “Music. Stories. Laughter. Real talk. I want Canadians to remember that our stories matter. Our talent matters. Our culture matters. Support ‘Made in Canada’. Not just the food. The music. The art. The storytellers. This is an independent tour. No big machine. No shortcuts. Just faith, work ethic, and community. Independent artists need community support to grow sustainable tours. Sometimes you go back to intimate venues to go forward in a bigger way. Smaller rooms. Bigger impact. I am bringing a full live band and background singers because live music heals. Period. When you buy a ticket, you’re investing in Canadian culture.”
No stranger to the big bright concert stage lights, as a performer, Jully’s torn up stages alongside artists like Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Elton John, Celine Dion, and Jesse Reyez. Likewise, she has written songs for and collaborated with iconic industry heavyweights including Nas, Destiny’s Child, Sean Paul, and Ian Thornley (Big Wreck) among others. This time around, the talented musician, actress, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and fitness leader, who’s philanthropic work has taken her to villages; from Bangladesh to South Africa, and across Canada and the US, is taking her talents coast-to-coast.
The Jully Black Live Experience tour kicks off on February 11th in Burlington,hits Toronto on February 18th, and wraps up March 13th in Regina. Pick up your advance tickets (see link below) and prepare to be fully captivated by the incomparable sounds of this world-renowned singer who plans to paint her home country Canada black – as in Jully Black. “Celebrate Black History Month. Celebrate Women’s History Month. Celebrate resilience. Celebrate Canada,” says Black. “Get your ticket. Be in the room. And when they ask why now, you say; ‘Because dreams do not expire’. And if a woman can be nominated 30 years apart, still touring, still believing, then nobody in Canada has permission to quit on themselves.”
Access to legal help remains one of the most persistent—and least visible—barriers facing those the charity and not-for-profit sector care for every day; many of whom are among the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Lawyers are expensive – getting help that is pro bono is a part of the solution. Pro bono is Latin for “for the public good,” referring to professional services rendered for free or at a significantly reduced rate .
As reported in the Toronto Star, Lawyers Weekly and other publications, the recent launch of this innovative initiative by Paladin Pro Bono and the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) represents a fundamental shift in how pro bono legal support is delivered—using technology to seamlessly connect charities and not-for-profits directly with skilled volunteer lawyers across Ontario, in a way that is faster, more targeted, and far easier to access than traditional models.
Through this project, the OBA and its partners are working to ensure that organizations doing critical front-line work—supporting newcomers, small businesses, marginalized communities, families, and individuals in need—can access high-quality legal assistance without diverting scarce financial resources away from their core missions.
If you lead or work for a charity or not-for-profit organization that supports those who regularly encounter legal challenges – in any area that would benefit from legal advice – join me, my partner Erin Farrell, Colleen Hoeyof Dentons, and Paladin’s Danielle L. on February 18th for a webinar to learn more.
Registration is by invite only. If you are a representative of a charity or not-for-profit, you can register for this webinar by emailing me at Louis.Frapporti@GowlingWLG.com.
And to business leaders across every sector: please consider forwarding this message to the charities and community organizations you support. This is a practical way to help strengthen their capacity, reduce risk, and allow them to focus more fully on the people and communities they serve.
This initiative, which is in its infancy, is about unlocking legal support at scale, modernizing access to justice, and ensuring that those doing the most important work in our communities are not held back by unmet legal needs.
To law firms interested in learning more about how this initiative and Paladin can support your pro bono journey, please free to email me. at
Together we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many.
Is there finally going to be a reckoning over what social media has done to us?
Toronto Star reporter Allan Woods writes: “As Ottawa readies a bill to protect Canadians — particularly children — online, the view from the front lines of this fast-shifting digital world shows there is a need to act even in the face of bracing American headwinds.
That’s the assessment of Dr. Susan Sawyer, a University of Melbourne pediatrician and the chair of Adolescent Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
Watching the art of conversation being lost.
Sawyer is studying of the effects of Australia’s two-month-old social media ban for kids under 16, and fielding inquiries from across the world. That includes Canada, which is reportedly considering a similar ban for young Snapchatters, TikTokkers, Instagrammers and Xers (formerly Tweeters).
Last week, Toronto’s Hospital for SickKids was picking her brain. Later this spring, she’s off to Stanford University, which is evaluating the impacts of Australia’s online safety laws.
“(It) feels like it’s an absolute tectonic shift in what has been a complete power imbalance in favour of the tech companies,” Sawyer said in an interview.
Parents at a Community gala.
“Social media has become a failed state, a place where laws are ignored and is endured, where disinformation is worth more than truth, and half of users suffer hate speech,” Sanchez said this week. “If we want to protect them, there’s only one thing we can do: take back control.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is moving in the same direction. There are reports a social-media ban is under consideration. The Liberals campaigned on a promise to “make sure that social media platforms and other online services are held accountable for the content that they host.”
The measures will undoubtedly be met by support — from parents most of all.
When Sawyer was talking to SickKids last week, she said the consensus was: “Every other industry is regulated, so why do the tech bros have this belief in tech exceptionalism?”
“These are commercially driven enterprises. They are there to make money,” she said. “Why would we have any expectation of them putting up guard rails that most parents and most governments would be expecting?” But with U.S. tariffs against Canadian goods and a looming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free trade deal, the pressing political question is how far Culture Minister Marc Miller’s online safety legislation will go in limiting the likes of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and the other American tech titans.
After all, Carney’s opening offer to Trump last summer in the unresolved trade dispute was the scrapping of a Digital Services Tax, which was mostly paid by U.S. firms.
Trump signed into law a bill to criminalize the publication of AI-generated nude images — deepfakes. At the ceremony, his wife, Melania, described artificial intelligence and social media as “the digital candy for the next generation: sweet, addictive and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children.”
But the reality in the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress is that measures touted in Madrid, Paris, Canberra or Ottawa as online protection are perceived as anti-American persecution.
Just a few weeks before Australia’s online safety legislation took effect, the country’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, was summoned to testify before a congressional committee about a law that “imposes obligations on American companies and threatens speech of American citizens.”
The Republican committee chair, Rep. Jim Jordan, referred to Grant as a “noted zealot” for legal takedown orders issued to tech and social media companies.
And the state of Wyoming has recently begun considering a bill dubbed the Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion (GRANITE) Act.
It would allow Americans to sue foreign governments for violations of their free speech and prohibit American officials from acting on the orders of foreign social media or internet regulators to remove material deemed harmful or illegal.
Two teachers at an awards event in Milton, Ontario
That is the rumbling from south of the border that the Carney government will need to listen to as it balances online harms against the many other types of political and economic pain the Trump administration may try to inflict.
That should not shake the resolve to act. Sawyer says there are early signs from Australia and elsewhere showing a definite association between heavy social media use and negative emotional health and well being, though the numbers are “not as large as I think many parents might assume.”
“But that doesn’t mean that a small effect size doesn’t matter.”
They have also found that parents who spend too much time on social media tend to have kids who do the same.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Allan Woods is a Paris-based staff reporter for the Star.
Community Development Halton is offering a BOARD GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALS course that every person wanting to serve on the Board of a Not for Profit organization should be required to take.
Further, every Not for Profit organization should require that every Board member complete the training.
There are far too many people who think that serving on a Not for Profit organization would look good on their resume.
The work that the Not for Profit sector does is far too important for the dilettantes.
The course is a Three-part Workshop Series
Training for new and returning Board members: February, March & April All sessions on-line!
Training for new Board members covering the purpose of boards, legal obligations, and fiduciary duty.
Online gambling didn’t suddenly become safer in Ontario because casinos behaved better. It changed because the province stopped looking the other way. Once rules were drawn and enforced, choosing where to play became less of a gamble itself. That change reshaped trust and expectations, and has made the gambling experience safer and more accessible.
For a long time, picking an online casino in Ontario was a bit like picking a takeaway at midnight. Plenty of options, very little clarity, and no real sense of who was watching the kitchen. That changed when the province stepped in and decided to place proper rules around online gambling. What followed was not just a legal tidy-up, but a clear change in how players started making choices.
The Moment Ontario Drew a Line Under Online Gambling
Ontario’s regulated online gambling market officially opened in April 2022, when the province replaced a loosely tolerated grey market with a licensed system overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. The framework set out who could operate, what standards they had to meet, and how oversight would work from day one.
Regulation changed by creating a clear dividing line.
Before that point, many sites accepted Ontario players without any local approval. Some were reputable, others less so, but they all lived in the same fog. Regulation changed that by creating a clear dividing line. From then on, a casino either met Ontario’s requirements or it didn’t. For players, that line simplified decision-making in a very practical way. Legitimacy stopped being a guess and became something that could be checked.
Regulation Only Carries Weight When It Is Enforced
Rules on paper do not mean much unless someone is willing to back them up. Ontario has plenty of examples where laws exist, but enforcement falls short. A recent look at employment standardsshowed how quickly confidence erodes when oversight weakens, even when the rules themselves remain in place.
Players did not just see new regulations announced; they saw operators registering, advertising rules changing, and unlicensed platforms pulling out of the province.
That broader context helps explain why Ontario’s iGaming framework landed differently. Players did not just see new regulations announced; they saw operators registering, advertising rules changing, and unlicensed platforms pulling out of the province. Enforcement gave the system credibility. It reassured people that the rules were not symbolic, but active, and that there were consequences for ignoring them.
Political Priorities Shape the Rules People Live With
Regulation does not appear out of thin air. It reflects political priorities, internal debates and decisions about where the province wants to apply pressure. Ontario’s approach to online gambling sits within that wider political picture, where governance choices affect everything from labour law to consumer protection.
That political backdrop is important because it influences consistency. A system backed by clear policy direction and administrative support tends to feel more stable. For players, that stability translates into confidence. You are not just choosing a casino; you are choosing to trust a framework that the province has decided to stand behind.
What the Law Changed for Operators and Players
The legal structure behind Ontario’s market gave regulation teeth. The iGaming Ontario Act set out formal oversight, accountability and the roles different bodies play in managing the sector. This moved online gambling from a tolerated activity into a governed one.
For operators, that meant meeting clear standards around player protection, financial controls and reporting. For players, it meant knowing that disputes, payments and conduct fall under Ontario law. The relationship changed from one built largely on trust to one supported by enforceable rules. That filtered straight into how people judge risk and reliability when signing up.
Choosing in a Regulated Market Is a Different Exercise
Once regulation settled in, choosing an online casino stopped being about novelty alone. Licensing status and market entry under Ontario’s rules became part of the mental checklist. That is where comparison guides focused on regulated markets come into play, especially when comparing new online casinos that have entered under the province’s framework such as Casino.org Canada.
When the province put clear lines around licensing and enforcement, it removed a lot of guesswork.
The key difference is context. In a regulated market, comparison is no longer a leap of faith. It is about weighing options that operate under the same baseline rules, with oversight in place. That does not remove personal preference, but it does narrow the gap between a good choice and a risky one. Regulation did not make decisions exciting. It made them clearer, and for most people, that was the point.
What Stayed With Players after Regulation
Ontario’s rules did not tell people where to play. They changed how people think before choosing. When the province put clear lines around licensing and enforcement, it removed a lot of guesswork. Players stopped relying on hunches and started looking for signs that a platform belonged in the system. That does not guarantee a good experience every time, but it raises the floor. In a market where money, trust and fairness are tied together, clarity beats excitement. Regulation did not add flash. It added confidence, and that is what stuck. For most people, that change made decisions simpler and calmer.
Long Weekend Events at Ontario Parks for Family Day
Family Day is a public holiday in Ontario, observed on the third Monday of February, providing a paid day off for most workers and a mid-winter break for schools.
Embrace the snow season with Ontario Parks by getting outside and enjoying some winter festivities during the Family Day long weekend.
The Ontario Parks Family Day 2026 blog highlights fun family events at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, Sibbald Point Provincial Park and Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
Looking for events at other Ontario Parks? Visit OntarioParks.ca/events for Family Day events and more
TechPlace opened the doors to its new location at Bateman Community Centre in November.
They made it official on Tuesday afternoon with an overflow crowd doing their networking thing at a hyper speed rate.
It was a packed room of entrepreneurs and TechPlace staff
Tech Place is home to those men and women who have a dream and a passion that they are all in on.
The politicians got to make their comments and ten of the entrepreneurs were given time to explain what their business was about and how they were progressing.
Anita Cassidy, Ex Director of BEDT.
TechPlace is an arm of BEDT Burlington Economic Development and Tourism. It has a unique structure with a very distinct focus.
In 2020, the International Economic Development Council recognized TechPlace as one of the best economic development programs for entrepreneurship in North America. This gold medal represents not only the space, but the community that brings it to life. The award is something TechPlace sought.
These official openings are to a considerable degree a celebration of what is being done.
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward made several remarks in her short address. She said the organization didn’t realize the number of needs – cultural and educational that the hub was meeting. She said that she had eight new ideas as she walked into TechPlace last Tuesday, adding that the “next big thing is going to be here.
Angel One has aligned itself with TechPlace. It provides investors with access to quality startups and shared expertise. Engage in valuable networking and educational events, better deal flow with a shared workload, and reduced risk through syndication. All while supporting economic development in the region. It also connects entrepreneurs with the capital they need.
Making the case.
Has anything that started out at TechPlace grown to the point where they became a publicly traded company, the objective of many entrepreneurs? Not to the best of our knowledge.
What is available at Tech Place is very impressive.
Anyone with hopes and dreams of starting something big would be hard pressed to find a better place to call home.
Partnership are an integral part of the TechPlace mission. They work We work closely with their partnerw to ensure TechPlace members are getting access to the best programming and resources available. Membership is acquired through an endorsement from a TechPlace partner.
There are different levels of partnership starting with people who want a place to work. The get to use a “hot desk”.
Elizabeth Plouffe, Chief Minion at Spero Canada, a Workforce Development & Employment operation.
The unique membership model helps to ensure they have the right mix of companies within their walls.
City Councillor Paul Sharman listening to a budding entrepreneur.
To become a member at TechPlace, or to apply and access one of our 10 private offices available through our LaunchPad and Soft Landing program, you must obtain an endorsement from one of our partners. Our network of local and international partners offer a wide range of expertise, including funding, mentorship, programming, and international expansion. They tell us which companies would benefit from the space and which ones have the most potential to grow. This collaborative approach is what makes TechPlace a destination for the best in tech.
Basic Membership
Includes: Unlimited hot desking during business hours, Unlimited Wi-Fi, 30 hours/month of meeting rooms and event space booking time, exclusive invites to educational and networking events at TechPlace, free coffee and access to the kitchen, free parking, free guest reception support and inclusion in TechPlace member directory
More than a Dedicated Hot Desk
Private office with 24/7 access, Company signage outside the office, private wired and wireless network, Company logo on TechPlace website, opportunities to participate in TechPlace marketing campaigns and community initiatives.
6-12 month residency, $ 700/month +HST
LaunchPad Office
Intended for a growing tech-focused start-up in Ontario that has at 2 full-time employees and has plans to grow in the next year.
They have to have a minimum viable product (MVP) and can demonstrate market traction. TechPlace offers them a private space where they can set up a basecamp and focus on growing their business.
The Soft Landing Program
Joining the program starts with an application. A company may be eligible to join if:
They are looking to expand into the Canadian market, they are a technology company or an entrepreneur who has recently arrived in Canada and is seeking to settle in the Halton Region.
The ten organizations that are currently working out of TechPlace.
It’s a bird… it’s a plane… it’s Things with Wings!
Come discover a whole new world of flight this Family Day weekend!
Family Day in Ontario is a provincial statutory holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February, providing a mid-winter break for families to spend time together, with most schools and many businesses closed,
The Canadian Raptor Conservancy will be demonstrating their live free-flying birds of prey show. Daily demonstrations at 10 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.
Other things to explore:
Travel back in time and discover our collection of over 40+ historic Canadian aircraft. Also, meet a pilot!
Test your skills as a pilot with our flight simulators or control the action of a fighter aircraft in Virtual Reality at Fly Zone.
Sit back and relax in Astronomy in Action’s Planetarium. Enjoy stunning visuals in a professionally presented 360-degree theatre.
February 14 to 16
9 am to 5 pm daily Adult $20 (Age 18+), Child $15 (Ages 6-17)
Fintech has played a significant role in the development of the casino gaming market since the early 21st century.
By Norman Coles
February 8th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Fintech has played a significant role in the development of the casino gaming market since the early 21st century. Ingenuity is vital in any industry if it is to thrive and succeed across multiple platforms and countries.
For some in the industry, it is the integration of the blockchain that has helped it achieve a new status, a stream of new customers, and ingenuity that has kept traditional casino gaming concepts fresh.
Blockchain and cryptocurrency have opened the doors to a new market in casino gaming, and by channelling the overlapping markets of crypto and casino gaming, they create an environment where companies that innovate in both fields can try their hand at creating ideas that break the mould, which is why collaboration is so important.
The Ingenuity Of The Blockchain
Each transaction on the blockchain is recorded and cannot be amended.
Of all the innovative features of the blockchain, its DIY security has been one of the biggest talking points for burgeoning casinos looking to stand out in the market. Although blockchain and cryptocurrency are still in the early stages in Canada, the success they have had in other parts of the world bodes well for those companies looking to break into the market.
Given that each transaction on the blockchain is recorded and cannot be amended, this helps immensely from a security perspective, allowing casinos to monitor transactions and wallets and ensure that users do so without compromising the integrity of the integrated systems.
Anyone with a cryptocurrency wallet is able to set one up free of charge, and you can send crypto to another wallet without having to worry about any cross-border fees or hidden charges that have been a significant issuefor people who use their centralized bank accounts to send currency overseas, but this is just one element of why it is gaining so much traction.
We’ve seen this at Ozoon casino Canada, and it is a framework that has been successfully rolled out across multiple Bitcoin casinos worldwide. They don’t need to seek information from a centralized oversight body; everything is stored on the blockchain, and that’s all they need to raise queries or find out more about their withdrawals and deposits.
Taking Inspiration From Other Fields
Blockchain companies have often looked to other markets to expand their reach. We’ve seen them do it in healthcare, and we have seen them break into other broader areas of the gaming industry, too. They’re not the first industry to try this model. In fact, many casino gaming companies adopted this approach in the earliest days of the online betting market.
Those innovators who believed the future would be online invested heavily in partnering with industry leaders in website design, SEO marketing (despite the rise of AI), and security, ensuring websites remained safe and the information on servers remained secure and out of prying eyes.
Online casinos have replicated the traditional model, which has been a huge success in conventional gaming. This collaboration took place across a number of sectors, bringing in the sharpest minds and ultimately ensuring that the end product was innovative, engaging, and offered a high-class alternative and experience to those used to land-based versions of casino classics.
Why Transparency Matters
In a market that deals with so many different withdrawals and deposits, it’s important that customers and casino gaming platforms are able to have easy access when it comes to their transactions.
Surveillance technology in online casinos has moved well beyond just sifting through event logs.
Gaming ingenuity needs to push the market forward across all sectors. If you have a foundation built on security and openness, it will attract the right ethos and ideals into the business. Customers will be more inclined to check out a service if they know that companies operating within it are both fair and transparent. While no industry is without its detractors, any industry with a high level of consumer trust certainly helps put it on firmer ground.
It isn’t just that the blockchain ensures all information is publicly available and can’t be amended; the cryptography, which guarantees security and removes the need for third-party oversight, is a crucial element here. Blockchain is entirely digital, and as the gaming industry collectively moves toward a market aiming to achieve a similar level of digital dominance, Bitcoin’s growing significance was almost inevitable.
Blockchain’s Future In Casino Gaming
Many companies are looking to implement blockchain technology and crypto payment systems into their design.
We’ve seen how many companies are looking to implement blockchain technology and crypto payment systems into their design. With countries like the US ploughing ahead and looking to create a foundation for blockchain to become the fabric of many new systems, it’s bound to continue influencing the world of casino gaming.
Bitcoin casinos were among the first companies to integrate digital assets when mass adoption was low in the early 2010s. Therefore, as more people invest in and trade digital assets and more companies look to incorporate them into their business models, it’s highly likely we’ll see collaboration between blockchain, cryptocurrency, and casino gaming companies continue.
The ongoing Southwest Burlington boundary review is creating significant uncertainty and anxiety for families, particularly those with children in French Immersion, at a critical point in the school year when parents are being asked to make important program decisions for September. While boundary reviews are an important planning tool, the way this consultation is unfolding is raising serious concerns about governance, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
As part of the review, the Halton District School Board has invited public input on proposed options intended to address enrolment pressures and support long-term planning in the area. At the first public meeting, three options were presented: relocating the French Immersion program to Central Public School, or moving it to Tecumseh Public School either as a Grades 2–6 program or a Grades 2–8 program.
At the second public meeting, it became clear that the two Tecumseh options received little to no support from parents. Families expressed strong concerns about children attending a JK–8 school and losing the important developmental experience of graduating elementary school, including leadership opportunities that come with being the oldest students in a school community.
The Grades 2–8 Tecumseh option also raised serious alarm because it would eliminate French Immersion at Central Middle School, weakening enrolment, reducing funding, and most importantly undermining the long-term viability of French Immersion at the middle- and high-school levels. It would also create split cohorts, with students transitioning from Tecumseh to different high schools, directly contradicting the Board’s stated boundary review goals of minimizing cohort splits and supporting smooth transitions.
In contrast, the option of relocating French Immersion to Central Public School aligned with those stated goals by maintaining program continuity, supporting stronger pathways into middle and high school, and reducing unnecessary cohort fragmentation.
Following the lack of community support for the Tecumseh options, the Board introduced additional ideas, including leaving French Immersion at Tom Thomson Public School as a single-track school. This option is problematic for multiple reasons and appears to conflict with the Board’s own policies, which do not permit single-track French Immersion schools that end at Grade 6. The Board has also continued to entertain the idea of keeping Tom Thomson as a dual-track school, despite clear capacity constraints that make this unworkable. Tom Thomson has a total capacity of approximately 219 students, and French Immersion enrolment alone is around 150, leaving fewer than 70 spaces for the English program—an amount that cannot sustain a viable JK–6 English stream and runs counter to the very purpose of conducting a boundary review.
Taken together, these developments are contributing to a growing lack of trust in the process. At a time when the Board is facing a significant and increasing deficit, it is troubling to see options being advanced that are not policy-compliant, operationally realistic, or fiscally prudent. Floating scenarios that would require inefficient use of space, increased transportation costs, or unsustainable staffing models raises legitimate concerns about whether the Board is fully applying its own policies and financial constraints.
The uncertainty created by this process is not theoretical. Parents are currently being asked to decide whether to enroll their children in French Immersion for Grade 2 next year. Prolonged ambiguity undermines confidence in the program, creates stress for families, and risks real harm to enrolment and program stability. Meaningful consultation is essential, but it must focus on realistic, policy-aligned options that genuinely meet the stated objectives of the review. Continuing to present implausible alternatives alongside the one option that clearly aligns with those goals risks wasting valuable time and eroding public trust when clarity and leadership are most needed.
The Gazette started the story about the 475 housing units that were taken off the market when the developer realized that the market wasn’t taking up what he had to offer.
Eric Stern expands on what we had to say with his piece in Focus Burlington. See the link below.
With the recent cancellation of a 475-unit condo project on Appleby Line, a correction in the condo market may already be happening.
What are some of the reasons behind this market correction?
The transformation of GTHA’s condo market from housing to an investment vehicle for “mom and pop” investors didn’t happen overnight. The roots lie in policy changes, economic shifts, and the emergence of “pre-construction” condos as an asset people invest in.
You can read the complete artilce by clicking HERE
Seven Toronto police officer charged with criminal offenses; three from Peel Region are now being investigated.
A very hard day for senior police officers who have to explain how the level of corruption that is now evident was able to grow within the police forces they manage. Serve and Protect sounds a little limp right now.
On Thursday the York Regionbal Police held a press conference giving details of an investigations, code named Project South during which they announced that seven Tornto police officers were being charged.
None were residents of Burlington.
Barnhardt, 56, of Mississauga, is facing a total of 17 charges, the most of all officers accused.
Among the offences he has been charged with are peace officer accepting a bribe, breach of trust by public officer, unauthorized use of a computer and conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as drug-trafficking-related and firearm-related charges.
Police launched their investigation on June 20, after an incident at the corrections officer’s home in York Region.
Barnhardt is one of four officers who were involved in an operation allegedly helmed by Brian Da Costa—a suspect police identified as a “key” player in a “sophisticated” drug-trafficking operation responsible for the exportation of cannabis and fentanyl. The other officers allegedly part of the operation have been identified as Sgt. Robert Black, Const. Saurabjit Bedi and Sgt. Carl Grellete.
Sgt. Robert Black
Black, 42, of Vaughan, is facing a total of four charges. He has been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, counsel an uncommitted indictable offence: fraud exceeding $5,000, and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and Adderall.
Retired constable John Madeley Sr.
Madeley Sr., 55, of Barrie, is facing a total of 11 charges, including two counts of breach of trust by public officer and five counts of unauthorized use of computer.
He retired on April 1, 2025, after 29 years of service. When he retired, he was a constable with TPS’ 12 Division.
Sgt. Carl Grellete
Grellete, 49, of Vaughan, is facing a total of four charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, breach of trust by a public officer, mischief not exceeding $5,000 and harassment by repeated following of another person.
He has served the Toronto Police Service for 19 years and was assigned to 12 Division, police confirmed.
Const. Saurabjit Bedi
Police laid six charges against Bedi, 38, of Caledon, including peace officer conspiracy to accept a bribe, traffic in substance, conspiracy to commit public mischief – falsely accuse person, and two counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Bedi was assigned to 12 Division, and has served Toronto Police for 12 years.
Const. Derek McCormick
McCormick, 57, of Toronto, has been charged with six offences: breach of trust by public officer, obstruction of justice and four counts of theft under $5,000.
In January, McCormick was accused of stealing bank cards, passports and government-issued IDs, some of which were reported stolen to Toronto police. Police said the thefts repeatedly occurred throughout October last year.
He was charged with four counts of theft under $5,000, breach of trust and obstruction of justice in January.
McCormick has served TPS for 28 years and was assigned to TPS’ 52 Division. He has been suspended with pay since his arrest last month. It is unclear if he remains suspended with pay following Thursday’s news conference.
Const. Elias Mouawad
Mouawad, 24, of Mississauga, is facing two charges, including breach of trust by public officer and unauthorized use of computer.
Toronto police confirmed Mouawad has been an active member for a year-and-a-half, and was assigned to the 11 Division.
John Madeley Sr. (left) and John Madeley Jr. (right), the father and son accused in Project South, a seven-month-long investigation into organized crime and corruption.
The charges have not been tested in court.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw confirmed Thursday that four of the seven officers charged have been suspended without pay but did not specify which.
The Police Association of Ontario called suspension without pay “the most serious interim measure available,” saying it results in financial, professional and reputational consequences for those officers.
In a post on X, the Toronto Police Association said legal support is not guaranteed for its members charged in criminal cases, as that is provided on a caseby case basis.
Three Peel police officers have been suspended in relation to Project South, a wide-ranging investigation revealed Thursday that saw seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer charged criminally.
“No officers from Peel Regional Police (PRP) have been charged in connection to Project South. The scope of the York Regional Police investigation is wide-reaching and ongoing,” said Const. Tyler Bell-Morena, Peel Regional Police.
“PRP has administratively suspended three officers, pending further investigation by YRP (York Regional Police). To protect the integrity of their investigation, we will not be providing additional comment.”
The investigation stemmed, authorities explained, from an alleged conspiracy to kill a senior corrections officer from the Toronto South Detention Centre at his home in Markham last year.
Two Toronto officers have also been suspended due to the ongoing investigation but not criminally charged.
The Chief of Police for Toronto and the Chief of Police for York Region both say they have never seen anything like this in their careers.
What isn’t being said publicly is – how deep is this corruption? How many police officers are involved?.
Both Chiefs said there was no word at any level as to what was taking place until they picked up a tip that police officers intended to kill a senior corrections officer from the Toronto South Detention Centre . The link there isn’t hard to see. Some criminals who were being held at the Detention Centre didn’t like the way they were treated and were taking revenge.
Things are wildly out of control for behavior to get to this level.
If what we are hearing is true, some very good detective work is being done to get to the bottom of this.
This is going to drag out for a number of years, and at some point there will be a full public hearing on what brought this about.
On February 9, 2026 at approximately 12:30 pm there will be 3 volleys of gunfire at the Woodland Cemetery, Burlington Ont. The cemetery is located at 700 SPRING GARDEN ROAD, BURLINGTON
Seven rifles will be fired 3 times in unison as part of the internment ceremony for Gunner Sebastion Halmagean who passed away while deployed on Operation REASSURANCE.
Gunner Sebastian Halmagean, a Canadian Armed Forces member deployed on Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia
Gunner Sebastian Halmagean, a Canadian Armed Forces member deployed on Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia and who was employed by the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, died near Riga, Latvia, on January 29, 2026.
The circumstances surrounding Gunner Halmagean’s death is currently under investigation by the Canadian Forces Military Police with support from Latvian State Police, and no further information will be provided. At this time, there is no indication this incident poses an increased threat to the safety and security of our deployed members.
Gunner Halmagean was originally from Hamilton, Ontario, and was posted to the 4th Artillery Regiment (General Support), Royal Canadian Artillery, part of 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade, which is based at 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown in Oromocto, New Brunswick.
Gunner Halmagean was deployed on Operation REASSURANCE as part of the Air Defence Battery within the Multinational Artillery Battalion Group at NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia. He had served in the Canadian Armed Forces for nearly three years. This was his first overseas deployment.
The Burlington Civic Chorale will be holding its Winter Cabaret at St. Christophers Church on Guelph Line. A selection of Jazz, Broadway tunes and folk songs in a cabaret setting with desserts and silent auction.
They do it up well each year. Worth going – take friends with you.
Available at Eventbrite and Different Drummer Bookstore 513 Locust St. and at the door
It was supposed to happen last Friday – four astronauts blasting off to the Moon!
But for safety reasons, the lift-off has been postponed until March 6, 2026.
He wishes. Alan would love to fly in a spacecraft. Best he could do was get a guest pass.
I have tried to talk to many people about this exciting new adventure and have been met with blank stares.
Very few younger people seem to know about it.
Others who remember the last trips to the Moon are indifferent to it.
The last guy to walk on the Moon was Eugene Cernan and that was 1972.
Yes we went to the Moon six times and returned. The last guy to walk on the Moon was Eugene Cernan and that was 1972.
Twelve Men (and twelve men only) have the distinction of doing something no one else in the history of the Universe has done.
Soon enough those Apollo trips became more dangerous – and expensive.
The lunar adventures barely made the news unless Walter Cronkite needed another 60 seconds to fill air time.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What is the most popular first name of people to walk on the Moon?
Fast forward 54 years to today and “Artemis” is the new program with a plan to put people on the Moon by 2028.
Not just men – but (perhaps) a woman .
As anyone looking at real estate knows – you have to check out the neighbourhood first and four astronauts were to leave this Friday to do just that.
Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian pilot on the Artemis II spacecraft
One of them – (the tallest of the four?) is Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen
Jeremy hails from London Ontario.
A Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces
One reason the trip isn’t making any headlines is that (sshhhh) we don’t want that guy in the White House to know there’s a Canuck on board – or he may blow a fuse. Please keep this on the down low.
Jeremy Hansen and the crew will travel the fastest and furthest any human has travelled – as they swing out past the Moon.
The trip is four days out, two days there, and four days back.
They do not land – only fly past – seeing parts of the far side of the Moon no one has ever seen.
Fun fact – the space capsule is like a 4 passenger camper van.
The point of this story is – why is going back important?
Because – back in the 1960s, when the Space Race was on… it created urgency.
It created a demand for scientists, computers, technology, better electronic communication.
Better metals and plastics. Etc Etc Etc
Canada benefited from all of this as we looked to the future and prepared for it.
When it opened in 1989, the SkyDome was the first of its kind: a stadium with a fully retractable roof, imagined almost without precedent. As those who helped build it would probably agree, it was far from perfect – but that’s hardly the point.
Ontario built stuff. CN Tower, SkyDome, Toronto Zoo, Ontario Place & Cinesphere, Science Centre, Subways
Universities and Community Colleges, airports,
Montreal had Expo 67. We got new baseball teams, hockey teams and Olympics.
The Sky was the Limit.
Since then – we stopped building cool stuff and we let the “formerly new” stuff get old, rot and decay. And even closed.
Artemis II is scheduled to lift off on March 6 2026
Although the flight has been postponed for a month – we have Olympics and Super Bowl LX to keep us occupied.
On March 6 2026 however – let’s hope all goes well – and Canada returns to Space (where the Sky is NOT the Limit) and we get our country back to feeling good about itself.
By Gazette Staff
By Gazette Staff
By Gazette Staff
Why 211 Matters More Than Ever
By Gazette Staff
Further, every Not for Profit organization should require that every Board member complete the training.
Training for new and returning Board members: February, March & April
Training for new Board members covering the purpose of boards, legal obligations, and fiduciary duty.
By Sadie Stewart
By Maria Pakozdi
By Gazette Staff
By Alan Harrington
