By Staff
July 12th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Wet weather has closed the following baseball diamonds at the following parks:
Ireland Park – D1, D2, D3
Millcroft Park – D1, D2, D3
Brant Hills D1, D2, D3
Nelson Park – Casey Cosgrove Baseball Field
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July 11th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Members of CUPE Local 966 (Canadian Union of Public Employees) addressed Region of Peel councillors over concerns about the Ford Government’s secrecy around recommendations made by the Peel Transition Board, including the possibility of privatizing necessary public services like the region’s water and wastewater.
 Whatever gets decided for Peel Region will impact decisions made about Halton Region. Planning at the Regional level is in the process of being shifted to the municipalities. “While Doug Ford has backtracked on plans to dissolve the region entirely, plans for the future of the region are still being kept a secret,” said CUPE 966 President Salil Arya, who represents municipal workers in the Region of Peel. “Important decisions that will affect Peel residents and our members like the privatization of public services are being made in the dark without transparency or public knowledge and it’s unacceptable.” Last month, news broke that the Peel Transition Board could be recommending the privatization of water and wastewater, a decision that could impact on the quality of the region’s water and take control of its most valuable resource out of public hands. “Peel residents pushed back last year when the province wanted to dissolve the region, and Ford backed down,” said CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. “The stakes are even higher if Ford is planning to privatize Peel’s water, because we’re talking about a necessity of life. If it takes another fight by residents to keep Peel water in public hands, CUPE Ontario will be there.” CUPE 966 called on the Region of Peel to demand that the Ford government release the recommendations made by the transition board, and to reject any plans to privatize public services.  Halton Waste Water treatment plant. There are a number of services that are Regional: Social welfare; some roads, water and waste removal as well as some services that should perhaps be Region wide, such as transit. There are changes taking place that the province isn’t saying very much about. We are of course being told about being able to buy beer and mixed drinks at the corner store soon and we are supposed to be impressed with not having to take care of license plate renewal. The Ontario Science Centre has to be torn down, based on some very conflicting reports. Shifting to a political perspective, Tom Parkin, writing under a headline that declares: No premier has been able to escape defeat since at least 2011 when their approval rating is 31%; data that came from the Angus Reid Institute quarterly survey data.
 Premier Doug Ford: Not a happy camper; public is hearing a lot of bluster – no clear vision other than silly tricks that add little to the quality of life for most people. The 31 per cent level appears to mark the edge of a political black hole for premiers and prime ministers. Since at least 2011, no premier or prime minister whose job approval score passed below 31 per cent has been able to escape the pull of defeat. During June, Ford revealed a controversial and expensive plan to shut The Beer Store and give its sales to grocery and convenience stores, faced continued opposition to his plan to shutter the Ontario Science Centre, and began to fuel early election speculation. Unemployment also rose to 7.0 per cent, well above the national average and the number of full-time jobs declined by 7,400. Despite Ford’s low personal score, his PC Party’s support remains high on his opponents’ troubles.  Marit Styles, Leader of the NDP opposition is doing a superb job. She has yet to break through in terms of a profile that people will like once they get to know her. Polls show that as people get to know NDP leader Marit Stiles her positive score rises, but nearly half still cannot make a positive or negative assessment.  Bonnie Crombie: Liberal Party leader looking for a seat in the Legislature hasn’t found the traction many thought would make her a natural to lead the province. Voters are getting to know Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie faster, but as they do, her negatives rise and her positive impression score remains stalled. It’s messy.
July 11th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
The insurance industry can at times be a bit of a damper on what people need in the way of liability insurance. The City needs liability coverage – without it in place any lawsuits land on the city. And people are quick to sue the city because municipalities tend to settle rather than let a claim go to court. A group of citizens took on the task of cleaning up some of the tombstones at the Union Cemetery (UEL) in the west end of the city. The site is the burial ground for many of the people who built the city.  Gates to the Union Burial Grounds on Plains Road yards from IKEA. The event took place – at a cost, a considerable cost – they were required to put up $5 million of liability insurance. Our source has been involved in community work for decades but would not permit a name to be used – Burlington can be nasty with people who make critical remarks about how the city handles some issues. City hall staffers remember when people object to some of the decisions that are made. The assembly of posters on the south side of Lakeshore Road north of Spencer Smith Park required liability insurance that is not cheap.  Tombstones that are being restored. A number of months ago representatives from the hospitality sector had to fight very hard to get the city to reduce the size of the liability coverage if they were using city space for the patios they were opening that took up city owned space. The city wanted $5 million of liability coverage Restaurateurs explained that there had never been a claim anywhere near $2 million. It took some pushing on the part of the restaurateurs but they eventually were able to get the required liability coverage down to $2 million. Why that figure is not made available to other groups is unfortunate. It puts a damper on what public groups want to do. Odd that at least one member of Council doesn’t take this on and find a way to establish a liability insurance level that is fair to both the city and the people who have to pay the insurance fees. You wonder, don’t you, why a Council member doesn’t do something for the people who elected them. Related news story: The project that required $5 million in liability insurance
July 11th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON This came our way with a notation saying the picture is from the 60’s. Is there anyone who can get a little tighter on the date.  Can anyone put a date on this picture? There is nothing developed south of Lakeshore Road. The tomato processing plant that was south of Lakeshore is gone. There are no piers.
July 8th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Summer time – life is a little easier, the pace not as hectic,time for you and maybe a new book. JOHN LAWRENCE REYNOLDS is launching the third novel in his Beach trilogy– Beach Blues on Sunday, July 14 at 2:00 pm at the Different Drummer on Locust Street Admission is free. Registration is not required. Refreshments will be served. Pianist Beckie Wicks will be on hand to provide a splendid musical setting. Refreshments Served at A Different Drummer Books 513 Locust Street Burlington
July 10th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON The makeup of Burlington’s organization chart is going to become known in bits and pieces.  Jacqueline Johnson is second from the right; Blake Hurley is to her left. Jacqueline Johnson, seen at a Committee of the Whole this week, is the Commissioner of Community Services responsible for overseeing: Transit Recreation, Community and Culture Fire Customer Experience Blake Hurley is the Commissioner for Legal and Legislative Services. He is also the City Solicitor. He is serving as Interim CAO while Hassaan Basit is away. Communications did not confirm that he is on vacation.  The current organizational chart for the City of Burlington A better sense as to the size of the staffing compliment can be seen from the organizational chart for the Digital Services Division. The chart was a “for discussion” document. Roll your cursor over the image to enlarge the type.  The chart was published as a “for discussion” document.
July 10th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON Canadian Rents Increase by 7.0% in June, Marking Slowest Growth in Over a Year. Average asking rents for all residential property types in Canada increased by 7.0% year-over-year in June, reaching an average of $2,185 per month according to Rentals.ca and Urbanation’s latest National Rent Report. This represents the slowest annual rate of growth in 13 months. On a month-over-month basis, average asking rents decreased by 0.8%, marking the largest decline since early 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reversing the typical seasonal trend of rising rents at this time of year.
In addition, studio rents for condominiums dropped by 5.1% annually to $1,823, while purpose-built studio rents surged by 14.6% to $1,613.Toronto rents fell to a 22-month low, with average rents for purpose-built and condominium units declining by 2.5% monthly and 3.5% annually to $2,715. Vancouver saw a 1.1% monthly increase but a 7.8% annual decrease, bringing the average rent to $3,042. Edmonton experienced the highest rent growth among major cities, with a 14.3% annual increase to $1,564, while Calgary’s rents grew by 4.2% to $2,092. Montreal’s rents grew by 4.3% to $2,013, and Ottawa saw a slight increase of 1.5% to $2,179.Most provinces saw year-over-year rent increases, except for Ontario, where rents declined. In Ontario, rents for purpose-built and condominium apartments decreased by 1.7% from May to June and fell by 1.3% annually to $2,382. Quebec also saw a monthly decrease of 1.0%, but rents were up 5.1% year-over-year, averaging $1,979. Saskatchewan continued to lead the country with a 22.1% annual increase in rents, though they remain below the national average at $1,339.Shared accommodation listings recorded a 7.5% annual increase in asking rent across four provinces, averaging $989. However, roommate rents in Toronto fell for the fourth consecutive month, down 1.7% monthly and 4.0% annually to $1,236. Ottawa also saw a decline, with roommate rents decreasing by 1.0% year-over-year to $938. Calgary led the growth in roommate rents with an 8.8% annual increase to $916, while Vancouver remained the most expensive city for shared accommodations at $1,471, up 1.2% annually. The National Rent Report charts and analyzes monthly, quarterly and annual rates and trends in the rental market on national, provincial, and municipal levels across all listings on the Rentals.ca Network for Canada. The data from the digital rental platform Rentfaster.ca is incorporated into this report.Rentals.ca Network data is analyzed and the report is written by Urbanation, a Toronto-based real estate research firm providing in-depth market analysis and consulting services since 1981.*The data includes single-detached homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, condominium apartments, rental apartments and basement apartments (outlier listings are removed, as are single-room rentals.)
July 10th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Sunday’s turnout voting for the French National Assembly was the largest in over 40 years. The polls had predicted that rightwing party leader Marine Le Pen would win the most seats and thereby appoint her choice of prime minister for the republic. Though France also has a president he, Macron, would have been forced to bend policies to suit Le Pen. And that would have been only the second time in history that France’s government had been largely run by a right wing Nazi party. Following France’s surrender, from 1940 to ’44, Adolf Hitler installed a traitorous anti-semitic former French general to govern the one third of France (the Vichy Regime) which Germany chose not to.  Marine Le Pen Marine Le Pen’s father, a Holocaust denier, along with a former German SS officer started what was to become the National Rally (NR) in 1972. Le Pen, like America’s Trump and Hungary’s Orban, are admirers of Russian leader Putin. In Le Pen’s, she had also been bankrolled by a Russian bank. And her policies, were she to win, would be in sync with those of the Russian dictator: anti-environment, anti-immigration, anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic, anti-NATO, anti-European Union and anti-Ukraine. French president Macron called for National Assembly elections after Le Pen’s party made surprising but significant gains in elections to the European Union parliament. It was a risky proposition but it kind of paid off. She cleaned up in the first round of voting. Then, despite the polls and pundits, Le Pen fell to third place in the second round. It was a mixed blessing for Macron, whose centrist party also dropped to second, leaving the leftists, which had formed a coalition, with the largest number of seats in the Assembly. Macron will have to compromises with the left wing parties, some very opposed to his policies, in order to govern the country. Adopting a page from Mr. Trump’s playbook, Le Pen immediately blamed her failures on an unfair election. Russian disinformation, no doubt, also played a crucial role in Le Pen’s initial success. Over 4400 Russian disinformation bot posts had been distributed across France and Germany since mid-November, according to ‘antibot4navalny’, a Russian media research collective.  Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron France was only the second nation in Europe to buck the trend toward the seemingly growing popularity of right wing politics. Only a week earlier, British voters rebuked the governing Tories, virtually sweeping them into political oblivion for the time being. Albeit, as happens in their first-past-the-post system, they did this with only about a third of the popular vote. There was a huge sigh of relief in most European capitals following the results of both of these elections. One wonders whether Americans will rally against poll-leading former president Trump, a convicted felon and pathological liar. That too will depend on whether democrats can convince the stubborn-minded Biden to swallow his ego and let someone else lead them into the election. There are a few take-aways from what happened in France – a society among the most influential in our history of democracy. First, the polls cannot be trusted to reliably predict a political outcome. Even on the eve of the elections the pollsters got it wrong. Second, when push comes to shove liberal democratic values still outweigh the alternatives in our free societies. Negative politics and disinformation may confuse some of the people some of the time, as it did with the Brexit vote in the UK. But change for the sake of change is not always the best option.  Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh: Canada already has a de facto coalition government Third, Le Pen was defeated because the splintered left wing opposition parties combined forces to win the bigger prize. Canada already has a de facto coalition government with progressive policies in place. But continuation of those policies is at risk once that Liberal-NDP compact expires in time for the next federal election. First-past-the-post works best with a two party system. The Conservatives understood that when they united their left and right wings. As an interesting side bar, our modern concept of left and right winged politics has its roots in French politics. Following the French Revolution the social and conservative radicals sat respectively on the left and right in the French National Assembly.
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July 10th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
All businesses, regardless of sector or whether they’re based online or on physical premises, are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint as much as they can in order to help the collective effort to reduce global warming. A lot of people would assume that businesses such as online casinos, due to the fact that they are ‘digital’ and ‘online’, wouldn’t necessarily apply to them. But it does.  The dealer is live. A lot of the top online casinos now offer a live experience where you can play against a live dealer; a fine example of this is online at LuckyKoala Live Casino Canada. And of course, if they’re going to have a live dealer, they need physical premises. And so today we are going to look at the steps that some of the top online casinos that offer these live games are taking in order to reduce their carbon footprint while at the same time being able to offer that all-important immersive and engaging experience to their players. How they are going eco-friendlyAs well as having to provide physical premises for a live dealer, a lot of online casinos have their own offices for staff who perform duties such as software development, marketing, and customer service. Likewise, on data or network servers, whether they are remote or in-house, they can still be attributed in either way to that company’s particular carbon footprint. As the demand for online casinos increases, so does the power and processing capacity that these casinos need to function optimally and present their players with a seamless experience. Any top casino brand needs to have a robust and professional infrastructure in place. Turning to renewables Energy now comes from multiple sources; windmill farms are an example. So if casinos are going to need more and more power and energy in the future, how do they go about this in as eco-friendly a manner as possible? Well, many of the top online operators are noticing that they need to do something and are moving towards having their systems rely on renewable energy rather than those backed by fossil fuels. This is energy typically used to power the technology behind their gaming platforms and also the servers, which, of course, accommodate and supervise all of the traffic going through their website. This option, however, needs to be thought about in quite a lot of detail as it can incur costs, and the transition needs to minimize disruption and therefore downtime of their website. Another option?Although casinos don’t want to have to go through the hassle of moving towards renewable energy to power their equipment themselves, either through time constraints or financial expenses, there is another option, and you may have heard of the term ‘cloud’ being bounced around various sectors within the technology field. It essentially means that a casino can operate all of its processing power remotely at a facility that is dedicated for such a purpose. The reason why this might be a popular option is that a lot of the companies offering cloud storage and processing already have eco-friendly and scale-able solutions in place to cope with the casino’s power consumption demands. In Summary The biggest factor in changing the climate is individual behaviour. Ideally, this has given you a bit of insight into the infrastructure that the online casinos need to have established and in place in order to deliver the experiences they do to players like me and you. And at the same time, the challenges and options that are there and available to them should make them want to start taking steps in order to try and be more eco-friendly and to also reduce their carbon footprint, doing their bit as a business to help combat climate change.
July 9th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
When a soldier is seriously wounded in battle, they typically need to be treated early with blood and plasma to improve their likelihood of survival, but because of the way our blood components are currently formulated they cannot always be delivered quickly in the field.
“The Canadian Armed Forces depends on Canada’s blood authorities to support its members at home and abroad. We value our relationship and this important collaboration with Canadian Blood Services,” Major-General Scott Malcolm, Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon General, says. During the Second World War and the Korean War dried serum was used extensively in battlefield surgery and was produced in Canada. However, for blood safety reasons the program was discontinued. Since then, there have been many advances in the safety of the blood system and dried plasma is once again being considered to support battlefield medicine. Canadian Blood Services has been funded by Veterans Affairs Canada on behalf of the Department of National Defence to carry out the necessary research to work towards re-establishing the ability to produce dried plasma with the addition of modern testing and pathogen reduction processes. This important collaboration is expected to also have domestic benefits for the Canadian blood system. “Innovative research partnerships like this collaboration with the Canadian Armed Forces are an important foundation of Canadian Blood Services’ commitment to put the needs of patients first and provide lifesaving support to people in need, including military personnel on the battlefield and civilians in trauma settings.” Graham Sher, CEO of Canadian Blood Services says.
July 9th. 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Five women on a summer afternoon: A picnic sur l’herbe, music, play and tales of love in the Forest of Arden. Join a group of friends to celebrate the timeless love story of Rosalind and Orlando at the heart of As You Like It. All the wit and humanity of Shakespeare wrapped in contemporary theatricality and physical storytelling.  A Trevor Copp production at RBC – it will be as good if not better at Dundurn Castle. Performing at the beautiful grounds of Dundurn Castle Aug 13-31, 7pm, Mondays-Saturdays (no shows on Sundays). All performances are Pay-What-You-Can, no reservations required. Also available: our spectacular picnics! $40 buys you a picnic and includes your donation to the show. Email artisticdirector@totteringbiped.ca at least 48 hours before the performance for details. While this isn’t a Burlington event Trevor Copp has brought Shakespeare to Burlington audiences in a way no one else has. Always evocative, always a different perspective. We wanted you to know that Trevor Copp is back. Cast and Crew: Director – Diana Belshaw *The participation of Diana Belshaw is arranged by permission of Canadian Actor’s Equity Association. Movement Coordinator – Trevor Copp Music Director- Zach Parsons Poster design- Mimi Xuan SM team – Addie Moody and Eric Lessa Frattini Performers – Zita Nyarady, Rebecca Durance Hine, Madeleine Storms, Julia Scaringi and Alma Sarai
July 9th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton advises that Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) Surface Water Monitoring Centre (SWMC) are forecasting that the remnants of Hurricane Beryl will bring heavy rainfall across southwestern Ontario early Wednesday and continue into Thursday. Currently, total rainfall amounts in excess of 50 mm are possible. Although soil conditions are dry within our jurisdiction, intense downpours may produce significant localized runoff.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts, and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers. Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will issue an update to this Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook message as conditions warrant. This Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook will be in effect through Saturday July 13, 2024.
July 9th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
It was supposed to be a project update on the preferred concept design for Civic Square – it turned out to be an hour and 17 minute dive into the weeds. Council was not prepared to let staff make all the decisions on this project. The basics of the preferred concept are now on the table. The project aims to visualize, design, and implement the renewal of Civic Square, City Hall Entrance, and adjacent streetscapes to contribute to a healthier and more vibrant downtown core. The final preferred concept design is an evolution of Concept 2 – Atrium with modifications to include some design features from the other two concepts.  Use your cursor to enlarge parts of the graphic. The preferred concept design includes key features such as a consolidated vestibule entry, focal point canopies with branding at Brant Street / James Street and Elgin Street, continuous canopies along the building facade, transitions to adjacent properties and streets, a variety of seating elements, inclusion of flag poles adjacent to the building entrance, an in-ground water feature with water jets, and waves themed patterning in paved surfaces. Key features of the preferred concept design are:
The project is now transitioning into Phase Three of the engagement plan – before that could take place city council made sure that there finger prints were all over the project.
The project schedule includes detailed design, permits and approvals from July 2024 to March 2025, tender period in February – March 2025, and construction period from June 2025 to June 2026.
The budget for the project is approximately $7.6 million, with funding from the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, and the city. In 2021 the city received Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – Community, Culture and Recreation Stream funding for the renewal of Civic Square and Brant Streetscape (from Elgin to Ontario on the west side). To achieve efficiencies and a cohesive design, the Civic Square renewal project has been combined with two additional capital projects – the Brant Street entrance to City Hall and streetscape improvements on Elgin Street. The overriding goal of the Civic Square and Brant Street Renewal project is to visualize, design, and implement the renewal of Civic Square, City Hall Entrance, and adjacent streetscapes to contribute to a healthier and more vibrant downtown core. In May 2024 council approved report ES-10-24, that provided an update on the project and presented and summarized three concept designs. Staff see engagement as critical to this project and built that into all stages of design development. While including the public is the goal, the one occasion when visuals were available for viewing and consulting staff were on hand to answer questions – less than 40 people took part. Three concept designs were “Canopies,” “Atrium,” and “Portals.” Through engagement and an analysis of the feedback, a preferred concept design was developed. Through the City’s Public Art Program, LeuWebb Projects has been selected by a community jury of artists and arts professionals to join the project team. In the first phase of their contract, LeuWebb will collaborate with the project team to design site-specific, integrated public art for Civic Square. In the second phase of their contract, LeuWebb will lead the fabrication and installation of the public art, in consultation with the project team. To date, the project is meeting all critical milestones. The implementation and scope of work for this project is clearly defined and is in alignment with ICIP funding requirements and capital budget planning, thus limiting other options. The preferred concept has been designed to the construction budget. The Government of Canada is investing $1,984,900. The Government of Ontario is investing $1,653,917. The city has already committed capital funding of $884,744 with an additional $808,750 forecasted in the 2025 Budget. Capital funding in the amount of approximately $2,365,000, to support changes to City Hall related to this project, was approved in the 2024 Budget. The project continues to be a major undertaking for the project team. The commitment the city has made to fulfilling the schedule requirements of the project are well supported by the internal project team and the consulting team. Getting this done without city council xxx The projected completion date is June of 2026. The next municipal election take place in October of 2026 The six ward Councillors and the Mayor need this project to draw waves of public approval when the ribbon is cut – the election for their third term takes place 60 days later. There is a part two to this article. Reading how members of council made sure they had major input on this Capital project. Later in the week. Related news stories: Redesign of Civic Square Part 1 Redesign of Civic Square Part 2 Redesign of Civic Square Part 3
July 8th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
The push is on – from the Premier himself no less. This summer, there are still thousands of places people can buy their favourite beer, cider, wine or even spirits across Ontario. To help consumers connect with local retailers and producers close to home during the ongoing OPSEU strike, the province has launched a new searchable and interactive map of retailers that remain open and ready to serve. These retailers include more than 1,000 local Ontario breweries, wineries, wine shops and distilleries, in addition to other retailers such as LCBO Convenience Outlets, The Beer Store and licenced grocery stores that sell a range of Ontario-made and imported products.
“Our government is delivering on its commitment to expand the province’s beverage alcohol retail marketplace to increase choice and convenience for shoppers earlier than planned,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Ontario can rest assured there are more options to purchase than ever before, thanks to the government’s bold plan to modernize alcohol sales.” As announced in May 2024, Ontario is expanding the province’s alcohol beverage marketplace in phases to allow convenience, grocery and big-box grocery stores to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, such as coolers, hard seltzers or other premixed cocktails.
July 6th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
It was a hot Saturday morning which didn’t seem to deter the band of about 25 people who chose to do a walking of parts of ward 2 with Councillor Lisa Kearns.  Tour started off at the No Frills plaza – towers in the background, all south of Caroline, have in the minds of many, destroyed the feel of the downtown core. Lisa spent half an hour talking about the her view of the ward as she saw it, explaining what a city Councillor could say and do and what they couldn’t say and do, giving her view of the ward as she saw it and then walked the group up Brant Street and point out where the development was going to take place and what she liked and didn’t like about some of the developments.  Maps with development details were handed out.  He is certainly paying attention. The concerns were always about height and density and the size of the units that would be organized as rental units. Not much mention of park space. The development at 795 Brant has been an issue for council. The developer wanted to demolish the building arguing that it had little in the way of heritage value. The matter went to the Ontario Land Tribunal where a settlement has been worked out. That story will be a seperate article later in the week.
 The house, one of the last farming houses left standing in the core of the city, has been a Land Tribunal issue that is at the settlement stage. Exactly where the house will be located is not yet clear.  Tour ended at Brant and Prospect where there is a very controversial development taking place on an oddly shaped piece of property.
July 6th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Let me tell you why I started a petition to stop the proposed 8.9% increase in 2025 Burlington property taxes. Burlington City Council has a spending problem”. My petition asks the city for three things, a zero percent increase in taxes for 2025, clear language when communicating tax increases, and an understandable budget. 1 – No increases in 2025 When talking about tax increases in Burlington, the city and Mayor Meed Ward often talk about the impact of the increase on our tax bill. When talking about a budget only two things matter. 1 – The percentage increase. 2 – The dollar value increases. The last municipal election was in 2022. On our final tax bills, for 2023, there is a line starting with M – Municipal line, that showed an increase that amounted to 15.59%. Your 2024 tax bill would show, at the same place M – Municipal line showing an increase of 10.21%.  The budget numbers for 2022 The approved budget for 2022, operating and capital combined, was $362.1 million.  The numbers for the 2023 budget. The approved budget for 2023, operating and capital combined, was $434.8 million. That’s an increase of $72.7 million taken in by the city from tax payers over a two years period. How can the city possibly spend $72.7 million on the things that benefit the tax payers in such a short period of time? That’s not easy for any organization to do. The city could have used the funds to pay down debt or top up reserves, but that does not appear to have happened. This following statement on the city’s debt level is from the 2024 approved budget:
Did the author of that statement understand what it means? In this video, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Hassaan Basit spoke of the need to show taxpayers the value they will receive from the proposed 2025 – 8.9% tax increase that will appear on the M-Municipal line on your tax bills when they are issued in 2025 – assuming of course that the increase is not greater than 8.9 %. . Before talking about further significant tax increases (that being the 8.9% increases the city department is projecting), the city needs to show what value taxpayers have received from the 2023 and 2024 increases. With 72.7 million additional dollars it’s hard to imagine that the sky will fall, despite what the City Manager said. 2 – Clear Language when communicating tax increases. Burlington has an Engagement Charter that has the following statement: “Clear Language: The City of Burlington will use plain and clear language in documents and public communications that is more engaging and understandable for citizens than technical language and jargon.” For 2025 the proposed increase is 8.9%. This is how the mayor explains this increase on her website “the 2025 Proposed Budget. Staff are predicting a total tax increase of 5.5%, of which the City’s portion would be 4.5%.” The reality is that the proposed budget increase is 8.9%, and the M-Municipal line on your tax bill will show that 8.9% increase. . The mayor needs to stop freeloading on the other parts of our tax bill to make her increases look somewhat acceptable. Using the approved 2024 budget total of $434.8 million – 8.9% of that amounts to $38,697,200 of additional dollars for the city to spend. 3 – Share the details of the budget in a way the community can understand them.  Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns: “I would call it like mumbo jumbo.” Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns, speaking to a community meeting about the budget said: “The budget is really hard to understand. I would call it like mumbo jumbo. Its 700 pages. “ Kearns is one of the brighter members of this Council and is usually able to figure out complex document. For a more in depth look at what Kearns told her constituents click HERE. City staff, people that are paid with money tax payers provide, prepare a budget that Kearns called “mumbo jumbo. The people given the 700 pages from city staff – the people we pay to represent us then have to deal with the “mumbo jumbo” How is this mumbo jumbo possible?  Doreen Sebben  Lydia Thomas Our councillors have failed to insist that staff use language that is easily understood and graphics that help make the point. They have allowed this situation to get out of hand. Kearns talks about change, and there have been some changes – they were the result of and a response to excellent delegations from Lydia Thomas and Doreen Sebben. Kearns complains about mumbo jumbo but it takes citizen action to force changes. We elect council members to work with city staff on our behalf. What has this council been doing? The budgets have been confusing for years. The M-Municipal line on the tax bill increases have become so large that citizens are having to complain directly to the council. Maybe our councillors are starting to wake up and talk about change. We’ll have to wait and see if this is just talk or if there will be real change. One question remains, why wasn’t something done about the mumbo jumbo years ago? Something is rotten in the state of Burlington. Please consider signing the petition:
July 6th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
For reasons that we cannot fathom we are not able to tell you the names of the four people who are going to be named as Commissioners in the new city staff organizational structure. We are not doing all that well in getting direct, clear and concise answers to our questions from the City communications group about the changes that are being made on the corporate organizational chart.  Hassaan Basit, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Burlington took office late in April. We’ve known for some time that the title of Executive is being dropped and that the staff organization would be divided into Divisions. The decision as to who will hold which senior level jobs is determined by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) traditionally called the City Manager. We are told that the “Communications and Engagement team now reports to the Head of Corporate Affairs per the org chart shared previously. There is no hierarchy change within the team. “Members of the executive team (including Commissioners) will begin to attend Committee of the Whole (COW) and Council meetings as their roles are confirmed and their schedules allow. That sounds as if the new “Commissioners” will become known when they first speak at a Council meeting. Council will meet next week – maybe the names and faces will be revealed then. The City Clerk, a critical staff person, bylaws are not law until the Clerk signs the document does not appear on the current organization chart.
July 6th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Using X – known as Twitter, Marianne Meed Ward announced that her communications advisor is moving on, Meed Ward said: “It is with mixed emotions that I announce John Bkila, Specialist, Media & Digital Communications, will be leaving the Mayor’s Office team to pursue a new opportunity. His last day in our office will be Thursday, July 11. Recruitment has begun and is open for applications here:  John Bkila, Specialist, Media & Digital Communications, John has been with me since the beginning of my tenure as Mayor, and in that time has significantly grown the reach and impact of the Mayor’s Office communications and engagement with residents. The information he has provided with the monthly newsletter and daily social updates, and other tools, has engaged residents in the day to day activities and decisions we make with their input and on their behalf.  John Bkila at a public event that did not include the Mayor; are there tea leaves to be read. Residents have frequently commented to me how valuable they have found this information. John also guided our communications throughout the COVID pandemic, working tirelessly whenever called upon to ensure our community members had the information they needed to stay safe and healthy. We will miss John, but wish him well on this new step in his career! Please join me in thanking John for his service to Burlington, and wishing him well. Bkila was a staff reporter with the Burlington Post when he was poached by the Mayor to direct her social media campaigns.
July 5th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON UPDATE: The Arts & Culture 2024 budget is $1.9M
We checked it out. Here is the deal: The City of Burlington is one of four municipalities in Halton working with Halton Region Heritage Services to commission a multidisciplinary artist, artist team or artist collective to lead an interactive cultural activity for Culture Days. Artists, artist teams, and collectives can submit their proposal to lead a participatory program, project or workshop. Proposals may include: interactive art projects, hands-on workshops, and/or interactive performances. The project should allow for audience participation, take place between Sept. 20 and Oct. 13, and be offered in each of the four regional municipalities:  Halton’s four municipalities. Burlington Halton Hills Milton and Oakville The deadline for online submissions is 4 p.m. on July 31. For more information, visit the Halton Hills Call for Artists website. The project should: include a community-based activity in each of the four municipalities to connect the Halton Region. be clearly tied to Culture Days, celebrate Halton Region’s 50th anniversary and create a sense of unity and collaboration within the community. take place indoors. be engaging and offer a platform for individuals to express themselves and contribute to a larger dialogue about the theme of home and belonging. allow attendees to participate in the activity and be free to attend. be designed as a drop-in for large group participation. The commission for the project is $6,000. This amount includes $2,000 for material costs. Culture Days is an annual celebration of arts, culture and creativity that increases community access, provides hands-on participation and highlights the importance of arts and culture in our communities. Every year, free arts and cultural events are offered as part of the celebration, encouraging participants to create, share and celebrate arts and culture. Halton’s four municipalities have partnered with Halton Region Heritage Services to help celebrate the Region’s 50th anniversary during the 2024 Culture Days festival.
July 5th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Organizing A Study Session: What To Plan  Organizing a successful study session requires careful consideration and preparation. Effective studying is a cornerstone of academic success, and thorough planning is absolutely crucial. Whether you’re a high school student preparing for exams, a college undergraduate tackling complex coursework, or an adult learner balancing education with other responsibilities, organizing a successful study session requires careful consideration and preparation. Setting Clear Objectives Before diving into your study materials, it’s crucial to establish clear, specific objectives for your study session. What do you hope to accomplish? Are you aiming to master a particular concept, review a chapter, or complete a set of practice problems? Why not try the SMART goal-setting framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound? For example, instead of a vague goal like “study biology,” a SMART goal might be “review and summarize the key concepts from Chapter 3 on cell biology within two hours.” By setting clear objectives, you give your study session direction and purpose. This clarity helps maintain focus and provides a sense of accomplishment when you meet your goals. Choosing The Right Location If you’re studying at home, choose a specific area for learning. This could be a desk in your bedroom, a corner of the living room, or even a spot at the kitchen table. The key is to choose a location that you associate with focused work and that minimizes distractions.  Create a study space that is distraction free. For those who prefer studying outside the home, consider locations like libraries, quiet cafes, or dedicated study spaces on campus. When selecting your study location, consider factors such as:
Gathering Necessary Materials Nothing derails a study session faster than realizing you don’t have the materials you need. Before you begin, gather all necessary resources. This might include:
If you’re using digital resources, make sure that you’ve downloaded any necessary files or applications before your study session begins. This prevents time-wasting technical issues once you’ve settled into your work. For example, if you’re looking for study notes for your exam prep, make sure you’ve got them to hand. Studocu has an amazing range of lecture notes and study material from institutions around the world. Visit their website to find out more. Creating A Realistic Schedule Time management is crucial for an effective study session. Create a realistic schedule that breaks your study time into manageable chunks. The Pomodoro Technique involves working in focused 25-minute intervals (called “Pomodoros”), followed by short breaks. After four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. When creating your schedule, consider your personal energy levels and attention span. Some people work best in longer stretches, while others benefit from more frequent breaks. Experiment to find what works best for you. Remember to build in time for:
 Active learning strategies that engage your mind and improve retention. Incorporating Active Learning Strategies Passive reading or re-reading is often an ineffective study method. When planning your study session, incorporate active learning strategies that engage your mind and improve retention. Some effective active learning techniques include:
Planning For Potential Distractions
If you find your mind wandering to unrelated tasks or worries, keep a notepad nearby to jot down these thoughts. This allows you to acknowledge them without derailing your focus. Incorporating Physical Activity Physical activity can boost your cognitive function and help maintain focus during long study sessions. When planning your study time, factor in short bursts of physical activity.  Incorporating stretch exercises – even if it just five minutes – will improve your frame of mind. This could be as simple as planning a five-minute stretch break every hour or scheduling a brisk walk between study blocks. You should be getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, so integrating movement into your study routine can contribute to this goal. Planning For Self-Care Make sure you schedule regular meals and healthy snacks to keep your energy levels stable. Plan for adequate sleep before and after intense study sessions. You really should be getting between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Also, think about incorporating stress-management techniques into your study plan. This might include short meditation sessions, deep breathing exercises, or brief periods of mindfulness practice. Exam prep can be an incredibly tough time, but you can give yourself the best platform to succeed when you plan and organize. ADD IN
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