 By Staff
July 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Summer is in full force.
The pools are open – well at least most of them.
LaSalle Pool Opening July 4; Mountainside and Nelson Outdoor Pools Opening July 11
The opening dates are a little earlier than Parks and Recreation expected; they will be open for lap and leisure swims.
 Swimming pools are open. Check out the available programs and register for a spot. This isn’t however going to be a normal summer. While things look good on the surface there is amongst us a virus that can’t wait to jump from someone who has COVID19 to someone who doesn’t.
This virus is passed from person to person.
The Provincial Guidelines on the safe reopening of pools means pool access will now be done through online registration and pre-payment for Burlington residents only.
There will be no walk-in pool access accepted at this time. To create an account CLICK HERE t
To help ensure physical distancing, the number of swimmers allowed in each pool will be restricted. Time-limits will also be in place to allow more people to enjoy the pools and for staff to disinfect the area for the next group of swimmers.
To view the programs and times: Click Here ,
Residents will have an opportunity to register no more than 25-hours before the start of the program. Residents are asked to book only one swim per day to help accommodate as many swimmers as possible and to complete a health screening questionnaire.
 Nelson pool New Procedures at the Pools
The health and safety of Burlington residents is of the upmost importance. In compliance with the Provincial Guidelines for opening aquatic facilities and for the health and safety of all guests, the following standards will be in effect:
• Bring proof of registration to the pool
• Enter the pool using only the entry point; exit the pool using only the exit point at the opposite end of the pool
• Outdoor showers will be available for use before entering and re-entering the pool
• Use of changerooms is limited to washroom use only; guests should arrive wearing swimming attire and to change and shower at home afterward
• On-deck viewing is not available
• Physical distance of 2m (6ft) must always be maintained; within the pool and on the pool deck
• Guests will be asked to exit the deck area without delay after each swim to allow for cleaning and disinfection before the next swim
• Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs as use of deck furniture will be restricted
• Guests are encouraged to bring their own filled plastic water bottles – water fountains will not be available;
• All play equipment will not be in use, including splash features, diving boards, climbing wall, and waterslide
• Regular supervision requirements apply. Visit burlington.ca/playstandards
Lap Swimming
The pools will be divided into double lanes. Registered swimmers are to swim clockwise on the black line of one lane and come back on the black line of the next lane, forming a loop.
Leisure Swims
To help support physical distancing,
Mountainside and Nelson Pools will be divided into shallow, middle and deep areas.
 By Staff
July 3rd, 2020
Burlington, on
NOTICE TO PUBLIC REGARDING PROVINCIAL OFFENCES ACT MATTERS
Revised July 3, 2020
All Provincial Offences Act matters (e.g., traffic tickets and offences under provincial legislation) scheduled until Sept. 14, 2020 will be rescheduled. Do not attend court.
 All Provincial Offences Act matters scheduled from Monday, March 16, 2020 through to and including Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 will be adjourned and rescheduled to a later date. If you have a matter scheduled during this time, do not attend court. This applies to all POA courts in Ontario.
A notice of your new court date will be sent to you by mail to the address on file with the court. For more information, please contact your local Provincial Offences court.
Contact information for all municipal courts is available here: https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/Court_Addresses/poa/
Updated information about court proceedings at the Ontario Court of Justice can be found on the Court’s website at https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/.
Please also be advised that the Government of Ontario made an order pursuant to s. 7.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA), suspending any limitation periods in statutes and regulations for the duration of the State of Emergency. This will impact timelines under the Provincial Offences Act and related proceedings.
A copy of the order is available online at: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200073.
 By Staff
July 2, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor is going to hold another one of her COVID19 Town Hall meetings.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward She runs a tight ship and gets the questions to the right people. The event is another virtual thing where the people taking part are scattered about the city – all connected via Zoom.
It works. Many of the questions are for information that should be known by everyone but there are many that are very sensible – and at time the experts the Mayor has with don’t have an immediate answer
The next COVID19 Town Hall is on Thursday, July 16, between 6 and 7:30 p.m.
The Mayor will be joined by a panel of local leaders to help answer residents’ questions, including:
 Halton District School Board Director of Education Stuart Miller • Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development at the City of Burlington
• Tim Commisso, City Manager at the City of Burlington
• Pat Daly, Director of Education at Halton Catholic District School Board
• Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington
• The Honourable Karina Gould, Member of Parliament for Burlington
• Dr. Dale Kalina, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control at Joseph Brant Hospital
• Stuart Miller, Director of Education at Halton District School Board
• MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos, Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington
• Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer at Joseph Brant Hospital.
With the Director of Education on the call – there will be an opportunity to see some clarity on what parents might expect come September.
How to Participate
Residents who would like to participate in the town hall can do so in the following ways:
1. Register in advance: Burlington residential phone numbers will be randomly selected to be part of the telephone town hall. Residents who would like to be added to the telephone call list can email getinvolved@burlington.ca by the end of the day on July 14.
Please note: if you registered for any of the previous town halls (held on March 26, April 14 or June 4), you are not required to register your phone number a second time. To remove a name from the call list, email getinvolved@burlington.ca by the end of the day on July 14.
2. Join by telephone: Anyone who does not receive a telephone invitation can call 1-800-410-5909 just before 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 16 to join the town hall. For those individuals calling in, please be advised more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic on the phone lines. If the first call does not connect, please hang up and dial the 1-800 number again.
Once the call begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel.
Questions not answered during the call will be posted, with answers, to the City’s website at burlington.ca/townhall, along with an audio file and full transcript of the call after July 16.
“While we continue to navigate a world with COVID-19,, said Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, ” we have taken many steps to get people back to working and playing as much as possible so that we can maintain our physical and mental health.
Our next town hall will focus on what summer looks like in Burlington now that our splash pads, pools, parks and camps are reopening, and what we can expect as we head into the fall when our kids are hopefully back to school, and our businesses continue to reopen more fully. There is always a wealth of helpful and timely information on these calls and I look forward to connecting with our community and our experts once again on July 16.”
Quick Facts
• Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the City of Burlington has hosted three telephone town hall events, on March 25, April 14 and June 4, to provide updates about what the City is doing to protect the health and safety of our community and to address concerns from the public related to COVID-19.
• Audio recordings and full transcripts from the previous telephone town hall events are available online at burlington.ca/townhall. Answers to the questions asked by the public during these town hall events are also available at the same location on the City’s website.
By Robin Bailey
July 2nd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Food Bank is running at 70% over same time last year in terms of families served!
 Dominique joins those packing food hampers and does some of the longer term logistics thinking. Sometimes as we go about serving families in Burlington we forget how well our volunteers are doing keeping up with the pace! We run our numbers monthly and having just now completed the 2nd quarter, we took some time to reflect. There has been an increase of 70% in the number of households served from March through June in comparison to the same period last year.
We don’t seem too stressed out about it because the volunteers are doing a great job meeting the needs and doing so calmly and efficiently.
If they were a private business developing a market – that would be a great number. It is a reflection on the number of people who need help.
 Jane is a regular volunteer at the Food Bank The community however is coming through Big Time.
And how about those Burlington Dads!
They came together online in a Canada Day challenge to raise $250 for us and ended up with a commitment of $2,825 so far – way over their expectations and much needed so thank you Burlington Dads!
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or they can now PICK IT UP. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.
 By Staff
July 2nd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Part two of the Trail Naming project is starting and residents can now vote for the names of three trails. Earlier this year residents were asked to submit names for the trails. More than 300 names were received.
A committee made up of City staff and members of the Burlington Cycling Advisory Committee and the Integrated Transportation Advisory Committee created a short-list of names. The entries with the most votes will be brought to City Council for approval to become the official names of the trails.
Voting on name-this-trail will be open from July 2 to July 24. Link to voting booth is shown below.
Trail locations and name options
 Trail # 1
Location 1: Hydro corridor trail, north of the QEW, between the North Service Road at Roly Bird Park and Berwick Drive.
• Unity Trail: A trail that connects many communities and symbolizes inclusion
• Crosstown Trail: A trail spans across most of north Burlington
• Powerline Trail: In reference to the use of the land as a hydro transmission corridor
 Trail # 2 Location 2: New downtown hydro corridor trail, east of Maple Avenue, between Ontario Street and Graham’s Lane
• Core Trail: Combines the double meaning of core as it relates to fitness and the location of the trail
• Old Rail Trail: Recognizes the former railway that ran through the corridor years ago
• Maple Trail: The trail is in the neighborhood commonly referred to as Maple and is close to Maple Avenue
 Trail # 3 Location 3: New trail east of Centennial Drive, between Upper Middle Road and Heathfield Drive (extending in the future to Mainway.)
• Palmer Trail: The trail is in the neighborhood commonly referred to as Palmer
• Washburn Trail: In reference to Halton Region’s Pump Station and Reservoir facility
• Upper Mainway Trail: References the north and south boundary of the trail between two major roads
You vote for the name you want for each trail RIGHT HERE
By Staff
July 2, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Western end of the Beachway – It was one of the places to be. What did people do on Canada Day?
A lot of them took to the lake.
Those with big boats made part of the bay area a destination.
 With the heat – the water seemed like the place to be. May more took to the bars and restaurants that got creative and opened up patios.
It was a beautiful day – despite a virus out there that wants to hop from person to person like some kind of tick.
A quick look at what some people were doing.
 For some it was a quiet summer day.  For others it was high speed all out energy.  Was this a significant place for people to cross the street – or just another crosswalk?  What’s it going to be folks?
By Pepper Parr
July 2nd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
They came from the north of the Burlington Centre
They came from the south of the Burlington Centre
 Coming from the north – they lined up on Guelph Line patiently waiting to get into the parking lot.  They came from the south and lined up on Guelph line waiting to get into the parking lot. It was Canada Day and hundreds of cars and trucks lined up to get into the Centre parking lot to follow what looked like an obstacle course to get to a point where they had to make a choice – which of the four Rib choices did they want.
 The first traffic direction point. Note the line of cars on the left coming into the parking lot. It looked like an obstacle course and it was confusing – However there were Rotarians at every point guiding traffic.
 Traffic wound its way around traffic cones – as they were guided to the point where they had to make a decision. Cars then got to a point where the driver had to make a decision – which of the four rib choices did they want.
 There was the day’s offering. The traditional bill boards that Burlingtonians had looked at for years stood in front of them with flags flying in the wind. The Rotarian who was on that security point was getting frazzled at times as people asked: “Which one is the best?”
“They’re all great” he replied as he worked to keep the traffic moving.
And it moved quite well.
 Traffic pauses to pay for their order and then into the spot where they pick up their ribs and enjoy the sweet aroma of the piping hot food that is now in their car. Then they were in a line that got them to a point where there order was taken and paid for – they then proceeded to a pick up point on either side of the place where the ribs were being prepared.
It sounds a little convoluted, and it may have looked that way as drivers came in – but it went very smoothly.
 Is the the Burlington Centre parking lot. Or is it New York city? The photographs show dozens of cars all crowded together but everyone knew where they were going.
 The live entertainment was pleasant – the man knew how to work the strings of that guitar. His voice was just fine. There was live entertainment being broadcast over the parking lot – the singer was working his guitar to the fullest and producing a sound that fit the day.
 It worked – it worked very well. The Lakeshore Rotary who put on the event haven’t released any numbers yet – but it was clear to this reporter that the event made not have pulled in as much as the fill scale Ribfest has done in the past but it did very well under the circumstances.
The Rotarians are to be congratulated for being able to pivot and use Canada Day to put on their event. The Burlington Centre people deserve a “thank you” for making the space available.
The event could become an annual thing. It certainly worked on July 1st, 2020
By Pepper Parr
July 1st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada Day is a good time to think about Citizenship.
Those of us born in Canada take it for granted and for the most part we are grateful that we live in this country.
For many – they choose to become Canadian citizens.
When that choice is made these people take part in a Citizenship Ceremony that is presided over by a Citizenship Court Judge.
The federal government often calls upon members of the Order of Canada to take on the task for what is a rather short ceremony that has one sentence that matters: Congratulations, you are now Canadian citizens.
Ron Foxcroft was made a member of the Order of Canada two years ago.
He presided over his first Citizenship Court in Hamilton recently.
 Fifty nine people became citizens of Canad in a ceremony earlier this year when Citizenship Judge Ron Foxcroft presided. It is an emotional moment for all the participants. Foxcroft said he was a “little nervous” but once he got into the procedure he said he was “fine”.
Working from a document provided by the federal government Foxcroft said:
“In a few minutes you will be sworn in as Canadian Citizens. You will swear or affirm your Oath to the Queen, which means you are swearing allegiance to Canada in her name and in her person.
“This is a proud moment for all of you. It is a memory you and your family will always cherish.”
Foxcroft then turns to the land acknowledgement that is now a part of almost every political event that takes place.
“I would like to acknowledge that this citizenship ceremony is taking place on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit and the the Haudenosaunee Nations.
“It is essential that all Canadians move forward together on the road to reconciliation, so that we can leave a proper legacy for future generations.
“Candidates for citizenship, I am happy that you have chosen to become citizens of this wonderful country, and it is a privilege for me to be here with you today. You are following in the footsteps of generations of great Canadians before you.
“Our first Prime, Sir John A. MacDonald, came here as an immigrant from Scotland with his family when he was five years old. They settled in Loyalist country beside Lake Ontario. He worked hard all his life and earned the everlasting gratitude of the Canadian people.
“My personal story is one of great gratitude to Canada for all that my country has given me. My family enjoyed all that this country has to offer. I was educated in Ontario, became a National Basketball Association referee, bought a trucking company and formed a business that exports to more than 100 countries around the world.
“I was honoured to be made the Honorary Colonel of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, a renowned Armed Forces unit that fought in Europe in both world wars. That Regiment is based here in Hamilton.
 Four of Canada’s newest citizens “Many of you have travelled far and some have struggled to make a new home in Canada. Your decision meant adapting to a new culture, a new climate, and for most of you a new language.
“You are joining the Canadian story, one that you are now quite familiar with after studying Discover Canada and passing your citizenship test.
“You have learned about Canadian symbols like the Crown, the flag, the coat of arms and our motto, From “Sea to Sea”.
 The presentation of a Citizenship certificate “Being a Canadian citizen means a lot more than simply having a piece of paper. It means sharing a common set of Canadian values; having rights and responsibilities, such as being a full member of the Canadian family and the responsibility to obey Canadian laws.
“As a Canadian citizen, you live in a democratic country where individual rights and freedoms are respected.
“Thousands of brave Canadians have fought and died foe these rights and freedoms. The commitment to Canada of our men and women in uniform should never be forgotten or go unrecognized. We thank them.
“As a Canadian you have the right to vote and to run as a candidate in municipal, provincial and federal elections. It is your responsibility to find out about the issues in each election, to make your choice and to cast your vote.
“You are free to live and work in any province or territory. Take responsibility for yourself and your family. Get involved in our community by becoming a volunteer. These are responsibilities and privileges we all share and must act upon.
“The future of Canada, our freedom, our democracy, our peaceful society, equality under the law and our prosperity, depends on all of us together.
“You area about to take the Oath of Citizenship. As you pronounce the words of the oath, take then to heart; they are your commitment to do your best for Canada.
“Please repeat after me:
I swear
That I will be faithful
And bear true allegiance
To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second
Queen of Canada
Her Heirs and Successors
And that I will faithfully observe
The laws of Canada
And fulfill my duties
As a Canadian citizen
At this point Ron Foxcroft would have stood tall, beamed a great big smile upon the 59 people in the room and said:
“Congratulations, you are now Canadian citizens.”
And then lead them in the singing O Canada
By Staff
July 1st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There is more to do than expected.
 The Lakeshore Rotary got creative and pivoted from the fall Ribfest and are holding the event on Canada Day in the Burlington Centre (Mall)
It will be a drive a drive through situation with all kinds of signage – Rotary is very good at signage. Traffic will be directed – you pick out and pick up your Ribs – pay for them and drive on through to wherever you are going to chow down those Ribs.
No mention of a beer tent
Expect the Mayor to be there.
The Ribfest opens at 11 am and runs through to 8 pm with music, entertainment and a performance by the Teen Tour Band
 Will this woman be at the Burlington Centre (Mall) on Wednesday? Earlier in the you can drop in at the Farmer’s Market – that opens at 8:00 am and runs to 2:00 pm.
Attendance by the produce people has been good. Lots of social distance rules in place with clear traffic lane markings.
Make a point of taking your mask. And perhaps wear something with a Canadian flag on it.
By Pepper Parr
June 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There are more people into gardening this year than most years.
The nurseries sold out early.
The pandemic has kept us all closer to home and deciding to plant some vegetable seeds seemed like a great idea to many.
The seed suppliers ran out as well.
The Burlington Food Bank has seven gardening plots around the city – they are looking for people to help out.
 Just imagine walking into the sunshine early in the morning and seeing this tree waiting for you to gaze. If you drive the country back roads with the window down you get to smell what I call the “sweet smell of new mown hay”
 The buds were bursting all over the place. The trees that are in full bloom all seem to have different shades of green.
The Catalpa tree that greeted me as I walked down the lane after picking up the newspaper was bursting with new flower.
The beauty just had to be shared.
By Pepper Parr
June 30, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Food Bank will be closed on Canada Day.
They deserve a bit if a break.
The Food Bank has seven plots in different community gardens – which means weed pullers and produce pickers are going to be needed.
 Robin Bailey, Executive Director, Burlington Food Bank They are looking for early risers that can help with the garden work before the heat of the day hits. If you are interested and able to help please contact Lisa at garden@burlingtonfoodbank.ca
The volunteers are what make the Food Bank work. The food donations wouldn’t get out the door without them. A local Hair Salon stepped up and donated three haircut & styles to be won by our volunteers this week – just to spread some joy and make them feel good. Thank you to Willow Salon for that generous gift.
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or they can now PICK IT UP. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.
Donate
By Pepper Par
June 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Site includes a parking lot. Interested in opening and operating a Speakeasy?
There is a space on Old Lakeshore Road with tonnes of Burlington history that is for rent.
Once known as Emmas’s Back Porch the space has been partitioned with what was The Water Street Cooker being offered for rent as a separate space.
The basement where all the booze was stored is for rent. The owners appear to be prepared to rent some of it out for “event” purposes.
All the details are set out at this link.
 An iconic site – looking for a new hospitality operator.
By Staff
June 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada Day this year isn’t going to be the same.
This year’s Celebrations will be unique.
For starters, we will be having our Ribs in the Burlington Centre parking lot. And the Farmer’s Market will be open.
 Rick Campanelli The City, with funding support from the Government of Canada, is hosting a virtual Canada Day celebration with former TV host for MuchMusic and ET Canada Rick Campanelli, special events online, musical guests (by video) and activities individuals and families can do while practicing physical distancing.
Following Provincial orders and public health directives, large gatherings will not be permitted. There will be no gatherings or planned activities in Spencer Smith Park.
Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington spells out the situation:
“We know this isn’t the big party that everyone has come to know and love that always earns us a Top 100 Festival ranking from Festivals and Events Ontario.
 Chris Glenn Director of Parks and Recreation for the city. “Being in a pandemic means we need to be flexible and adapt to what is happening in a safe and responsible way. Large gatherings will not be happening this year but that doesn’t mean we can’t all celebrate and show our Canadian pride in our own special way with our household.
There is a great lineup of activities and performances. If you miss any of the “premiers”, all videos will still be posted on burlington.ca/canadaday.” — Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington
Virtual Schedule and Activities
All virtual activities, a schedule and links to videos will be posted on burlington.ca/canadaday.
Online message from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Rick Campanelli, Burlington resident and former TV host for MuchMusic and ET Canada
 Burlington Teen Tour Band: They make the city proud O Canada played by the Burlington Teen Tour Band
Bucket drumming experience with Burlington’s CRASH Rhythm. Watch for the how-to video released the weekend before and get ready to join CRASH Rhythm members on Canada Day for two interactive drumming sessions
 One of the White Pine Dancers. Join First Nations Storyteller and founder of the White Pine Dancers, Aaron Bell for a six-part series of traditional stories that reflect the Indigenous culture and way of life
Special musical guest appearance, by country music star Tim Hicks
Join cities across Canada to celebrate Canada Day, promote diversity, multicultural harmony, and thank all front line essential workers with simultaneous drumming. Pre-registration is required and the link can be found at burlington.ca/canadaday.
Participate in Virtual Fireworks Presented by Bunzl, through the Snap’d Community Hub
Share your Canada Day spirit by decorating your home and posting a photo to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #BurlONCanadaDay
Participate in the Canada Day Play Challenge. With Canadian inspired trivia and activities starting June 27 until July 1, 2020, with new activities added each day. Download the free app at goosechase.com and search for the Canada Day Play Challenge. We have prize packages available for the top three highest scoring teams, with support from Canadian Tire. The grand prize winner will receive a prize package worth $500.
Mayor Meed Ward said: “Canada Day celebrations in Burlington will look a bit different this year and I know our community will safely celebrate this important holiday with the same energy and gratitude we always do.
“We have so much to be thankful for in this country: our democracy, our healthcare, our arts and culture, our gorgeous landscapes and environment, and the diverse and passionate people who contribute to our ongoing evolution as a society. I look forward to enjoying the talented entertainment and creative activities our teams have pulled together for our city.”
—
By Pepper Parr
June 30th,2020
Burlington, ON
The notice at the top of the update on Covid19 infections – set out in red was a sign that the pace at Halton Region’s public Health Unit has slowed.
They were probably all close to burn out.
Please note that effective the week of July 6, the Monday edition of this report will be discontinued for the summer of 2020. The report will return to a weekly format, with updates sent every Thursday.
The data as at June 26th is re-assuring.
The public, for the most part is paying attention and following the Stay Safe rules.
The PHN has advised that the public can now get out and not have to stay away from people that are a big part of their day to day lives.
The Mayor managed to get out for a brew on the patio of The Poacher.
 Figure 1: COVID-19 cases, by episode date, Halton Region, Mar. 1-Jun. 28, 2020 Figure 1: COVID-19 cases, by episode date, Halton Region, Mar. 1-Jun. 28, 2020
Figure 1 shows the 833 COVID-19 cases among Halton residents reported by end of the day on June 28. All cases have been graphed according to their episode date, which is used to estimate the date that symptoms began. Figure 1 shows the number of new cases per day, while
Figure 2 shows how cases have accumulated over time. Counts for the past 14 days should be interpreted with caution (indicated using the grey shaded area on the graph), since there is a delay between when a person becomes infected and when they develop symptoms, get tested and are reported as a case. Please note the large increase on April 11 is due to expanded testing and identification of COVID-19 among asymptomatic individuals at Mountainview Residence.
Individuals who are lab-confirmed cases are shown in green. Individuals who are probable cases are shown in orange. Probable cases are individuals presumed to have COVID-19 because they have symptoms of COVID-19 and are travelers returning from an affected area, have had close contact with a confirmed case and/or lived/worked in a facility experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, or have indeterminate test results.
 Figure 3: 7-day moving average of confirmed non-institutional COVID-19 cases, by collection date, Halton Region, Mar. 1-Jun. 28, 2020
For each day, Figure 3 shows the average number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past seven days, including only those cases that are not staff or residents/patients associated with an outbreak in an institutional or congregate care setting. Cases have been graphed according to their collection date, which is the date that a sample was taken from them to be tested for COVID-19. The graph suggests that the average number of new cases per day was highest in late March/early April, with another increase in mid-May. Counts for recent days should be interpreted with caution (indicated using the grey shaded area on the graph), since there is a delay between when a person is tested and when their test results are reported to Public Health and entered into the system.
 Figure 5 shows that by end of the day on June 28, the greatest number of COVID-19 cases were among residents of Oakville (with 277 cases, or 33%). Figure 5 shows that by end of the day on June 28, the greatest number of COVID-19 cases were among residents of Oakville (with 277 cases, or 33%). Please note this figure shows counts, and therefore does not take into account the different population sizes or age structures of the four municipalities. Counts in municipalities can also be inflated by outbreaks that have occurred within institutions in their boundaries.
Figure 9 shows the 22 confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 in Halton institutions reported by end of the day on June 28. Institutions are defined as long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals. 18 of the outbreaks have resolved, and four are ongoing. Among the 22 confirmed institutional outbreaks reported to date, 14 (64%) have been in long-term care homes, seven (32%) have been in retirement homes and one has been in a hospital (5%).
 Figure 10: Number of people tested for COVID-19 and percentage of people tested who had positive results, by week, Mar. 1-Jun. 20, 2020, Halton
The green bars in Figure 10 show the number of Halton residents who were tested for COVID-19 each week, beginning the week of March 1-7. Data for the most recent week (June 14-20) is incomplete due to reporting lags. The number of people tested decreased the week of May 17 compared to past weeks as mass testing of institutional residents was completed. The number of people tested then began to increase again, as the provincial government permitted more widespread testing.
The orange line in Figure 10 indicates the percentage of tested Halton residents who were positive for COVID-19. The percent positivity was highest the week of April 5-11, when 10.3% of Halton residents who were tested for COVID-19 had positive results. In the most recent week (June 14-20), 0.5% of people tested for COVID-19 tested positive, although this number is subject to reporting delays.
Data limitations and data sources
Halton case data: integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), extracted at 7:00 AM on June 29, 2020, to reflect data entered by the end of the day on June 28, 2020
Halton lab data: Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Number of individuals who were confirmed positive for COVID-19, COVID-19 Testing Period: 15 Jan 2020 to 20 June 2020. Received on June 22, 2020.
Ontario case counts: Public Health Ontario, Epidemiologic Summary, COVID-19 in Ontario: January 15, 2020 to June 28, 2020, posted on June 29, 2020 to https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.
Denominators for Halton and Ontario age-specific rates: Population projections [2020], IntelliHEALTH Ontario, extracted on April 8, 2020.
Data notes
All cases of diseases of public health significance diagnosed in Ontario are entered into iPHIS by local public health units. iPHIS is the Integrated Public Health Information System. It is a dynamic disease reporting system which allows ongoing updates to data previously entered. As a result, data extracted from iPHIS represent a snapshot at the time of extraction and may differ from previous or subsequent reports as data are updated.
The data only represent cases reported to public health and recorded in iPHIS. As a result, all counts will be subject to varying degrees of underreporting due to a variety of factors, such as disease awareness and medical care seeking behaviours, which may depend on severity of illness, clinical practice, changes in laboratory testing, and reporting behaviours.
Cases are included if their “diagnosing health unit” in iPHIS is Halton Region, which means counts include only individuals whose primary residence is in Halton Region. The case may not necessarily have been managed by Halton Region, if they were temporarily residing elsewhere during their case management period. Cases managed by Halton Region who normally live elsewhere but who were managed by Halton Region staff because they were temporarily residing in Halton during their case management period have not been included.
Cases for which the Disposition Status in iPHIS was reported as ENTERED IN ERROR, DOES NOT MEET DEFINITION, DUPLICATE-DO NOT USE, or any variation on these values have been excluded.
Cases are considered “currently active” if they are open in iPHIS.
Figures 1 and 2 distinguish between lab-confirmed and probable cases. Probable cases are defined as epi-linked cases, which means they are presumed to have COVID-19 because they have symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and have travelled to an affected area; have had close contact with a confirmed case; and/or lived in or worked in a facility known to be experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19; or have indeterminate test results. All other figures and numbers include both confirmed and probable cases combined, except Figure 3, which uses confirmed cases only.
Figures 1 and 2 use episode date, which is a field that is intended to approximate the symptom onset date for each case. It is calculated hierarchically, using symptom onset date if available; when it is not available, specimen collection date is used; if neither symptom onset nor specimen collection date are available, the lab test date is used; and finally, if none of these other dates are available, the date the case was reported to Public Health is used.
In subsequent reports, counts in Figures 1-3 may increase as cases are added from past dates as individuals become symptomatic, get tested, and their results are reported to Halton Region Public Health, as well as any past results are added due to delayed data entry or new arrival of lab results.
Cases are considered to be patients or residents of an institution experiencing an outbreak if they are linked to a confirmed Halton institutional outbreak in iPHIS, and they are not known to be a staff person at the institution.
Cases are considered to work in health care if they are known to have an occupation that involves caring for patients, e.g. physician, nurse, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, chiropractor, paramedic, midwife, orderly, etc. Individuals who work in health care settings but do not provide direct care to patients (e.g. managers, cleaning staff) have not been included.
Exposure type is determined by examining the exposure and risk factor fields from iPHIS to determine whether a case travelled, was a resident/patient or staff member in an institution or congregate care setting experiencing an outbreak, was a contact of a case or neither. A hierarchy has been applied as follows:
• Cases with episode date before April 1: Travel > Associated with any type of outbreak (institutional, congregate care, or workplace) in or outside of Halton > Close contact of a confirmed case > None of the above (indicating community acquisition) > Information pending.
• Cases with episode date on or after April 1: Associated with any type of outbreak (institutional, congregate care, or workplace) in or outside of Halton > Close contact of a confirmed case > Travel > None of the above (indicating community acquisition) > Information pending.
It is important to note that cases can have multiple exposures, and these data reflect only their primary exposure category. Differences between municipalities have not been assessed for statistical significance. Known cases reflect only individuals who were prioritized for testing prior to the expansion of testing in May, which means that differences between municipalities are currently difficult to ascribe to other factors.
Case outcomes (hospitalizations, recovered/resolved, deaths) reflect the latest available information reported to Halton Region Public Health and recorded in iPHIS by the extraction time. Cases for whom public health follow-up was discontinued and the case was closed while still hospitalized are not considered to be ‘currently hospitalized’.
Cases are considered to have been reached within 24 hours if their investigation start date and case reported dates in iPHIS are no more than one day apart.
Contacts are manually tracked to determine if they were reached within one day. Any contacts referred to Public Health Ontario for follow up have not been included.
Institutional outbreaks include outbreaks of COVID-19 in settings such as long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals and prisons. Outbreaks in congregate care settings (e.g. group homes) and workplaces are not included.
Lab testing data reflects only lab tests that have been assigned to Halton Region based on the methodology used by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. There are several known limitations associated with this data which result in the numbers being underestimates:
• The unit of analysis is the tested individual. Once an individual is confirmed positive, subsequent tests for that individual are excluded from the daily totals;
• The COVID-19 test results were captured in the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS). The testing date represents the date of specimen collection: “observation date” in OLIS. Due to the time required for transportation and processing of specimens, it takes six days for approximately 95% of results to be finalize
By Pepper Parr
June 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The public is going to get a chance to see what that massive development on Fairview between the Go Station and Drury Lane on the north side is going to look like.
The development met the requirements of the current and in-force Official Plan and also met the zoning for the properties so it didn’t have to go to Council.
 Seven buildings – not that much in park space and a layout that reflects what developers put up in the 50’s. Building something like this without public input was just plain bad practice. But the Councillor was prepared to do just that. The Planning department would do a site plan review and that would be it.
There was considerable blow back when the ward Councillor Lisa Kearns let it be known that she had talked to the developers and “convinced” them that the 47 storeys they were looking for on one of the seven buildings that are going to be on the site.
The development is being built in a part of the city that this council, and its predecessor wanted to see the growth take place in.
With a development his size – seven towers – the quality of the development and the amenities become critical – and no one knew what they were going to be.
Councillor Kearns did say that she did a walk-through of the site with people she apparently chose – we don’t know who these people are.
It just didn’t look right.
Kearns said earlier today that she was bringing forward a motion to have the site undelegated – which means the Site Plan Review is done by Council and not the Planning department.
The Planning department will certainly be at the table but the driving and the directing force will be with Council
Good move. It took giving Kearns a bit of a nudge for her to figure out which direction the wind was coming from.
She has used the IAP2 template as her justification to include more public participation.
In her motion to have the undelegation Kearns said:
Undelegate the site plan approval for application 535-001/20 (2020, 2243, 2269 Fairview Street and 864 Drury Lane – CLV Group Inc) from the Director of Community Planning to Council.
Background:
On April 6th, City of Burlington Planning confirmed that a Site Plan Application was deemed complete and materials circulated for review 2020 2243, 2269 Fairview Street & 864 Drury Lane (CLV): 535-001/20.
File 535-001/20 proposes a phased mixed-use development consisting of 7 towers with heights ranging from 29-37 storeys. Towers will include a combination of residential and commercial uses. Parking will be accommodated both underground and at the rear of the property in a parking structure utilizing the required 30 metre setback from the rail.
 details Undelegation of site plan will provide the public with an opportunity to engage in IAP2’s Spectrum of Public Participation which is designed to assist with the selection of the level of participation that defines the public’s role in any public participation process. For clarity, the public will participate within:
INFORM: To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, and opportunities and/or solutions.
CONSULT: To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions.
Constituents have continually requested updates, information, and insight into the large scale development submitted for the lands known as “Holland Park”.
Therefore, recognizing that a variety of resources may be used for communication, it is imperative that Council have a direct opportunity to bring onto public record the decisions made in accordance with Site Plan for 2020 2243, 2269 Fairview Street & 864 Drury Lane (CLV): 535-001/20.
The justification the Councillor uses isn’t an issue – that she took the step to bring about the undelegation is what matters. It was a nice little end run though.
Related news stories:
Big big development – no public input.
Development of the properties on the north side of Fairview.
By Pepper Parr
June 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a construction site right now.
 The reflecting pool in the Centre will be a feature of the Court yard setting. The 22-story condominium is on the right. The ballroom will be on the second level of the hotel on the left. But a look around the space that is filled at this point with pieces of equipment and parts of the work completed, you can get a sense as to what it will look like when it opens in March of 2021. Leanne Ciancone who, with her brother Aaron, oversee the development of this latest venture, explains “there will be a soft opening” – “we will phase in the different parts of the project – when one is working flaw-free we will then open another part.”
This is a development that has gone through some awkward stages before the Ciancone people got to it.
Few people have heard of The Pearle.
It will become the destination point for the city; a place where people can dine and have a magnificent view of the lake with the Pier sitting just a bit to the west in full view.
 The concrete block spaced out on the Court yard grounds will hold the trestles that will cantilever over the Court yard. Restaurant will be to the left, hotel ballroom on the second floor of the hotel that faces into the open space. The Court yard of The Pearle is going to be something this city has not seen before.
 The full name is The Pearle Hotel and Spa.
It is part of the Bridgewater development that is close to five years behind its first announced opening date which was to be in 2015 when the Pan Am Games were taking place.
The approval for a 22-storey tower was approved when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor. At one point it was going to be a 30-storey structure and be known as a Legacy site.
The condominium is not yet complete; the 7 story condominium has some residents in place and a security team is now in the lobby – which isn’t finished.
What was to be a Delta Hotel at first, got upgraded to a Marriott and something went wrong – the Marriott pulled out and The Pearle took its place. They took a much different approach than the one the Marriott people had in mind. “We wanted something that was more family oriented – and not driven by a corporate approach.”
The people behind the Pearle are no slouches. They operate Spencer’s on the Waterfront, The Old Mill in Ancaster, The Elora Mill in Elora, which has become a premier location for large weddings… these, along with a number of respected and well run hospitality locations in the area.
 Leanne and Aaron Ciancone, a brother and sister team: he does the long range planning – she makes the plans a reality. Aaron and Leanne Ciancone (brother and sister) are the operators; they took over from their Dad in 2000.
The operation will consist of a Spa, a 150 room hotel and a restaurant that includes a small private venue and the Court yard.
The Gazette has been watching this site from it earliest days when the property was owned by the Mayrose Tyco interests, people who owned the land for decades before deciding it was time to build.
The land was once the site of the Riviera Motel, a location with fond memories for many.
Pearle, the name given to this latest hospitality venture by the Ciancone’s, is taken from their Grandmother. She would be very proud of what her grandchildren have done.
The entrance to the hotel, restaurant and Spa is off Elizabeth Street south of Lakeshore. The Spa has another separate entrance on Lakeshore.
Once inside the doors there will be a hotel registration desk and a grand curved staircase going up on either side of the lobby getting you to the second level. A lot of wedding pictures are going to get taken on those stairs – they will have the majesty of something like Gone with the Wind.
There is nothing steep about the stairs and there is an accessibility ramp as well.
Elizabeth Street, south of Lakeshore, slopes a bit to the lake. The 4 and a half level underground garage entrance is at the bottom of the street.
On the second level you enter the restaurant and can walk out into the Court yard. Based on what the Gazette has seen so far – it is the Court Yard that will be the jewel.
It will be hidden from the street – tucked in behind the portion of the hotel that stretches along Lakeshore.
Some of the open area is a shared space.
 The view from the top of the stairs leading to the lake looking north to the entrance to the public space on Lakeshore Road. The 22-storey condominium is on the right, the hotel on the left. The Court yard is on the west side with a public right of way on the east side that leads from Lakeshore right through to a magnificent set of stairs that lead down to the edge of the lake. While a little on the steep side there is a series of gently sloping ramps that people can walk down.
 An early rendering of what the Bridgewater development was to include. Some of the heights and the location of some features changed Those stairs will be a great place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. It will be public space which rules out holding a glass of wine or bottle of beer in your hand.
The area is spacious – far more than we expected.
Sitting on the east side of the Court yard is a reflecting pool.
It will without a doubt become the place to wine and dine.
Aaron Ciancone explains that it is the kind of place where you will be able to have a cup of coffee or a piece of pizza if that’s what you want. This is going to be a people place.
What’s on the menu? They hasn’t been revealed yet but given the locales that the Ciancone’s operate it will be fine fare; a lot more than slices of pizza.
The hotel has a ballroom that will be able to hold 400 – that will get crimped a bit until we have the Covid-19 virus under control.
The business model is to operate a small hotel, restaurants, the Spa and make the venue a wedding destination.
The Gazette will be tracking this story right up to that soft opening in March of 2021.
New Year’s Eve of 2021 it will be the locale for a great party – unless someone books it for a wedding. The only unknown is whether or not we will all have to wear masks.
By Pepper Parr
June 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON’
The Gazette web site, we call it our press room, is undergoing a security upgrade. The content has been hacked into several times and someone is playing with the comments section. Thus, unfortunately, the comments section will not be available until security is solid enough to prevent people from removing what you want to say.
The weather was great.
Loads of people out.
Too many cars with drivers who felt that had to let us know just how much noise their mufflers could make.
The patios weren’t as full as we thought they would be.
Spencer Smith Park was busy but not crowded when we were there and the lines on the Naval Promenade kept people far enough apart.
 It’s what summer at the beach is all about – except that this is not a normal summer.
 Perhaps we have more people in Burlington for whom English is not their first language? That small Beach created at the foot of the Pier attracted kids that were enjoying making castles in the sane – despite the sign clearly saying the Beach was closed.
That Beach by the way was not planned. While the Pier was being built the currents pulled sand into that spot on the waterfront. That sand by the way drifted all the way from the Scarborough Bluffs.
Walking around downtown was quite nice. The traffic cones that were put up to create walking space for pedestrians did the job.
It made for tight traffic at times – but the public was given the space they needed.
 The walkway on the street was great for pedestrians. The traffic cones were rather ratty and tattered looking. The cones that were set out on Brant Street were a little “ratty: looking. The barrier set up on John Street and Lakeshore had really nice clean look to them
Those traffic cones on Brant were an embarrassment.
The ward Councillor and the head honcho at the Downtown Business Association might want to look at the traffic cones in front of Wendell Clark’s and see if they can’t find something a little more attractive. Brant is the prime street in the city.
 These barriers leave a nice clean, rather smart look to the streetscape. Unfortunately, other than the ice cream shop – no one was getting much in the way of traffic.
 The patio at The Pump is on the sidewalk – last year the patio was on the street. This set up is much better. David Barker, an astute observer of what goes on downtown took issue with the way traffic was being managed, particularly at Brant and Lakeshore Road.
He explains:
“If you are driving West along Lakeshore Road and you wish to turn right, north, up Brant Street, and your traffic signal is green, you are unlikely to be able to make a right turn due to pedestrians crossing east/west and west/east across Brant Street. Say, the light then turns red against you but you wish to take advantage of “right on red”, you’re likely unable to be able to do so because pedestrians are now crossing Lakeshore Road in front of you, north/south and vice versa.
“Now consider should you be driving south on Brant Street and you wish to turn either east or west on to Lakeshore Road. When the light is green in your favour you are probably unlikely to be able to do so. That is because pedestrians likely will be crossing Lakeshore Road both on the east side and west side of Brant Street. Southbound traffic on Brant street is more often than not backed up beyond Elgin Street.
“So as you can see the situation is one where both vehicular traffic and pedestrians are vying for the same space on the road at the same time. That combination is not a good mix. Really pedestrians and vehicles should be separated.
“Would it not make more sense to:
(1) have the traffic going east and west along Lakeshore Road have it’s time to move when both south bound traffic on Brant Street and pedestrians are halted.
(2) Then halt pedestrians and traffic on Lakeshore (both directions) allowing traffic south bound on Brant Street to be able to turn East or West without obstacle.
(3) then have all vehicular traffic halted so pedestrians may cross Lakeshore Road and Brant Street in any which direction they like, even diagonally across the intersection if they wish.
(4) Then the cycle starts over.
“This plan allows for pedestrians and vehicles to move freely without obstruction and more importantly safely without frustration.
:The unregulated, unmarked crosswalk at Lakeshore Road and Locust Street adds to the chaos and confusion. It should be regulated and be in step with the traffic signals at both Lakeshore Road and Brant Street and Lakeshore Road and Burlington Street.
“With the great summer weather attracting people, who are already eager to get out after lockdown, to the downtown and Spencer Smith Park there will be more cars back on the road (with reduced lanes) and more pedestrians looking wander around and take advantage of the patios and Spencer Smith Park therefore crossing this intersection.”
City Council’s objective was to ensure that the space on the streets was made available to pedestrians – shared with the vehicles.
It’s not as smooth as people would’ve liked it – but it is a first step. Many people want all of Brant closed to vehicles from Caroline south – the merchants are dead opposed to that idea. In many cities closing a road to vehicles improves the pace of business. The is a great opportunity to give it a try.
One of the sadder signs was the number of former retail locations now store fronts with For Rent signs in the windows.
 By Staff
June 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
On Friday, members of the Halton Regional Police Service were contacted after a woman was approached while in the trail system at Duncaster Park, which is located near Upper Middle Road and Duncaster Drive in the City of Burlington.
 A male suspect approached the victim from behind while her attention was momentarily diverted towards her infant child. The suspect then proceeded to sexually assault the victim before fleeing the area.
The suspect is described as: male, white, 30-35 years old, short brown hair, approximately 5’9″ with a medium build. The suspect wore a blue medical mask obscuring his facial features. He also wore a plain black baseball hat, black t-shirt, dark shorts and running shoes. The suspect is believed to have a scar on the back of his right hand.
Police would like to remind the public to be particularly vigilant while walking in secluded areas and report any suspicious incidents to the Police immediately.
Investigators are asking anyone with information regarding this or similar incidents to contact the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit – Detective Joe Barr (905) 465-8969 or Detective Constable Andrea Moss (905) 465-8971.
 Anyone having dash-cam / surveillance video recording for June 26th between 9:30am to 10:30am in the area of Upper Middle Road/ Duncaster Drive near Duncaster Park is also asked to contact investigators.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at “www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca”
By Staff
June 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Things are opening up and easing up around the city.
Starting Monday, June 29th, Joseph Brant Hospital will begin to gradually reduce visitor restrictions and increase access to the hospital, providing much-needed support for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Recognizing the importance of family and caregivers in patient care, JBH is implementing new guidelines to allow inpatients to see their family members or caregivers during their stay, while also protecting the health and safety of everyone in the hospital.
New Visitor Guidelines
• Each inpatient can identify up to two family members/caregivers to visit during their stay
• Only one family member/caregiver may be at the bedside at one time
• Clinical units will provide approved visitor names to entrance screeners daily
• Visiting hours are 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Ambulatory Care patients are not permitted to have a visitors accompany them at this time, with very limited individual exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Visitor must pass COVID-19 screening before entering the hospital and follow all health and safety measures while in the hospital, including physical distancing and wearing Personal Protective Equipment when necessary.
In addition to these new guidelines, more private rooms on the hospital’s post-partum unit will be opened to allow a patient’s designated care partner to safely remain with them during their entire stay. This change will take effect on July 2.
Additional Entrances Opening
The hospital is also opening more entrances starting June 29.
Patients and visitors can enter the hospital at the North Tower, South Tower and Pedestrian Bridge following successful completion of the screening process. People who require entry to the hospital between 11:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m., can enter through the 24-hour Emergency Department.
While encouraged, patients and visitors are no longer required to wear masks while in the hospital, provided they successfully complete the screening process prior to entry. Hospital staff and physicians will continue to wear masks, and other Personal Protective Equipment as appropriate, to ensure the health and safety of all.
 JBH president Eric Vandewall Eric Vandewall, President and CEO, Joseph Brant Hospital, who has managed a sticky situation rather well said: “We appreciate the vital role family and caregivers play in supporting patients while in hospital, and understand how challenging it has been for them to be separated from their loved ones during the pandemic.
As the province starts to reopen and Joseph Brant Hospital continues to gradually reintroduce scheduled surgeries and outpatient care, we are easing visitor restrictions so patients can be with their loved ones and caregivers during their stay. We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding, and thank them for their support throughout this challenging time.”
 By Staff
June 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We are holding our own – but there are situations that are falling between the cracks.
We know that this virus, COVID19, is passed from person to person.
That means we have to be vigilant about who we spend out time with – we don’t always know where they have been.
And – wash your hands and when you are out – wear a mask.
Here is the data. All the data can be found HERE.
We have passed along excerpts – they make the point and tell the story. For a deeper dive into the week – click on the link above.
 Figure 1 Figure 1: COVID-19 cases, by episode date, Halton Region, Mar. 1-Jun. 24, 2020
Individuals who are lab-confirmed cases are shown in green. Individuals who are probable cases are shown in orange. Probable cases are individuals presumed to have COVID-19 because they have symptoms of COVID-19 and are travelers returning from an affected area, have had close contact with a confirmed case and/or lived/worked in a facility experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, or have indeterminate test results.
 Figure 3 For each day, Figure 3 shows the average number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past seven days, including only those cases that are not staff or residents/patients associated with an outbreak in an institutional or congregate care setting. Cases have been graphed according to their collection date, which is the date that a sample was taken from them to be tested for COVID-19. The graph suggests that the average number of new cases per day was highest in late March/early April, with another increase in mid-May. Counts for recent days should be interpreted with caution (indicated using the grey shaded area on the graph), since there is a delay between when a person is tested and when their test results are reported to Public Health and entered into the system.
 Figure 5 Figure 5 shows that by end of the day on June 24, the greatest number of COVID-19 cases were among residents of Oakville (with 269 cases, or 33%). Please note this figure shows counts, and therefore does not take into account the different population sizes or age structures of the four municipalities. Counts in municipalities can also be inflated by outbreaks that have occurred within institutions in their boundaries.
Up until very recently Burlington has had the lowest infection rate in the Region. Halton Hills is a much smaller municipality which would account for the lower number.
People are now getting out more – enjoying the nice weather. We can keep the infections low if we are careful.
 Figure 10 The green bars in Figure 10 show the number of Halton residents who were tested for COVID-19 each week, beginning the week of March 1-7. Data for the most recent week (June 14-20) is incomplete due to reporting lags. The number of people tested decreased the week of May 17 compared to past weeks as mass testing of institutional residents was completed. The number of people tested then began to increase again, as the provincial government permitted more widespread testing.
The orange line in Figure 10 indicates the percentage of tested Halton residents who were positive for COVID-19. The percent positivity was highest the week of April 5-11, when 10.3% of Halton residents who were tested for COVID-19 had positive results. In the most recent week (June 14-20), 0.5% of people tested for COVID-19 tested positive, although this number is subject to reporting delays.
The rest of the world – not a pretty picture:
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