You can now pay for TTC service with a debit card

By Staff

April 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

At a press conference Thursday morning, municipal, provincial and transit officials introduced open payment to the TTC that will make riding public transit easier for those going into the city from Toronto and using public transit

Tap with a debit card on the TTC.

They hope this service improvement will bring back some of the riders that have failed to return to

TTC ridership is at 70 per cent of pre-COVID levels leaving  a $366-million hole in its operating budget this year.

Riders on other transit systems across the GTA have been able to pay their fares by tapping a credit card since August 2022;  debit payment was introduced in May.

Bringing open payment to the TTC — North America’s third-largest transit system — took longer because it required a “hardware refresh” for nearly 9,000 devices.

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Budget 2024 Time Table

By Staff

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Digging into the data is what Municipal Budgets are all about.

There was a time when public meetings were held; participants were given a short version of the budget and staff were om hand to answer questions.

Members of Council will get a document that approaches 300 pages in length – that’s when they start in on the 2024 budget. As part of this annual work, residents and business owners are asked to share their feedback on City services that matter most. This feedback is presented to City Council to help them prioritize projects and services.

There is a survey on the 2024 Budget at www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/2024-budget.

The survey is open until Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.

More information about the budget and how it is prepared is shared in 2024 Budget Framework Report presented to Committee on June 26, 2023.

Key meeting and planning dates for the 2024 budget are:

June 26, 2023 – Budget Framework Report 2024 Budget Framework Report presented to Committee.

Open until Sept 22, 2023 – Budget Survey – Take the survey

Oct. 30 at 9:30 a.m. Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee: Overview of proposed 2024 Budget

Nov. 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Virtual Budget Town Hall

To discuss the proposed 2024 budget and take questions from residents.

Joan Ford, Finance Director for the a City faces some serious challenges this time around convincing Council to cut back on spending. The amount of debt the city will carry is expected to be above what Ford has advised in the past.

Nov. 21 & 23 at 9:30 a.m.

Review and approval of proposed 2024 Budget, including delegations from the public.

Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.

Meeting of Burlington City Council: City Council to consider approval of proposed 2024 Budget.

Just in time to determine if you are going to have any money left for Christmas.

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City wants to hear what you think is important before they make the 2024 budget final

By Staff

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Set out below are the question on the 2024 budget budget survey.

You can do the survey by going HERE

This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

1.   Thinking about all of the programs and services provided by the City of Burlington, how would you rate the value you are receiving for your tax dollars?  (as a reminder, Halton Region is responsible for garbage/recycling pick up, police, public health and paramedic services)

2.   Infrastructure renewal is a priority in the City’s budget.  Roads, bridges, and facilities like arenas and community centres need repairs and updates to maintain existing service levels.  Over the last number of years, significant investments have been made to support growing renewal needs like the revitalization of Angela Coughlan Pool, repaving our roads and the renewal of our parks and playground equipment.  Have you seen a positive difference in the infrastructure such as road maintenance, recreation facilities etc.?

3.   How important is it to you that funding be set aside to replace infrastructure such as roads and buildings to ensure they continue to meet our community needs now and into the future?

4.   Overall, are you satisfied with the services provided by the City of Burlington?

5.   How important is it to you that the City set aside additional funding to address potential future emergency situations like a pandemic or natural disaster?

6.   Municipal property taxes are the primary way to pay for services and programs provided by the City.

As you may know, there are trade-offs between investments in things like services and infrastructure and property tax levels.  Due to the increased cost of maintaining current service levels and infrastructure, the City must balance taxation and service delivery levels.

Which of the following options would you prefer the City to pursue?

7.   Thinking about the services provided, would you increase, maintain or decrease service levels?

Climate change initiatives (energy efficient buildings, tree planting, active transportation, preparing for extreme weather events etc.)

Arts and culture (public art, festivals, cultural programming)

Winter maintenance (road and sidewalk plowing, sanding, salting)

Fire Services (emergency response, 9-1-1 dispatch, fire prevention and education)

Municipal Bylaw enforcement and animal control (property standards and parking enforcement, noise complaints, animal control)

Road network (ease of getting around, traffic flow, bike lanes, side walks etc.)

Burlington Transit (service available, frequency and accessibility of transit buses and Handi-Van)

Recreation Services (swimming, camps, arts, adult programs, fitness, sports fields, etc.)

Parks and trails (multiuse paths, playgrounds, splash/spray pads, parkland)

8.    As a resident of Burlington, what is the most important issue facing your community, that is, the one issue you feel should receive the greatest attention from your City Council and should be a priority in the 2024 budget?

Maximum 255 characters

0/255

9.    Where do you go to receive information about the City’s budget?

10.   Keeping in mind the City of Burlington is not responsible for waste collection, recycling, ambulance, police, schools, health care or social housing, do you have any additional comments you would like to be considered by the City in preparation of the 2024 budget?

 

Demographic Questions

The next few questions will help the City of Burlington to understand who is completing the survey.

11.  

Do you live or have a business in Burlington?

* required

What is your postal code?  Note – it may take a second or two for the postal codes to be found.  Once your postal code is found, select it.

 

13.   What is your age range?

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The Court case the Mayor refers to doesn't pass the smell test

By Pepper Parr

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The following came in from the City’s Communications department.

Thank you for your patience. The court ruled that the property owner was convicted for ‘Failure to remove and destroy all noxious weeds on the property’. The trial in this matter was held on January 26, 2022 and judgment/sentencing was issued February 4, 2022. 

Should you wish to obtain further information on the case, including copies of the transcripts or court documents, you can do so by contacting Halton Court Services (HCS).

Further details on this process can be found here: https://www.burlington.ca/en/halton-court-services/order-transcripts-and-audio-recordings.aspx#Transcription-fee-schedule.

Easier said than done: Send them $100 deposit and wait three months for the data.

  1. Complete a Digital Court Recording Order Form.
  2. Prepare a minimum deposit of $100 for the time of ordering.
  3. Submit your order form and pay the deposit amount by email at CourtSupport@burlington.ca or in-person at our provincial offences office.
  4. We will contact you when the digital audio recording is complete and ready for in-person pickup. This is usually within three months of ordering. We will also provide information on any balance or refund that may be owed. Refunds are given in cash when you pick up your recording.

It was a pleasure to get back information this detailed.

Maintain the agenda, keep the spin.

Something to pay attention to.  Note that the were convicted of failing to remove”noxious weeds” on their property.

We don’t believe there has been any suggestion that the plants on the Barnes property were noxious.  In the very unlikely event that some of the plant life was noxious – Karen Barnes would have removed it instantly – no one would have to direct her to do so.

This should not be seen as a reflection on the communications people; it would appear that the Mayor has put a spin the Court decision that supports her agenda on this issue.

Related news story:

Mayor refers to a Court case to support her position.

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I think the mayor is a good person. I have to sit down and ask her what the problem is.

By Pepper Parr

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Premier Doug Ford stood before the cameras for more than an hour and did his best to get his version of how different pieces of land were taken out of the Greenbelt boundary and sold to developers – he was fighting an uphill battle.

Whenever he could he would deflect or pass the question over to his Minister of Housing Steve Clarke. Or bring up a different topic – anything to take the heat off the process that was used to select which lands would be taken out of the Greenbelt and be made available for building homes.

At one point he took a shot at Burlington saying:

I’m going to point out one city and it’s not fair to the rest of the province of the burden of going through this falls on every other big city and that jurisdiction is Burlington.

They’ve been allocated 29,000 new homes. So far all they have built is 208 residences. That’s 5%
The minimum for some communities might be 29%. So it’s not fair to the rest of the province. That there’s a delay in Burlington is totally unacceptable.

Premier Ford: I think the mayor is a good person. I have to sit down and ask her what the problem is.

Asked: What are you thinking there? The Premier responded with: “Well, we’re gonna sit down … I think the mayor is a good person. I have to sit down and ask her what the problem is. Adding “But what the mayor can do is start diverting the attention from the homebuilders. They are doing their job. I’m sorry, there’s 28 other large cities all pretty close to hitting their targets.

“There’s no excuses when someone wants something done, like the mayor of Barrie or the Mayor of Brantford.”

The media event ended at 2:08 pm. At 5:30 Mayor Meed Ward issued a statement.

“We share the deep concerns of all Ontarians in the independent findings of the Auditor General’s (AG) report released today, identifying serious failings related to Greenbelt lands removed for development.

“The AG has confirmed no Greenbelt land is required to meet our housing crisis. The City of Burlington has always maintained this position. We have unanimously voted to protect our Greenbelt and urban boundaries, embedding it in our City’s Strategic Plan. The majority of Halton Regional Council also voted against
Greenbelt expansion to meet housing targets. We can achieve our housing goals within our urban boundaries.

“The provincial government has much work ahead to restore trust, transparency, and confidence in the development process and decision-making around meeting the housing targets. The Province’s commitment to implement 14 of the 15 recommendations from the AG report and cooperate with the Integrity Commissioner investigation are steps in the right direction.

“We have joined the Province and municipalities across Ontario in acknowledging we are in a housing crisis Premier Ford: and committed to doing our part as a municipality. However, that housing crisis should not be provided as a reason to cut corners on fairness, accountability, and transparency in development.

“We continue to stand as a willing partner with both the federal and provincial governments, development industry, non-profit housing providers and others, to enable new housing construction in a way that is open, transparent, and accountable to the community we serve. In fact, we believe that’s the only way to deliver housing, at any time, but especially in a crisis.

“Municipalities know best where we can accommodate housing. We are ready to do our part and already have a plan to where we can accommodate housing in Burlington. That is around our three GO stations,aging retail plazas, growth centres and major corridors – all identified in our new Official Plan that was developed and vetted through an open, transparent, and fully-public community process.

“We are aware that numbers related to housing being built in Burlington were mentioned in today’s news presser. Those numbers are from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; however, they do not tell the whole story of how many developments are actually underway in Burlington. We will have more to say on this.

“Burlington Council has unanimously accepted our pledge to issue 29,000 permits by 2031, and our City already has 25,000 units and growing in the development pipeline. We are willing to work with the development industry to help enable them to get shovels in the ground.

“Everyone in this process has a unique and complementary role to play. The federal government sets national building code and immigration policies. The provincial government sets planning policy tools. Municipalities determine where growth and housing are best suited for our communities and issue permits. The developers build the units. Not one of us is to blame for the housing crisis and not one of us can solve it alone – we all must work together. Burlington has always been willing to do our part, in partnership with others.

“In all our actions, we must demonstrate the highest level of accountability and integrity to the public we serve – ensuring an open, fair and transparent process for all.”

Prior to issuing the statement she was on CHCH television explaining that the city had 25,000 units in the pipeline

Earlier in the hour long press conference the Premier said: “When they want to make things happen, They make things happen. When you don’t want to make things happen. You put hurdles and barriers every step of the way.

“When you create the environment and the conditions for companies to invest in your community, they’re going to show up; when you don’t create the environment for companies to come they won’t even look at it. They’ll look the other way.”

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Mayor scrambles to get her spin out on the Naturalized Gardens issue

By Pepper Parr

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There are times when the communications people in the Mayor’s office find themselves in a damage control mode.

What has become clear now is that when under pressure the Mayor will manipulate the way she chooses to communicate with the public. She once said she had 17 different platforms from which she can send message. Does that meet the being transparent and accountable standard.

The Mayor had issued a Statement which we didn’t get; usually they are sent along to all media.

We asked:

Was there a reason for you not sending a copy of the Mayors Joint Statement to the Gazette?

The response was:
Regarding the Mayor’s statement – It was published exclusively via the Mayor’s website and reshared via her social channels which is why media partners (including yourself) wouldn’t have received an email directly. There is an option to subscribe directly to her site should you wish to – I believe other media partners have done so as well.

That answer came from a Staff person in the Communications department.

We also asked:
In her Joint Statement the Mayor made mention of a court case on naturalized gardens that the city won.

The response:
I wanted to touch base so that you know I’ve received your inquiry and am working on gathering the case details.

“This matter was recently before the courts and the ruling was in the City’s favour.”

We followed that up with:
Would you advise us as to when the case was heard; where the case was heard and provide us with a copy of the decision?

We haven’t received an answer to those questions.

Related news stories:

City puts the boots to a citizen with a garden that didn’t meet a standard.

Staff handles the Naturalize Garden issue in a very direct manner – they went at it with a weed whacker

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Two opportunities to engage: submit a name and let the city hear about your vision for the space

By Staff

August 10th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The City is ready to start two engagement opportunities related to the former Robert Bateman High School building.

One is engagement on the facility name.

The second is engagement on the vision for the indoor recreational and cultural services offered at our newest community centre.

These opportunities for engagement and input are only for the use of the inside of the building, and not about greenspace or parking. Input on greenspace and parking will come at a later date.

All of these opportunities and any updates will be posted on getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool.

Indoor visioning engagement opportunities
Aug. 22, 7 to 9 p.m. Appleby Ice Centre, 1201 Appleby Line. Registration required.
• Aug. 23, 1 to 3 p.m. LaSalle Park, 50 North Shore Blvd. Registration required.
• Sept. 16, noon to 4 p.m. Food for Feedback. Central Park, 2299 New St. No registration needed.
• Sept. 24, 1 to 5 p.m. Appleby Street Festival, Appleby Line between New Street and Fairview Street. No registration needed.
• Oct. 18, 7 to 9 p.m. Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way. Registration required.
• Oct. 19, 7 to 9 p.m. Online engagement session. Link to join is at getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool. Registration required.

To register, email getinvolved@burlington.ca or call 905-335-7777, ext. 7965. Please include the date of the session you’d like to attend.

Name our new community centre
Help us name our new community centre at the former Robert Bateman High School site.

Residents are invited to submit names and any supporting reasoning at getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool.

City Hall asking the public to submit names for the new community centre.

The names will be reviewed to ensure they meet the City of Burlington naming standards and a short-list will be created. Residents will have another opportunity to vote on their favourite name from the short-list later this year. Once residents have voted on the short-list of names, the top names will be brought to City Council for final decision in late 2023.

This opportunity is open now. Names will be collected until Sept. 18, 2023.

Reminder: Opportunity for Community Service Providers
We are also still looking for anyone interested in providing community programming with a long-term rental agreement for the exclusive use of space at the former Robert Bateman High School site. There is no commitment or expectation at this point. Tell us what services you can provide at getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool by Sept. 30, 2023.

Background
The City has purchased the former Robert Bateman High School building and greenspace.

With sustainability and community-building in mind, the City of Burlington is repurposing the existing Robert Bateman High School into a City-owned multi-purpose community-focused asset that will align with the City’s objective of being net-zero carbon by 2040. The reuse and conversion of the former secondary school will have interior renovations, exterior building changes and minor site plan modifications as part of Phase 1.

When the renovation is complete, tenants such as Brock University, Burlington Public Library, Halton District School Board, Tech Place and City of Burlington will move into the building and begin offering services.
Burlington is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.

Emilie Cote, Director, Recreation, Community and Culture explains
“Each of the registered sessions will be the same format, presentation and visioning workshop. The opportunities at Appleby Street Festival and Food for Feedback are a bit different but just as important.

No matter which session you attend, we will be gathering input for what kinds of recreation and cultural programming residents would like to see at the new community centre. This is a significant step in the creation of this community centre.
Naming our new community centre is important. It should reflect the values of the city and the residents and will be carried forward for generations.”

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More People Playing at Casinos than Betting on Sports in Legal Ontario Online Casino Market

By Kenny Wilson

August 14th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

According to recently released data from iGaming Ontario (iGO), people in the province are spending more on online casino games than they do on sports betting. The figures released by the iGO provide a comparison between the two sectors of the online gambling market.

People in the province are spending more on online casino games than they do on sports betting.

They also show that Ontarians spent more than $14 billion on wagering in total during the April-June 2023 quarter. This is an excellent figure, given that the province only launched its regulated online gaming market in April 2022. This launch allowed providers such as sites listed in this guide to offer sports betting, casino games, and poker services to people in Ontario.

Figures for legal Ontario online casino and sports betting markets

Looking more closely at the April-June quarter figures provided by iGO:

  • $11.6 billion was spent on casino games, including slots, live gaming, table games, and bingo.
  • $2 billion was spent on sports, esports, and novelty betting.
  • $350 million was spent on poker content.

Overall, betting and gaming online in the quarter generated $545 million in revenues compared to revenues of $162 million for the same quarter the previous year when regulated online gambling had just launched.

These increased revenues are good news for the operators and the government as it receives its own slice of the money made from online gambling, a welcome boost for its finances.

The growth of the industry is positive from a financial point of view. However, some people are concerned about issues with problem gambling increasing, given that were more than 900,000 active player accounts in the Ontarian market in the last three quarters.

Concerns about gambling dangers being addressed

Knowing what your financial limit is – makes gaming fun. Being responsible keeps you out of trouble.

The government of Ontario has taken action to address concerns about problem gambling in the province. According to the Office of the Attorney General, Ontario is a national leader in online gambling and puts resources into protecting consumers and providing them with help should they have any problem gambling issues.

The breakdown of support from the Ontarian Government is as follows:

  • $31 million in funding to help alleviate problem gambling.
  • $25 million in funding to create and run treatment programs.
  • $6 million in funding for education and efforts to prevent problem gambling.

In a further attempt to make it less likely that people will encounter difficulties from gambling, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is proposing banning the use of celebrities in sportsbook advertising.

Overall, the government of Ontario is dedicated to ensuring the online gambling market in the province continues to be successful. In addition, the authorities are invested in protecting consumers from the potential harms of gambling.

Given the dedication of the government and the promising figures so far, the future for online casinos and betting in Ontario looks positive. Casino gaming, in particular, is attracting impressive revenues and bringing significant financial rewards to the operators. It’s also providing vital revenue for the government of the province, some of which is invested to protect consumers and provide a safe playing environment.

 

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Full closure of Niagara-bound traffic on the QEW Burlington Skyway this weekend

By Staff

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

REMINDER

There will be a full closure of Niagara-bound traffic on the QEW Burlington Skyway for critical repairs, beginning Friday, August 11 at 10 p.m. to Saturday, August 12 at 10 a.m.

Advance signing and notification will be provided to motorists so they can plan an alternate route.

Travellers can visit http://511on.ca/ or @511Ontario for updates on work and traffic impacts.

 

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Auditor General raises major issues and puts out 15 recommendations - Premier accept 14 and promises to 'change the process'

By Pepper Parr

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

With less than a month to go in her term of office Bonnie Lysyk, Auditor General for the province dropped a scathing 95 page report on what she saw is serious concerns about the exercises used, the way in which standard information gathering and decision protocols were sidelined and abandoned, and how changes to the Greenbelt were unnecessarily rushed thorough,”

She said the Ontario government’s process for choosing protected Greenbelt land to open up for housing development was heavily influenced by a small group of well-connected developers who now stand to make billions of dollars, the province’s auditor general says.

Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk wasn’t buying whatever was being said.

Lysyk offered a damning assessment of how the province selected sites last year for removal from the Greenbelt — a vast 810,000-hectare area of farmland, forest and wetland stretching from Niagara Falls to Peterborough that was meant to be off limits to development.

Lysyk found the selection process was largely controlled by Housing Minister Steve Clark’s chief of staff — not non-partisan public servants — and was also influenced by specific suggestions from developers with access to the chief of staff.

The process didn’t consider agricultural, environmental and financial impacts of the decision, and involved little input from non-political planning experts or other stakeholders, including the general public and Indigenous communities, according to the report.

 

“Our review … raises serious concerns about the exercises used, the way in which standard information gathering and decision protocols were sidelined and abandoned, and how changes to the Greenbelt were unnecessarily rushed thorough,” Lysyk said at a news conference at Queen’s Park on Wednesday.

“The process was biased in favour of certain developers and landowners who had timely access to the housing minister’s chief of staff.”

Lysyk didn’t name Clark’s chief of staff in the report, however, she later confirmed to reporters it is his current chief of staff. Ryan Amato is currently working in that role.

According to Lysyk, the chief of staff directed a small team of housing ministry bureaucrats in October 2022 who decided which sites would be removed. The work of the so-called “Greenbelt Project Team” was limited to three weeks and they were sworn to confidentiality, according to the report.

According to Lysyk’s report, Clark’s chief of staff identified 21 of the 22 sites the team considered. Ultimately, they settled on 15.

At a news conference later Wednesday, Ford acknowledged shortcomings with the process, but said the government would continue to do everything it can to address the province’s housing crisis.

“While we’ll never waver in our commitment to build more homes, we know there are areas for improvement as we move forward,” Ford said. “We were moving fast. We could have had a better process.”

Ford said his government would accept and implement 14 of the 15 total recommendations Lysyk made in her report. The single recommendation it will not accept is to revisit the land swaps and possibly reverse the decisions, he said.

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Stiles: AG report paints picture of corruption in the Conservative government

By Staff

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Auditor General issues a scathing report saying Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives “favoured certain developers” in a controversial Greenbelt land swap that could make the landowners $8.28 billion.

Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk turned in her report – she also turns in her keys to the office on September 5th when her term of office comes to an end. Premier Doug Ford on the right.

In a searing 93-page report to the legislature Wednesday, Bonnie Lysyk found Ford’s opening up of 7,400 acres of environmentally protected land last fall “cannot be described as a standard or defensible process.”

Lysyk said the Tories did not need the 15 parcels of land to achieve their promised target of building 1.5 million homes over the next decade to alleviate Ontario’s housing crisis.

Premier announces he will hold a Press Conference at 1:00 om.

Marit Stiles, Leader of the Opposition

Before he can get a word in Marit Stiles, Leader of the Opposition hammers the Premier saying:

“Let’s call this what it is: corruption. Ontarians deserve better than a government that enriches a select number of party donors at the expense of hard-working Ontarians,” said Stiles, after noting that the Ford government’s Greenbelt transferred $8.3 billion over to donors and developers.

“This is not about Mr. Ford, this is not about politics, this is about reinstating Ontarians’ trust in their government. Trust that this government has seriously eroded with their insider dealings and culture of corruption that goes all the way up to the Premier.”

Stiles and the Ontario NDP are calling to immediately remove Minister Steve Clark from Cabinet. Following the resignation, the Ontario NDP are calling to:

• Immediately recall the Legislature, to reverse course, and return these lands to the Greenbelt and cancel these deals with developers.

• And that this Conservative government not stand in the way of the Integrity Commissioner’s investigation, including any potential criminal investigations – because we know this is just beginning and the public deserve and to know everything.

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This might be a good time for the Mayor to go on holiday

By Staff

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON. ON

 

The Statement didn’t provide the kind of information the public is asking for.

Huge public interest in that naturalized garden article we covered in detail yesterday and the article we published earlier today asking some very detailed questions is as to how this mess was created.

Several readers have asked if we could find out more about the Court case the Mayor said the City recently won.

Where was the case heard; when was it heard and would they provide a copy of the decision?

No answer yet.  The note from her Media person has him away from his desk.

One reader make a good point:

“In all the media coverage, I haven’t seen any indication that the matter had already been to court.

I find it suspicious that the Mayor and Co.  don’t actually provide details of the court ruling.

In The Spec, the lawyer for the home owner was talking about taking the case to court, not about appealing a court ruling.

Something doesn’t add up.”

Related news stories:

City weed-whacks citizens garden

Who did what and where did they get the authority to do what they did?

 

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How did this happen? Mayor issues a statement - deflects rather than address the issue

By Pepper Parr

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The response to the article on the woman who had a garden at the front and back of her house  weed-whacked by the city has been interesting.

We will follow the steps that her legal counsel takes to right what many see as a serious wrong.

Our interest at this point is – how did this happen?

Brynn Nheiley, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility

Kerry Davren, Director of Bylaw Enforcement .

Who made the decisions?

Where was the oversight?

Burlington’s bylaw compliance policy is – or was at one point, to respond to complaints. “We don’t go looking for situations where a bylaw is not being conformed to.  We get a complaint and we investigate and try very hard to explain to people where the problems is and what they need to do.”

The impression we got at the time was that the bylaw enforcement people look for ways to solve a problem assuming in many cases people were just not aware that they were not conforming to the bylaw.

Let’s follow that thread.

Someone calls the bylaw department and registers a complaint.  Someone in the department takes down the details (is there a form they use – some way of capturing the information?)

A naturalized area is defined as “an area or vegetation deliberately planted or cultivated with one or more species of wildflowers, shrubs, annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, or combination of them, that is monitored and maintained by a person.

Then a bylaw officer is assigned the task of meeting with the person making the complaint.

Did that happen in this instance ?

At some point Kerry Devron, who at the time was the Manager of Bylaw Enforcement, has to make a decision.

There is little doubt in our mind that Ms Devron would have taken the complaint to the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility  and sought some direction.

Back in October when the issue became real – by which we mean there was a complaint and some action was taken by the department and that at some point the Executive Director was brought into the loop.

We now know that the City legal department was in the loop as far back is as last October.  David Donnelly, a lawyer, who was very familiar with the issue – he had in the past defended, successfully we might add, provided the legal department with the existing case law.

All this happened before the beginning of August.

Why is that important?  On August 3rd, the City announced that Kerry Devron was being promoted to the position of Director of the newly created By Law Enforcement Department.

We the elected and the staff that serve the public are not punching bags. Tax payers – that’s a different issue.

So, everything Ms Devron did was as a Manager.

Managers don’t make decisions that advise a citizen that they could be facing a fine of $10,000 per day.

And Managers don’t advise a citizen that should they obstruct city staff from doing what they were required to do that they could be facing a fine of $100,000

So, if Ms Devron, a manager didn’t make the decisions – who did?

Move up the food chain to the Executive Director.

One final question?  Who decided to inform the company that holds the mortgage on the property that Karen Barnes might not be complying with the City bylaws?

Who sent that issue to the legal department – and why did the legal department accept the assignment?

That’s enough in the way of questions for today.

We expect to be moving further up the food chain on this one.

Mayor Meed Ward along with Councillors Nisan and Bentivegna issued the following Joint Statement:

Our offices have been receiving questions from residents regarding the City of Burlington allowing for naturalized gardens on properties, based on an article that appeared in the Toronto Star over the weekend. We appreciate the concerns members of the community have been raising regarding naturalized gardens and environmental protections in Burlington – we share them. That is why the City of Burlington updated our Lot Maintenance Bylaw in 2018 to allow for naturalized gardens and again in 2022 to clarify regulations that apply to naturalized gardens.

There are numerous examples of naturalized gardens in neighbourhoods across our City that are operating within our bylaw. Such gardens are regularly maintained and pruned, have no other non-conforming weeds growing, and no invasive species being grown. Examples of non-conforming weeds come from the definitions of noxious weeds that are set by the Province of Ontario under the Weed Control Act.

We welcome and support these gardens and appreciate residents who maintain them within City and Provincial standards.

We will do our best to continue to educate residents about naturalized gardens, invasive species, and lot maintenance responsibilities. Our bylaw allows for naturalized gardens and those gardens must conform to lot maintenance standards. Each complaint the City receives is investigated and treated the same under the terms of our bylaw. We will also defend our City bylaws in a balanced and impartial manner. When the City investigates a complaint, it provides the property owner with information regarding the requirements of the bylaw, where they may not be in compliance, and continues to work with them until compliance is achieved within reasonable timelines.

Only when that process fails, and as a last resort, would charges be filed with the court. Fines, up to a maximum, established by the Province and adopted by the City, may be imposed by a Court on an owner of any property found in non-compliance with the bylaw. The amount of the potential fines is included in all notices for transparency.

The recent Star story listed a property that does not comply with our bylaw for naturalized gardens. It has been under formal and extensive City of Burlington bylaw investigation and enforcement since 2015. The City has attempted to work closely with the property owners to bring their property into compliance with our bylaws. In doing so, the City consulted with experts in naturalized gardens. This matter was recently before the courts and the ruling was in the City’s favour.

We invite Burlington residents to review our bylaws and provide feedback and suggestions, if they have any. We also recommend the community reviews the Province’s Table of Noxious Weeds and shares any suggestions they have regarding those regulations with their local MPP.

We appreciate the opportunity to engage with the community on this important environmental matter, to reassure residents that naturalized gardens are welcome in Burlington and to share information about how residents can ensure these conform with our City’s bylaws.

The Joint Statement doesn’t appear to suggest that this issue can be worked out amicably.  Karen Barnes is going to need financial support.  She has created a site where the environmentalist can help.

Click on the image if you think you want to help.

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A Mobile Concert Experience

By Staff

August 9th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

THE CONCERT TRUCK will be presenting 10 free 30-minute performances across Burlington.

See it is as a Mobile Concert Experience taking place across the city brtween Wednesday August 9, through to Sunday  August 13, 2023

Burloak Park: Wed Aug 9 at Noon

Berton Park: Wed Aug 9 at 7pm

Chartwell Lakeshore Retirement (5314 Lakeshore Rd.): Thu Aug 10 at Noon

BPAC Outdoor Plaza: Thu Aug 10 at 2pm

Burlington Mall: Fri Aug 11 at 4pm

Civic Square: Fri Aug 11 at 6pm

BPAC Outdoor Plaza: Sat Aug 12 at 1pm and 3:30pm

BPAC Outdoor Plaza: Sun Aug 13 at 1pm and 3:30pm

All Concert Truck events are free to attend!

The Concert Truck is a mobile music venue that strengthens communities by redefining the concert experience and making live music accessible to all. Created by pianists Nick Luby and Susan Zhang, the project aims to engage diverse communities and audiences nationwide with thoughtful, timely programming, and works with arts organizations of all sizes to build a critical presence in their communities.

The Concert Truck is a 16-foot box truck and a fully functioning mobile concert hall, complete with lights, sound system, and piano. Nick, Susan and the truck have toured across the country, partnering with arts organizations to help build their presence in the communities they serve by presenting concerts in city streets, music and arts festivals, schools, neighbourhoods, parks and beyond.

 

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Told that she could be fined $10,000 a day for not complying with a bylaw the City then advises her mortgage holder of the infraction

By Pepper Parr

August 8th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

What do you do when seven people from city hall show up on your doorstep – no notice and tell you they are going to cut what they claim are weeds on your front lawn and back yard?

The group of seven didn’t bother to knock on the door – they just began cutting.  This is the situation Karen Barnes found herself facing on June 20th.

Barnes decided in 2015 to create a natural garden, one that respected the environment and would become a place where Monarch butterflies would stop over on the annual migration to Mexico.

Her difficulty with the City started back in October of this year when she got a notice from the city about the plants in the garden.

On the left the garden in full bloom, on the right the garden which was described by city workers as nothing but weeds that they took out with a weed wacker.

Barnes has been in the house for 30 years; the natural garden was a decision she made eight years ago when it became clear to her that Climate Change meant changes in the way we were living on this planet were necessary.

In a media release sent to the Toronto Star exclusively Barnes said: “The law is very clear, I have a right to grow this garden consistent with my sincerely held beliefs. I’ve met with the City and hired an expert to demonstrate I’m complying with the By-law. I want an investigation into these bullying tactics.”

Karen Barnes is a sensitive soul. When she talks to people her natural gesture is a hand on their arm or shoulder. She said: “It’s kind of humiliating too, because this is our public-facing expression of our beliefs and people who are just coming by, they’re not going to know the city did this. They’re going to think it’s a decision we made and that’s not the expression that we want to have to the world.”

Karen Barnes, who has a master’s degree in ecology from McMaster University, said one of the crew members told her: “We’re just cutting the grass.” But to her and her daughter, it was the destruction of a habitat that has brought them both joy since 2015, when they first allowed native plants to return; an approach experts call “passive restoration” — and evolved into maintaining the naturalized space.

“Purple asters came, milkweed came and the bylaw at the time allowed for all this,”

“Purple asters came, milkweed came and the bylaw at the time allowed for all this,” she said, describing how the plants led to visits from endangered monarch butterflies and other species.

Barnes has known David Donnelly for a number of years. He is a lawyer specializing in environment issues – he handled the PERL (Protecting Escarpment and Rural Land) case against Nelson Quarry over their application for an extension of the land they could mine.

The joint tribunal that heard the case found for the PERL group.

Donnelly also worked with the people who wanted a stop put to the plans to cut several thousand trees on the Meridian Brick works people. While there was no definitive decision – so far nothing has been cut.

There was a point when, as ward 2 Councillor, Marianne Meed Ward was all over that issue with her support. As Mayor she hasn’t had much to say.

Donnelly got in touch with the people at City hall, explained the legislation that secured the rights of those who wanted a natural garden. At the time Donnelly thought the city now understood what they could and couldn’t do – and the issue seemed to have come to an end.

Then, on May 26, of 2023, the city issued a notice of non-compliance with several bylaws, including the 20-centimetre rule, with just 11 days to meet a deadline to rectify the alleged problems.

That 20 centimetre rule requires that the height of a plant cannot be more than 20 centimetres high.

On June 4th, Barnes got a letter from the City advising her that she had until June 6th to comply with the bylaw.

One June 20th seven people showed and began cutting the natural garden.

Karen Barnes on the left with her daughter Julia. The wire baskets on the lawn were where the naturalized plants were located. “We felt we were violated” said Karen

What the Barnes’s and her lawyer say is a purposeful, naturalized garden — restored and planted to help bees and butterflies, nature’s pollinators, and increase biodiversity in their corner of Burlington was permitted — according to the city, the garden was violating several bylaws.

After the City first notified Barnes that her yard was not in compliance back in October, she spoke with Donnelly, who in turn spoke with the city’s lawyer. Donnelly said he provided the case law allowing such spaces and, as requested, an expert report on the property’s naturalized area.

The Barnes family had maintained a yard of goldenrod, coneflower, wood poppy, purple asters and milkweed — that was until the City of Burlington sent crews to level what they called “weeds.”

Despite the talks taking place the City crew arrived with landscaping equipment and went to work, leaving sections of the front yard levelled as well as parts of the backyard. Karen Barnes and her daughter Julia said they were left feeling “violated.”

The growing the goldenrod, coneflower and wood poppy, along with other native species, were not in compliance with a rule to maintain all vegetation under 20 centimetres, among other infractions which the homeowners dispute. As a penalty, the city had threatened an astonishing $10,000-a-day fine until the yard was remedied to their standards.  They added that a fine of $100,000 could be levied if Barnes tried to obstruct the City workers.

David Donnelly. prominent environment lawyer is representing Karen Barnes.

“Burlington has a deserved reputation for respecting the environment and homeowners that are doing something about the climate crisis by creating pollinator habitat, reducing the need for mowing, and other stewardship measures. Writing Ms. Barnes’ mortgage company is disgraceful conduct that needs to be investigated, as the by-law doesn’t give the City this authority”, Donnelly added.

Donnelly was quoted in the Toronto Star saying: “Giving butterflies a safe haven, you want to fine them $10,000 a day? It’s perverse.”

Barnes said: ““We want to show that you can work with nature and have a positive, supportive relationship.”

The city, for its part, says that despite allowances for naturalized areas in the city’s bylaw, the Barnes’ yard “did not meet the definition,” and that the City has the authority to enforce its bylaws on private property.

The municipal war over naturalized gardens and a focus on conformity is not unique to Burlington — though Donnelly called the threatened fine unprecedented.

These types of bylaw issues are usually driven by complaints — a neighbour who, maybe seeing the yard as an eyesore or unable to differentiate between weeds and pollinator species or complaints about what they think is a lack of maintenance.

According to Burlington’s own lot-maintenance bylaw, a naturalized area is defined as “an area or vegetation deliberately planted or cultivated with one or more species of wildflowers, shrubs, annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, or combination of them, that is monitored and maintained by a person.”

Such areas, the bylaw says, are excluded from the rule to maintain lots with plants more than 20 centimetres or less — many native species naturally grow much taller, like the goldenrod stalks still standing in the front yard.

As outrageous as this sounds – it gets worse.

Today, the 8th of August Kerry Davren starts her new job is as Director of Bylaw Enforcement. Prior to the promotion Davren was the city’s manager of bylaw enforcement. At that time she said the order issued to the Barns said that the city may carry out the work at the homeowner’s expense if it was not complied with, as allowed by the city’s bylaws.

Kerry Davren, with 14 years of experience starts her new job is as Director of Bylaw Enforcement today.

Davren said bylaw officers are “appointed as weed inspectors in accordance with the Weed Control Act” which requires certification and training on plant identification, and sent a photo of the property before “the weeds were trimmed.”

Davren did not respond to a question about whether it’s common practice to contact a homeowner’s mortgage company.

Brynn Nheiley, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility

Brynn Nheiley, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility explains why she hired Kerry Davren “Kerry’s breadth of experiences will be a great asset to the City of Burlington as she leads the newly established Bylaw Compliance Department. Demonstrating compassion, logic and professionalism, Kerry continues to highlight and respond to evolving needs of the Burlington community. She is highly respected by her staff, City Council and the Burlington Leadership Team.”

Given the performance by Davren when she was a Manager one wonders what she will do is as a Director.

The case law, which Donnelly provided to the City of Burlington back in the fall, includes a 1990s Toronto case in which bylaws were successfully challenged on the basis that they infringed the Charter right to freedom of expression. Donnelly explained these rulings set out that as long as a naturalized garden is a “conscientious” or purposeful expression of one’s beliefs, it is permitted under Canadian law.

Donnelly said they plan to challenge the City of Burlington’s application of the bylaw in court as unconstitutional. He added that it’s unclear what fines or costs the Barnes currently face.

When there is an issue that a community finds is unfair support comes quite quickly.
A Fund Raiser has been started to raise the $25,000 they feel will be needed to take the case to Court and any appeals that might ensue.

Karen Barnes has chosen Small Change as their fund raiser.  Click on the Small Change Fund image if you want to support getting to the bottom of what happened and why.

Karen Barnes has yet to see the Barbie movie.

The interview with Barns was lengthy, interrupted more than once when she asked for a moment to get a grip on her emotions. We wanted to know what Karen did in her spare time; what did she read, where did she spend her spare time? . She paused and I wasn’t sure she was going to answer the question so I asked if she had yet seen the Barbie movie that is a bit of a rage right now.

She responded – I didn’t know there was a Barbie movie – why would someone do something like that – and then she burst into laughter.

This is going to be an interesting story – it certainly has legs.

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My Canadian Tire money is now on a red plastic card - No more Canadian Tire hard cash

By Wesley Hatt

August 8th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

As time moves on, we continually see changes around us. In a day where profit margins are continually analyzed and extras are cut, we are now left with a red card with a triangle instead of Canadian Tire cold cash.

Canadian Tire money can now be bought on eBAy as a collectible.

As a child I was amazed when I heard that a neighbour just bought something big with a fat stack of Canadian Tire money that he had been saving. The feeling of paper instead of coins made it seem so much more valuable as a child. As a kid, I never had a stack of real cash, but I did enjoy the feeling of a stack of Canadian Tire money as though I was rich… even if most of the money was 5 cent denominations.

When covid hit, I actually had some Canadian Tire money and tried to use it. It was denied with the reason being Covid. I was offered a red card with a triangle to collect my Canadian Tire money. I was not pleased. Instead of the fun Canadian Tire money that I was expecting my children to experience, is instantly gone and replaced with a card. Arg, not another card in my wallet that I have to carry around with me! My doctor recently told me my wallet is too thick and is affecting my back. I tucked the red card in my wallet and reluctantly used it for the next couple of years.

When presenting my card a few weeks ago, I was told that there was over $20 saved up on the card and asked if I wished to use it. I said yes, but was then told I couldn’t as I did not register the card. I did in fact try registering the card when I got home. The instructions were to visit a website and complete the registration. I attempted to register online and was asked my email address. I then received an email stating,

“The final step is to verify your Triangle ID email address.” I clicked the link and was brought to a site to enter the Rewards card number. I did this and received an error message and was prompted to call a number to be able to add the card. This did trigger some alarms in my head as I have gone to a website that is now telling me to call a number.

I called the number and everything seemed to be going OK. She found the rewards number and was creating an account to associate it to. To setup the account, I was asked some personal information. This seemed okay, but the questions continued and I was asked much more information than what was asked online. I was asked my full name, date of birth, phone number, and then she asked me for my address. This seemed excessive as they now would seemingly have enough information for identity theft and that made me very uncomfortable.

They seem to be requiring information that they do not need. My year of birth and postal code should have been enough. I further absolutely do not want anything mailed or anyone showing up at my home. The representative went on about their policy and that they don’t sell information and so on, so there shouldn;t be a problem. I tried speaking with a supervisor, but that got me nowhere. Honestly, I don’t care for their internal policies they made up themselves. The audacity to think that the information is safe. We all know that once in a while a big announcement is made about a large compnay and that information on a serves has been accessed and personal account information has been exposed. This is of no direct loss of theirs it’s the customer personal information that they compromise.

So here I was, feeling uncomfortable about claiming my $20 that I had been collecting. I often paid cash or interact to be sure I received the rewards money. This in turn saved Canadian Tire the extra percentage that the credit card would have charged them, so when they didn’t have this charge, they passed it on to you.

Over $20, I ended up giving the card to my wife. She asked why I gave it to her. I asked her if she was willing to give her info to Canadian Tire for $20 on the card.

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Most Popular Types of Gambling in Canada

By Elaine Heath.

August 8th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Whether placing a friendly bet among family members or friends on an upcoming sporting event, buying a quick-pick lottery ticket, or wagering big at an online casino, gambling is a pastime that millions of Canadians enjoy.

Although Canada legalized it in 1892, the country had a strained relationship with gambling early on. Shortly after laws were passed to regulate the activity, it was outlawed almost entirely. Thankfully, in 1985, all laws prohibiting it were overturned, and Canadians could enjoy trying their luck once more.

The growth in gaming has been phenomenal.

After this, the floodgates opened, and Canada became home to numerous casinos, including those in tourist centres like Niagara Falls. However, after the launch of online casinos, the country was slow on the uptake—choosing to go into the hype more slowly to ensure that operators were adequately legislated and registered.

As more casinos emerged and online casinos began making their way onto Canadians’ computers and smartphones, the variety of games available exploded—offering more choices than most people would ever need.

Some of these games stand out as fan favourites more than others. In this article, we’ll explore which types of gambling are the most popular amongst the maple leaves and why.

Lottery
The lottery is easily the most popular form of gambling in Canada—even though it is sometimes not even considered gambling)—with over 65% of eligible Canadians admitting to playing the lottery in a 2019 survey.

Two of the more popular games offered by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming corporation.

This is no surprise, considering Canada is home to some of the best lottery games in the world. Amongst these are the Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, and Daily Grand. Let’s not forget that residents from the region can also access two of the world’s largest lotteries via online lottery sites—the US Powerball and US Mega Millions.

Because of this great love for the lottery, Canadian lottery sales (excluding Québec) reached almost CA $8.26 billion in 2021. The forerunner in selling lottery tickets was Ontario—with over CA $4.35 billion in sales alone.

Slots
Second to lotteries is the famous slot machine. Hailed as one of the most popular forms of gambling, not just in Canada but worldwide, slots hold a special place in Canadian gamblers’ hearts and are one of the main reasons for celebration in casinos.

With the wide variety of slot games available today, it is unsurprising that slots are the most commonly played casino game. However, there are other reasons these games are high on the list.

The chief reason is the RTP (or return to player) rate these games offer. This rate indicates how much money a slot receives is paid back to players.
With physical slots averaging an RTP of between 70% and 74% and online slots offering a much more substantial RTP of between 94% and 98%, these games are known to pay relatively well—even if it is not always jackpot prizes.

Roulette: It is a game of chance.

Roulette
After slots, roulette is the next casino game where you will most likely find Canadian gamblers hanging out. The game, which relies almost exclusively on luck, is popular worldwide and offers excellent odds, particularly if you play on outer bets—some of which have odds of 50/50.

Three different types of roulette are available in the country: American, French, and European (also known as standard roulette). Not all of these are available in all brick-and-mortar casinos, however. In fact, you are most likely to find only the most popular kind: European roulette.

Thankfully, if you want to try one of the other variations, many online casinos in the region have them readily available.

Blackjack
While many believe poker is the most famous card-based game in casinos, this perception is inaccurate. Blackjack is the preferred game, not just in Canada but also in many other countries. According to estimates, this particular game has over 100 million players internationally.

The thrill of winning while listening to the click of the wheel as it turns and watching where the ball decides to land.

Whether it is the thrill of going up against the banker or the suspense of seeing if you’re about to go bust, blackjack is easily one of Canadians’ most popular casino games. It is heavily featured on almost all online casinos (usually in different variations) and can easily be found in any physical casino available in Ontario and across the country.

Baccarat
Perhaps it is its similarity to blackjack that makes baccarat so immensely popular, or maybe it is the many different variants of the game that make it feel new each time you play. Either way, there is no denying that the gamblers up north love playing it.

The game relies more on luck than actual skill and is easily accessible throughout physical and online casinos in the country. It can also be a great way to destress—but only if you’re confident enough in your understanding of how the game works.

Poker/Video Poker
Eventually, making it to the hearts of gamblers is poker and video versions of the beloved game. While it is not the first choice of most Canadians, the game still has a strong presence in the country and is actively played by many people.

The country is home to some immensely successful professional players, including Daniel Negreanu and Jonathan Duhamel. While most players can’t measure up to players like Daniel—who has won six World Series of Poker bracelets—the game is still widely enjoyed and readily accessible in almost all casinos, whether online or in real life.

Eyeing the competition and reading each of the players while they read you is what real poker players love – it is why the play the game.

Conclusion
It may be hard to think of a time when gambling wasn’t around or legal. However, the fact that the gambling industry has grown so prominently in the relatively short time it has been legal in Canada shows just how popular it is.

While lotteries and slots are at the forefront of this and don’t seem ready to relinquish their hold on bettors any time soon, there are many other games that Canadians love to play. If you haven’t experienced them for yourself, why not head to a casino (or log onto one) and see what all the fuss is about?

 

 

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Where have all the workers gone?

By Pepper Parr

August 7th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Where have all the workers gone?

Covid19 meant huge changes in where people worked – the office moved to the kitchen table and teachers did their best to keep a class interested while everyone dealt with a virus that was killing millions.

Remote work was necessary during the harder days with lock downs in place.

Burlington chose to become a hybrid city with some staff able to choose to work from home full time – going into the office only when it was necessary.

City manager Tim Commisso liked the idea

City manager Tim Commisso liked the idea and directed the Executive Director level to organize the jobs that had to be done into various forms of hybrid work. Neither Commisso or the city’s Communications department every released numbers

“People thought remote work would last forever, and the importance people put on work-life balance reached new heights … people were putting their personal lives first and moving to beautiful locations,” said Travis O’Rourke, president at Hays Canada.

The number of fully remote jobs has decreased as a number of employers have called time on work-from-anywhere policies. The volume of applications for remote jobs has also increased, he said, putting them high in demand for those who have relocated to these locales.

Jessica Weisz optimized for sunshine. “We came and saw the place that we could rent … You could see the mountains and the lake, it had a pool and it was massive and it was the same as rent for our little small loft in Toronto.”

Jessica Weisz, who works in tech entrepreneurship and venture capital, stopped working in-person in Toronto during the pandemic and moved to Niagara, Ontario, and then Kelowna, B.C., where she has continued working remotely for her employer.

For Weisz, returning to an in-office position holds little appeal. “I like being able to be home and focus and not have to go into the office,” she said, adding that the flexibility helps her be a more involved parent.

“What we were optimizing for was sunshine. I had never been to Kelowna – I knew nothing about it,” she said. “We came and saw the place that we could rent … You could see the mountains and the lake, it had a pool and it was massive and it was the same as rent for our little small loft in Toronto.”

“People thought remote work would last forever, and the importance people put on work-life balance reached new heights … people were putting their personal lives first and moving to beautiful locations,” said Travis O’Rourke, president at Hays Canada.

Since then, the number of fully remote jobs has decreased as a number of employers have called time on work-from-anywhere policies. The volume of applications for remote jobs has also increased, he said, putting them high in demand for those who have relocated to these locales.

Research suggests that, like Weisz, most employees who got a taste of remote work are eager to continue. Nearly four in five Canadians said they much prefer it to working in the office, according to a report by the Future Skills Centre.

The impact of remote work on the office space sector of the real estate business is severe. Some office building operators are looking at ways to convert the space in residential.

Others are finding that productivity isn’t quite the same but those people aren’t certain and think it might be too early to tell what the final outcome is going to be.

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We talk about community: this weekend we saw it in action

By Pepper Parr

August 7th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It took Daryl Fowler just about a month to pull together the people that worked with him on getting the local food drive going.

When he set things up for the Friday start he asked the Burlington Food Bank for a hamper to put what was donated in. They delivered a big blue container – mid day Saturday he knew they were going to need more – not sure the Food Bank would be open on the weekend – he turned to his network and before the end of the day three more bins were in place.

It became really clear – Darryl leaned on his network – people he deals with on a regular basis and they all answered the call.

Stuff just kept coming in – $3000 in gift cards.

Daryl & Hannah Fowler – have three children; a four year old, a 2 ½ and a 1 ½. Hanna was a stay at home Mother but is looking forward to returning to the bank she has worked at for a number of years.

Daryl bought their first home in Hamilton, did very well on the sale of that home in 2017 which made it financially possible to move to Burlington. They don’t even think about moving anywhere else.

Daryl has been in HVAC all his working life. There were some labour difficulties during the early part of Covid and Darryl thought this was a good time to strike out on his own.

He describes himself as a one man shop with good talent that he uses on an as needed basis.

Four bins and half a tonne of food later – the photo op was earned.

“I am a people person, I like doing things with and for people – being on my own means I don’t have to spend time managing staff – all my effort goes into keeping customers happy.

He rents space at a storage facility – thinks maybe at some point he will open up a shop but at this point he thinks working on his own is best for him and his customers.

Darryl Fowler takes the shop with him when calling on a customer.

What he is finding however is that the cost of everything has increased: gas, parts, food – he knows everyone is feeling the same pinch.

He makes heavy use of social media and has a five star Google rating.  His approach is “if they support me – I support them.

Julie Neal, who worked at setting a record for a bottle drive she and her husband took on in 2021 was part of that supporting network – a bit of a cluster there.

Burlington Together with its massive following was a part of making this happen. Burlington Dads were there as well.

These groups work independently; at the same time they are part of a collective that are more than an arms length from city hall.

This is what real community is all about.

 

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Has the Prime Minsiter walked away from the housing crisis?

By Pepper Parr

August 7th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

While in Hamilton handing out federal funds last week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there’s “simply not enough places for people to live” and said more initiatives like the one he was handing out money for are needed to create affordable housing in Hamilton.

Did Andrea Horwath, sitting beside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. hit him or is that band aid on his forehead something he get when the wife he is now separated from took a whack at him as she was walking out the door?

He also said: “Housing isn’t a primary federal responsibility, not something that we have directly carried out. But it is something that we can and must help with,”

It was a bit of a mixed message and a major disappointment for those who were expecting the federal government to be deeply involved in the housing crisis.

It was the federal government that made the decision to bring millions of people to Canada to help with the labour shortages. One would expect them to be quite a bit more than at the table when the housing needs were being worked through.

The federal government has the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) in place; an organization that has led a number of very innovative and successful housing development initiatives across the country.

Is it too much to ask that someone- maybe the new Minister of Housing- to come up with a major initiative?

Sean Fraser being sworn in as Housing, Infrastructure and Communities 

He holds a law degree from Dalhousie University, a Master’s degree in Public International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands, and a Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University. He represents Central Nova, a constituency in Pictou County in Nova Scotia.

Burlington MP Karina Gould reads her email – let her know what you think.

He has the smarts, what we need to know is – does he have an understanding of just how serious the housing situation is ?  One would hope that he realizes it is going to get worse before it gets better.

If he takes his que from the Prime Minister (Housing isn’t a primary federal responsibility) we then do have a problem.

Burlington has a Member of Parliament who is heard when she speaks in Caucus – pop her a note expressing your opinion. When an MP gets a couple of hundred emails – they respond. Karina Gould can be reached by email at  karina.gould@parl.gc.ca

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

 

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