By Pepper Parr
April 18th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Which former politician is in this picture?
Do the legs give you a hint?
The tag line was Turks and Caicos
The date was 20 hours ago.
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April 18th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Are you coming to Congress? Volunteer Halton is pleased to present, along with the City of Burlington, Town of Milton, Town of Oakville, and Town of Halton Hills, the 2nd Halton Non-Profit Congress on Saturday April 27, 2024. Event takes place at the Town Hall, Oakville; a transformative event tailored to non-profit leaders and changemakers in arts, culture, heritage, recreation, and sports. The facilitators have put together a strong lineup of speakers for this event, including key-note speaker Rosita Hall, education session leaders Erin Spink of spinktank, Devan Seebarren of the Halton Equity Diversity Roundtable, Heather Kaufmann from the Town of Halton Hills, Sammy Feilchenfeld of Volunteer Toronto, Shaminda Perera of Volunteer Canada and Candice Zhang from the Ontario NonProfit Network
Registration closes April 23 at 12:00pm! THE HALTON NON-PROFIT CONGRESS Saturday April 27, 2024 8:30am – 4:30pm Town Hall, Oakville: 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville Registration is now open! REGISTER TODAY – space is limited!
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
 Breathtaking landscapes, and exquisite cuisine, offering an endless array of destinations to explore. Italy is a land of rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and exquisite cuisine, offering an endless array of destinations to explore. While Naples itself is a city bursting with culture and charm, venturing beyond its borders unveils a world of treasures waiting to be discovered. From ancient ruins to picturesque coastal towns, here are some weekend trips from Naples that promise unforgettable experiences. Naples, with its winding streets, vibrant culture, and mouthwatering cuisine, is a destination that captures the heart of every traveller. But beyond the bustling streets and historic landmarks of this captivating city lies a world of treasures waiting to be discovered. As you peel back the layers of Naples, you’ll find yourself drawn to the allure of nearby destinations, each offering its own unique blend of history, natural beauty, and Mediterranean charm. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or simply seeking a taste of la dolce vita, these weekend trips offer something for everyone. Join us as we uncover the treasures of Italy waiting to be explored, just a stone’s throw away from the vibrant streets of Naples. Pompeii: A Journey Through Time  Amalfi Coast is renowned for its dramatic cliffs, colourful villages, and crystal-clear waters. A scenic drive along the winding coastal road offers breathtaking views at every turn. The Amalfi Coast: A Coastal Paradise  A tour of the caves at the Isle of Capri are an adventure. Guides will tell you the history of these unique destinations. Capri: Island of Dreams Sorrento: Gateway to the Amalfi Coast Weekend Trips from Naples: Exploring Italy’s Treasures  The ancient city of Pompeii, preserved under a blanket of ash and smoke from the Mount Vesuvius volcano eruption in 79 A.D. Conclusion Whether you’re drawn to the rich history of ancient civilizations, the stunning landscapes of the Amalfi Coast, or the vibrant atmosphere of coastal towns, weekend trips from Naples promise unforgettable experiences. With convenient transportation options and a plethora of accommodation choices, embarking on a journey to explore Italy’s treasures has never been easier. So, why not escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, and immerse yourself in the magic of Italy? Whether you have just a few days to spare or a whole weekend to explore, the possibilities for adventure and discovery are endless. Pack your bags, set out on the open road, and let the beauty of Italy captivate your senses. After all, the journey is just as enchanting as the destination. Buon viaggio!
April 18th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
 A friendly safe city on the edge of Lake Ontario with a diverse population. Some might argue that Toronto is Canada’s most exciting city—and for good reason. No matter the season, the city comes alive to offer a long list of exciting events and programs for its residents. As summer approaches, the focus is on getting outside and enjoying the warm weather.  Picnic in a park where wine can be enjoyed. From heading to picnics in the park to chomping your way through food festivals, the atmosphere is perfect for unwinding outdoors. But not all residents in areas like Hamilton and Burlington are looking to head into nature or hit the streets in the summer sun. In fact, some keep their focus on life’s flashier opportunities. One of the latest trends in Ontario is to head to a virtual casino with your crew. The province recently launched its virtual market, which means players have access to games like roulette, blackjack, and slots. While some prefer to head to a brick-and-mortar casino like Casino Woodbine, others are staying in to throw gaming parties with friends. From a remote device like a computer or even a tablet, players can spin the roulette wheel or try to hit blackjack – all while dressed to the nines in their more luxurious gear. But if you’re looking to hit the town, then we’ve got a few more suggestions. Consider penciling in some of these experiences on your agenda, all of which offer a taste of extravagance. High Tea at the Omni King Edward  High Tea at one of the most elegant hotels in Toronto The Omni King Edward is one of the swankiest hotels in the Downtown Toronto area. Though you might be imagining relaxing in one of its plush, high-thread-count beds, there’s a more unique experience on offer: afternoon tea. Whether or not you regularly enjoy a cup of Earl Grey, it’s an experience you won’t forget. That’s because the concept of afternoon tea fits beautifully with the Omni King Edward’s opulent design, transporting you into the fancy days of European yore. Toss in some bite-sized cakes and sandwiches and you’ll feel like bona fide royalty in no time. Spa Treatment at Sweetgrass Spa  A luxurious pastime If classy afternoon tea isn’t quite your thing, then consider unwinding with an even more luxurious pastime: a visit to the spa. Toronto’s Sweetgrass Spa (for women only) is one of the most well-known in North America thanks to its range of holistic treatments, products, and services. The spa offers a spa lounge, water therapies, facials, body treatments, massages, and much more. Products are from leading brands like Tata Harper and SkinCeuticals. There’s even an acclaimed in-house restaurant that crafts unique lunches for the day’s guest list. Just be sure to book ahead of time, as Sweetgrass is a highly popular destination.  Countryside seats are possible – the vibe is electric VIP with the Raptors Pickering offers a solid concert venue—but what about the more famous Scotiabank Arena, home of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors? If you’ve got a sports lover in your life, then the ultimate flashy experience might simply have to do with watching the team’s biggest matches of the year—or even meeting them. The Raptors offer a few different meet-and-greet packages as part of their VIP program. Keep in mind that meet-and-greet packages aren’t always tacked onto seats, which means you can buy tickets for any part of the arena and still get to meet some of the team’s top players. The Ultimate Option: Private Helicopter Tour Ever dreamed of seeing Toronto from a bird’s eye view? You now have this option thanks to the growing popularity of helicopter tours. You can choose from multiple companies that offer a range of options. Most revolve around the time and depth of the tour; some are designed to see the skyline at a certain time while others are designed to offer an in-depth tour of the city from above. If you want to turn this into a special adventure with a loved one, look for companies that offer a romantic getaway package. These are particularly popular for anyone thinking about how to pop the question in a truly unforgettable way—just in case you or anyone in your life needs any inspiration.
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
We don’t think the Mayor expects those Councillors who are opposed to her grasp on the Strong Mayor powers to go away quietly. Lisa Kearns has made it clear she has more to say – for example: It is true, Council did unanimously accept a petition with 633 signatures and growing, 71+ correspondence supporting the petition and heard three delegations in support of the petition “Restoration of Democracy at Burlington City Council.”  Councillor Kearns goes after the Mayor. BUT…despite that, the mayor doubled down on her ‘rationale’ for retaining arguably the most crushing power – full decision-making regarding the City Manager/CAO stays with the Mayor. That means the highest corporate position in the City can be hired or fired by the highest elected position. Power is centralized in the city between two positions – shedding the governance board (Council by majority vote), through to the corporate lead (City Manager/CAO), and then duly through to Staff.
The majority of Council is not okay with this. Yet, the mayor has “had many discussions with residents, community leaders, staff and other mayors and heard a wide diversity of views.” A recent post states, “it is truly unfortunate that our discussions have been marred by misinformation and misunderstanding of the legislation.” Maybe we should question where the misinformation is coming from? Let’s see some receipts. Nothing shared with Council, nothing in the public record (save one correspondence drawn on heavily in remarks), no counter petition, no supportive delegations…so where then does this justification come from if not from Council or Constituency? It is even more deceptive that the mayor’s account posted that “Burlington Council Unanimously Approves Receiving Petition Related to Democracy”, as if to signal that the case is closed and all is well. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Misinformation. The ‘Open Letter’ by the mayor, viewed by 1700 people doesn’t hold water. A recent interview that purports two of the powers have been shed, with silence on the remaining power is misinformation by omission. Lofty accusations that “for the most part” Councillors haven’t violated the Code of Good Governance regarding the roles of “Council to Govern” (the irony) is accusatory and unfounded – the reader assumes that ‘for the other part’ they have. Now the reader is misled into believing that there is a Council in violation of Good Governance afoot – how convenient, despite being false. This then supports that the retention of this remaining super power in the hands of the mayor is the only way to save the incoming CAO from any unadjudicated violations between management and governance. I am certain that if there was a chance to launch an integrity complaint against any Councillor for breaching the Code of Good Governance that it would be on blast already – in fact – I invite an investigation just to prove this accusation wrong. After council yesterday, all that the community, majority of council, delegates, engaged citizens and perhaps the media are left with is more peddling of weak rationale and a strong signal that any strong mayor that cannot listen continues to be a danger to our democracy. Hiding behind compliance with terrible provincial legislation does not dismiss the informed voice of the community. Posting decisions after they are made is not transparency. Telling those who challenge that they “might not understand it yet” is not accountability. And, holding a minority position on a critical matter is not democracy. Keep pushing folks, if you want a Better Burlington, looks like you are going to have to demand it.  Mayor Meed Ward is using every communications tool she has to get her story out on the decisions she has made on how she will use her Strong Mayor powers. Meed Ward once said that she has 17 platforms on which she can communicate. She also has a Communication specialist on staff.
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
We reported earlier today that we had heard nothing from Burlington MP KArina Gould on the federal budget. Ms Gould sent out the following moments ago: Dear Neighbour, Yesterday, Minister Freeland released the 2024 Budget, Fairness for Every Generation. This year’s budget is focused on giving every Canadian a fair chance to build a good middle class life, to realize the promise of Canada. Budget 2024 achieves this by putting forward a blueprint for building more homes, making life cost less and growing our economy in a way that is shared by all. Key initiatives include:
Our government believes in a country where everyone has a fair shot at success. Budget 2024 is another step towards greater fairness in Canada. To learn more about Budget 2024, click here. Along with the brief statement Gould provided some supplementary information on a number of government programs – we will do our best to get that data published today.
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
 Councillor was pleased to serve with the Speakers Series the Mayor had sponsored. When the Mayor’s Speaker series was being debated at a Council meeting earlier she was given a rough ride. Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte loved the idea saying the first speaker Jennifer Keesmatt, former City of Toronto was a good fit for the first speaker in the planned two speakers each year. Several days later Councillor Stolte had a change of heart and said she was withdrawing her endorsement of the Speaker series . Stolte issued a statement to “clarify the facts in case there is any confusion regarding the discontinuation of my involvement with the Mayors event. “Originally, in my role as Deputy Mayor of Housing for the City of Burlington, I had begun the planning process for a 2024 City Wide Housing Symposium as well as a “ward by ward” series of Housing Information Meetings with a focus of addressing the housing supply and affordability crisis in Burlington. “The Mayor then decided to choose this model and subject as the first of her Mayors Speakers Series in May, so I agreed to join in the planning process in an effort to collaborate on the event.  Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte did a superb job pressing the Mayor to tell Council when she was going to let them know what her response was going to be to the request that she relinquish her Strong Mayor powers. Stolte did get a date – Meed Ward published her decision that was posted on her web site. Councillor Stolte seems to be conflicted with on just how supportive she is of the Mayor. “After deep consideration, I have concluded that Mayor Meed Ward and I have fundamental differences in how we choose to communicate critical information with the public and I have decided to resign my participation in the Mayor’s Speakers Series and resume my focus, time and efforts on planning for these smaller, interactive “ward by ward” resident meetings across the City. “In an effort to connect with and ensure all Burlington residents’ concerns can be heard, I encourage the residents of Burlington to stay up to date on their Ward Councillor monthly newsletters for the dates and times of these upcoming Housing Information Meetings.” City Council is getting to be a very uncomfortable place to work.
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
TEASING GRAVITY is a thrilling adventure in movement featuring contemporary dance by some of North America’s fastest rising choreographers. From Hanna Kiel’s exuberant physicality and Jennifer Archibald’s awe-inspiring imagery, to the hyper-kinetic jazz dance of Rodney Diverlus, TEASING GRAVITY will leave audiences breathless with the art form’s endless possibilities. “a national treasure…among the ranks of Toronto’s top dance companies” – the Globe and Mail
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre: Dances for the Young and Fearless. Regular: $35.00 – $55.00 (All-in) Member: $30.00 – $50.00 (All-in) Tickets – click HERE
April 17th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON Karina Gould released her budget statement later in the day. Link to that statement is HERE When a major federal government decision is made every MP sends out a newsletter to the people on their email list.  Oakville North Burlington MP Pam Damof Yesterday, Oakville Burlington North MP Pam Damof sent out the following: This is our plan to make Canada fair for every generation. One where younger Canadians can get ahead, where young families can find an affordable place to call home; where seniors can age with dignity – where everyone can succeed.  Karina Gould with her second child. She is currently on maternity leave. Nothing so far from Burlington MP Karina Gould – and that is unusual. This budget is critical for the Liberals who are in trouble and need to attract the voters that elected them in 2015 but didn’t vote for them in 2019. Gould is a member of Cabinet and is expected to be at the front of the parade. She is on maternity leave – but a budget is a big big deal, something you show up for or at least have your office send something out. No word on why we have not heard from the Burlington Member of Parliament.
April 17th, 2029 BURLINGTON, ON
The relevant thing about a democracy is that citizens decide who is going to lead the government. We do that by holding elections – some politicians take the position that you elected me and I can do the job as I see it. Modern democracies have governments that listen to their constituents on a regular basis. In Burlington we have people delegating to their city council. For an unfortunate period of time there were very few delegations. The people who did the delegating began to feel they were not being heard That has changed. Delegators know that they are not being heard and have decided that, nevertheless, they are going to speak and on Tuesday they did speak.  The Council Chamber was far from full. That smiling face at center right is former ward 3 Councillor John Taylor who was busy taking notes. Two delegators: Ann Marsden and Lynn Crosby did a superb job of reminding Mayor Meed Ward of just what her job was and what it wasn’t. There is little doubt that they had any impact on the Mayor. She is too committed to the Strong Mayor powers she has – the public is going to have to wait it out until October of 2026 – 30 months away – when they can elect a different Mayor. Who the other candidates for the Office of Mayor will be is unknown at this point – what was important today is what Marsden and Crosby had to say. Read on – they were both right on.  Ward 2 resident Lynn Crosby delegating before Council. She was a significant part of Meed Ward’s election team. Crosby was there to present the Petition for Restoration of Democracy at Burlington City Council and Opposing the Strong Mayor Powers. “It is truly sad to find myself feeling the need to delegate to ask my own mayor and council to stand up for democracy and its basic tenet of majority rule and that I’m doing it for a second time because it seems the Mayor may need more convincing. “I understand that in filing the petition last Friday, we were too late. We erred. As a result, we needed a 2/3’s majority vote today to allow the petition to be received. I thank you all for voting to approve the receipt of the petition. It is certainly ironic that our protocols could ever block a peoples’ petition, the sole subject of which is the return of democracy to council. I note that our rules require 2/3’s of you to bypass a procedural filing deadline but only one of you, the Mayor, can hire and fire the CAO or overrule the elected representatives of almost 200,000 people. “The petition was started on March 26 and as of this morning there are over over 600 signatures. The petition is in support of the Motion by Councillors Nisan, Stolte and Galbraith in which they asked the Mayor to delegate to Council the powers and duties assigned to the head of council with respect to the City Manager, as well as asking her to delegate other powers and duties to council as outlined in that Motion. We intend to keep the petition active until such time as the Mayor agrees to all of council’s requests. “We are both disappointed and surprised by the Mayor’s decision, as expressed late last week in her ‘open letter’, which some residents may have seen. When all her supporting verbiage is stripped away, what remains, the single end result, is the fact that she is willing to surrender only one of the Strong Mayor powers and this one only to the City Manager and CAO – an unelected official who reports only to her rather than to Council as a whole. “Without conceding to the council request in its entirety, and instead cherry picking one power only, the Mayor has made things worse. One main intent of the Council motion was that our elected Councillors should have equal say in the hiring and firing of senior staff, including the City Manager. Allowing the Mayor alone to have this power, or her now giving it to the City Manager while the Mayor retains sole authority over he or she effectively concentrates all the power with the Mayor. There is no change. For all practical purposes, you have the Mayor and an unelected official selected by the Mayor running the organization. As Councillor Nisan recently opined in the Hamilton Spectator, “whether used or sheathed, the mere presence of this weapon can wreak havoc on a municipal administration like Burlington’s. It not only undermines local democratic institutions, but potentially also creates a municipal administration rife with the opportunity for dysfunction as staff may be in constant fear of the strong mayor and being “next.””.  Speaking of the Mayor ward 2 resident Lynn Crosby said “she’s heard from us now.” “This doesn’t change at all with the Mayor retaining her power to hire and fire the City Manager and then delegating to him the power to potentially do her bidding in regard to the hiring and firing of senior staff. I also suggest that council look at the current version of the petition – some of the most recent names may interest you when pondering Councillor Nisan’s words regarding staff, particularly recent exits. “The Mayor has said in the past that she hadn’t heard directly from the public that they were opposed to the strong mayor powers. While I respectfully suggest that if that is what she thought, she wasn’t paying attention to the commentary that was circulating out in the community, the fact is, she’s heard from us now. “I ask council to accept the petition today as valuable feedback received from hundreds of Burlington residents; read the comments on it and Mayor please return all powers that you can as requested by the majority of your council.” Marsden: Ann Marsden took a slightly different tack saying “The most important part of the request that Nisan, Galbraith and Stolte was that the Mayor delegate to Council the powers and duties assigned to the head of council under the Municipal Act, with respect to the City Manager. Thursday April 11, 2024 Mayor Meed Ward publicly made it clear she was not going to give up that power. What is even more troubling with the Burlington Mayor’s position is the statement she made to Grant Lafleche of the Hamilton Spectator published on April 11, 2024.
“Further, Mayor Meed Ward claimed in the LaFleche article that it was important that the CAO and the Mayor, were compatible. Compatibility with the Mayor and indeed all members of Council is something that can never be decided until time proves it is so. More important than compatibility with the Mayor, however, is the ability of CAO to be free to take a stand at Council when the Mayor or indeed any member of council is promoting a path that will see them acting outside any legislation and thereby putting the City at immense risk. “Besides raising the issue publicly that Mayor Meed Ward believes she needs to protect a very experienced and talented CAO from her fellow Councillors she has, in our minds, spoken publicly about fellow members of Council in a manner that our Code of Governance and “Respect in the Workplace Policy” prohibits. We believe there is only one way Mayor Meed Ward can fix this. Publish a decision immediately after this Council meeting that reverses her decision and delegates the powers to hire the CAO to council with a majority rule and commit not to undelegate this power. Sadly the chances of that happening are the same as Anne running a 20 yard dash. “For the Mayor to make the changes four of the seven member Council asked her to do would mean she had listened to what constituents had to say.”
April 16th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Drawing attention to myself is not one of my strengths said Tim Commisso as he spoke to Council for the last time. He had a 20 year career with the city, then a good stretch of time in Thunder Bay, his home town and returned to serve as the City Manager for five years “which has been the culmination of everything” he said. “If you’d told me I’d be the city manager for the best city in Canada, I’d never believed you. I grew up in a small northern Ontario town, Pickle Lake and that’s at the end of the road. He went on to say “thank you to my counsel” with more emotion one has come to expect from Tim I respect the fact that you had discussions today with me that were obviously near and dear to my heart. One of the principles I adhere to is to make the tough decisions, have the tough debates in open session at counsel.” “The suggestion that something should be named in my honour – I’m not interested in naming anything – there may be a rumour going around that I might get a temporary naming of the parking lot, which in two years, you can rip out because it’s going to be redeveloped. Tim fondly remembers Lisa Kearns calling him the big cheese in front of some sixty people.
“A lot of times you’ll see acting or interim City Manager. I want to talk about a bit about next Monday when Hasaan will be sitting in this seat whenever you guys meet again. I am really impressed quite frankly with the decision you made to have him come on. “I’ve been working with him for a couple of months. He’s given me his time and met with senior staff. We’ve spent a lot of time going through transition items. He will do very well and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward. Tim closed with a remark I didn’t expect. “After 42 years, I’ll quote Neil Young’s “Comes a time”. I don’t like saying I live my life through rock and roll but that song kind of epitomizes everything for me. Comes a time when you’re driftin’ Comes a time when you settle down Comes a light, feelings liftin’ Lift that baby right up off the ground Oh, this old world keeps spinnin’ ’round It’s a wonder, tall trees ain’t layin’ down There comes a time You and I, we were captured We took our souls and we flew away We were right, we were giving That’s how we kept what we gave away. No, Tim didn’t sing those lyrics but he was clearly feeling them as he spoke to a Council that he guided and in five cases mentored and help them grow into the job.  Tim Commisso: His practice was to think it through. Tim wanted the public to understand that everybody on the leadership team, compared to five years ago is new. “That’s 19 people. I want that to resonate with you because it is a reflection of the fact that we’ve been able to attract or promote the senior leadership team.” “It’s the reality of my era, everyone has probably retired, but you’ve got a very strong team; a group of about 70 staff. A lot of them, I would say 85% of them, are new in their roles over the last five years. People like Emilie Cote who was here today: you know, five years ago, she was maybe a supervisor. What you’ve got is really a talented team. The reason I’ve really enjoyed working with all of you is it really comes down to two reasons.  Adieu! “One is their passion and compassion. Passion is the unrelenting desire to fulfill your own wishes that drives you. And I always look at it as drive in the context of doing better for the city? “The other one, and this is as important for me, is your desire to help others. That, quite frankly, has been the primary motivating thing people ask sometimes, like, how do you do this job? It’s because you align yourself with people that have both compassion, and passion. And ultimately, the outcome is building a great community. “I think I’ve covered the bases here. I just want to say this is pretty surreal, but it is real. So thank you very much. I will leave it at that Mayor. Council began to applaud and then as a group they stood and continued to applaud. I’ve had my issues with Tim and he has had his with me. He has served the people of Burlington very well. Much of his work is evident today – what people will realize a decade from now is that he was right, very right, far more often than he was wrong.
April 16th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
There are dozens of organizations in the city that will celebrate the volunteers who make what they do possible.
There are 565 volunteers who show up regularly to pack the food that comes in into packages that are distributed to the more than 4000 people who are served each week There are an additional 200 people in the community who volunteer in different ways. Those are impressive number and well worth celebrating. Related news story: How Food for Life makes delivering fresh food to 4000 families happen
April 15th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON With news like this – you now know why Bonnie Crombie took a pass on running for the Milton seat in the Legislature.
“As part of our work to get it done on the largest public transit expansion in North America, our government is adding hundreds of additional GO train trips each week for communities across the GTA,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s announcement, along with our recent introduction of free transfers between different transit systems through One Fare, will help get people across the region where they need to go faster, while saving the average transit rider $1,600 every year.” Starting April 28, 2024, weekend train service will increase from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes in the afternoon and evening on the Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East lines between Oakville GO Station, Union Station and Durham College Oshawa GO Station. For the first time, riders on the Kitchener line will also benefit from new 30-minute weekday service during midday and evenings between Bramalea and Union Station.
April 15th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
The City rarely sends out media releases on the hiring of new staff. Those that they do send out have, to date, been about very senior people. The following came from the city this morning: The City of Burlington is announcing the hiring of two new directors to Burlington Digital Services – Richard Liu, Director of Information Technology, and Chinelo Okereke, Director of Digital Strategy and User-Centric Services. These appointments support the delivery of the City’s Digital Business Strategy, designed to prepare and shift the organization for transformational changes in digital approaches and architecture. In announcing the two new hires the city wants the public to know that people really do want to work for Burlington.  Chinelo (Chinny) Okereke and Richard Liu Richard LiuMr. Liu has been appointed as the City’s Director of Information Technology, effective April 8, 2024. He joined the City of Burlington in November 2022 as the Principal of Digital Enterprise Architecture. Mr. Liu brings over 20 years of experience in technology leadership roles to the City. Prior to his most recent role at the City, he held senior leadership positions with the Government of Nova Scotia’s Digital Services, mostly notably as the Director of Enterprise Architecture for over 10 years. He has also held positions in the private sector at CGI Consulting, and CARIS Inc. With a commitment to digital transformation, strategy, and enterprise architecture, Mr. Liu has been instrumental in spearheading major digital initiatives, including the implementation of public cloud strategies and migrations, artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, and the modernization of legacy technology systems. Mr. Liu holds a Master of Computer Science from the University of New Brunswick and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Southwest Jiaotong University in China. His professional certifications include a COBIT 2019 Foundation certificate, an Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certificate, and designations as a Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP), and TOGAF 9 Certified Enterprise Architecture Practitioner. Chinelo (Chinny) OkerekeMs. Okereke joined the City of Burlington as the new Director of Digital Strategy and User-Centric Services on March 25, 2024. Ms. Okereke is an accomplished senior technology transformation leader. Prior to joining the City, she was the Enablement, Transformation and Operations Lead for Walmart Canada’s Insights & Analytics Centre of Excellence, created to accelerate the organization’s digital transformation agenda. She has also held positions at the Royal Bank of Canada including driving the strategic enablement of the technology function, and program managing RBC’s global innovation accelerator for employees. Throughout her career, Ms. Okereke has acquired extensive experience in driving large transformation programs and leading successful digital initiatives that increase customer satisfaction, user engagement and employee experience. She has also led the development of user-friendly digital platforms to transform customer interactions. Ms. Okereke holds a Master of Management Sciences (Technology) from Waterloo University, and a Bachelor of Science, Economics from the University of Toronto. She has certifications in product management, change management and Agile Project Management. She has also served as a part-time instructor for colleges, teaching innovation, change management and business management. In their roles at the City of Burlington, Mr. Liu, Ms. Okereke, and their teams will be responsible for helping to execute aspects of the City’s Digital Business Strategy. The strategy outlines actions and investments that take advantage of technology and data to optimize and transform the way City services are delivered. The strategy will guide the delivery of services and ensure they meet the needs of the community, are easy to use, and cost efficient.
April 15th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
This is National Volunteer Week (NVW) – a dedicated week to celebrate the importance and contributions volunteers make in The theme Every Moment Matters, highlighting that the sharing of time, skills, empathy, and creativity is vital to all our organizations and builds inclusivity, strength, and wellbeing in our communities.
The staff at Community Development Halton (CDH) and Volunteer Halton extend their heartfelt thanks to each volunteer in our community as well as to those who lead volunteers, in paid and unpaid roles. Volunteers are fundamental to meeting this challenging moment. Volunteers across Halton Region, committing their support to increase our collective efforts and impact, help contribute exponentially to quality of life we all strive for.
Cheers to Volunteers Award Recipients: This award recognizes the contributions of volunteers making a difference in our communities. A total of 12 volunteers HALTON HILLS OAKVILLE MILTON BURLINGTON
April 15th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
St. Matthew on-the-Plains is hosting its annual plant sale. Geraniums are available in red, salmon, pink, fuschia and white for $34 per flat of 10 or $3.40 per single.
Orders must be received Friday, May 10. Pick up is Saturday, May 25, in Parish Hall between 9 and noon. For more information contact 905-632-1233 or office@stmatthewburlington.ca.
April 15th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON This is a long article intended for those who want to understand how the city is going to grow and the changes that will take place There are three development projects that will set a new approach to how the city works with developers and at the same time result in significant development that will change the way the city is seen as a community. This was presented to Council earlier in the month and started with: Direct the Director of Community Planning to implement the targeted timeline set out in a of community planning department report to support the development of an Area Specific Plan informed by City objectives, inputs from the landowner/applicant information and City-led public engagement, to define the Urban Structure role, the Growth Framework prioritization and the land use policies for Bronte Creek Meadows. Direct the Director to engage with all ROPA 49 landowners as one input into the development of the City’s population and employment work and to inform the development of the revisions to the Urban Structure, Growth Framework and preparing supporting timeline and approach to initiate the development of area specific plans or their equivalent.  Alison Enns: Manager of Policy and Community Planning. The ball carrier in this instance was Alison Enns, Manager of Policy and Community who was very specific, direct and detailed. This is a whopper of a task. None of these properties have been considered in the Official Plan, other Master Plans or the City or Regional Development Charges and all have been supported by City Council to form part of the Region’s 2023 Allocation Program. In December 2023 the city set out four key areas of focus. Focus Area 1 is: Designing and delivering complete communities. Specifically, the work discussed in this report responds, in part to G: Deliver on the City’s Official Plan 2020 with an update to reflect growth and needs of complete communities. This update will include the transfer of all Official Plan policies from Halton Region to the City of Burlington, confirmation of additional strategic growth areas (e.g., ROPA 49 decision – Oct 2022), and Burlington’s 2031 Housing Pledge target of 29,000 units. This update will be supported by a proactive communication and engagement plan.
Some background: After a period of turbulence Bill 162, which is currently referred to a provincial Standing Committee, will, if passed, will reinstate four significant changes with impacts on the BOP, 2020 Urban Structure, Growth Framework and Land Use policies. BOP = Burlington Official Plan Staff wanted to confirm with Council the approach to planning for three key future growth areas and believe the approach presented can be a model for understanding the role of all of these new areas. Background and Discussion: In June, 2023 a number of issues resulted in a need to develop an initial work plan to undertake the necessary work to bring the BOP,2020 into “alignment with the updated Regional and Provincial policy framework” The overall workplan acknowledged the role for both modifications to the BOP, 2020 at the OLT and statutory official plan amendments (OPAs) to develop a local vision for growth and development to address the range of changes to the planning framework. While the initial workplan identified a wide range of changes in play some have not been realized as set out in recent Targeted Realignment Update reports. “The targeted realignment exercise was introduced to Council in mid-2023, and was set out as an initial work plan to advance the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 (BOP, 2020) in a way that ensured alignment with the updated Regional and Provincial policy framework. “The overall legal strategy acknowledges the role for both modifications through the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) as well as statutory official plan amendments (OPAs) in order to develop a local vision for growth and development to address the range of changes to the planning framework since the 2020 Regional approval of the Burlington Official Plan. “Despite continued uncertainty staff have initiated work on the development of City specific population and employment growth forecasts.”
Regional Structure and Regional Urban Structure ChangesSeveral land use assumptions of the BOP, 2020 and the work prepared to support the Regional Official Plan Review have changed. The BOP, 2020 established a refined Urban Structure, Growth Framework and revised Land Use policies that together set out the long-term growth management strategy for a largely intensifying municipality. That long-term growth management strategy did not anticipate the new areas (introduced either through the addition of new community areas within the urban area or through employment conversion). It was an on, off and then on again process that made it very difficult for the Planning department. With the Executive Director of Community Planning nolonger with the city there is some scrambling taking place.  On April 22 Hassaan Basit former President and Chief Executive Officer at Conservation Halton will arrive at City Hall and serve as the City Manager. Hassaan started his career as an evolutionary biologist. Add to that a new City Manager joining the city and you get a sense as to the environment staff are working within. Initially, the Minister’s modifications to Regional Council approved Regional Official Plan Amendment 49 (ROPA 49) converted several employment areas, and added several new urban areas within the City of Burlington. Next, legislation through Bill 150 was introduced to rescind almost all of the Minister’s modifications. Subsequently, in response to feedback from the Mayor, with Council support, the initial Minister’s modifications may soon be reinstated almost in their entirety if Bill 162 is passed in the Provincial legislature. While the effect of Bill 162, if passed would automatically incorporate the physical changes to the Regional Official Plan it is important to note as recently set out in Region of Halton Staff report … ROPA 49 as adopted by Regional Council in June 2022 directed growth to 2041 to the existing Regional Urban Boundary and identified a framework that would be used to plan for future growth between 2041 and 2051. The Minister’s November 2022 decision modified ROPA 49 to extend its growth strategy to 2051 and to revise the population and employment forecasts for each municipality. The Minister’s modifications related to the planning horizon and growth forecasts were rescinded through Bill 150, but are now proposed to be reinstated through Bill 162. The population and employment distribution to 2051 for Halton Region and the Local Municipalities in the Regional Official Plan is as follows:  Upper Middle Road looking east towards Burloak is now land that becomes part of the planning domain. A Ministerial order converted it from Employment to mixed use. The City has determined it is critical and timely to initiate its own population and employment growth analysis, in advance of Royal Proclamation of Bill 23. In order to prepare this study best information is required to support this analysis, including determining the role and function of several new community areas including new urban areas. The Local Growth Management Update will require best information and assumptions as inputs as it relates to the new areas, at a minimum the following issues must be considered:
The answers to these three questions will be assessed against:
The outcome of the work will be to determine how the City of Burlington will be planning to 2051 and beyond for:
 Bound by Hwy 403 and the rail lines the land will change how Burlington relates to Hamilton. King Road is at the bottom of the photograph. Some of the landowners noted above currently hold broad appeals to the Burlington Official Plan, 2020. A critical early priority of working with any of these landowners should be a request to scope appeals to the BOP, 2020 to site-specific appeal. This is an important request as staff have continuously noted that the wide-ranging broad appeals to the BOP, 2020 are impacting non-appellant landowners and developers from moving forward with the creation of new homes and new development. Staff believe this approach to be reasonable as the individual landowners retain their appeal, albeit at a site-specific level. The three “future” areas have single owners, none have been considered in the Official Plan, other Master Plans or the City or Regional Development Charges and all have been supported by City Council to form part of the Region’s 2023 Allocation Program. A partnership with the City, landowners and the public to guide the planning work for these areas presents an opportunity to demonstrate, in action, community responsive growth and the opportunity to create vibrant, mixed use, people-oriented communities.More broadly, new assumptions and new population and employment growth along with new policy directions will drive new considerations and requirements that will need to be captured in a whole range of other plans and strategies. As has been previously noted there will be additional costs related to updating critical local master plans and other key documents to appropriately plan for the whole range of local services (in addition to Regional Services). As with all new growth there will be long term costs as well as benefits related to new growth that will be considered in the coming years.  Rendering of some of the development ideas the Alinea Group had for their 1200 King Road property. Other Resource Impacts
April 15h, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Meed Ward has decided to copy the Inspire series of speakers that Rick Goldring hosted in his first term of office. They were, for the most part, very successful. There was one event when Andre Picard, a highly respected advocate on health issues and a regular columnist Globe & Mail columnist was to speak. The first row of seats were reserved for Joseph Brant Hospital staff. Every reserved seat was empty – unfortunate because Picard had a lot of solid advice. Mayor Meed Ward calling her speaker series: “A Better Burlington: Innovation to Action”. The goal was for two sessions each year focused on the key challenges we face and fostering tangible ways to improve Burlington and engage residents in the process.  Jennifer Keesmaat, former City of Toronto Chief Planner and candidate for Mayor. “Each Speaker’s Series will have a clear theme with a relevant speaker. The first session will be on Monday, May 27 at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre and will feature Jennifer Keesmaat, who will present on discussing housing, community development and growth. “Deputy Mayors will be invited to be participants in these series, where relevant to their portfolios. Councillor Shawna Stolte, in her capacity as Deputy Mayor of Housing, is part of the planning team for the inaugural event on housing. The team includes staff from relevant departments, including events, finance and communications. “The Speaker’s Series will be free. This is to encourage as much participation and engagement from Burlington residents and city staff as possible. Costs associated with the series will be secured through corporate sponsorships and the Mayor’s Office budget. Meed Ward added that on the recommendation of the Integrity Commissioner, sponsorship shall be secured through the City following its standard process, and will be separate from the Mayor’s Office to avoid perceived or potential conflicts of interests. “In keeping with the Council Code of Good Governance, sponsorship will not be accepted from anyone with an active application before the City. “The Integrity Commissioner also advised seeking Council’s endorsement of the Speakers Series, which has prompted this motion.”  Mayor Meed Ward: As an added level of extra due diligence and an abundance of caution I reached out to the Integrity Commissioner. All the Mayor wanted was an endorsement for a speaker series she wanted to host. Several members of this council were not about give it a rubber stamp endorsement. Chair Nisan asked Mayor Meed Ward if she would like to move the item and begin the comments. Mayor: “Certainly I’ll move it and give you more detail. I always like to borrow I ideas where I see them and I think back to two terms ago, Mayor Goldring brought forward the Inspire series and it this has really patterned after that it it brought people together. It provided an opportunity for community engagement. It focused on key areas that the community was interested in and is free to the community and at the time. “That was helped along by being free as through sponsorships, and this is a new area certainly for me. Not always new for the city. And so in order to just make sure that this was done in an appropriate way of course I can tell that our and our council code of good governance it does have guidance around all of this in terms of seeking sponsors. So obviously no direct funding that is handled by any individual member of council and really the big caveat and condition is don’t seek a sponsor from someone that has active business in front of the Council for decision making. “As an added level of extra due diligence and an abundance of caution I reached out to the Integrity Commissioner for conversation. I do that occasionally just to bounce ideas around and make sure that I’m on the right side of things. The Integrity Commissioner did suggest that there might be an opportunity to invite counsel to endorse this. I’m not asking you to plan or fund it, but to endorse the concept. Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte chose to be with the Mayor on this one. Earlier in the month she was grilling the Mayor to determine when she was going to let Council know what her decision was going to be on the request made to relinquish her Strong Mayor powers. Councillor Stolte: I certainly endorse the speaker series, and especially given the fact that the first one is subjective housing, which just happened to be quite a nice coincidence because the mayor and I had sat down on about a month ago. And we’d have we’d had a conversation and I was speaking about the fact that as Deputy Mayor of housing I was hoping to try to put together a city wide information session on the state of housing in Burlington and lo and behold, the mayor had been thinking already along the same lines as far as that being the first topic for Speaker Series. I’m glad to be able to partner on this. I hope that this receives support from committee. Councillor Kearns wasn’t as charitable. “I did take an opportunity to look into some of our existing policies and while the concept is definitely noble, I want to make sure that we’re aligned with our policies. So one of the things that I’ve still yet to be able to acquire in order to do some effective decision making is the actual budget. “I’m not sure what we are out there looking for in terms of sponsorships and where that may or may not impede our ability to secure sponsorships for their priorities that have already been endorsed. And our staff time because with a fully staffed office of four through the mayor’s complement “I wanted to understand a little bit better around staff time. I’ve further looked into some of the policy pieces which I may have continued questions on and to that and while all these costs come into clarity, I would like to put a motion to refer it to council and perhaps we can have the budget the cost of one of the speaker series may be by that time, so my motion would be to refer to counsel for information on budget and staff time.”
Councillor Bentivegna began with: “Just a quick question to obtain the question on staff budget and time I make the assumption from what I sort of anticipate it is this Mayor’s staff budget and the Mayors staff time? Is that what I’m reading or not? I think that was the question.” Mayor Meed Ward: “I can speak to both if you like by way of responding to my comments on the referral. The request did come through to my office about the budget; the Counsellor is aware of the answer to this. We are bound by contractual agreements not to release information about the budget for this for this particular speaker series. So we won’t be doing that. “As council members have a $5,000 budget for events. We have our other discretionary budget and Council member that that is reported out annually. So that’s where the that’s where people will see the aggregated amount of spend for any for any individual member of council. Finally, with respect to non staff time. Staff do provide a certain amount of support to council members whether it’s preparing design work for flyers or newsletters or other items. We all have a council appointed communications person. We are a service of the city and have the ability to submit work requests for those things. So there’s not anything over and above staff time on this that that other members of council don’t also have access to in the normal course of things. So this is a non-issue and I won’t be supporting the referral.”  Councillor Sharman: This is an initiative I wholeheartedly support. If we haven’t got budget for it this year, we will take a look at it next year.  The Appleby Line Car Free Sunday. Councillor Sharman: “Back in 2011 or 12 Gil Penalosa put forward an idea that became the premise of what is now the Appleby Line Street Festival for which we have masses of sponsorship funds. “I’ve never actually had been questioned about whether there competes with other people asking those people for funding. This is an initiative I wholeheartedly support. If we haven’t got budget for it this year, we will take a look at it next year. We’ve got to approve it. If the Counsellor were to think about this in terms of asking her questions offline, and come back, counsel and make the comments. Right now I’m entirely in support of what’s before us. I won’t be supporting a referral to Council.” Counsellor Bentivegna: “I have questions related to the referral. I’m not sure exactly what’s in any emails but the referral refers to information on the budget. “So are we able I’m not sure how contractual obligations. I mean, we can’t see the know the budget for the event that we’re all supporting. So I assume that relates to the speaker, but are we able to find out what the overall budget for the event is?” Meed Ward: “I assume that’s a question for me. I’m not asking Council to approve the financing. I’m asking you to endorse the concept of the series and the financing will be handled through my office budget and the normal course of things and any sponsors that I bring in as cleared through first checking that we’re not competing with stuff and also through the Integrity Commissioner policy and process.” Councillor Kearns: “With respect to non-staff time who’s organizing the event? Is it the mayor’s office with staff because the staff would not normally organize an event that I would hope so I just want to clarify are they in a support capacity? Like are they doing processing newsletters, for example. “Is that the kind of what are you expecting from staff outside of the mayor’s office to organize the mapping over and above the support they would normally give any other member of counsel for an event.”  Councillor Bentivegna: I just make the assumption that everything is done the way we normally do on a day to day business. Councillor Bentivegna: “I didn’t want to open a hornet’s nest here. But as the mayor mentioned, we all have $5,000 and some broke community events that I use completely every year. And I do have as I do as staff for certain things that they may or may not be able to help me and I do them in each my neighbourhoods. I just make the assumption that everything is done the way we normally do on a day to day business. I have difficulty I don’t want to read into this motion so I if stuff happened then I get into it. But at this point I’m going to support the mayor’s program.” Chair Nisan: “I will call the vote on the referral motion all those in favour. Any opposed? Motion does not carry.” We will move back to the main motion and look for any questions or comments on the main motion I do not see any. Well now call the vote. All those in favour, Aye. Any opposed? That carries? 6 to 1. That was it – the Mayor had her endorsement; expect her to make that point at every opportunity she gets. The rough ride given the Mayor came from Councillors Kearns and Nisan. Stolte chose to ride with the Mayor and Galbraith kept his tongue in his cheek. Sharman and Bentivegna were with the Mayor from the beginning. This is your Council folks. Live with it for now – but try and do better next time.
April 13th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward told council in March that she needed time to think about the request Council members had made related to her Strong Mayor powers. She took the time she needed, got the lay of the land and realized what she was up against and issued three orders that gave council much of what it wanted.  Councillor Angelo Bentivegna: Working through a very hard month. Kudo’s to Councillor Angelo Bentivegna’s and his insistence that this whole business go to Council on April 16th. The Gazette has no idea what members of Council will have to say – the Mayor has made public what she has done. It all comes into effect on April 22nd when Hasaan Basit starts his new job as City Manager.  Councillor Kelvin Galbraith: The decisions the Mayor made get him out of the very uncomfortable position he found himself in. Doesn’t appear to have the kind of grit needed to perform at this level. The decisions the Mayor made gets Councillor Galbraith off the hook – he was having an awkward time of it. Now he can vote with the Mayor which takes away the majority the rebelling councillors had. This is complex stuff, not something a parent trying to get the kids to the soccer pitch has time to think about. They are nevertheless important decisions. Earlier in the week members of city Council made the Mayor’s day a very uncomfortable one. She wanted Council to support her decision to hold a Speakers event that she said was not going to cost the tax payers a dime. Council members asked how much time would the Mayor’s Staff, paid for the tax payers, be used to get the Speakers event underway? It should have been a humbling experience for the Mayor but she isn’t paying all that much attention to how a majority of the Council feel these days. More on that in a seperate news story. The decisions Mayor Meed Ward announced are: # 1 Mayor Meed Ward delegated the following duties to the Chief Administrative Officer: Determine the organizational structure of city hall Staff. # 2 As Mayor and Head of Council I hereby delegate the following duty to the City Manager/Chief Administrative Officer: to hire, dismiss, or exercise any other prescribed employments powers with respect to the head of any division or the head of any other part of the organizational structure. This Mayoral Decision comes into effect on April 22, 2024. The following positions, relevant to the City of Burlington, are excluded: 1. the clerk or deputy clerk # 3 1. Establish or dissolve committees This delegation is subject to the following guidance in accordance with the Municipal Act. 1. That any recommended change to chairs/vice-chairs be discussed first with the existing chair/vice-chair, and is subject to their agreement regarding the change, subject to Guidance section 2 below; and Decision regarding new committees I hereby delegate the following duties to Council related to establishing new committees: 1. Establish or dissolve committees This delegation is subject to the following guidance prior to proposing a new committee in accordance with the Municipal Act. 1. That the City Manager/CAO confirm capacity exists among staff to support any new committee; and This Mayoral Decision comes into effect on April 22, 2024.
April 13th, 2024 BURLINGTON, ON
Yet another government plan to get housing built. A bill was introduced to the Legislature on Wednesday designed to streamline government permit processes, make it easier for universities to build student residences, improve transparency around the controversial minister’s zoning orders (MZO) framework and eliminate parking requirements for higher density housing developments near transit stations to lower costs.  Housing Minister Paul Calandra includes a “use it or lose it” provision in the bill to allow cities to withdraw building permits for stalled housing developments. “ These measures recognize the struggles that our municipal partners have faced in building homes and are targeted at removing those obstacles”, said Housing Minister Paul Calandra. The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act enshrines — and prioritizing new infrastructure such as roads and waterworks for ready-to-go projects — and further streamline approvals for garden suites, laneway housing and basement apartments. The Tories will not mandate as-of-right four-plexes across Ontario despite calls from Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie to do so in the name of “gentle density.”  Bonnie Crombie calls new legislation a ““a random grab-bag of small-ball measures”. Crombie blasted the legislation as “a random grab-bag of small-ball measures the Ford government could have done years ago if they were serious about building housing.” NDP Leader Marit Stiles said it was “a weak bill from a government lacking in the bold vision and leadership that is needed in order to do what they should have done years ago: build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.” Green Leader Mike Schreiner said “with this bill, the Ford government is effectively admitting defeat after five years of housing failures.” The Act includes amendments to the provincial building code to promote mass timber buildings, which are faster and cheaper to build, and modernize Ontario’s standards to be more in line with national construction codes. Currently, only 12-storey “advanced wood” buildings are permitted, but that will change to 18 floors.  NDP Leader Marit Stiles said it was “a weak bill from a government lacking in the bold vision and leadership that is needed in order to do what they should have done years ago. The province will also allow cities to revamp development charges on condos and many other projects by eliminating a previous five-year phase-in of hikes; as of June 1 there will finally be exemptions from or discounts of such fees for builders of affordable housing. These are designed to spur construction and increase revenues to municipalities that had been concerned about previous Tory moves. Calandra told reporters the government has “listened to our municipal partners” and will ensure civic revenues aren’t affected by the changes to development charges. In what is seen as a bid to curb NIMBYism, the government will be “limiting third-party appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal” to get quicker approvals for housing. Some 67,000 housing units, which began being built between 2021 and last year, are being thwarted by third-party appeals of official plans and rezoning. The proposed changes would also allow proponents to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal when a municipality refuses an application or does not make a decision on a settlement boundary change outside the Greenbelt area, ensuring that decisions over boundary changes are subject to an independent and neutral process. Ontario’s 23 publicly funded universities will join colleges in being exempted from Planning Act restrictions when it comes to building student housing on campuses and on land they own elsewhere. All universities and colleges will be required to improve accessibility to student housing.  None of the people named in various public documents have been interviewed yet by the RCMP The legislation arrives on the six-month anniversary of the RCMP launching a criminal probe of the $8.28-building Greenbelt land swap scandal comes as the Tories risk missing their target of 1.5 million new homes by 2031. The government needs to build an average of 150,000 new homes annually to meet its goal. 110,000 were built in 2023, 73% of what’s needed each year.
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