 By Pepper Parr
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Bruce Leigh is a frequent commenter on the Gazette.
He recently said the following in response to an article we published on an individual who was expressing an interest in running for office. A link to that article appears below.
You quote a potential maybe candidate as saying:-
“I do think – as I said in our meeting – that our Representative Democracy is meant to elect representatives, not leaders.”
That was the original concept of our democracy. But with the advent of party politics at federal and provincial government levels the elected representative is above all chosen because of the party’s policy platform and so must toe that line whether or not the constituents like it or not
At municipal government level the councilor is the true representative not being party affiliated. The Mayor is the elected leader.
 Kearns. “She does not take up fights on behalf of constituents if they do not align with her beliefs or more importantly to her, with her career path.” I tend to agree with your maybe potential candidate in the case of Ward 2 Councilor Lisa Kearns. She does not take up fights on behalf of constituents if they do not align with her beliefs or more importantly to her, with her career path.
How representative is Focus Burlington of the city’s 190,000 residents? How many residents are signed up as members of Focus Burlington?
Just because a few residents get together and form a group and then become noisy that does not make them representative of residents as a whole. It’s noise should be no more valuable than a single individual’s noise.
In the article underneath a photo, there’s a caption that says “Delegations don’t feel they are heard”.
That feeling is probably there because the vibe coming back from City Council is that they’re doing what they are required to do (i.e listen to residents’ delegations) and then they will do what they want to do.
 Delegates feel they have a valid argument or position and when it is not accepted they get upset and say they are not being heard. But also delegates are like most humans. They feel they have a valid argument or position and when it is not accepted they get upset and say they are not being heard. Just because you or I get up and make a delegation which is then not accepted or acted up on by Council does not necessarily mean Council did not hear us.
Wayne’s comment here exemplifies this. “Note that when citizens speak up and see little to no adjustment from City Hall, apathy sets in.” Just because you take and voice an opinion does not make it the right position nor are you necessarily representative of the majority of residents
Wayne, you have options. Stand to be elected for office, or volunteer to work for someone standing that you can support,
Sharon, you want MMW and a majority of Council replaced. Easy to say. Have you identified who you would replace them with? Are you going to stand for election?
Standing on the sidelines whining is not an option if you really want to make change happen.
If the 2026 election turnout is a repeat of the 2022 election (26%) and the majority of Councilors are re-elected it would seem to say residents are not as bothered by decisions made at City Hall as you are.
Newslink:
The people we elect
By Gazette Staff
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Former Halton District School Board Chair Andréa Grebenc is warning that recent signals from Education Minister Paul Calandra and the Premier about removing elected school board trustees would silence community voices, weaken accountability, and widen the opening for inequities and privatization in Ontario’s education system.
“Trustees are not ceremonial figures,” said Grebenc, who served eight years as trustee and four as chair. “They are elected officials with legislated responsibilities under Ontario’s Education Act — responsibilities that directly affect students every day.”
Trustees’ core duties include prioritizing student achievement and well-being, developing and monitoring policies, exercising fiduciary and resource stewardship, overseeing the Director of Education, representing and communicating with their communities, and serving on mandatory committees such as Special Education and Audit.
“These responsibilities translate into real decisions — from ensuring resources reach children with special needs, to holding boards accountable through audits, to shaping policies that reflect local community values,” Grebenc added.
Trustees Hold Governments Accountable
Trustees have repeatedly brought forward community voices when government announcements lacked evidence. In 2019, Halton trustees raised alarms about the government’s plan to move 25,000 children with autism into public schools with almost no notice and no resources. Their advocacy sparked protests and forced the province to back down.
That same year, when the province proposed larger class sizes and mandatory eLearning, Halton trustees organized one of the largest community consultations in Ontario. Nearly 7,000 parents responded, overwhelmingly rejecting the plan. The report was cited in Question Period, and the government scaled back its proposals.
“This is a clear pattern,” said Grebenc. “The province makes sweeping changes without evidence, and trustees are the ones who analyze the local impact on schools, student achievement, and well-being. Without trustees, these changes go unchallenged.”
Concerns About Unelected Supervisors
Grebenc also raised concerns about unelected supervisors appointed by the province to oversee boards.
 Andrea Grebenc: “Education is a government service meant to be comprehensive, effective, and equitable.” “The supervisors currently in place overwhelmingly come from financial and legal backgrounds, not education. They are paid exorbitant amounts, yet deliver no clear outcomes or benefits over the democratic system already in place,” said Grebenc. “Education is a government service meant to be comprehensive, effective, and equitable. With a calculated 30 per cent return on investment, weakening the system through political appointments should concern every Ontarian.”
Trustees Defend Communities
Trustees are often the most effective line of defence against short-sighted provincial priorities. The province has already shown interest in selling off prime school land to developers without considering long-term needs.
“Eliminating trustees would not solve Ontario’s education challenges,” said Grebenc. “It would silence local voices, weaken accountability, and turn schools into political assets rather than places of learning. Trustees fight for students, families, and communities. Without them, public education would lose its vital connection to the people it is meant to serve.”
We will be interviewing Grebenc later today. When she was Chair of the HDSB she was very effective.
 By Pepper Parr
September 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Students in the Region of Halton return to classes tomorrow.
Today, the teachers are working on a Professional Development day.
The Halton Wentworth (Hamilton) students returned to class today.
I’ve never understood why teachers take time at this critical point in the school year – but they do.
Attached to this article is the school calendar for the HDSB.
In August, we published a piece from Brock University on the bullying we are seeing in schools. There is a link to that article.
  The students in our schools face a much different social environment and challenges that didn’t exist a decade ago.
Parents now need to look for signs that their children are facing new and different pressures.
Social media has changed the way they interact with each other. It is now so terribly easy for one child to hurt another with words they type out.
The academics have taught us how to recognize the signs – use what we have been taught.
It is more important now than ever before that we keep ourselves open to our children; listen to them, let them know that you are there as a parent.
I often hear parents say “My child is one of my best friends” – children have dozens of friends – they have just the two parents. Be a parent first.
Links:
School calendar
Brock University on how to combat bullying
 By Ray Rivers
September 2, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Mark Carney never actually promised that he’d get rid of Trump’s tariffs. He said he’d deal with Trump and build Canada-strong but he knew that Trump was determined to apply tariffs on all of America’s trading partners. And Carney has conceded that some level of American tariffs on Canadian goods and services is inevitable.
He also knows that coping with this massive trade disruption we’re experiencing is going to be challenging. And it may be even worse next year. The USMCA agreement which still allows Canada to export most goods tariff-free expires next year. And given the US president’s feelings about tariff-free trade, the chances of a renewal are slim.
 The choice of re-building our economy or becoming the 51st state. So it is up to us to reinvent the Canadian economy, turning the clock back to a time when Canada was largely self sufficient in how we earned our livelihood. Those would be the days we made things like white goods, guitars and pianos, textiles and leather clothing. Those were the days before we allowed Brian Mulroney and subsequent political leaders to sell us out to the Americans. And now we face the inevitable – the choice of re-building our economy or become the 51st state. There was a reason why Trump used that phrase.
If tariffs are good for big economies, like the USA, they are even more important for the sustainability and perseverance of their smaller neighbours, like Canada. In fact, as Mr. Trump will find out eventually, big economies benefit even more from greater access to international markets. But that door is rapidly closing for him as he alienates his allies and friends,
 Realigning the Canadian economy is going to take time. We will be a stronger, more independent nation. Carney’s decision to take down most of the retaliatory tariffs is a recognition that, with a few exceptions, they dampen economic activity in the short run. It’ll take time for the result of policies geared towards import substitution to kick in. In the meantime Carney’s job is to stick-handle the economy and the tenuous relationship he has with Mr. Trump.
Leader of the opposition, Mr. Poilievre, has voiced his concern that it looks like retreat. And our PM has made significant concessions to American negotiators in the hope of getting a deal in Canada’s favour. His plan is to cooperate rather than resist. But the puck is still on the ice. Elbows up.
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background link:
Carney
 By Laura Fuerte
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 The situation is workable sometimes, but messy. Since single-event wagering got the green light in 2021, the market has shifted fast—maybe faster than regulators planned for. What looked like a simple yes to betting turned into a maze of provincial rules, fees, and enforcement styles that don’t always match. Some provinces opened doors. Others kept the locks on. International platforms are left threading a needle between licenses, gray zones, and gaps in national policy. The situation is workable sometimes, but messy.
Provincial licensing: the operational maze
 Did the paperwork, paid the checks, and got in. Not cheaply, and not casually. Here’s the crux: every province plays by its book. Different taxes, different audits, different “do this, not that.” Ontario is the clear outlier with a structured, open program for private operators. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM—names you’d expect—did the paperwork, paid the checks, and got in. Not cheaply, and not casually.
Elsewhere, the approach is entirely unique. British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec—government-run platforms rule the roost, such as PlayNow and Espacejeux. This forces a choice for sport betting canada operators: try for limited, pricey licenses where they exist, or risk the awkward “is this allowed?” lane in provinces without them. Getting coverage across the whole country requires managing several playbooks at once.
Gray market use and uneven enforcement
Plenty of Canadians still click into offshore sites. The legality of these sites varies depending on who you ask. They’re not explicitly authorized by provinces, and federal rules are not exactly crystal clear either. Some regulators push hard. Others appear to have bigger worries.
That limbo cuts both ways. Players may get weak consumer protections or no real dispute process. If money vanishes, getting help is difficult. Operators, on the other hand, may face reputational hits and possible penalties later—even if enforcement today feels light. It’s a risk calculation, not a free pass.
Consumer protection isn’t one-size-fits-all
 Without a single national standard, safety rules jump around. Ontario leans heavy on responsible gambling tools, audits, and clear disclosures. Other provinces, especially where government platforms dominate, may apply a simpler set of checks—some would say too simple. The result is that international platforms end up building different versions of the same product just to stay compliant.
Age checks add to the complications. In some provinces it’s 18, in others 19; cooling-off periods and deposit limits also shift by province. That means duplicate systems, more cost, and fewer economies of scale than operators might expect in a unified market. This is annoying. For now, it is necessary.
Sports integrity
On match-fixing and integrity, Canada mostly relies on general fraud and conspiracy laws. That likely covers many scenarios, but not all, and it leaves operators guessing where the hard lines are. Compared with places that spell out sports bribery and data misuse in detail, Canada is lighter on specifics.
So platforms build their own playbooks: data monitoring, suspicious bet alerts, cooperation with leagues. This approach works to a point. Lower-tier events and cross-border competitions are trickier, where the signals are fuzzier and oversight changes. The lack of a uniform standard makes “good enough” hard to define.
 Advertising:these can change from province to province and, occasionally, mid-season. Marketing rules and age checks: moving targets
Advertising is another patchwork. Celebrity endorsements, bonus offers, placement rules—these can change from province to province and, occasionally, mid-season. Brands trying to grow quickly may find themselves rewriting campaigns more than they expected. Verification follows the same pattern. Different legal ages, different proof, different timelines. The tech can handle it, but seamless onboarding takes a hit when every region tweaks the checklist. Now, many apps are available on both Android and iOS.
 The entire industry is regulated by provincial authorities in Canada, adding layers of complexity to the compliance process. What this all adds up to
International sportsbooks can succeed in Canada, but the road isn’t straight. Ontario offers a clear door; several other provinces keep it mostly shut. Gray-market usage lingers, enforcement is uneven, and integrity rules could be sharper. For now, the pragmatic path is careful compliance planning, province by province, with a willingness to adapt as the rules shift. This situation is not ideal. With patience and a good legal team, it is probably survivable. The entire industry is regulated by provincial authorities in Canada, adding layers of complexity to the compliance process.
 By Pepper Parr
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever the ADI Development Group is in the news, it usually isn’t a pretty story.
 Early rendering of Nautique, an ADI development. This time, it was a court case that they won. They are permitted to buy out their partner, Morgan Investments Group Inc. (MIG)
MIG partnered with ADI to get the Nautique, a development through the final stages of development at Lakeshore Road and Martha.
That development was a pivotal item that resulted in high rise towers being developed south of Fairview in the city.
Denise Baker, a lawyer with one of the best law firms in the development business convinced the then OMB that a transit station on John Street was part of a transit system that was needed to justify a high rise tower. The transit station was not much more than a transfer point where passengers could transfer from one bus line to another and purchase bus tickets. The city has since closed the station and will, at some point in the near probably, tear it down.
Baker did a superb job – my only regret was that I wasn’t in the room to hear her plead the case.
The Nautique decision was one of the events that brought an end to Rick Goldring serving as Mayor.
 The development ran into every possible problem: the pandemic didn’t help. A Superior Court Judge recently ruled that Adi Development Group can buy out its business partner on Burlington’s Nautique waterfront condo, for about $18.4 million. It was a bitter battle for control of the site.
The Morgan Investments Group Inc., an investment firm led by Nigel Morgan, and Adi Development Group, led by Tariq Adi, came together in 2014 to build the 25-storey, 254-unit project.
Unit sales did not go particularly well.
The project also made headlines in late 2022.
 The early marketing included prices that will not, if ever, be seen again. After complaints from buyers that they were asked to pay more than they originally agreed for units, and told they would have their purchase agreements cancelled if they refused, Adi Morgan Development Group (Lakeshore) Inc. paid a $60,000 penalty and $2.6 million to purchasers as part of a settlement with the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA).
The dispute landed in civil court earlier this month, with the two parties disagreeing even on whether the project was completely finished, and each one looking to buy out the other and end the relationship.
The parties were deadlocked and unable to make decisions on, among other things, the price of the remaining 54 unsold units. The building faced COVID delays and then the collapse of the condo market. Morgan’s camp thought the units were overpriced, Adi’s said they had responded to the market with a good pricing strategy.
 The ADI brothers. They were new to Burlington in 2000. Their first development on Guelph Line was a low-rise structure that proved to be popular. Morgan’s legal team had asked for a “shotgun” sale, a mechanism where one or more of the shareholders buys out the shares of another. Morgan had also wanted to see Adi replaced as the exclusive listing agent, and to add a third board member.
In the August 27th decision, Justice William Black ruled that Adi could buy out Morgan, for about $18.4 million.
The justice found there was oppression on both sides, a legal term that basically means they were unfair to each other — Adi said Morgan bought out a loan without his knowledge to gain the upper hand, and Morgan said Adi did not share enough financial information and decision-making with him.
“This was a just outcome and a spectacular victory for us,” said Justin Nasseri, one of Adi’s lawyers. “ADI has steered the ship to safety. Its focus will be on homeowners and customers and delivering value to them while we sell the balance of the units,” he added.
Morgan Investment Group declined to provide a comment on the decision.
On the justice’s finding of oppression, Nasseri said Adi “acted in good faith and ethically at all times.”
The unravelling of the relationship in court offered a glimpse behind the scenes into the tough conversations developers are having across the GTA, as the condo market falters.
The Toronto-area average condo price dropped to $615,000 in July, the lowest in four years.
By Gazette Staff
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on those Canada is Not for Sale toques and hats.
 The politicians were handing them out like candy. The political party leaned into the theme during the last provincial election. At many photo ops during the winter campaign, PC politicians wore tuques with the slogan and handed them out like candy.
It tied into the party’s political pitch: voters must “Protect Ontario” by re-electing the PCs to fight U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs.
 Doug Ford loved the hats – seldom seen without one on his head. According to newly public election finance filings, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario paid $278,910.71 to the company behind the hats, Jackpine Dynamic Branding, during the campaign period.
The party also transferred over 600 tuques, bought for $23.19 each before the election, to the campaign.
It obviously worked. Doug Ford is the Premier and the RCMP seem to have lost interest in the Greenbelt scandals
 By Pepper Parr
September 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Development seems to always been an issue in Burlington,
“Council doesn’t listen to us” is something heard almost daily
“And we certainly don’t want THAT” is heard just as often.
“We want what Brant Street was five years ago.”
“And everything we don’t want goes to the Ontario Land Tribunal, where the city loses because we don’t hire the really good lawyers.”
I was combing through the Gazette archives last night looking for a specific picture a reader had asked for and came across this article about a meeting that took place in September of 2024.
There was a public meeting at which a development proposal was introduced. It was a short meeting held in a room that wasn’t very big. The reaction seen in the photographs tells the story. The developer didn’t show the visuals again.
It does show that developers do listen to what the public thinks.
 The development was something the public had not seen before – and they didn’t like what was being displayed. It was shown just the once at a community centre.  Representatives had difficulty getting their plans across to people. The size of the proposal was beyond what anyone who attended the meeting was prepared to even consider.  Some people were stunned at what the developer was proposing.  Mayor Meed Ward listened to an upset constituent.  There was nothing about the development proposal that anyone liked.
By Pepper Parr
August 31st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
“That idea that you don’t have an obligation to come into the office very often, that’s pretty much gone,” said Iain Dobson, co-founder of the Strategic Regional Research Alliance (SRRA) — suggesting work-from-home no longer defines most people’s “new normal.”
Dobson added that: “There’ll be very few people who work completely remotely.”
That might be the situation in Toronto, where the banks and large corporations take up a lot of the office space. The situation is not the same in the smaller cities
Traffic congestion in Toronto is almost impossible; not much better in parts of Burlington.
 Service Burlington department at City Hall The employers with production schedules haven’t changed who comes to work and who doesn’t. If you want to be paid – you show up.
The city has a policy that defines some jobs as “in the office every day” unless your job takes you out of the office.
Some jobs are split between in and out of city hall
And some jobs can be done from almost any location – and the city lets people work from home. We are aware of several people in the finance sector who seldom get to City Hall – they can do their work from a home office.
Does policy impact the level of service the public gets? There are departments that serve the city very well; there are some that need improvement. Service Burlington has never really worked. The people managing the telephones don’t have the training needed to be able to answer all the questions. The Region has the same problem; the police – they are a bit better.
City Hall is not the pleasant place it used to be. Walk in today, and you are faced with a large, open and for the most part vacant space. Sterile is the word that comes to my mind. There are people behind glass walls. Sometimes there is a security guard.
In a conversation with an individual who understands municipal government, I was told that when he went to the Service Burlington counter, the Clerk could not tell him who the City Manager was – we call the city Manager the CAO.
There was a time when it was different. The pictures below show City Hall staff taking part in a United Way fundraising event.
 City Hall staff pull a truck during a United Way fundraising event.  Clerks give everyone that funny look all the time – and take best costume prize during the 2011 United Way fundraising event. The culture, the tone, the values, and the commitment to serving the public is set by the City Manager. One of the problems with Burlington is that City Managers don’t stick around for very long.
Tim Dobbie was the City Manager for more than a decade. He knew every staff member by name; they understood what he expected and tended to deliver most of the time.
Curt Benson now serves as the CAO who manages the city. We know he will be in place until the 2026 municipal election.
After that, the new Council will decide if they want him to continue.
Benson is a decent bureaucrat. A planner by training, I’ve never seen him skirt an issue or give a fuzzy answer. I’ve heard him say, on more than one occasion: “We will try”
He doesn’t pontificate; usually has the answers in front of him. He prepares for his meetings.
Is a top-notch planner. Can he evolve into a City Manager?
Let us hope so.
By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Developing emotional awareness early in life is essential for healthy development.
Research shows that learning emotional regulation in childhood lays a foundation for long-term well-being and contributes to stable relationships, academic success and reduced behavioural issues.
Interested? Get in touch with the folks at Eagles Nest – 905-689-8721
They are hosting an Open House on September 7th, 2025
 By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
On Sunday September 7, 1:00 pm, LANA BUTTON introduces One Can at A Different Drummer Books – 513 Locust Street Burlington
Admission Free
Our brilliant friend Lana Button, award-winning creator of delightful stories to help young people learn, visits us with her new picture book, written in collaboration with Eric Walters and illustrator Isabelle Malenfant, a moving story of community and helping families in need, One Can.
 “The text is finely tuned to a child’s understanding…the focus is on considering what the recipient needs, and what we can give. A perfectly calibrated introduction to the concept of economic differences.” —Kirkus Reviews
By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is pleased to announce the phased opening of the Robert Bateman Community Centre, a transformative multi-use facility that will serve as a vibrant hub for education, recreation, and community engagement.
This September, Brock University will officially welcome students to a dynamic learning environment at its Burlington Campus. This marks a major milestone in the evolution of the City’s largest facility.
Additional key milestones include:
 Library portion of the Bateman Centre will open during September. September: The gymnasiums be available to both Brock University students and the broader community until those renovations begin, with the goal of minimizing disruption to community access.
Sept. 15: Burlington Public Library opens its relocated New Appleby Branch, featuring a large collection of materials to borrow, comfortable seating, soundproof digital media studios, bookable meeting rooms, and an engaging children’s area.
Nov. 24: TechPlace to open and offer services.
Fall 2025: Halton District School Board is expected to take occupancy.
Late 2025 to Early 2026: City staff will present a comprehensive report to Council detailing proposed options and timelines for Phase 2 of the Robert Bateman Community Centre renovations. This next phase will focus on completing the remaining indoor areas and developing the outdoor spaces surrounding the facility.
A grand opening celebration for the Robert Bateman Community Centre is being planned for early 2026. Once details are confirmed, invitations will be extended to Burlington residents and community partners to join in marking this exciting milestone.
In the meantime, only portions of the facility that are actively offering services are open to the public. Other areas remain closed as work continues. For safety reasons, access to these sections is restricted to authorized personnel, including construction crews and City staff.
The City just can’t stop patting itself on the back for a development that was almost as costly as the Pier. The historical timeline on this one:
 Aerial view of Bateman as a High School. Track and sports field became a parking lot. 2017 – the Board of Education considers closing two high schools in Burlington.
2020 – June 30 – Bateman High School closes.
2021 – June – The school board declared Bateman as surplus.
2021 – June 23 – Burlington issues a press release:
City of Burlington to submit expression of interest to purchase surplus Bateman High School site; partner with Brock University – City of Burlington
2021 – December 14 – Council approved $3 million for a preliminary design
There was no mention of a total project cost at that time. The 2021 Engagement Matters report stated: “Preliminary engagement has occurred with key stakeholders and partners. As part of the scope of work outlined in the RFP, a public engagement plan will be developed and delivered in the future as a fundamental component of the environmental, preliminary design, and architectural and engineering services.”
The city did not present a public engagement plan until after the contract for Phase One was issued.
2022 – April – Councilor Shawna Stolte is sanctioned for stating, in late 2021, “the reality is that the final cost will be well above $50M.” Councilor Stolte lost a week’s pay.
2022 – May – Burlington starts public engagement on the Bateman project without presenting costs or the need for additional parking. The video is available here: https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool/widgets/149117/videos/10649
2022 – October 26th – Municipal elections are held across Ontario. Every member of Council was returned to office in the 2022 municipal election.
2022 – November 22 – The city announces a land swap, plus $7.9 million, with the Board of Education and Burlington acquires the Bateman property. https://www.burlington.ca/en/news/city-of-burlington-completes-deal-to-purchase-robert-bateman-high-school.aspx
2022 – November 25 – The city announces the cost is now over $72 million. https://www.burlington.ca/en/news/redesign-adaptive-re-use-and-costing-plan-proposed-for-former-robert-bateman-high-school-building.aspx
While there are many unusual aspects to the Bateman project one that stands out is that before the election there was no mention of the building containing asbestos, apparently, this was public knowledge. After the election, information started to appear about the true cost of the renovation. The project is on track to cost over $100 million. Much of the renovated building will be leased by Brock University and the Haltech Regional Innovation Centre.
John Best, publisher of the Bay Observer said: “I submit that the city engaged in deliberate obfuscation of the financial scope of the project, as they engaged in public consultation. Indeed, those members of the public who participated in surveys and town halls had no idea for what they were actually providing buy-in, making the public consultation piece a sham“.
Ombudsman unable to rule on council’s handling of Bateman
By Gazette Staff
August 30, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Republished from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Each generation has learned to figure out the dominant media of its time. Boomers learned to decode TV advertising. Gen X questioned the news. Millennials fact-checked viral posts. Gen Z learned how to spot inauthentic influencer branding.
Gen Alpha – individuals born after 2010 – is facing something unprecedented.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how content is created and shared, and young people today must learn to distinguish what is real. Today’s children are surrounded by content that looks and sounds real, yet is entirely generated by AI.
 A visitor experiences a real-time AI-generated video during the Premier Conference & Exhibition on Computer Graphics & Interactive in Vancouver Aug. 12, 2025. Liang Sen/Xinhua via ZUMA Press A new literacy challenge: When fake looks too real
The pace and realism of artificial intelligence are accelerating. Tools like Google Veo 3, for example, can generate high-resolution photorealistic videos with striking accuracy all from a single text prompt. The results can resemble anything from casual street interviews to reimagined historical events. The lighting is natural, the gestures eerily lifelike and the pacing believable. Earlier digital fakes were easier to identify with obvious signs like visual glitches or awkward animation. Now those visual giveaways are becoming harder to spot. Members of Gen Alpha, at an age when they are least equipped to assess what’s on their screens, are growing up with content realistic enough to trick experts.
This isn’t the same as watching a CGI (computer-generated imagery) live-action Disney remake or playing a hyper-realistic video game. It’s true that children can sometimes confuse fantasy with reality. But by the time they are five or six, they typically understand that content defying basic logic — like talking mammals or magic spells — is imaginary. These cues help their developing minds separate fiction from fact.
Children’s reasoning becomes more refined between the ages of seven and eight. They start applying a mix of logic, context, personal experience and trusted input from others to what they see, although it is still inconsistent. But just as that ability sharpens, AI-generated content removes the very cues they rely on.
It mimics the look and feel of real footage, can imitate the voices or appearances of trusted people and blends seamlessly into their feed in between YouTube videos and TikTok clips. Since children’s ability to evaluate media is still developing, this level of realism makes it harder for them to tell if they are watching a person or a program pretending to be one.
And it’s not just children. Many adults sometimes struggle to tell the difference, especially when content looks credible. Even when it is labelled as AI-generated, the small display warnings are often missed, misunderstood or ignored by viewers.
The effects become harder to ignore as Gen Alpha continues using this content to form an understanding of the world. This past June, Alberta police issued a provincewide warning after Cybertip.ca reported nearly 4,000 sexually explicit AI-generated deepfake images and videos of youth between 2023 and 2024. This has raised concerns about how AI is being used to exploit and harass young people.
The same advances making video generation more accessible are also driving its misuse in exploitative and deceptive ways. Children are encountering misinformation as well as faulty AI-generated “educational” science, history and current events videos. Research shows that when teenagers lack the tools to evaluate digital information, it limits how they participate, learn and make informed decisions online.
These gaps in digital competence are tied to educational and civic outcomes, such as school performance, access to online opportunities, as well as political and societal participation. These disparities may persist without digital literacy in schools, parental guidance at home and clearer safeguards from platforms.
Building AI literacy where kids learn and live
Addressing these challenges requires action across multiple fronts. Provinces and schools boards in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have begun piloting AI education initiatives. However, there is no consistency across jurisdictions, nor is there a unified framework to support teachers, guide parents and ensure that students develop the ability to understand, evaluate and use AI responsibly throughout Grades K-12.
In most classrooms, AI digital literacy remains optional, fragmented or absent altogether. School boards offer professional development, but teachers note that concerns about AI can’t be meaningful addressed in the limited time provided. A national survey commissioned by the organization Actua showed that less than half (48 per cent) of educators interviewed felt equipped to use AI tools in the classroom.
Some 46 per cent felt confident teaching responsible AI use and 42 per cent felt ready to teach students how to use artificial intelligence effectively.
School librarians have raised similar concerns. They point out that many students lack the foundational skills to critically assess AI-generated content, even as smart tools become more integrated into learning environments.
Globally, a 2023 review of AI literacy efforts found that most programs neither assess what students actually understand nor give much attention to the broader socioeconomic consequences of poorly applied machine learning. Without structured support and dedicated training, the responsibility falls unevenly across schools and classrooms. This leads to inconsistent learning conditions and widens existing gaps in AI literacy.
The burden on parents is just as heavy. They are expected to manage children’s exposure to increasingly advanced AI tools that generate voices, images and videos. At the same time, they must evaluate and consent to a growing number of apps and devices that collect their children’s data. Yet many parents lack the knowledge, tools or guidance needed to make informed choices. Before expecting parents to help children use AI wisely, we need to give adults the resources and confidence to understand it first.
Towards a more equitable AI future
Co-ordinated national efforts are needed to ensure all schools have access to trained educators, inclusive AI curriculums and the digital infrastructure for equal learning opportunities in classrooms and at home. AI tools like writing assistants or text-to-speech programs can support learning and improve accessibility for students with different needs. But those benefits only matter if children understand how the tools work and can judge the reliability of the information they produce.
The groundwork for a stronger, more cohesive countrywide approach to AI literacy for youth should include:
- A national K-12 AI strategy that aligns provincial efforts and ensures consistent instruction across provinces.
- Required AI training for teachers entering the profession and as part of ongoing professional development to give educators the skills needed to use AI in the classroom confidently and responsibly.
- Lessons on deepfakes, evaluation of AI-generated media and principles of data rights and consent as part of AI literacy education taught at age-appropriate levels throughout Grades K-12.
- Expanded access for families to bilingual AI literacy resources that contain clear, plain-language guidance to help parents support their children’s use of AI at home and complements what children are learning in school.
- Clearer and consistent labels on AI-generated content — including deepfakes — across digital platforms to support transparency and young users’ awareness.
The digital world is changing quickly. If Canada wants the next generation to grow up informed, capable and confident in what it sees, AI literacy must become a priority. The longer we wait the harder it becomes to teach what should have been learned from the start.
By Gazette Staff
August 30th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The demolition of the block bound by James Street on the north, John Street on the east, Brant Street on the west and the parking lot on the south is in the process of being torn down. A 17 storey tower will be built, making it the second tower that will face City Hall.
Things are going to be dusty in the downtown core as the wooden buildings get pulled apart.
 Fencing along the Brant street (west side) of the city block.  Northern boundary (James Street) of the city block.  John Street (east side) of the property  Kelly’s Bake Shop marks the southern boundary. They took part of the sign with them – expect to see it repurposed at their new location further north on Brant Street. Back hoes will be tearing down all the buildings. Trucks will cart away cinder blocks, wood, piping – all the material that went into putting the buildings in place decades ago. The truck traffic will be on John Street and not Brant Street.
 Demolition rubble will be trucked away during the next month. City Hall can be seen in the background.  The structure on the left used to be a jewellery shop.
By Gazette Staff
August 29th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
As kids prepare for a return to class, Brock University Professor of Child and Youth Studies Tony Volk says it’s important to stop bullying early.
 Brock Research on Aggression and Victimization Experiences (BRAVE) “We know that bullying tends to kick in almost immediately, with bullying relationships usually starting within the first few weeks of school and past relationships sometimes carrying on into the new school year,” says Volk, a developmental scientist and member of the Brock Research on Aggression and Victimization Experiences (BRAVE) group. “One of the main reasons why bullies bully is for popularity and reputation — and they want that starting on day one.”
He says September is an important time for educators to make statements and enact policies to prevent bullying.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure because once bullying behaviour is established, the stakes are higher and it’s harder to prevent,” he says.
With new data showing an uptick in violence in Ontario schools, Volk says dedicating resources to anti-bullying behaviours early and intentionally can be a key way to positively impact outcomes.
 For students who are the victim of bullying behaviour, Volk recommends seeking support as soon as possible, confiding in either a trusted teacher, parent or classmate. Data collected by Volk’s team shows the increase being seen provincially isn’t universal, however, suggesting that with the right focus and resources, some school boards seem to be able to buck this trend.
For students who are the victim of bullying behaviour, Volk recommends seeking support as soon as possible, confiding in either a trusted teacher, parent or classmate.
Finding a group to connect with — whether online, an in-person club or an extracurricular group — also comes with its benefits, creating a circle of support. Students may also consider removing themselves from spaces where they may encounter their bully, taking courses at different times throughout the year and avoiding run-ins in the halls.
“That kind of mobility can be a way of diffusing the situation,” Volk says.
It’s also important for victims not to blame themselves or see the fact that they were targeted by a bully as a reflection of a flaw within themselves, he says.
“Bullying is often strangely impersonal. The target often doesn’t matter, and the bully is just using them to make a point.”
He also stresses that “fighting back” is often not the best approach to stop bullying.
“It’s the best way to stop it and it’s the best way to make it worse, so it’s really a risky strategy,” Volk says. “The reason why we don’t emphasize confrontation is because bullying is a power imbalance. So, we’re really looking for solutions that don’t require the victim to have to overcome the power balance by themselves.”
Volk encourages parents, teachers and students to have early and frequent conversations around bullying.
Parents can also watch out for signs that point to a problem.
“You want to look for either a change or continuation of not wanting to go to school or not feeling well — those are the two easiest signs,” he says. “If they start off enthusiastic and then that drops off quickly, that’s a sign that something has gone wrong. This is the time to catch it and nip it in the bud if you can.”
 “You want to look for either a change or continuation of not wanting to go to school or not feeling well.” For parents who suspect their child may be bullying others, it’s key to appeal to their desires for power and popularity — frequent motivations for these actions — while showing that kindness is more effective than coercion, Volk says.
“Some kids have a real drive for recognition. They want to be the centre of attention. They want that social visibility — and they’re potentially willing to bully to get it,” he says. “But if we help them understand you can get that power and be liked, even gaining more ground through kindness, then you’ve created a more pro-social peer structure.”
Both adults and kids value strength and kindness, Volk says.
“You see this with the great leaders of the 20th century who were powerful and strong but also able to make alliances, working and co-operating with others,” he says. “Teaching these skills to youth in our schools will foster kindness in the next generation.”
By Gazette Staff
August 29th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario NDP Shadow Minister of Education Chandra Pasma made the following statement in response to Ford’s education minister’s comments on Newstalk 1010 about eliminating school board trustees by the end of the year:
“The mask is off. The Minister has made clear he is ready and willing to move quickly to cut parents and communities out from being able to have a say in their children’s education.
“Families deserve accountable, local representation who know their communities and who can stand up for students and parents. This dangerous power grab by Doug Ford and Paul Calandra will mean that parents have nowhere to turn but an out-of-touch minister at Queen’s Park or inexperienced political insiders who don’t have our kids’ best interests in mind.
“What we see in Quebec and Nova Scotia should be a warning sign. Ontario families can’t afford to lose this crucial voice in their education system.
“The Ford government needs to stop this reckless plan before it causes irreparable damage to our schools, our communities, and our children’s future.”
FACT CHECK
 Minister of Education will shut down school boards if they are convinced they can get away with it – and at this point, it looks as if they will. MINISTER’S CLAIM: The Ford government is providing record funding for education.
FACT: Education funding under this government has not kept pace with inflation or enrollment growth. Schools are receiving less funding per student this year than they did in 2018-19 when adjusted for inflation. The total shortfall under this government amounts to $6.3 billion.
MINISTER’S CLAIM: The vast majority of boards across the province are running surpluses.
FACT: The Ministry of Education’s own documents show that 40% of school boards are running a deficit and that the number of boards in deficit is growing under the Conservatives.
MINISTER’S CLAIM: The Minister wants to refocus Professional Development days on helping teachers teach.
FACT: The Minister just imposed a new requirement that all teachers in the province spend a day of Professional Development learning about School Resource Officer programs, whether such a program exists in their board or not.
MINISTER’S CLAIM: Teacher shortages are the result of teacher absenteeism.
FACT: The Ministry of Education’s own documents report that teacher shortages are the result of a growing gap between teacher retirements and student enrollment. WSIB data also shows that injury claims from educators are increasing year over year as rates of violence in our schools are growing.
By Gazette Staff
August 29th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Saturday schedule for September 1st. On Monday, September 1, GO Transit will be running a Saturday schedule.
Customers are encouraged to check schedules and plan their trip before travelling.
To make the most of your travel, take advantage of the $10 GO holiday/weekend pass.
You can take GO wherever you want, on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
Riders can also transfer for free with One Fare between GO Transit and most local transit systems, including the TTC.
By Gazette Staff
August 29th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is inviting residents to the grand opening celebration of the newly built Skyway Community Centre and Park on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 129 Kenwood Ave.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will officially open the state-of-the-art facility with a “first puck drop” and public art unveiling, kicking off free, family-friendly activities.
In the media release there isn’t a single word on how much has been spent and how much has been borrowed to open this site. Transparency and accountability took a hit in this announcement.
 Artistic rendering of the soon-to-be-opened Skyway Community Centre Opening Day Highlights:
Skyway Community Centre
The new Skyway Community Centre is one of the largest and most environmentally advanced projects in Burlington’s history. The 47,000-square-foot facility features:
- An NHL-size ice pad
- A multi-use indoor track
- Two community rooms with kitchenettes for programs, meetings, and pickleball
- Energy-efficient systems, including geothermal heating and a fully electric, zero-emission ice resurfacer, thanks to a $1 million investment from the Government of Canada through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.
- A public art installation celebrating the community’s identity
Skyway Park includes:
- A 275-foot baseball diamond with bleachers and dugouts
- A natural playground with wood play features
- Accessible pathways and shaded gathering areas
Public Art
 It represents melting icebergs to echo the climate’s distress call. A new public art piece, Ephemeral Reverie by Xiaojing Yan, will be unveiled at Skyway. This art installation is crafted from different hues of coloured concrete. It represents melting icebergs to echo the climate’s distress call. This piece is meant to ignite discussions on our planet’s environmental challenges and our shared responsibility to act.
The sculptures are made from eco-friendly and recyclable concrete to reflect the City’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and embracing green initiatives.
Ephemeral Reverie stands as a community emblem and serves as a poignant reminder of our collective duty to tread lightly on Earth, fostering a legacy of care, unity, and sustainable vision.
Mayor Meed Ward
“Skyway Community Centre and Park is a shining example of what we can achieve when we invest in our neighbourhoods and prioritize sustainability, accessibility, and community connection. This space was built with community, and by community for everyone—from skaters and seniors to families and future generations. I’m proud to celebrate this milestone with our residents.”
Links and Resources
Burlington.ca/Skyway (includes a time-lapse video of the build)
Burlington.ca/PublicArt
Green and Inclusive Community Building Program
 By Gazette Staff
August 29th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Ontario Health Coalition has been fighting the good fight to keep the health service public and not something that drifts into the hands of the private sector.
They have been demonstrating across the province and documenting the number of emergency rooms that are closed and small communities that find they no longer have access to the health services.
They are circulating a petition to collect signatures from people who want to see a stop to the closings that are taking place.
The group continues to tell the story of what is taking place.
Public hospitals’ operating rooms idle while patients wait
Our public hospitals’ operating rooms are closed evenings, weekends– some even permanently. They aren’t given enough funding to run full time, which would reduce waitlists.
Record emergency department closures
Ontario had more than 1,100 emergency department closures last year. Local hospitals, in existence for 100 years, are now at risk of permanent closures. If the Ford government chose, they could restore services by funding & staffing our public hospitals.
Lowest public hospital funding while $ billions shifted to private health care
Ontario funds our public hospitals at the lowest rate of any province. At the same time, the Ford government is redirecting more than a billion dollars per year from our public taxes to fund private for-profit clinics & staffing corporations.
For-profit clinics charge patients $$ thousands in illegal (& unethical) user fees for surgeries & tests
Maureen needed eye surgery for macular degeneration so she wouldn’t lose her vision. A private clinic charged her $7,000. She told us, “Being a senior on a fixed income, I’m still trying to catch up with my bills from the surgery.”
This should NEVER happen. The Ontario government is responsible for enforcing our medicare laws to protect patients like Maureen from extra-billing & user fees. Medically needed surgeries & tests must be covered by OHIP. That’s the law.
Last spring, we made a complaint to the Ford government from 50 patients – including Maureen – who were charged or manipulated into paying for medically unnecessary add ons in private clinics. The patients should be reimbursed & the clinics should be stopped.
We’re making another complaint this fall to push the Ford government to stop them. If you’ve been charged for your surgery, please contact us.
Ontario has downsized our hospitals to an extreme extent.
We are last in Canada & third from the bottom among developed nations.
 In 1990, Ontario had 50,000 hospital beds for 10.3 million people. Today, we only have 35,000 for 16.2 million people.
According to data from the OECD, only Chile & Mexico have fewer hospital beds per person than Ontario.
Why? Because everything they cut from public hospitals is privatized.
NOTE: A “hospital bed” means a bed that is funded with nurses, doctors & other staff providing care. When they close down “beds” it means they cut staff & the care they provide. Patients are backlogged in emergency departments because they are waiting for a funded bed to open up for them inside the hospital, while thousands of beds have been closed down & could be reopened.
Please send a message to Doug Ford: You can’t say you stand up for Canada while privatizing our health care
The United States has the most privatized health care in the developed world. Americans pay almost double our costs for care.
The Ford government is privatizing more & more of our long-term care and hospital surgeries & diagnostics. They’re giving primary care to for-profit chains, privatizing Public Health services like COVID testing, vaccines & more. They’re allowing private clinics to bill OHIP & charge patients on top. They’re moving toward U.S.-style for-profit health care.
U.S. for-profit hospitals charge exorbitant prices. Businesses face high insurance costs for employees. On top, employees pay co-payments every paycheque plus they have to pay deductibles before coverage kicks in…IF they are covered. Insurance companies make profits by denying coverage.
Medical costs are the top reason for bankruptcy: 56 million Americans struggle with medical debt: more than Canada’s entire population.
Every one of us can make a difference
 Resurfacing may have been due; what the parking lot really needed was better day-to-day maintenance. By Gazette Staff
August 28th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington will be renewing Parking Lot 4 at 421 John St., Burlington, to improve safety, functionality, and overall appearance.
The planned work includes the full replacement of asphalt, curbs, and sidewalks, as well as upgrades to street lighting and the installation of new streetscape furniture. These improvements are designed to create a more accessible, durable, and welcoming parking area that better serves the residents, businesses, and visitors.
The scheduled 39 day closure will be tough on some of the downtown merchants.
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