 By Staff
August 4th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
“All we wanted to do was encourage neighbours to help us collect some food and money that could be sent to the Burlington Food Bank. We asked the Food Bank to send us one bin – we ended up filling four bins: 1000 pounds of food and $3000 in cash.”
Daryl Fowler had drafted a bunch of friends who, like him, were small business entrepreneurs who donated and helped make the event work. “They knew how to put things together. Fowler operates FlasheGas, an independent HVAC operation.
“We found that we needed to ask our neighbours if we could use their drive ways.”
 Wearing an ear to ear smile Daryl Fowler with his wife Hannah stand behind four of the six bins that were filled at their first food drive event.
This year the event looks like it will be bigger. Takes place on Sunday August 4th – running from noon to 4:00 pm at 555 Elwood.
Ice cream, bouncing platforms; the first one we booked didn’t work out and we had to scramble to get another operator in place.
Face painting, a balloon artist and a magician will be part of the event. Tyler Fergus will be dazzling the kids with his magic performances.
There will be a draw for a BBQ donated by Canadian Tire.
What happens if it rains? “Rain or shine” said Fowler, “the event takes place.”
 By Staff
August 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
This article focuses on what Oakville North Burlington MP Pam Damoff, who has announced tha she will not run in the next federal election.
In her constituency newsletter she told of how Oakville and then the federal government decided to make what was once known as Simcoe Day -it was to be called Emancipation Day
 Oakville North Burlington MP Pam Damoff “On Thursday, we commemorated Emancipation Day. On this day in 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect across the British Empire and laid a pathway to liberation of 800,000 enslaved Africans and their descendants in parts of the Caribbean, Africa, South America, and Canada.
“In 2015, I put forward a motion when I sat on Oakville Town Council, which named the August Civic Holiday as Emancipation Day in Oakville. The motion passed unanimously.
On March 24, 2021, the House of Commons designated August 1st as Emancipation Day to acknowledge the dark chapter in Canada history and the lasting impacts that slavery has had including intergenerational trauma and ongoing racism.
By Pepper Parr
August 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON. ON
What will people talk about at those back yard BBQs that will take place throughput the city during the long weekend?
Politics will be part of conversations – how heated will those conversations get?
 If you clear the catch basin a couple of times the next few days we can avoid problems like this. The floods – what is being done to help the people who no longer have a home they can live in ? I still can’t get over the city saying they would need four to six weeks to process a $1000 Ex Gratia payment of $1000.
Climate change – we certainly have that – but other than telling the kids that they have to be more careful – the average parent is at the point where they don’t really know what they can do personally and expect some level of government to take care of that problem for them.
Will what city council is doing and not doing come up? For those who pay attention – sure – but that group isn’t all that large.
So what is THE issue that will play itself out?
Do the citizens of Burlington have a positive feeling as they enjoy the mod point of Ontario summers?
 By Pepper Parr
August 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Hope does spring eternal – and the folks that want to see the proposed highway 413 development stopped in its tracks appear to take some comfort from the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan which came into force on Monday, identifies many streams and tributaries within three river watersheds along the proposed Highway 413 route as Critical Habitat that must be protected for the species’ survival.
Although Ontario’s government has been able to gut or circumvent many of the provincial environmental, public safety and wildlife protections that would ordinarily prohibit the 413, the text of Canada’s constitution puts protecting fish species and their habitat squarely within federal jurisdiction.
 The Redside Dace – a small, colourful and endangered minnow. Gazette readers will recall the role the Jefferson salamander played in preventing the renewal of a permit for the Nelson quarry. This new Recovery Strategy and its official recognition of the critical redside dace habitat along the proposed highway’s route will further enable Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault to designate a federal impact assessment of Highway 413.
Fortunately, this year’s federal budget restored the minister’s power to designate impact assessments for projects with potential impacts that fall clearly within federal jurisdiction.
Canada’s constitution explicitly gives the federal government jurisdiction regarding “inland” fish, so the recognition of waterways along the Highway 413’s impact makes the case for a federal assessment designation unassailable.
Separately, recognition of these streams as Critical Habitat means that construction companies – and the provincial government itself – are prohibited from doing anything directly to them that would destroy any of their value as habitat for the species. That would require permission from the federal government. That means that it will be up to the federal government, which has presented itself as a defender of the environment, to decide whether the Highway 413 proposal can proceed.
Related news story:
Jefferson salamander put a halt to the renewal of a quarry permit
 By Staff
August 2nd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
There will be a Special Meeting of Council on Tuesday – how many members will participate virtually is going to be interesting to see.
Mayor Meed Ward has a Motion through she is asking her colleagues to consider setting up a Resiliency Fund to support the community during natural disasters or emergencies.
Meed Ward wants the:
Chief Administrative Officer, or designate, in cooperation with the Chief Financial Officer, to report back to Committee of the Whole on October 7 with options and recommendations on establishing a Burlington Resiliency Fund to support the community during natural disasters or emergencies.
Reason:
On July 15, 2024, Burlington received approximately 65mm in rain over three hours, additional rain in the afternoon and more rain on July 16, 2024.
This significant amount of rainfall led to the flooding of 1288 homes in Burlington, some of which experienced significant damage, causing unexpected financial hardship for many.
 Flood waters reached the main floor in many homes.  Water soaked innards of many houses had to be ripped out. Following the flooding, it became clear that Burlington lacked a centralized resource for both the intake of charitable donations and for the distribution of support.
Relief funds are often established to support the long-term recovery and resiliency of a community following a natural or human-made disaster as part of a proactive emergency preparedness community strategy.
The city has the ability to set criteria for eligible costs. The city can also receive donations and administer dispersals from a relief fund, including issuing charitable tax receipts.
 Burlington Foundation President Megan Tregunno spoke to Council in July about the role they could play in flood relief. They did a superb job under Colleen Mulholland who was President at that time The city can also partner with an independent third party, such as a local community foundation. This occurred after the 2014 flood, when the city partnered with the Burlington Foundation to assist homeowners impacted by that flood.
The minimum contribution to establish a fund with the Burlington Community Foundation (The organization is now known as the Burlington Foundation) will vary based on the type of fund established. This could be included as part of the 2025 budget and/or through the current Severe Weather Reserve Fund and/or raised through community donations.
Establishing a relief fund with the Burlington Community Foundation allows the foundation to hold, manage and steward the fund’s assets and nurture and grow fund in perpetuity.
As staff review options and recommendations for a Burlington Resiliency Fund, the analysis should include but not be limited to:
- Who should administer the program
- Source of initial seed funding and source of ongoing contributions
- Criteria for eligibility
- Types of costs that would be covered, and amounts such as insurance deductibles or backflow valve
- Types of natural disasters covered, including impacts from flooding, windstorms, ice storms and other natural or weather-related events
- Eligibility by type of property and tenure, including businesses, residential properties (including rental) or all
Outcome Sought:
To provide council with options and recommendations to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with an ongoing Burlington Resiliency Fund to assist residents impacted by severe weather and other emergencies.
It’s a good idea. Unfortunate that it takes a crises to bring forward ideas like this – ideally Council will rubber stamp this and get into the details when it comes back to Council in October.
There are at least three Statutory meetings that will be at the top of the Agenda.
Some had hoped there would be an opportunity for some of the people who have been very hard hit by the floods of July 15th and 16th.
Council is the place for the public to hear from the people who have much of what they own laid out on the front lawn waiting to be hauled away by garbage trucks.
 The culvert that got blocked. There would have had to have been much more debris jammed in this culvert to stop the flow of water – the 407ETR people will certainly be looking at what happened – none of what they learn will become public – the liability issues could be stiff. Some mention of what the 407ETR people are doing at this point would be welcome. Their role in the flooding, better to use their responsibility in this needs to be determined. This could well end up in a Courtroom.
 The culvert was apparently not cleared regularly – when there was an excessive amount of rain the culvert was blocked preventing the water from running through the eight foot pipe underneath the 407 and on into Lake Ontario.
By Staff
August 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
 This data was made available on the 120th of July. The numbers for ward 2 appear to have increased since then. Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns has an update on the flood damage that people are coping with.
As of the last update, 188 homes reported a flood impact to their home.
Today, August 1st, the Provincial Disaster Recovery Team will be visiting Burlington to assess the situation and plan the next steps.
The city of Burlington will keep you informed through our website and social media channels.
Special Council Meeting – August 7th
Council typically pauses City business during the summer due to limited community engagement; however, due to the recent flooding and time sensitive planning matters we will hold a special meeting on August 7th.
 Changes to this development will be before Council on Tuesday the 7th During this meeting, we will discuss updates related to the flooding and review Planning Recommendation Reports for 1393 Graham’s Lane (Three buildings – 21 storey, 17 storey and a possible 12 storey building) and 2362 Fairview St. (One building 13 storey).
Kearns will be out of the province attending a work-related Police Board conference during the Special Council Meeting. She will join the city council meeting virtually.
 By Staff
August 2nd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Sitting in your car at an intersection waiting for the light to change in your favour is part of being in a city that experiences some grid lock
That is, hopefully, in the process of changing. As part of the Integrated Mobility Plan, Transit Signal Priority (TSP) aims to align our transportation network with our City’s long range mobility objectives.
A team, led by Steve Vrakela (Supervisor – Traffic Signals) in partnership with Burlington Transit, Tacel Ltd, and Applied Information Inc. has commenced the testing of V2X at city intersections.
Tacel provides much of the hardware while Applied Information, an American based company handles the software side in tandem with Tacel. They are using AI level software that figures out a lot of the processing of traffic information. Getting into the details is quite exciting. Well maybe not exciting – but certainly interesting. Give the installation a couple of more months and we will all get to experience the improvements.
 By Staff
August 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Tom Parkin writes a regular “Data Shows” column; this week he focuses on the advertising spending being done by three political parties in Ontario and publishes other data relevant to what is taking shape as the province begins to prepare for the next election.
Parkin claims that Bonnie Crombie’s negatives rise as PC ad campaign bites and that the expensive Liberal leader drains resources needed to counter PCs’ campaign against her
 Bonnie Crombie entering a Liberal Party event in Hamilton. At times it looked like a Coronation. “Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie has increasingly become an expensive millstone around her party’s neck as a well-funded PC advertising campaign drives up her disapproval scores, monthly polling data from Abacus shows.
“Crombie’s disapproval score has increased six points from 25 per cent in the first Abacus poll taken after her December 2023 leadership win to 31 per cent in Abacus’ July poll.
“Liberals will also be concerned that Crombie’s pool of supporters is shrinking. Her approval score that has fallen three points from 28 to 25 per cent from January to July.
“Abacus’s July poll pegs Crombie’s positive impression score now one point below her Ontario Liberal Party’s 26 per cent support and two points below the federal Liberals’ 27 per cent support in Ontario.
“Without a seat, the Ontario Liberals are paying Crombie a salary of $185,000: data confirmed by the party. Assuming her salary and other expenses usually paid by the legislature total more than $200,000 a year, having a seat less leader is costing the Liberals $4,000 a week. While $4,000 isn’t enough to close the weekly advertising gap with the PCs, it would triple the Liberals’ current advertising budget.
 Marit Stiles has proven to be feisty but has yet to land a solid punch on the Premier. “Ontario Liberals have justified Crombie’s pay rate, which is higher than Official Opposition leader Marit Stiles, calling it a “considerable” pay cut from the nearly $300,000 Crombie took home while Mississauga mayor.
“The Ontario PCs are vastly outspending the Ontario Liberals on internet advertising, most of it aimed at Crombie and much of it targeting her home territory of Mississauga.
“The Progressive Conservatives clearly want to keep Crombie out of the Legislature by making it very difficult for her to find a seat in the legislature.
“A recent analysis by Data Shows found the PCs spending over $13,000 a week on Facebook ads while the Liberals spent just $1,200 a week. Marit Stiles’ Ontario NDP spent about $2,500 a week.
“In 2023, the Ontario PCs raised $8.0 million, the Ontario NDP $3.2 million and the Ontario Liberals $2.1 million.”
Data tells the story at this point.
However, Doug Ford has his own problems.
Parkin was with the Workers Health and Safety organization for close to 20 years. He is currently a Principal with Impact Strategies, creating media impact for clients who want their story heard.
 By Staff
August 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s becoming a summer staple. Movie night in Spencer Smith Park
This is a FREE event, brought to you by the small businesses of the Burlington Downtown Business Association, so be sure to say thanks by bringing pizza, burgers, ice cream, coffee, and other treats down to the park with you! And take your garbage home with you – please.
 It’s a decent audience. Looking for popcorn to snack on while the film plays? Our friends from CineStarz will be on site with popcorn available for sale (***CASH ONLY***)
Returning this year is our fan favourite: movie trivia! Are you a mastermind of movie villains? Up to scale on the music that makes the movies? Holding onto some Oscar worthy film knowledge? Strut your movie stuff with 10 new questions each time we play.
Designed with all audiences in mind, refer to the schedule below for movie ratings.
UPCOMING MOVIES INCLUDE:
August 6th: Jurassic Park, PG-13, 2h2
August 13th: 50 First Dates, PG, 1h39
August 20th: Top Gun (1986), PG, 1h50
In the event of inclement weather, the movie will be cancelled. All cancellations will be posted to our social media networks. The showtime is at dusk. Please follow us @DTBURLINGTONON via Instagram & Facebook.
Movies by the Lake is brought to you by the small businesses of the Burlington Downtown Business Association
By Staff
August 13th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
We did a short piece last week on the awarding of King’s Medals by Members of Parliament.
 Burlington MP Karina Gould along with Mayor Meed Ward present an announcement notice that was part of the Queens 70th Jubilee medal to Rick Burgess. We got a notice from a Hamilton MP – she was advertising for people who might want to nominate someone.
We did not see any advertising or notices from the office of Gould, Damoff or Adam van Koeverden
We were advised by Minister Gould’s office that she has been advertising since May asking for constituents to nominate someone for this award. It has been heavily advertised on various social media platforms, sent through e-newsletter, mail items, and it is on our website.
The nomination window closed on July 31st, which was information also included in all of the advertisement. We will be publicly announcing the nominees at a later date and celebrating with an event.
Related news story:
MP’s not advising the public.
You can learn more about the King Charles III award. Visit Governor Generals website:
King Charles III Coronation Medal | The Governor General of Canada (gg.ca).
By Scott Stewart
August 1st, 2o24
BURLINGTON, ON
Every now and again you get a chance to work with a special person and Helen Walihura was one of those special people for me at the City of Burlington. She was always so well put together and such a detailed professional.
 Former General Manager Scott Stewart on the left and Councillor Meed Ward on the right. Helen Walihura is in the middle. If you had an assignment or project that needed to get across the finish line, Helen was always willing to take it on with great enthusiasm. Her success came from all the positive relationships she had with politicians, staff, community groups and individual residents. I was fortunate to spend several years working side by side with Helen.
Helen was a great colleague, a wonderful daughter, sister and loved being a spouse and was such a proud mom.
After I left Burlington in 2015, we continued to meet for lunch and catch up on life and family and laugh a lot.
She has been taken too soon and I will miss my friend.
Sent from my iPad
 By Pepper Parr
August 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
 Doors Open is a province-wide event running from April to October where residents and visitors are invited to discover first-hand, the historical, heritage, natural and cultural resources in participating communities across the province. Doors Open is a program of Ontario Heritage Trust. From historical houses to modern marvels of construction, Doors Open Ontario showcases the buildings, natural spaces, infrastructure and cultural landscapes that shape and define our communities.
On Saturday, August 10, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, visit heritage sites, noteworthy buildings, and interesting locations all over Burlington – FREE of charge. Many of these buildings and locations will offer special activities and behind-the-scenes tours.
 Burlington’s Heritage Week runs from the 3rd of August to the 10 – a nice smooth transition to Open Doors. The list of events taking place during Heritage Week can be found hear.
A plaque next to City Hall will get you started on what Burlington is all about
 By Ray Rivers
August 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
It seems only yesterday that we watched the town of Lytton B.C. get washed away by massive flooding. This year’s Jasper wildfire is estimated to rack up $700 million in insurance costs alone. And don’t forget the really big $4 billion dollar burn at Fort McMurray, right smack dab in the heart of Alberta oil country.
It’s like someone upstairs, Gaia, Darwin or God, is sending us a message. Canada is now one of almost 50 nations that have embraced carbon pricing as part of the solution. But as the critics will tell you, Canada’s carbon tax and rebate is better at income redistribution, taking from the rich to give to the poor, than at fossil fuel phase out. Of course if some provincial premiers stopped cutting provincial gas taxes, the carbon tax would be more effective.
 It is a catchy phrase – you have to give it that. But Canada’s carbon tax will be gone next year if Canada’s poll leading official opposition party has its way. And you can bet that will also be the fate of the environmental programs the Liberals had introduced to supplement the carbon tax.
Although the Americans don’t have a federal carbon tax, the Biden administration has introduced an extensive climate change mitigation program. But the election of the popular Mr. Trump would bring that to a conclusion as well.
Given that political uncertainty, its little wonder that the city of Chicago has decided to take matters in its own hand. It has filed a 185 page lawsuit charging 11 counts of fraud, nuisance, conspiracy and negligence against five big oil companies. They claim that the fossil fuel industry fought the science around climate change and its causes, even as company scientists conceded the danger. These companies misrepresented and withheld information for about 50 years.
It is the same playbook which successfully brought down the tobacco industry and exacted compensation for the health care costs associated with tobacco use. Reliance on courts for justice is the American way, after all, especially when public policy is failing the people. And the growing list of those going legal against big oil now includes Puerto Rico and the Philippines, one of the nations most at risk from climate change.
 Carbon pricing is touted by academics as the most economically efficient way to get people to lower their carbon footprint. There are other options, such as applying as a very high excise tax on gas/oil burning autos and appliances thereby making the choice of electric power more competitive. And then there is the federal ban on new petroleum powered car sales after 2035.
The feds could pass legislation to establish liability for the damages wrought by our changing climate, adding costs to the company’s bottom line and increasing the price of all that black gold. But that might too much to expect of a government which is still actively subsidizing the oil and gas giants.
Ottawa could assess oil and gas as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act as they did for single use plastics. And that would provide a science based pathway for a phase out. But they haven’t.
 Some frustrated Canadians are also taking matters into their own hands and heading for the courts despite the odds. In a precedent setting case, the Ford government was successfully sued in 2019 by seven young individuals for reducing the province’s GHG emission target. The judge acknowledged their right to a healthy environment.
Sunday, July 21, 2024 was a milestone day – the hottest day on Earth since the start of the last Ice age more than 100,000 years ago. What better a time to go to court?
 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 links:
Insurance – Chicago – Puerto Rico – Philippines – Toronto – Subsidy – Ford Sued –
 By Pepper Parr
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
She was the kind of civil servant who knew what the job meant and never failed to deliver.
Helen Walihura passed on Saturday, at the age of 59, leaving behind a son William, her husband Terry and hundreds of shocked staff member at City Hall.
Helen Walihura in the middle and in the background with then General Manager Scott Stewart and Councillor Meed Ward. Helen was the person who handled the government relations work for the city. She was the person that worked to be aware of the government granting opportunities and then worked tirelessly to fill in the forms and lobby with the federal or provincial departments to ensure they had all the information they needed.
Helen was a quiet person. She tended to fuss over things wanting the work she was doing to be done just right.
During the official opening of the underpass on King Road in December of 2013, the scissors used to cut the ribbon that let the Official Opening Party drive through the underpass, that heritage fire truck leading the way, the scissors used to cut the ribbon were kept in Helen’s purse.
I was never sure if they were Helen’s scissors, something she brought from her home because the city didn’t have any scissors or if Helen was making sure the scissors didn’t get mislaid.
She loved the job she was doing; the people she worked with daily loved the way she did her work. The practice in Burlington is to lower one of the flags when a Staff member is lost. If you happen to walk by – pause and be grateful that Helen was with the city for as long as she was – the work she did benefited you.
By Staff
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
A North Aldershot resident writes:
After years of many emails, meetings, and accidents Snake Road is finally getting a 4 way stop sign.
 North Aldershot residents have been complaining about speed in the area since Rick Craven was in office. Traffic speed and noise has become unbearable for North Aldershot residents living along or in the vicinity of Snake Rd in the Old York areas and more development coming to West Aldershot, which already use this road too Waterdown for Groceries. Very few vehicles actually obey the 50 km/hour speed limit, with most travelling at least 80-100 km/hr. on Snake Rd.
Weekends in particular, motorcycle groups and fast cars use it as a thoroughfare to Hwy 6. Noise levels are detracting from enjoyment of our outdoor spaces. The high traffic volume combined with excessive speed is a safety hazard for pedestrians including users of the Bruce Trail.
What happened with the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) that the City received?
After years of requesting required traffic data, many accident, plenty of phone calls to police, lots of emails and meetings with both Rick and Kelvin Ward 1. They will be receiving a 4 way stop sign. Let’s hope this controls the speeding issues in North Aldershot!
The community was pushing for this sign for years. Now push for one of those cameras that will photograph the speeders – the $300 + fine will slow them down.
By Staff
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Another post secondary institution is setting up camp in Burlington.
 Mohawk College serves more than 32,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at four main campuses in Hamilton. Mohawk College announced its intent to expand facilities into the City of Burlington. The college has formalized a Letter of Understanding with the City of Burlington and Burlington Economic Development to establish new Mohawk College learning hubs and campuses in Burlington.
Interestingly – there is no mention in the media release of Alinea Lands, the people developing the massive King Road property. Their long term plan for the King Road site includes educational facilities
Mohawk College has been educating and preparing highly skilled graduates since 1996.
The recent launch of Mohawk College’s School of Climate Action, the continuing shortages in Ontario’s healthcare system, and growing demand for more people and training in skilled trades and technology are all priorities for the college.
Additional classrooms, labs, shops and applied research facilities will be required to meet the demand in these growth areas. Burlington is an ideal location to achieve this growth. Many locations within the city are easy to access through public transit and it is closer to home for many Mohawk College students who commute to Hamilton campuses from other communities.
 Mohawk College – Fennell Campus – Hamilton The college already has a presence in Burlington through its partnership with Schlegel Villages, with a Living Classroom located at The Village at Tansley Woods. The site is used to deliver the Personal Support Worker (PSW), Practical Nursing (PSW to PN Bridging Stream), and the Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant (OTA/PTA) programs.
The proposed expansion aligns with the City of Burlington’s Strategic Plan. Burlington City Council has identified the attraction of a post-secondary institution as an objective that will contribute to the overall health of the city. It supports Burlington’s goals of developing complete communities, expanding its youth population, and providing an educational environment to attract startups and grow businesses. The City is supportive of post-secondary opportunities for its residents.
 Mayor Meed Ward: “We’re partnering with Mohawk College to ensure our future is as bright, innovative, and as forward-looking as our community.” “Burlington is open for business,” said Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “We welcome post-secondary institutions and satellite programming as one way to boost local employment and support business. We’re partnering with Mohawk College to ensure our future is as bright, innovative, and as forward-looking as our community.”
Mohawk joins the Brock University involvement where they will occupy much of the Bateman currently under massive renovation site.
“There are promising opportunities in Burlington in healthcare, in industry, and across the regional economy,” said President Armstrong. “Students are looking for rewarding, fulfilling careers in desirable communities and employers are looking for well-educated and well-trained workers. Mohawk College is excited to create pathways to employment, preparing future-ready graduates for bright careers in Burlington and beyond.”
This planned expansion will roll out in phases over several years, with a variety of programs being offered in different locations. Mohawk will work with Burlington Economic Development to explore take shape and the requisite agreements are finalized. potential locations and uses. More specific information will be provided in the coming months as plans take shape and the requisite agreements are finalized.
 Anita Cassidy, Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development Anita Cassidy, Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development sees the Mohawk College’s plan to expand their facilities into Burlington as very exciting news. “Mohawk College has supported our local business community for a long time, through access to applied research areas, experiential learning hubs, and of course connecting employers to top talent. We look forward to working with them in the coming months to find the ideal location for their students, faculty and staff to thrive here.”
Mohawk College educates and serves more than 32,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at four main campuses in Hamilton, Ontario and learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, as well as at the Mohawk College Mississauga Campus in partnership with triOS College.
The college was formed in 1966. It came out of what was once the Hamilton Institute of Technology and the Provincial Institute of Textiles.
Burlington Economic Development (Burlington EcDev) is an agency of the City of Burlington that works to attract high-value companies to Burlington, support the expansion of existing businesses, and encourage the start-up and growth of new companies.
No word yet on just where the campus will be located.
By Staff
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The National Homes development at 484 Plains Road East will be the subject of a statutory public meeting on Monday August 7th.
 Development along Plains Road in Aldershot has, for the most part, been in the six to eight story level. No soaring 20 storeys plus towers – yet.
The application relates to phase 2 of National Homes’ development currently underway on Plains Road. The application proposes some minor technical deficiencies required to facilitate an efficient built form and building design as well as a distribution of unit types over the phase 2 lands. The amendments include:
Adjusting the overall number of stacked back-to-back townhouse units from 110 to 81; a reduction in 29 townhouse units;
Increasing the number of residential condominium units in Phase 2 from 124 to 166 units; an overall increase from 277 to 319 units.
Through the proposed reconfiguration, the proposal also provides for a larger central amenity area, increasing the ground floor amenity from 600 square metres to 780 square metres.
No changes are proposed to any of the minimum parking requirements as well as the current front, side, and rear yard setbacks.
National Homes are in the process of completing their large development on Brant. They are a very tough outfit for citizens who do not like a development to deal with. Some of the ECOB members learned that the hard way.
The August 7 meeting will take place as part of a Special City Council meeting. The staff report will be available on the Burlington Council and Committee Calendar under the August 7 Special Council Meeting agenda (Item #6.1).
 Located on Plains Road between Falcon and Sandford. Speak at the Meeting:
There are two ways to share your feedback during the Statutory Public Meeting:
Pre-register to speak by Noon the day before the meeting
You can pre-register in one of the following ways:
complete the online delegation request form at burlington.ca/delegation;
submit a written request by email to the Office of the City Clerk at clerks@burlington.ca; or
call 905-335-7600, ext. 7481.
Register to speak during the Statutory Public Meeting
If you are attending the meeting virtually, you can register to speak by emailing clerks@burlington.ca, as noted in the ticker tape that will be scrolling along the bottom of the live stream webcast of the meeting; or
If you are attending the meeting in person, you can register to speak by following the instructions provided by the Committee Chair during the meeting.
If you have presentation materials, they must be submitted to clerks@burlington.ca no later than Noon the day before the meeting to allow for their distribution and review by all members of Council. Please note the content of all submissions is considered public and will be posted to the City’s website with the meeting minutes.
Provide Written Feedback
If you do not wish to speak at the meeting, but would like to submit feedback in writing, please email it to clerks@burlington.ca. Your correspondence will be shared with all members of Council, attached to the minutes of the meeting online, and kept on file as part of the official public record.
By Staff
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
If you plan on picnicking in LaSalle Park or Hidden Valley Park, especially as part of a larger group, please take your garbage bags and packaging home with you. Containers in parks are for litter, not entire garbage bags or packaging from newly opened items. Unfortunately, the photos show what has become commonplace at the city’s picnic parks.
 Garbage left at several locations in ward 1 parks Ward 1 City Councillor Kelvin Galbraith points out that “City staff do not have the capacity to increase servicing of the parks and will not add additional cans because is just encourages more dumping.
“If you see an overflowing litter container, please report it to city@burlington.ca for servicing.”
Galbraith has made significant changes and upgrades to his ward newsletter – I think he is now working with a new administrative assistant.
By Staff
July 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Long weekends are always a strain on the steady supply of blood and blood products hospital need.
Canadian Blood Services continues to see thousands of empty donor beds each week. Appointment bookings are falling short of hospital demand for blood and plasma, which could cause the national supply to dwindle. Hospitals have the blood they need today, but that could change if appointments aren’t filled.
 The Burlington donor centre at 1250 Brant Street is open Friday, Saturday and Monday this long weekend. There are 64 open appointments to fill at this location on Monday.
One in 2 Canadians are eligible to give blood, yet only 1 in 76 actually does. This dedicated, but small group of donors have been supporting patients in Canada. More new donors are needed to keep pace with the growing demand for blood and blood products. New donors of all blood types are needed but it is particularly vital that people with group O-negative, O-positive or B-negative donate as soon as they can.
Every available appointment needs to be filled this weekend and throughout the summer to ensure there is always enough blood and plasma available for patients when and where they need it.
If you’ve never donated before, there is no better time to start. Recent changes to donation criteria mean that many people who weren’t able to donate in the past, might be able to now.
You can be part of the solution. Book now on blood.ca, use the GiveBlood app or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283). Double your impact and help grow the community by inviting a new donor to join you when you make your appointment this summer.
By Staff
July 30th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The housing problem has s significant intergenerational aspect to it.
Paul Kershaw, a Globe and Mail Opinion writer said: “We should compensate younger people for sacrificing their standard of living in return for asking them to ensure higher housing costs to protect older people who bank on current home prices for their retirement.”
Irene Galea, in an interview with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shared that housing prices would need to drop by 50% before they would be affordable to her generation. She added that if this was unacceptable to home owners most of her generation would need to wait 18 years for their incomes to catch up while housing prices stall.
 Kershaw’s column went on to say:
“Presented with these options the Prime Minister responded as almost any politician would when home owners remain the majority of voters. He assured listeners to the interview that his government intends for home prices to retain their value because housing wealth is a “huge part of people’s potential for retirement and future nest egg.
“The Prime Minister had acknowledged that intergenerational inequity would remain. Conservative leader PierrePoilievre said that “we had a deal in this country when I grew up. You got a job. You get a house by your 20’s. That deal is broken.”
“Both leaders have named this intergenerational problem – with that the country is now better positioned to design an adequate plan to tame it.
“A political decision to protect older generations housing wealth out of concern for their retirement inflicts a nasty sacrifice on younger generations. It rules out home ownership for many while imposing expensive rents for smaller spaces often at greater distance from their jobs.
 “Housing may have been a nest egg when owners gained equity primarily by paying off their mortgages. Monthly payments functioned like enforced piggy bank savings. Over years, people shifted from debt holder to asset holder, leaving them rent free in retirement with some equity to draw down.
“But the last decades changed this cultural norm, especially in British Columbia and Ontario. Gaining equity primarily by paying off the mortgage was supplanted by the expectations that housing values would also grow exponentially.
“While preserving these wealth gains, many politicians now hope we can flood the market with new supply that will reduce rent or ownership costs for younger folks. There is little chance that this will happen in the next while without government subsidies.
“Scaling up such subsidies is how older affluent can begin to compensate younger folks for tolerating a political bargain that protects our wealth windfalls at their expense We can contribute more to scale up deeply affordable, energy efficient, family sized rental and co-op hosing and ensure post secondary and child care fees no longer cost mortgage sized payments.
“Contemporary federal and provincial budgets do the opposite. They disproportionately increase spending for retirees while leaving deficits for younger people to pay later. Correcting this age imbalance in government budgets is the least we can do to compensate younger folks for the political calculation that they must forfeit some of their standard of living to safeguard the housing wealth gained by many older Canadians.”
 Paul Kershaw Paul Kershaw is a professor at University of British Columbia and founder of Generation Squeeze, Canada’s leading voice for generational fairness.
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