By Gazette Staff
October 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Night work at the intersection of Dundas and Appleby on October 9th, from 8 PM to 5:30 AM.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in all directions. Please plan ahead.
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October 9th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Act one of this special evening is a musical sharing of The Secret Path, the Canadian multimedia storytelling project created by The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie and friends to promote awareness, education and thoughtful reconciliation. Gord Downie began Secret Path as ten poems incited by the story of Chanie Wenjack, a twelve year-old boy who died on October 22, 1966, in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario, walking home to the family he was taken from over 400 miles away. Gord was introduced to Chanie Wenjack (miscalled “Charlie” by his teachers) by Mike Downie, his brother, who shared with him Ian Adams’ Maclean’s story from February 6, 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.” The stories Gord’s poems tell were fleshed into the ten songs of Secret Path with producers Kevin Drew and Dave Hamelin. Recording took place over two sessions at the Bathouse in Bath, Ontario, November and December 2013.
Local musician and producer Joe Lapinski has come on as Musical Director for a live sharing of The Secret Path. He has specially curated a band that includes the legendary Canadian drummer Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra, and Gord Downie & The Country of Miracles), Ian de Souza on bass, Dr. Pee (Gord Downie & The Country of Miracles/ Dinner is Ruined) on piano and lead vocals/ ukulele shared by Laurel Minnes (Minuscule). Act two will include a sharing of some of the Hip and Gord’s most beloved tunes, including special performances from community and guest artists: the Halton Youth Symphony Orchestra, Jarrod Haddock and Hayley Verrall, as well as performances from Minuscule, Dinner is Ruined and Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers). Representatives from the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund will also be present at this special annual fundraising event. In Support of
Fri, Oct 10, 2025 | 7:30pm VenueMain Theatre Ticket PricesReg: $37.50 – $57.50
October 9th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone uses a calendar – they are things we look at almost every day. Advertisers have learned that calendars are great places to place their message. Politicians have been a little slower to make use of a calendar as a place to keep their name in front of the people that are going to elect or re-elect them. The city produced a calendar last year – there was an error in the first print run – they had to trash everything that was printed – the city didn’t produce any numbers on how many copies had been printed.  Is a calendar printed and distributed by the city with the Mayor’s name all over it legal in an election year? For 2026 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has seen the advantage – she is publishing her own calendar. We had not heard about this idea – the Mayor’s office doesn’t send us very much in the way of information – unless there is something that she wants changed – but that is another story. The Mayor is turning to the public for pictures that will be included in the calendar – prize money too. We have a couple of questions about this calendar. Is it legal? Who is going to pay for the printing and distribution of the calendar? 2026 is an election year and there are tight limits on what Council members can use in their election campaigns. Mayor’s 2026 Calendar might be getting too close to the “you can’t do that” set of rules. The Municipal Act sets out all those rules. We will reach out to the Integrity Commissioner and ask if the Mayor is crossing. For the Gazette it is all about “transparency and accountability”.
October 9th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Charges under the Ontario law that sets minimum wage and job standards have fallen by 90 per cent over the past 10 years, according to court data obtained by the Ontario Federation of Labour and Data Shows.
The Employment Standards Act sets minimum wages and terms of work, such as prohibitions against wage theft, a ban on employers stealing tips, and limits before overtime must be paid. It sets out vacation pay and holidays. The ESA’s minimum standards are a floor under every individual or union employment contract.  At too many restaurants, management requires serving staff to share the gratuities. “Doug Ford works hard at distraction, and we pay the price as working people,” said Ontario Federation of Labour president Laura Walton. “Ontario unions fought hard for workplace laws so that you get paid, you get vacation pay, and you get overtime.” “It’s clear where his priorities are, and it’s not with workers – especially those working precarious jobs where wage theft is rampant,” said Walton. 25% of employment standards charges were withdrawn by the crown or a judgeAnd court data shows court enforcement of the Employment Standards Act, and the fines imposed on bad bosses who violate worker rights has virtually stopped. Over 1,500 ESA charges were filed in court in 2016. But just 150 last year. And that’s up from only 56 charges in 2020 in Ontario, a province of about eight million workers. The Ontario Ministry of Labour employs Standards Officers to enforce the Employment Standards Act, which gives them the authority to lay charges for breach of the the law’s requirements. ESA charges are prosecuted by Crown Attorneys assigned to the Ministry of Labour (MOL) but employed by the Ministry of the Attorney-General (MAG). Charges are filed by crown prosecutors and heard in the Ontario Court of Justice, the source of this data. The data very strongly suggest a policy decision of government, either within the MOL or MAG, in 2016 or 2017 directed officers or prosecutors to stop laying charges. And even with just a paltry 150 charges to prosecute, Ontario’s overloaded courts last year withdrew 37 of the charges, or 25 per cent of those submitted to the court that year. Data Shows yesterday on Monday detailed research from NDP Attorney-Genceral critic Kristyn Wong-Tam showing 338,000 Highway Traffic Act charges were dropped in 2024/25 including 42 per cent of charges for stunt driving and 31 per cent of dangerous driving charges. The number of dropped HTA charges have doubled since 2015. Ontario courts are badly backlogged with even serious criminal charges, including murder charges, being withdrawn because trials cannot be carried out before constitutional time limits. The Supreme Court set the Jordan limits in 2016, the year before employment standards offices stopped laying charges. The Jordan limits require that charges under the Employment Standards Act must come to trial within 18 months of charge. In the minds of some group, it seems the solution to complying with the Supreme Court’s limits on delay to charge being tried is to stop laying charges.
October 8th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
 Digital currencies are reshaping the entire poker landscape. Remember when you had to jump through hoops just to play poker online? Those days are pretty much over. Crypto has crashed the party, and honestly, it’s changing everything about how we play poker. I’ve been watching this transformation unfold, and it’s wild how fast things are moving. Digital currencies aren’t just some tech fad anymore–they’re reshaping the entire poker landscape. Let me break down the five biggest ways this is happening. 1. Enhanced Accessibility and InclusionCrypto has basically demolished the walls that kept so many people out of online poker. Think about it. You’re sitting in a country where your bank won’t process gambling transactions, or maybe the fees are so ridiculous that it’s not worth playing. Crypto just… fixes that. No more waiting days for bank transfers. No more getting rejected because of where you live. Sure, there are still some hurdles. Not everyone knows how to set up a crypto wallet yet. But once you do, you can literally play from anywhere with decent internet. 2. Improved Transaction SecurityLet’s be real–getting your money stolen online sucks. Traditional payment methods are okay, but they’re not bulletproof. Crypto transactions are different. Every single one gets locked into the blockchain permanently. You can’t fake it, you can’t reverse it without both parties agreeing, and you definitely can’t hack it easily. The instant transfers are pretty sweet, too. No more waiting until Tuesday for your cash out to clear. Just don’t be stupid about it–make sure the poker site you’re using is actually legit before you send any crypto their way. 3. Anonymity and Privacy for PlayersPrivacy matters. A lot.
Crypto lets you play without broadcasting your business to the world. You can fund your account, play your games, and cash out without leaving a paper trail that screams “I PLAY POKER ONLINE.” This is huge for the crypto poker community. Players can focus on their game instead of worrying about who’s watching their transactions. It’s created this whole new ecosystem of players who might not have participated otherwise. The anonymity isn’t perfect–nothing is–but it’s miles better than traditional banking. 4. Decentralized Gaming EcosystemsThis one’s a bit more technical, but stick with me because it’s important.
Decentralized platforms flip that script. Smart contracts handle the games automatically. No house is taking extra cuts. No mysterious algorithms deciding who wins. It’s like having a completely transparent dealer who can’t cheat even if they wanted to. Everything happens on the blockchain, where anyone can verify it. These platforms are still pretty new, and honestly, some are rough around the edges. But the potential is massive. We’re talking about poker games where the code literally can’t lie to you. 5. Innovative Reward StructuresThe reward systems crypto enables are genuinely creative. We’re not just talking about boring old cashback anymore.
I’ve seen sites where regular players get rewarded with governance tokens. Suddenly, you’re not just a customer–you’re a stakeholder. That changes the whole dynamic. The loyalty programs can get pretty sophisticated, too. Play more, earn more tokens, unlock better perks. It keeps things interesting beyond just winning and losing hands.
Conclusion
The barriers that kept people out are crumbling. Security is getting better. Privacy is more protected. And the games themselves are becoming more transparent and fair. If you’re still on the fence about trying crypto poker, I get it. Change can be intimidating. But this isn’t just a trend–it’s the future of online poker taking shape right now. The players and sites that adapt early are going to have a serious advantage. The ones that don’t? Well, they might find themselves playing catch-up for years.
October 8th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Most people recognize the initials and the words: AI -Alternative Intelligence.  That’s a big jump from 2022, when 38 percent of people said the same thing. Probably not coincidentally, ChatGPT was made available to the public in late 2022. In recent days, a Pew poll also that found people are lukewarm about the usefulness, and mistrustful of the information, in AI-generated web search summaries like Google’s AI Overviews. And a majority of Americans say that they’re more worried than hopeful about AI on the job, another Pew survey found this year. There’s probably no single reason for the relatively sour public opinion about AI, and our views can quickly change. But the pessimism about AI may reflect a tug-of-war between wanting to benefit from AI but also feeling afraid of its downsides or being left behind if we don’t get on board. That’s how I feel. If nothing else, the significant thread of AI pessimism calls for more candour and empathy from ourselves, technology executives, corporate bosses and public officials about our uneasiness with this technology that we keep being told is an unstoppable freight train. Originally published in the Washington Post
October 8th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
The University of Toronto School of Cities has collected data on the impact American tariffs are having on Canadian corporations. They have created an interactive map – that many will find useful as they struggle to gain an understanding of what it taking place and what steps they can take to limit the financial damage. Link to the interactive map is HERE Anyone can explore a colour-coded map that reveals communities most and least vulnerable to impacts, such as slowing sales and job losses, from rapidly changing taxes that Trump has imposed on U.S. businesses buying Canadian goods including steel and auto parts.
Users can search potential impacts on regional businesses, or on people by where they work, or on people by where they live, and isolate their vulnerability to Trump’s tariffs in specific impacted sectors including automobiles, aluminum, copper and lumber. The researchers compared 41 city census areas based on their percentage of workers “directly exposed” to U.S. tariff impacts. Chilliwack, B.C., with many jobs in agriculture and manufacturing, had the highest share of vulnerable workers, at 17.5 per cent while St. John’s, N.L., had the lowest at 2.6 per cent.
October 7th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Millions in lost fine revenue. Millions spent to process and prepare cases that never get decided — because of a backlogged court system. Guess who pays!
Total number of withdrawals has doubled  Number of Ontario Highway Traffic Act charges withdrawn total, at trial and pre-trial, 2015-2025 Likely thousands of drivers charged with the most serious traffic safety violations are getting away without paying any fine only because backlogs are forcing courts to dropp charges, an analysis of Ontario Court data suggests. Key data showing the cost of Doug Ford’s court backlog was today revealed at a press conference by NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam And when you dig deeper into the traffic safety court data, it gets worse and worse. Dropped road safety charges have doubled in 10 years More than 338,000 road safety charges were withdrawn from Ontario’s courts between March 2024 and April 2025 (see chart, above). That number has doubled from the 163,000 charges dropped in 2015. The number dropped at trial but without trial — that is, by court motion before the trial actually starts — has dropped slightly from 100,000 in 2015 to 85,000 between April 2024 and March 2025. But charges withdrawn before trial has quadrupled from 63,000 in 2015 to 254,000 in the most recently reported period. Who exactly is dropping these charges and their legal reasons are open questions. The massive number of dropped charges likely represents tens of millions of dollars in lost fine revenue other Ontarians will now pay in taxes, cuts or deficits. Ontarians will pay and pay and pay for clogged courts But Ontarians don’t just pay the fines of those who dodged accountability. They’ll pay twice. They’ll pay for police officers writing up 338,000 charges that went nowhere. And court staff who scheduled trials and administered the charges, just to delete all their work. And for the crown prosecutors, justices of the peace and judges who called trials to order on 84,549 charges in 2024/25, only to let accused go before any evidence was ever heard in court. Most serious charges among most likely to be droppedFrom April 2024 to March 2025, the most serious traffic violations were the ones most frequently withdrawn. 42% of 12,920 stunt driving charges withdrawn 33% of 28,438 charges for driving under suspension, and 31% of 28,588 careless driving charges. Only 6.4 per cent of speeding charges were withdrawn, the least likely of the categories tracked by Ontario Courts data. Most serious violations among those most dropped Percentage of various HTA charges dropped, Apr 2024-Mar 2025 Court backlog growing again The Supreme Court has set time delay limits on lower courts, known as Jordan limits. While the Ontario Court data doesn’t show time from charge to trial, it does show year-end court backlogs are growing again. In Ontario, some of the serious criminal charges, including murder, have exceed Jordan limits and been tossed. More about that in a future Data Shows. The number of Highway Traffic Act charges in the court system at year end fell from from almost 250,000 in 2017 to under 100,000 in 2020. But despite the massive purge of charges in 2022, the number is rising again, now nearly doubling to 187,000 and maintaining the pressure to keep dropping serious traffic safety charges because of overwhelmed courts Backlogs are growing again  Number of HTA charges pending disposition at end of period
October 8th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
When Ontario took the plunge and launched its regulated commercial gambling market, it had high hopes that it would be a success. However, what has happened in the province has exceeded the most ambitious expectations both in terms of revenue generated and moving people away from offshore operators. While Ontario was Canada’s lone wolf in how it chose to go about regulation, it has been watched carefully by lawmakers and industry lobbyists throughout the country. Now, with Alberta preparing to launch its regulated market later this year or in early 2026, it could be seen as a pack leader.
Is there something special about the Canadian iGaming market?  Martin Backhouse “There is no denying the fact that the Canadian gaming market is unique and exciting. Given the size of the population, Canada’s gambling industry is impressive. Sixty percent of Canadians say they have spent money recently on gambling, and more than a third of the population as a whole play casino games. Unlike in the States, gambling is legal everywhere, and it is part of the cultural makeup of the country.”  Was Covid19 the event that allowed the online gambling industry to grow rapidly? “Even with a deeply rooted connection to gambling, it is still surprising just how popular online casinos are, and the sector has been experiencing significant growth. It is down to a mix of factors, including changing customer preferences, access to technology, and the fact that the games are fun and easily accessible. There is no doubt that Covid-19 played its part, introducing people who were denied the chance to play in person to online options. Once they found how great the sites were, there was no turning back. What is driving the success of the market? “There are so many factors driving the success that it would be impossible to pinpoint just one. However, the availability of apps and mobile gaming sites has made it possible for people to ‘play on the go’. The whole market is safe and secure due to strict regulations and advanced encryption technology. Players can feel confident that their financial and personal data is not at risk, and this gives them the confidence to dabble in their favourite pastime.”  Play alongside live players against a human dealer in real time. “It is a case of success breeds success. As the developers know that Canadians are keen online players, they invest in their platforms to make them as attractive as possible. One key trend is the availability and popularity of live dealer games. Immersive and interactive, they take players directly to the casino floor without needing any additional technology or peripherals. They play alongside live players against a human dealer in real time. They deliver the convenience of online gambling with the social aspect of being in a land-based casino.” “However, it is not just the big established casinos that are driving the success; there are always new sites and apps launching, offering players even more choice. Casino.org ranks the best new online casinos in Canada to give exciting opportunities to our readers. Fresh casino sites offer the opportunity to try out the latest online games, new payment methods, and more.” Isn’t it risky for players to try out new sites? Why not just stick to the big, established brands? “Well, without blowing our own trumpet too much, the benefit of using an online review site is that we are all about removing the risks. We do the hard work behind the scenes to ensure that we only recommend great sites. We are totally independent and are not paid to promote one website over another. We use a data-driven approach to rank and rate sites. That might sound a little dry, but it means we compare “apples with apples”. As we all enjoy playing on the sites too, we also bring subjective commentary to our reviews.” “Once we have tried out sites and are confident that they are up to scratch, we curate a list of the best ones. Players can often claim more lucrative bonuses than they would find at established sites. New sites give players a chance to try out new casino slots from top developers and future rising stars. The latest sites and apps often deploy fresh technology and are more cutting-edge than legacy brands. Because the developers know that Canadians are keen gamblers, they invest in producing a superior gaming experience for the market.” Are there any other factors driving the growth  Cryptocurrencies are now a part of the equation. “We cannot ignore cryptocurrencies in the equation. So many people have invested in crypto and enjoyed watching their wallets go up (and suffered the agony of them going down, too). However, there are still limited outlets for using cryptocurrency, but many new online casinos accept it as a payment option. There is an increasing number of people using their crypto wallets to fund their favourite entertainment. What can we expect next?  If Alberta succeeds, the sky is the limit for players and operators alike. “Everyone is watching to see what happens in Alberta. Originally, it had been hoped that the commercial market would launch rapidly. At one point, it was supposed to be live before last Christmas. However, the province has realized that it is better to move forward slowly and steadily. The bill is making its way through the legislative process, and then the regulators will set up the Alberta iGaming Corporation. Things have been more complicated in Alberta than they were in Ontario, because there is an existing legal market in the form of PlayAlberta in place. What they want to do is tackle the grey market without cannibalising the existing government-run PlayAlberta site. If Alberta succeeds, the sky is the limit for players and operators alike. Many people are speculating that other provinces will then follow suit, but they are all holding their cards close to their chest for now.”
By Gazette Staff October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON First in a series of articles on how the Sound of Music as it has been known could be a thing of the past City Council spent more than two hours deciding on what they wanted to do with the Sound of Music request for additional funding. Several Sound of Music delegations followed. To fully understand how things rolled out, one has to get a grip on what Staff were recommending and why: That follows. Later today, we will summarize the delegations and then get into the details on what Council eventually decided to send to Council that will meet next on October 14th. . There was some very surprising news in the Performing Arts delegation and a bit of a hint on what they might do next. The Staff report to Council meeting as a Standing Committee was to decline Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc.’s 2026 funding request and discontinue municipal financial support due to ongoing financial instability and non-compliance with Agreement conditions.  Jackie Johnson introduced what was a scathing Staff report that spelled the end of Sound of Music as it has been known. Staff also recommended the reallocation of $150,000—originally designated for Sound of Music in the 2026 Operating Budget—to the Community Investment Fund. The report also asked that Council Direct staff to report back to Council on exploration of potential opportunities for a different form of music festival and/or a different operator of a music festival at Spencer Smith Park, following a call for expressions of interest from potential event organizers. The report also suggested the removal of Council’s Ex Officio appointment from the Burlington Sound of Music Inc. The Staff report was certainly a detailed review of the City’s financial and operational support for Sound of Music (SOM), a free annual waterfront event delivered by Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc. (BSOM), a not-for-profit organization with over four decades of history in Burlington. “While the festival continues to attract large crowds, in recent years, it has faced persistent financial instability. Contributing factors include the loss of major sponsorships, escalating operational costs, and underperformance in key revenue areas. Between 2024 and 2025, the City provided nearly $1 million in combined support to BSOM, including direct financial contributions, in-kind assistance, short-term loans, enhanced logistical support, annual grant funding, and a private donation facilitated through municipal channels. During this period, BSOM received close to 80% of the City’s total event support budget— substantially more than any other festival or event in Burlington.  Emilie Cote handled much of the back-and-forth council member questions In addition to these more recent requests, a short-term loan of $200,000 was provided to BSOM in October 2022 (F-36-22). This loan was subsequently forgiven in 2023 through one-time funding as part of the approved 2023 operating budget (Business Case 2023-058). That same business case also included an increase to BSOM’s annual operating grant, raising it from $100,093 to $150,000. To improve accountability in connection with the City’s grant to BSOM, a Grant Agreement was introduced in 2025, which included, among other terms, the following requirements:
In addition to this, in May 2025, BSOM signed a loan agreement with the City for $225,000. The loan was expected to be paid back by September 1, 2025. Although BSOM submitted a business plan, it did not meet the necessary standards for evaluation. Key financial details and strategic insights were lacking, making it difficult for the City to fully assess BSOM’s long-term viability and alignment with its investment principles. As stewards of public resources, the City remains committed to supporting initiatives that demonstrate sound financial planning, strategic clarity, and sustainable impact. The remaining conditions of the agreements have not been fulfilled to date, and no substantial payments have been made toward the outstanding loan or arrears. As of October 6, 2025, Committee of the Whole meeting, following the final payment deadline of September 30, BSOM will continue to owe the City approximately $245,000, with additional 2025 service invoices still pending. Despite efforts to restructure its Board and introduce measures aimed at improving its financial health, BSOM continues to operate in a deficit and has not resolved its outstanding financial obligations. A private donation of $200,000 was made to the City in support of BSOM and was applied directly to BSOM’s outstanding debt. While this contribution offered temporary relief, and allowed the 2025 festival to proceed, it did not address the deeper, systemic challenges impacting BSOM’s long-term financial sustainability. In September 2025, BSOM submitted a new funding request, seeking: Forgiveness of the $225,000 loan and $20,000 in arrears A one-time emergency grant of $200,000 to cover unpaid vendor costs An increase in annual municipal funding from $150,000 to $350,000 Given that the terms of the agreements will not be fulfilled by the September 30 deadline, and in light of the ongoing financial risk and the disproportionate level of municipal support allocated to BSOM, staff recommend that Council decline the 2026 funding request and discontinue any future financial support. It is further recommended that Council look for ways to create opportunities to support a new music festival provider in 2026. This recommendation aligns with ongoing reviews of the Culture Plan and recreation grants, which emphasize the need for more balanced and inclusive event funding. Preliminary community engagement confirms strong public interest in music festivals, and as such staff are planning on reporting back with options for continuing a music festival at Spencer Smith Park, , subsequent to the issuance of a call for interest targeting potential music event organizers.  Will a scene like this ever be repeated in Burlington?
October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON Library announces speakers at free annual Burlington Literary Festival Now in its fifth year, the Burlington Public Library announces the Burlington Literary Festival lineup. BurlLITFest is a celebration of authors, books, and creativity that runs the entire month of November—and it’s FREE to attend!
This 5th anniversary edition showcases a stellar array of talent, kicking off with a double-header event featuring two internationally acclaimed novelists: Iona Whishaw, on tour with her latest Lane Winslow mystery, and Alyson Richman, author of The Missing Pages. Every week is packed with free events with some of Canada’s foremost literary luminaries, including Joy Fielding, Robert J. Sawyer, Miriam Toews, and Souvankham Thammavongsa. BurlLITFest also features insightful talks with distinguished thought leaders like Anishinaabe author Patty Krawec, Bad Indians Book Club, investigative journalist Rick Westhead, We Breed Lions, and disability advocate Jessica Slice, Unfit Parent. “Our 5th anniversary festival promises to be a truly memorable event for our book-loving community,” says Burlington Public Library CEO Lita Barrie. “As a library, nothing brings us greater joy than bringing readers of all ages together to share the wonder of stories, connect with one another, and discover something new. We’re so grateful to Burlington readers for your continued enthusiasm and support, which makes it all possible.” Further highlights include a celebratory talk about one of the world’s most beloved authors, Jane Austen, a lively panel of local children’s authors, and writing workshops for adults and kids. The festival caps off with the popular BurlLITFest Open Mic event. This is a fantastic opportunity for writers of all levels—from novice to professional—to take the stage and share their literary talent! Event Lineup BurlLITFest features a diverse range of speakers and promises something for everyone! All events are free to attend, and a Burlington Public Library Card is not required. Register online through our BurlLITFest web page. Author Talks
Writing Workshops
Kids Events
Library Speakers Consortium Partner Events Tune in to top authors from around the world at live virtual events presented by BPL’s digital resource, Library Speakers Consortium. Guest authors appearing in November are Aquinnah Wampanoag writer Joseph Lee on Indigenous identity in today’s world, and award-winning Mi’kmaq-Canadian novelist Amanda Peters, author of The Berry Pickers. Mark the date! Registration for BurlLITFest events opens at noon on Wednesday, October 15. Avoid disappointment and register early. All events are free and open to all.
October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
How did the Burlington Sound of Music go from being one of the best things the city has ever seen to becoming a city debtor – all in about five hours? That’s what happened at City Council today – and the meeting isn’t over. The Staff recommendation was not to put any more money into the Sound of Music and to ask when the outstanding debt (Of at least $200,000) is going to be paid. The meeting isn’t over, and whatever they do today will come back to Council for final approval later in the month. Stay tuned.  Will an event like this take place in 2026
October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON If there was any doubt that the Sound of Music is going to object to the Staff Report that suggest the city should withdraw from the event, the list of people registered to delegate makes it clear there will be very strong objections.  Brent Kinnaird Brent Kinnaird, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc Kevin Vance, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc, regarding  Sara Palmieri, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre Dave Shepherd, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc, regarding Sara Palmieri, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre
October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Still no resolution on just who has what in terms of swimming pool use by swimming clubs in Burlington.  Mayor Meed Ward with Councillor Sharman during a Budget Blueprint meeting last week At her last of six ward level meetings to discuss the Budget Blueprint Mayor MeedWard responded to Ted Gamble who had said: “ The city should do a thorough review of the Procurement Process”. Mayor Meed Ward responded: “I know the pool situation was a very difficult one for the community, for everyone involved.”  Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns The word has been out that ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns is prepared to put forward a Motion that would get the issue on the Council agenda later today, directing Council to have the City Auditor do a review of how the decision to award pool time to the two different swimming clubs operating in Burlington. Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) and the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic (GHAC) Given the changes that have taken place at BAD, none of this may matter. Volunteer President Kimberly Calderbank and Vice President Katie Lebel resigned. The club has yet to issue a statement and there was nothing in the way of news on the BAD Facebook Page. Club Coach xxx is believed to have found people who resigned. Councillor Kearns has gone silent since she returned from her trip to Africa. Should be an interesting Council meeting. Club
October 6th, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON
Council will meet today to review Staff reports, one of which would mean the end of Sound of Music(SoM) as the city has known it for decades. The City Staff report suggests that the SoM people have not come forward with a sound business plan. Without such a plan, the city appears ready to walk away from an event that has poured tens of thousands of dollars into the pockets of the hospitality sector in the city. The Gazette reported on this last week. Link below.
Has the last note from the Sound of Music been heard?
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By Gazette Staff
By Pepper Parr
By Tom Parkin
By Jennifer Sophia 
Maybe you don’t want your bank to see “POKER SITE DEPOSIT” on your statement. Maybe you live somewhere where online poker exists in a legal gray area. Or maybe you just value your privacy–which you should.
Traditional poker sites are basically black boxes. You deposit money, play games, and hope they’re being fair. You have to trust them completely.
Some platforms issue their own tokens that you can earn through play. These might give you voting rights on platform changes, access to exclusive tournaments, or special bonuses. It’s like frequent flyer miles, but actually useful.
Crypto poker isn’t perfect yet. There’s still a learning curve, and not every platform gets it right. But the direction we’re heading is pretty exciting.
By Gazette Staff
In a recently released Pew Research 
By Tom Parkin
By Sadie Smith
We have to wonder why Canada’s igaming industry has been so wildly successful. Looking at Ontario alone, the Gross Gambling Revenue for the 2024 / 2025 period was US$2.3 billion – a third up on the previous year. The casino and casino games market for the entire country 
By Gazette Staff
Last year’s events filled up quickly, so mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 15 at noon, when registration for this year’s festival opens.
By Pepper Parr
Victoria Ho is OCAD University’s Advisor of Strategic Sustainability. Victoria’s role is to work collaboratively across disciplines and departments to embed sustainability into curriculum, building operations, and administration. Victoria researches and provides advice on the nexus of sustainability and equity, campus as a living lab approaches, and constituent engagement models to facilitate sustainability projects, activities, and participation.
By Pepper Parr
The online casino market is big and it’s becoming even bigger. Statista reported that by January 2024, the Canadian gambling industry was worth US$ 14.2 billion, with a total of 670 businesses. Another report by Grand View Research expected that the Canadian online gambling market was to 
By Games Hub 
In Canada, gambling habits show a strong base of online players, with hockey still leading the way in sports betting. At the same time, online casinos have been gaining ground steadily, thanks to easy mobile access and the popularity of live dealer games. For players comparing options, resources like 
NICK KOUVALIS’s twin outfits, Campaign Research and Campaign Support, cleaned up with a combined $1,655,450 haul