 By Staff
April 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is accepting nominations for the third inductee of its Hall of Fame. Established in 2013, The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Hall of Fame recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the performing arts in Burlington. Recipients of this award demonstrate the diversity of artistic accomplishment that comprises the rich cultural tapestry of the City of Burlington. The Hall of Fame award will be presented to the inductee at the 2015-2016 Season Launch event held at The Centre on Thursday, May 28.
Nomination applications must be submitted on or before Friday, May 8th, 2015. The nomination form can be downloaded from The Centre’s website
 Hall of Fame’s 2nd inductee, Rainer Noack The Burlington Performing Arts Centre recognizes that the individual and group artists are paramount and fundamental to cultural development.
These individuals and groups contribute to Burlington’s reputation as a city with a strong and sustained commitment toward the development of cultural excellence.
 Gordie Tapp was onsite almost every day during the construction of the Pier. He chats with Project Manager Craig Stevens. Tapp was the first inductee into the Performing Arts Center Hall of Famwe At the 2014 Cabaret, the Hall of Fame’s 2nd inductee, Rainer Noack, Founder and Program Director of Burlington Student Theatre, was recognized for providing training, camps and arts opportunities for children and youth in the Burlington area since 1978.
The Hall of Fame’s 1st inductee, was Burlington’s own, Gordie Tapp.
 By Pepper Parr
April 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
When Brian Dean, president of the Burlington Downtown Business Association asked the city to expand his boundaries local merchants in the expanded territory didn’t exactly line up to fill out membership forms. On the contrary – a couple wrote letter and one delegated at city council saying they didn’t like the idea at all.
 View of the Plaza, looking north, as it stands today – the front will be opened up considerably.  Councillor Meed Ward can see a stunning outdoor patio on this stretch of the property that will undergo a significant upgrade – all within the existing zoning. This view looks south.
Then Jeff Usher came along and announced that Burlington Square Plaza (BSP) was so keen on the idea that they were going to expand the Plaza and add a four storey structure to the south end and make major changes to the retail level in the core structure.
In doing so – Cherishome Living, the company that owns the apartment tower, might well create a new anchor for the expanded BDBA territory. There isn’t an awful lot to choose from when a person wanting to get out for a meal or a chance to sit out on a patio and just enjoy the city.
Usher sees a significant opportunity for a restaurant to set up a sizable plaza area outside the new addition.
 This structure which faces Brant and runs south to Olga will be demolished and become the four storey commercial residential part of the upgrade to the Plaza property. Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward was all a flutter over the development because it was going to build within the applicable zoning and not ask city council for additional height.
 Because the development is within all the rules – all they have to do is take their application to city hall, file all the papers, pay the fees and they get their building permit.
Meed Ward will be holding a public meeting on the 15th to tell everyone about it and show off the architects rendering.
Cherishome Living was formerly McArthur Properties. The rental agent for the Burlington Square apartments will changed – the firm being brought in has more experience with commercial and residential
 The space to the right will be demolished and become part of the new four storey structure that will have rental on the top four floors and retail on the lower level The commercial side of the Plaza has not done as well as hoped – much of the ground floor space is vacant.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon has space on the lower level but has decided to mover her office to a location with more exposure.
 By Pepper Parr
April 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council voted to sell small portions of land it owned that bordered on the edge of Lake Ontario to the three property owners whose homes abutted the city property.
Along with the city property there was a strip of land owned by the province.
 The portion of the property marked as “parkette” is being old to the owners of the three properties that abut the land. Some of the land belongs to the city – the rest belongs to the province. The Market and St.Paul street properties belong to the city and are to be made into fully accessible Windows to the Lake. The province said it would also sell its portion of the land but only once the city portion had been sold.
At the time, for reasons which were not all clear, council also said the price paid for the property would not be released until the part of the strip of land that was owned by the province had also been sold.
 This is a scene to die for. Prime location with a view that can’t be excelled. It used to belong to the citizens of the city. The sale was contentious – many did not agree with the decision and even more did not agree with the way the city had informed the public. Those people who lived in the immediate area knew about the sale – those who were a kilometre away had no idea the sale was taking place.
The city seemed to almost go out of its way to not inform the public.
The sale of the city owned portion of the land sold for close to peanuts given the location and the value that the strip of land adds the property they already hold.
The city council decision came out of a Staff report that set out three options: Do nothing with the property, lease it to the property owners whose homes abutted the land or sell it.
Staff recommended against selling the property.
Whatever vision city council had for a Waterfront Trail got lost when they voted to sell the land.
The sale of the city portion of the land was sold February 10th to Michael Swartz, who paid $81,994 for his portion of the city land; Ray Khanna who paid $46,004 for his portion and Ralph Williams who paid $85,988 for his portion.
The information comes from the Registry office where anyone can access it. Quite why the city decided that it was not going to release the information is curious. Why no transparency on a file that a lot of people scratching their heads?
With the city portion sold the provincial government now does its due diligence and when they are satisfied that everything is in order the sale of their land will close – and the idea of a Waterfront Trail in that part of the city is lost for a long long time.
 This is the view from the southern end of the St. Paul Window on the Lake. It could become an incredible location – providing those who are lobbying against it don’t prevail. The plan is for two Windows on the Lake to be kept – even though there is apparently some lobbying going on to change that decision.
By Staff
April 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
More than 400 of the city’s business community gathered at the Convention Center last week for the annual Chamber of Commerce business gala that brought together business, government and industry leaders from all over the area to join in celebrating the business community’s achievements.
 Back Row (L toR): Bernie Meuller, Gerry Smallegange Front Row (L to R): Tom Flannery, Juliet Aurora, Colleen Mulholland, Dave McSporran, Fred Bennink The Chamber presents a number of business excellence awards in a variety of categories. In 2002, awards from the Burlington Economic Development Corporation were added to the Gala. In 2003, the Tourism Burlington Award was added and Mayor Rick Goldring presents his Community Service Awards at the Gala.
To be eligible for a Business Excellence Award, a company must be a member of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce or be located in the City of Burlington. More than 50 nominations were recieved for the 2014 awards.
Finalists and winners are chosen by the Chamber’s Business Awards Task Force through a series of questionnaires and interviews. Winners are companies that have demonstrated excellence in business leadership, community contributions, entrepreneurship, employee welfare, innovation, and growth.
A new evaluation criterion that was used for all companies beginning with the 2009 awards was environmental practices.
Service (Large)
Finalists:
Burlington Hydro Electric Inc.
Emma’s Back Porch
Sodexo Canada Ltd.
Winner: Burlington Hydro Electric Inc.
The Task Force was impressed with Burlington Hydro’s commitment to customer service and the fact that its responsiveness to customers’ needs has been an important factor in other companies locating in Burlington.
Service (Small)
Finalists:
AIS Solutions Inc.
Dodsworth & Brown Funeral Home
OrthoEvidence Inc.
StanMech Technologies Inc.
Winner: AIS Solutions Inc.
The Task Force was impressed with the fact that AIS Solutions has been asked by Intuit Canada to help improve future versions and to share their knowledge throughout Canada and the US.
Manufacturer
Finalists:
CPC Pumps
Zip Signs
Winner: Zip Signs
The Task Force was impressed with Zip Signs’ ability to provide quality, innovative, turnkey solutions anywhere in Canada while maintaining a family-focused business that cares about its employees.
Retail / Wholesale
Finalists:
Christy’s Gourmet Gifts
Dr. Tracy Brodie & Associates, Optometrists
Winner: Christy’s Gourmet Gifts
The Task Force was impressed with how this small, family business recognized a niche market and, with quality, innovative products, has become an international success.
Young Entrepreneur
Finalists:
Dave McSporran, Bottled Media
Waqar Malik, InBold Media
Winner: Dave McSporran, Bottled Media
The Task Force was impressed with how Dave has developed a childhood passion and a desire to tell his clients’ stories as they have never been told before, into a solid, stable business.
Not-for-Profit
Finalists:
Burlington Community Foundation
Burlington Green Environmental Association
Camelot Centre
Winner: Burlington Community Foundation
The Task Force was impressed with the broad impact the Foundation has had and its ability to respond rapidly to our community’s needs, such as it did this past year following the August flood.
Heritage Award
Winner: Dodsworth & Brown Funeral Home
Dodsworth & Brown’s is awarded this year’s Heritage Award because of their long history of doing business in Burlington, a remarkable 50 years. They have served the residents of Burlington with class, understanding and professionalism
Mayor’s Sustainable Green Business Award
Burlington Mall, RioCan Management Inc.
The Mayor’s Sustainable Green Business Award was announced prior to the Gala.
BEDC Business Export Award
Cogent Power Inc.
The BEDC Business Export Award was announced prior to the Gala.
Tourism Burlington Ambassador Award
Burlington Teen Tour Band
 Burlington Chamber of Commerce President Keith Hoey, who does a pretty good job as a stand up comic, is also quite a promoter. The Burlington Chamber of Commerce, formed in 1947 will hold its Annual General Meeting at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel, 3063 south Service Rd. TIME: 4:45 Registration Begins
5:00 Annual General Meeting
The Chamber is the voice of business in Burlington and advocates at the local, regional, provincial and federal level on behalf of over 1,000 companies representing 30,000 employees.
By Staff
April 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Two world class marathoner’s who ran in the 2014 Chilly Half Marathon last February just might be on their way to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
 Reid Coolsaet crossing the finish line at the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington. Reid Coolsaet and Krista DuChene both headed to the Netherlands in search of what they hoped would be an Olympic qualifying time, as well as a shot a Canadian record.
The two appear to have qualified for Olympic berths at Rotterdam today. Both took part in Burlington’s Chilly Half Marathon last March.
 Krista DuChene being carried after finishing a race on Montreal just over a year ago with a broken femur. One year ago, DuChene, the Mother of two children, broke her femur running a half-marathon in Montreal.
On Sunday in Rotterdam, she flirted with the Canadian record, and finished with her second fastest ever marathon time in 2:29:37.
 Although the 2016 Rio Olympic qualifying times have yet to be formally announced, the women’s time has historically been 2:29:55. This will be DuChene’s first Olympics.
Coolsaet also came to the Rotterdam course in the hunt for the Canadian record (2:10:09). He ended up with a strong seventh place finish in a tough field, finishing in 2:11:23. In previous years, the Canadian Olympic standard for the men’s marathon has been 2:11:29.
Is Burlington’s Chilly Half about to become the accepted training ground for Olympic level runners?
 By Staff
April 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We got this late in the day –
Due to a mechanical issue at Angela Coughlan Pool, the scheduled Leisure Swim from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. is cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Swimmers are encouraged to attend the 7:30 to 9 p.m. Family Swim at Burlington Centennial Pool or 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Fun Swim at Tansley Woods Pool.
 By Staff
April 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It took several days for the city to get on top of the damage being done by some fuel that was poured into a catch basin on Spruce Street between Shoreacres Road and Goodram Drive.
By the time the problem was reported to the city a lot of damage had been done – Burlington Animal Services removed three Mute Swans in distress. The animals were taken to a wildlife rescue for rehabilitation. Two of the swans have since died.
City crews responded to the spill on Friday, April 3 after being notified by local residents.
“City staff and the Ministry of the Environment have been on site every day and used absorbent pads and booms to soak up the fuel in the water,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure at the City of Burlington.
“The source of the spill is suspected to be a catch basin on Spruce Avenue where the substance was dumped. The toxic fuel then traveled to Shoreacres Creek and downstream towards Lake Ontario.”
The heavy rains rose the water levels in the creek destroying one of the books that had been put in place.
The city has not yet said what was dumped in a catch basin nor have they any idea who did the dumping or how much was poured into the catch basin.
“It is completely unacceptable that the irresponsible actions of one or more individuals have caused such terrible injury to animal life and to the natural environment,” said Stewart. “Paletta Lakefront Park is a popular spot where residents go to enjoy the waterfront and trails and wildlife lives. The deliberate disposal of hazardous pollutants has negatively impacted the community’s ability to enjoy and thrive in this space.”
 A prefab bridge being installed at Shoreacres Creek. With heavy spring rains the volume of water flowing into the lake is significantly higher. Residents with information related to this event can call the Ministry of Environment’s Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060. More information about reporting spills to the Ministry of Environment is available at https://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/report-spill.
The Ministry of Environment’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch division is responsible for investigating alleged environmental infractions. Prosecutions can result in fines, court orders and probation or jail terms.
Hazardous Waste Disposal
Burlington residents with household hazardous waste (such as paint, fuel and motor oil) for disposal can drop it off, free of charge, at the Halton Waste Management Site, located at 5400 Regional Road 25 in Milton, Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
 By Staff
April 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor responded very strongly to some information that had been circulated during the Easter weekend by unknown person(s) regarding the Mount Nemo Heritage Conservation Landscape District.
 Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor responds to an anonymous document he feels is both incorrect and misleading.
“I have received, but never before responded, to unsigned correspondence for obvious reasons. In this case, however, I will respond to the allegations (as will City staff) due to the importance of this topic to rural residents.
“The City is conducting the Mount Nemo Heritage Conservation District Study in accordance with Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The study scope includes a broad review of a variety of elements that contribute to the landscape character, including but not limited to, the natural environment.
 The area covers basically all of the western half of the Escarpment. “At this stage of the study staff and the consultants are reviewing the needs and justification for an Heritage Conservation District as well as alternative planning tools that may achieve similar conservation objectives through other means. The consultants final study report along with draft staff recommendations will be presented to rural residents before a decision is made by City Council on whether or how to proceed further. Timing is uncertain but there will be at least a month separation between the two meetings and neither of the meetings will be held in July or August.
The document that was circulated:
The Facts of a HERITAGE DESIGNATION for all Mount Nemo Residents:
What Can a Heritage Designation do?
Myth: It will not affect your property value.
Fact: It will lower your property value. The City recently sent out a letter to Mount Nemo residents offering a 25% rebate for the 2015 tax yea r to entice you to convert to heritage because of the financial losses suffered under a heritage status.
Myth: It will stop the quarry from expanding.
Fact: City-contracted heritage consultants confirmed it will NOT stop any federally or provincially mandated development such as a quarry expansion.
Myth:This is not a ‘real’ heritage designation. It only affects the natural environment.
Fact: This is a very real heritage designation that will restrict what you do with your house and you r property such as the colour, style, size, location, landscaping, etc. And it will also affect on-going maintenance and renovations. This was confirmed by the heritage consultants.
Ask yourself these questions:
• Would you have purchased your home with a heritage designation attached to it?
• City Councillors are offering a 25% rebate on your 2015 property taxes if you convert to heritage. Your home is going to be worth 25% less forever, why is the City not offering a 25% property tax rebate forever?
The seven members of City Council will be voting on this initiative soon and they do not live in this area -not even John Taylor. It is important that you voice your opinion NOW on this matter and send them an email or a letter. Please see below for contact information.
Proposed heritage area: From Dundas Street up to Britannia Road and from Milborough Line over to Walkers Line. And they are considering expanding these boundaries?
Taylor responds to each issue raised in the anonymous document:
 This quarry is close to being shut down – they have taken out just about all the aggregate they can. An application to expand the quarry was denied. Many feel that there will never be another quarry on Mt. Nemo. The question now is – what do we do with that big hole in the ground?
Heritage Property Tax Rebate Program
The City letter referred to was addressed to property owners on the Heritage Registry who do not qualify for a 25% property tax rebate because these individual properties are not designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The rebates are allowed under Section 365.2 of the Municipal Act. The program is designed to assist designated heritage property owners with the conservation, protection and restoration of their properties and not to compensate for any perceived loss in property values. The current rebate rate of 25% of the City and Education portion of the property tax was 20% in 2014 and will rise to 40% by 2018 and continues as long as the property is designated and annual registration is done.
Please also note that the tax rebate program does not apply to heritage districts registered under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as would be the case for any Mount Nemo Heritage Landscape District. There are no current plans to introduce the rebate program to heritage districts.
 Those people who live in rural Burlington are passionate about the quality of life they live – that’s why they chose a rural setting. They do not make any kind of change easy. Property Values
Several studies completed in both Canada and the United States have indicated that the establishment of a Heritage Conservation District typically has either a neutral or slightly positive effect on property values. Niagara on the Lake and Downtown Perth are two examples of Heritage Conservation Districts that have been positively received and resulted in sensitive development.
Private Property Controls
A Heritage Landscape District includes a variety of elements that contribute to landscape character that includes but is not limited to landscape character. There are big differences in details captured for individual heritage properties designated under Part IV and Part V collections of properties captured with a heritage district. There are also big differences between Heritage Districts in urban areas such as a historic downtown versus rural areas focusing on cultural heritage landscapes.
If the City proceeds with the development of an HCD Plan, the focus for policy and guidelines would be on the effect of proposed development on the cultural heritage landscape as defined through the HCD Study process, focusing on elements such as vegetation, building setbacks, height and massing. The purpose of this study is not to explore the specific stylistic elements of individual buildings (i.e. colour, window patterns, etc.). An HCD designation can require a heritage permit for major exterior repairs or additions, alterations to the landscape and tree removals, but does not affect building interiors or general maintenance. What ultimately requires a heritage permit is determined through the HCD Study/Plan process.
Protection from Unwanted Development, Quarry Expansion & Provincial Highways
In the last ten years the City has invested significant financial and staff resources to twice prevent the Niagara to GTA Highway going through the rural escarpment area of Burlington as well as successfully defending the City’s position opposing an expansion of the Nelson Aggregate Quarry. A Heritage Conservation Landscape District under the Ontario Heritage Act, while not an absolute protection, adds specific additional policy protection to be considered within any application review or appeal process beyond the generalizations of City and Regional
Official Plans and Provincial Policy Statements.
This would be achieved by a Heritage Conservation Plan that contains policies and guidelines sympathetic to the defined character of the landscape.
In conclusion I feel that we must complete the study as planned and then make an informed decision on whether to proceed to a plan, take a different direction, or abandon the issue.
 By Pepper Parr
April 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a tweet fluttering out there somewhere that picked up on our story on the provincial funding given to the Sound of Music. The tweet
In that article we mentioned that there will be a ticketed event as part of the Sound of Music. We did not say the Sound of Music will be a ticketed event.
There will be one event for which a ticket will be required. We don’t know as yet which event that will be.
The tweet or retweet came from “leafnationforlife” – we leave it to our readers to understand those poor souls.
 By Pepper Parr
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Remember that piece of land at the edge of the lake between Market and St. Paul that the city decided it would sell to the Michael Swartz and Janice Connell?
The sale of the city portion of the land has apparently gone through – the sale of the piece the province owns now gets processed.
Once both pieces are sold the public will be told how much the land was sold for – why the wait is not clear.
This is the view three property owners will have once their purchase of lake front land owned by the city and the provincial government closes. Sweet! What is clear however is what will happen to the money the city gets for its portion of the land? It was to be used to create the Windows on the Lake that were to be at the end of Market and St. Paul Street, as well in other locations across the city.
Those “windows” now appear to be at risk.
The Market street and the St. Paul Street windows to the lake are thought to be ay serious risk by the Burlington Waterfront Committee. There was a community meeting at which the two windows projects were being discussed – and it sort of got out of order. City staff were given a very rough time by one of the property owners – so much so that complaints have worked themselves up to the desk of the city manager.
Members of Council seemed to take the position that creating a window to the lake at the end of St. Paul and Market Streets was enough and that everyone would be happy when this file was finally closed.
 Doesn’t look like this file is going to close anytime soon.
The owners of property in the streets that lead to the windows are wondering just how much pedestrian traffic there will be and will people be sitting close to the edge of the lake at all hours of the day and how much noise will there be?
Discussions amongst the people who live on Market and St. Paul have taken place and they apparently now want to know just how minimalist are these windows on the lake going to be.
Will it be just a bench and a waste container? Apparently there are not going to be any lights.
 No city signage on this piece of city owned property. The obstructions in place were put in to suggest this is private property – it isn’t. Plans are in place to make a proper Window on the Lake at this location. Some feel these plans are at risk Some people are getting the sense that there is a push to get rid of the windows all together or to make them so inaccessible that no one will want to go near the things.
Nelson Park, a block to the east of the Market/St. Paul street situation had a part of its lake frontage cleared giving a much bigger look at the lake. The St. Paul/Market street residents think this is enough for the public – no real need for any additional park space, which was part of the argument city council used then they decided to sell the waterfront land it owned.
 This is the land at the end of St. Paul Street, owned by the city, public but there are no signs to indicate it is public. Few people walk past that bright sign. The city said that it would turn this into a full window on the Lake. Local residents are trying to get the city to change its mind “It seems”, said one informed observer, “that the three property owners now feel they have title to the land behind their homes and now want to ensure that the public doesn’t get to wander around their houses.” Those houses are on public streets and Lake Ontario is a public right for all to appreciate.
What bothers people is that Council is aware of the problem but does not appear to be taking any steps to suggest to the people who managed to convince them to sell public land to be satisfied with what they have.
By Pepper Parr
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was certainly the best phone call or letter that Dave Miller had the day he got notice from the province that they were going to drop $247,500 in pixie dust into his coffers. Pixie dust is that magical word event organizers use to describe funding they get. It is not money that is easily come by
The province is “investing” $19 million to support local Festivals and Events; this is a record number for the province that they say will draw tourists, create jobs and grow local economies.
 Province sends big bucks to festivals and events across the province. Sound of Music and RibFest benefit Through the Celebrate Ontario 2015 program, the province is helping 270 festivals and events, the highest number in the history of the program, celebrate Ontario’s diversity, heritage and culture. This support will help organizers enhance programming and services, attract new audiences and create jobs in the tourism sector.
The Sound of Music is getting $247,500 – RibFest is getting $90,000.
Trust ward 3 Councillor John Taylor to look at the Sound of Music budget a lot closer the next time they appear before the city asking for an increase in the grant they get from the city.
Sound of Music will be releasing their program for this summer in the near future – which will, for the first time included a ticketed event.
 By Ray Rivers
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario’s finance minister, Charles Sousa, boasted that the government had beaten down its projected 2014 deficit target by $1.6 billion, and was on track to eliminate the deficit by 2018.
He was speaking at a Greater Toronto Board of Trade meeting last week, when he announced this good piece of news. And another bit of good news is that a carbon tax doesn’t appear to be in the works.
And why would it be? The McGuinty/Wynne governments already have an outstanding record in fighting climate change. While Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions sky-rocketed from 1990 levels, (18% increase to 2012), Ontario’s emissions plummeted by an impressive 6%.
And besides, Ontario electricity customers are already paying a ‘de-facto’ carbon tax through our utility bills, which have increased over the years, in part to pay for the conversion of Ontario’s dated and dirty coal plants to cleaner energy.
 Ontario’s Minister of Finance Charles Sousa – watch the hands, they are quicker than the eye. So rather than hit consumers with another carbon tax, Ontario’s Premier Wynne has decided to join Quebec and California in a continent-wide carbon trading system. Also called cap-and-trade, emissions trading is actually an Ontario-born solution to pollution. A University of Toronto economics professor, Robert Dales, back in the sixties was credited with defining the concept. Ontario’s formal entry into this continental cap-and-trade block will create a market of over 60 million people encompassing almost two thirds of Canadians.
The finance minister noted in his remarks that an additional half-million new jobs have been created since the 2008 recession, and that Ontario has become the top destination for foreign direct investment among jurisdictions in Canada and the U.S.A. Lower oil prices and a falling Canadian dollar are like gifts from heaven for our manufacturers. And with two thirds of our students exercising post-secondary options, the province is leading the country in skilled labour.
So why do we still have this deficit? Ontario already has the lowest per capita spending of any jurisdiction in Canada and, with a predicted growth rate of only 0.8% per annum, it is likely to stay that way. So perhaps the government needs to be looking somewhere else for a solution to its financial predicament. Premier Wynne is apparently exploring the sale of some crown assets, such as Hydro One, which might be in the public interest to divest, and provide some much needed cash to boot.
 You see them on the streets of New York – with three walnut shells on a make shift table and asking you to bet on which one the pea is under – it’s a game of the hand being quicker than they eye – the politicians do it all the time – with your money. But sustainable financing requires more than a fire-sale of crown assets. That would involve re-engineering of the income side of the balance sheet. Alberta, has finally abandoned its ideologically driven flat-tax experiment, conceding that progressive income taxes are essential just to keep its deficit down to $5 billion dollars – a deficit greater than Ontario’s on a per capita basis. Alberta’s premier, Jim Prentice, a former minister in Mr. Harper government, has decided to increase income taxes rather than introduce a sales tax which would unduly penalize those in the middle and lower income classes.
Mr. Sousa tried to make the case that part of Ontario’s income problem lies with the federal government short-changing Ontario, by re-jigging equalization rules over the last few years. He claims that Ontario now contributes $11 million more than it receives in services from the federal government. But that is a hard argument to sell.
How does one measure the benefits Ontario derives from national defence, foreign affairs, national parks, and so on? And the equalization formula, itself, is a moving target, changing with the economic circumstances of each jurisdiction and over time. So the fairness aspect has to be tempered in the context of the leadership role Ontario has always wanted to play in confederation.
But it is true that the feds have been missing in action on a number of fronts, as former finance minister and PM, Paul Martin, noted in a recent article. He cites the neglect being accorded ‘innovation’ and science in general, and the deficit in infrastructure spending, of course. Mr. Harper had announced a $75 billion multi-year infrastructure fund back a few years ago, a program that has turned out to be more effective at advertising his government than actually delivering money for needy projects. And what is $75 billion spread across the nation when Ontario’s needs, alone, total well over a hundred billion?
 According to the great economist John Maynard Keynes, governments should run surplus budgets in good times so they can pay down the debt they need to run in the bad times. Yet the Canadian government has been running deficits ever since the recession ended in 2010 and Ontario is still three years from getting to a balance.
So the PM has determined that the federal budget, coming down in two weeks, will be accompanied by a spanking new ‘balanced budget’ law. This law, ironically, will mandate the federal government to ‘not do’ what the Harper government ‘has been doing’ for the last four years – running a deficit.
Since the early 1990s most of Canada’s provinces had also enacted balanced budget laws of one kind or another. And since then, almost all of these jurisdictions have either repealed or ignored these unworkable laws. Mike Harris introduced his balanced budget act after running deficits for over half his term in office, and McGuinty repealed the law when he came to power. But McGuinty and Harris each had about the same number of balanced budgets at the end of the day. Quebec, with the worst debt to GDP ratio in the country, has just announced a balanced budget – and this without a new law.
Managing the budget is one of the most important responsibilities for an elected government? Is our PM saying that he can’t be trusted to balance the budget without a new law requiring him to do so? Or is this just a another piece of political gimmickry which he will observe only when it suits. We should recall the ‘fixed elections date’ law which Harper also introduced a number of years ago, then broke, in 2008, when he thought it opportune to try to win an election.
Background links:
Ontario’s Upcoming Budget
Ontario GHG Targets Carbon Tax Ontario Cap and Trade Cap and Trade
Canada’s Emissions Federal Budget Expectations Fed Budget More
Paul Martin on Federal Budget Canada’s High Tech Deficit J.M. Keynes
Balanced Budgets More Balanced Budgets Even More Balanced Budgets
Election Date Law
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
 By Staff
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Spring is that time of year when we are filled with hope for warmer days and sunshine. It’s also that time of year when many of us are looking at our walls thinking “yep. it’s time for a change”.
Now that the weather is sort of starting to resemble spring Lana Kamarić has invited everyone she knows to the Spring Pop Up Art Market hosted by No Vacancy.
The market will be popping up at 408 John Street in downtown Burlington, dates are as follows:
Friday April 17th 6 – 9pm
Saturday April 18th 10am – 6pm
Sunday April 19th 12 – 5pm
The SPRINGPOP supports the work of contemporary artists and makers from within a 50km radius. Pick up an original piece of art from an emerging local artist or buy some funky handmade one-of-a-kind things.
 Expect more than a couple of tables with work you may have seen before. Here’s the list of those artists who will be displaying:
Giveable Greetings
F As In Frank Paper Goods Co.
Love, Ash X
On a Branch Soaps
Bill Davidson
Polar Stones
Sprouts Press
Jason Gray
Hatchet Made
The Shoppery
Debbie Borthwick (Dewdrop Gables)
Courtney Lee
Lana Kamaric
Wood Be Cute
Kyle Tonkens
Sanjay Patel
Richard Veeneman
Candice Bradley
Jennifer Burns
Nikkole Lebrun
Donna Grandin
Joelle McNeil
Kirby Booker
Embroiderwee
There may be additional artists added to the list.
The spring Pop Up is one of the events put on by No Vacancy – the group that held an event at the Waterfront Hotel in 2013 that seemed to crack open the interest in local artists that many felt was not being given the time, attention and resources they needed.
The No Vacancy organization will be holding their 2015 event on Old Lakeshore Road in September – the deadline for entries in the SuperNova event is April 30th
Since that event the city took a staff member who was serving as a recreational planner in the Parks and Recreation department and made her a manger of cultural events and had her reporting directly to a city general manager
 With a heightened interest in the arts a Collective was created that now has 500 people – they wanted the Parks and Recreation people out of the culture business. They want people with training on something other than a trampoline, preferably with degrees in the arts and practical experience as well. Last September the city put on a very successful Culture Days event supported by government funding.
The Art Gallery of Burlington has recruited a new president who comes from a city a third the size of Burlington where he ran a Culture and Heritage department for the city of Grand Prairie. Some of his bigger picture thinking might rub off on Burlington.
The Performing Arts Centre now has an Executive Director in place who has stabilized that organization and is growing an audience and expanding the performance offerings.
Burlington just might be getting to the point where it will have a cultural profile that makes it unique and different – meaning more people can come to the city and walk out onto one of the most expensive piers in North America which just happens to be in the BEST city of its size in Canada
By Staff
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The city’s tourism operation has taken to social media to recruit new members for its board.
In a web site posting they ask:
If you are dedicated and dynamic individual with previous governance experience and an interest in tourism, consider applying to join the volunteer Board of Directors for Tourism Burlington Inc.
Their web site is one of the better ones we’ve seen – they provide a lot more information than a number of other city related groups.
If sitting on the Tourism board interests you click here for the Board information package
 By Staff
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Just a little after 6:35pm yesterday afternoon, a lone male suspect armed with a knife, entered the I.D.A. pharmacy located at 1893 Appleby Line in Burlington.
The suspect demanded narcotics and money while brandishing the knife at the pharmacist. The suspect was given an unknown quantity of narcotics and money.
The suspect fled the pharmacy and was last seen running southbound on Appleby Line. There were no injuries sustained by anyone during this incident.
The suspect is described as a white male in his mid 20’s, 5’7″ tall, slim build, wearing dark pants, white/silver snowboarding jacket with a peaked hood, black mask and black gloves. He was carrying a cloth reusable shopping bag.
For the police this is one of those situations that can only get worse – a young man desperate for drugs and money – with an addiction that has pushed him to this limit.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are asked to contact Detective Sergeant Ron Hansen – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext.2315 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the Internet at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes.)
 By Staff
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Glam it up a bit was the word from the President of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce as they gather this evening for their annual Business Awards Gala is being held on April 9, 2015 at the Burlington Convention Centre.
In addition to the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards, the Gala also features the presentation of the Tourism Burlington’s Ambassador Award and Mayor Rick Goldring’s Community Service Awards. It is a glamorous and exciting occasion.
After months of meetings and interviews, the Chamber announced the finalists for its 2014 Business Excellence Awards. They named 16 local organizations as potential recipients of awards in a variety of categories. Award nominations are based on overall business excellence and the criteria include excellence in business leadership, community contributions, entrepreneurship, environment, employee welfare, innovation, and market growth.
This Year’s Business Excellence Awards Finalists
MANUFACTURER
CPC Pumps International
Zip Signs Ltd.
RETAIL/ WHOLESALE
Christy’s Gourmet Gifts
Dr. Tracy Brodie & Associates
SERVICE (Small)
AIS Solutions
Dodsworth & Brown Funeral Home
OrthoEvidence
STANMECH Technologies
SERVICE (Large)
Burlington Hydro
Emma’s Back Porch
Sodexo Canada Ltd.
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
Waqar Malik
Dave McSporran
NOT-FOR-PROFIT
Burlington Community Foundation
BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association
Camelot Centre
The award recipient in each category will be kept a closely guarded secret until the night of the Gala.
By Pepper Parr
April 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
For all those folks in ward 6 who struggled to decide who they wanted to vote for – you’re going to get to do it again. Miss Canada is going to seek the federal Conservative nomination for the newly created North Burlington riding.
 Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster thinking through the answer to a question. Tends to be cautious. Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster has people out on the street organizing events for her. The Liberals are at a significant dis-advantage – the death of the Liberal nominee recently means they have to scramble to find someone with at least a bit of a profile to carry the torch and presumably ride Justin Trudeau’s coat tails to Parliament Hill.
A number of months ago we asked Lancaster if there was any truth to the calls we have received from readers that she was going to run for federal office. Lancaster denied she was thinking about leaving city council at that time.
The election date that is floating around for the next federal election is October 2015 – just over seven months away.
 Pink work boots were a must for a former beauty queen. The questions that will come to the surface when it becomes obvious she is going to run is – does she resign as soon as she announces – or does she hold her seat until the election is over?
There are no hard and fast rules – she doesn’t have to resign.
Can she continue to carry the work load at city hall and the Regional Council and fight a federal election as well – and continue to serve the breast cancer non-profit she heads up?
By Pepper Parr
April 8, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a meeting with a number of agendas – the people whose homes were going to be replaced by parkland at some point in the future wanted to make their agenda the prime one but the event was to give citizens a chance to see what the first cut of a design for the Beachway park would look like – they got more than their money’s worth.
Another agenda was for the Regional Staff in attendance to assure everyone that there were no plans to expropriate anyone’s property – but during the presentation the phrase “priority properties” was used a number of times.
 Citizens get their first look at the design of the Beachway Park – there won’t be much built until the hospital construction is complete but when done the park will consist of five character areas that respect the environment and allow for all kinds of activities. The dark blue area will be the major swimming location. The Mayor was on hand – he didn’t speak – stood silently at the back of the room but got vocal when the Cogeco news camera was turned on.
 Anne McIlroy and her team which included planners from the city created the design. McIlroy has done a lot of work for both the city and the Region in the past. Council members representing the eastern side of the city didn’t make an appearance – the park land is Regional property and but how the park development is going to be paid for has yet to be worked out. Anne McIlroy, the outside consultant told the audience that the team has only just begun to get into what it will cost to develop the park.
Some staff members were assuring people that nothing was going to happen overnight – that this was a 40 to 50 year project. During the presentation McIlroy left the distinct impression that it was possible to do parts of the park in the near future.
The different agendas clashed at times but setting the politics of all this aside – and they do smell – the design that was shown to the public last night is exceptionally good.
It is sensitive to the environment within which it is going to be developed and it allows for a number of different uses of the space.
It is almost five different parks strung together. The west end of Spencer Smith Park is the beginning of the Beachway. This section is directly opposite the Joseph Brant Hospital and the Joseph Brant Museum. Lakeshore Road, which will lead to the Beachway Park, is to be widened and raised and become a three lane road with a bicycle lane as well.
 The Living Shoreline section of the Beachway Park will begin where Spencer Smith Park ends. It will include a gas powered fire pit; a native interpretation centre and a shore line boardwalk. On the lakeside of the road the park area will be called the Living Shoreline. This portion of the park will have shelters, a gas fed fire pit that will be used for special occasions. There will be a native interpretation centre and a shoreline boardwalk.
The trail that is built upon the old railway bed will remain much the same in this part of the Beachway Park.
This Living Shoreline will tie into parts of the western end of Spencer Smith – almost reach back to the compass in Spencer Smith.
The hospital parking garage and the hospital itself will be on the other side of the road. The Living Shoreline will stretch west to the Ministry of Transportation property.
Each of the Beachway Park sections will transition into each other with Beacons – which weren’t all that clearly explained – to demark the different parts of the larger park.
 The Strand section of the Beachway Park will be the major swimming area and will include the pavilion, rest rooms. rental area. The next section – working west – will be called The Strand. This section will have a very active beach – it is to be the major swimming area. The Pavilion will be in this section – one hopes that Pavilion is given a major upgrade. The Pump House – referred to as the “rental” place will be in this section. The Catamaran Club will be in this section as well.
There will be parking in this area – what was pretty clear from the drawings was that parking is not going to dominate. Mention was made of shuttle buses that would be used. If the assumption is that the hospital parking lot can handle the weekend traffic – that needs to be re-thought.
 The Wind Beach section of the Beachway Park will reach to the canal and include significant improvements to the pier area. On the west of the Strand is what will be called The Wind Beach. It will end at the Canal which the park designers hope to turn into a much more inviting location with a better interface with the lift bridge.
The intention is to tie the Burlington Beachway Park to the Hamilton side and ideally see more bike traffic between the two cities.
At the very end of Lakeshore, where Lakeshore Court is located – a couple of yards from the Burlington start of the Waterfront Trail the Commons will exist. This part of the park will be more sports orientated. There will be volley ball courts, a storm water pond, a bacchii ball location, shade areas, and outdoor pavilions that can be used for market and art sales.
 By the time the meeting started there wasn’t an empty seat in the room with dozens of people standing. The Skyway federal pier area will have Eastport Road cutting through it which creates some design challenges.
What wasn’t at all clear during the presentation was how parking would be handled. Many argued that the 27 private homes in the Beachway should not be torn down to create parking spaces. The drawings that were shown last night did not seem to have acres of parking.
 The Beachway Park is a Regional initiative that will be run by the city of Burlington. Anne McIlroy on the left talks with Stirling Todd, Senior Regional Planner on the right. What the public saw Tuesday evening at the Art Gallery was a decent first look – the questions for the most part were related to how the city was going to create a park on land they didn’t own.
That question is a Regional political issue and Burlington lost its chance to have an impact in 2013.
As parks go – what Anne McIlroy and her team put together is quality work – if they ever get to build it will be a well-used part of the city.
 By Staff
April 7, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Identity theft operators are at it 24/7. They just churn out phony email messages and send them to lists of names that they buy For pennies apiece or use names they have hacked from some insecure web site or server.
And how many insecure web sites are there out there? Listen to this:
The July 14, 2015, deadline for which Microsoft will end support for Windows Server 2003 is final and will not be extended. And with fewer than 100 days to go, the software vendor is intensifying its efforts to encourage to move to its latest version of the platform, Windows Server 2012 R2.
 Gartner, a respected services consulting company reckons there are eight million Windows Server 2003 OS instances in operation. Others reckons that of those instances, a full 20 per cent – 1.6 million – will blow past the 14 July end-of-support date.
What happens six months from now, on 14 July? That’s the date Microsoft issues its last security fix ever for Window Server 2003 – the end of extended support from the server operating system’s maker.
That means any new hacks built or vulnerabilities discovered in Windows Server 2003 and those running the legacy server OS will be facing them on their own.
It’s a problem if your server systems hold data of any kind – which they will – and could be accessed directly or indirectly from the internet.
Server systems are generally thought isolated from external attackers, but last year’s attack on Sony Pictures put an end to that illusion.
 For a company that might be using this security service it would seem like a reasonable request – but the receiver of this email didn’t use the service. For those stealing data – all they have to do is catch one person who doesn’t realize it is a false request. The following came across our computer screen. First we are not an ADP Security clients – and if you look closely at the email address they claim to have sent from it isn’t difficult to spot the error.
A bookkeeper who is handling your payables might not catch this kind of thing – drill into them the need to be careful and cautious – the down side when these identity thieves get a grip on your web site are very expensive.
By Pepper Parr
April 7, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Are the decks being cleared; are new opportunities popping up in other municipalities – what’s going on? People are leaving the employ of the city at a surprising rate.
 Burlington Planner, Bruce Kruselniki – announced his retirement – will leave at the end of May. A few weeks ago city planner Bruce Krushelnicki announced his retirement at the end of May – now Director of Transpiration Bruce Zvaniga announced that it is “With deeply mixed emotions, I am announcing my retirement from the City of Burlington effective April 30th.
“Five years ago, I eagerly joined the newly-formed Transportation Services Department and was given the exciting opportunity to lead the staff charged with planning and managing the way people walk, cycle, drive and park cars within our city.
 Bruce Zvaniga announces retirement. “I have had the great pleasure of working with you on the challenges of defending our rural area from the intrusion of a new highway corridor, protecting endangered wildlife from vehicular traffic, improving the safety and efficiency of our city streets, expanding the city’s cycling facilities, identifying the growth needs of the transportation network and updating our technology for parking management and signal control. I am sad that I won’t be here to share in the celebration of the many initiatives currently underway to be completed later this year, but I look forward to the adventures ahead for me.
“I feel very fortunate and very proud to have served the City of Burlington.
“CoB is a great place to work – because of how much staff care about each other, and their focus on delivering excellent service every day to the community.
“I will very much miss the people here and miss being part of making this great City work.”
Zvaniga makes no mention of where he is going nor does he mention any personal issues – he is just leaving.
 City manager James Ridge now has another important hole to fill as he builds the management team. Newly appointed city manager James Ridge has been interviewing every member of Council and the Directors of various departments. In the near future Ridge is going to have to tell Council how he plans to organize the city administration.
The city is short one general city manager – frequently senior management reaches down into middle management and moves someone up the food chain.
Has Zvaniga had his interview with Ridge and realized he wasn’t going to be considered for a promotion and decided he would find a better place to grow his career.
 Zvaniga was one of those Directors who was attentive, open to new ideas but had to work with a file that was awkward and a staff that seemed to be married to the rule book.
He did create an interesting approach to traffic court in this city but the department never managed to come up with a provider of new high tech parking meters.
Are there more shoes that will get dropped to the floor? At least three that we can count.
Interesting times with a man who brings discipline and accountability to the operation.
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