 By Gazette Staff
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
regarding Burlington Sound of Music – 2025 festival re-cap and future
direction
Kevin Vance, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc, regarding
Burlington Sound of Music – 2025 festival re-cap and future direction
 Sara Palmieri, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre Dave Shepherd, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival Inc, regarding
Burlington Sound of Music – 2025 festival re-cap and future direction
Sara Palmieri, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre
regarding Burlington Sound of Music – 2025 festival re-cap and future
direction
 By Pepper Parr
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
By Pepper Parr
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?
 By Gazette Staff
October 5th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
On the Art Gallery of Burlington’s 50th anniversary, we invite artists, arts educators, studio technicians and our wider community to join us for a three-day gathering taking place October 16-18, 2025, to envision the future of art education in the context of our ongoing global climate catastrophes.
 This is the future for the Art Gallery of Burlington. Sustainable Futures: Art Education Summit launches online Thursday October 16; a virtual session with writer Lauren Markham to build a collective language for the following two days of learning.
Our in-person program on Friday October 17 invites artists, educators, and programmers working in museums and galleries throughout the GTHA and surrounding regions to share insights and strategies through presentations and roundtable discussions.
On Saturday October 18, we take our learning into the land with a morning visit to Crawford Lake where we will explore the Indigenous history of this critical site for humanity’s growing understanding of the Anthropocene before returning to the AGB studios for hands-on workshops and demonstrations in sustainable art-making practices.
Registration is free for both our virtual and in-person events on Thursday October 16 and Friday October 17.
 Is the Art Gallery serving the needs and desires of the current adult demographic? Programs on Saturday October 18 require paid registration on a cost-recovery basis for our Crawford Lake Visit and Tour @ $12 and all AGB Studio Workshops @ $40.
The Sustainable Futures Art Education Summit is generously sponsored by TERRA/Kind Matter.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 16 | Online
Lauren Markham: Immemorial
6 – 7 pm
Lauren Markham’s speculative essay, Immemorial, exemplifies the importance of language in being able to name the collective grief we are experiencing in the face of our climate catastrophe.
She asks, how we memorialize what has been lost and what soon will be, pushing public imagination into generative realms.
Friday, October 17 | Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB)
Free, registration required
Presentation: Sustainability in Art Education
With Victoria Ho, OCAD University 10 – 11 am
 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
October 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Sriti Mizan, a Burlington resident has initiated a Petition that Burlington MP Karina Gould will indicated she will present to the House of Commons in January of 2026;
It reads as follows:
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled
Whereas:
July 1 celebrations across Canada seldom include Indigenous ceremonies such as tobacco offerings, sacred fires or Elder-led openings;
Ceremony affirms nation-to-nation relationships and advances both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act;
Public visibility of Indigenous protocols educates Canadians and honours treaty obligations; and Indigenous organizations need resources to host ceremonial leaders and knowledge keepers.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to
-
-
- Issue national guidance encouraging municipalities and federally funded Canada Day events to invite local Elders or Knowledge Keepers to open celebrations with tobacco offerings, sacred fires or other appropriate ceremony;
- Establish a rapid micro-grant program, administered by Indigenous Services Canada, to cover honoraria, permits, medicines and travel for ceremonial leaders;
- Co-develop and distribute, with Indigenous cultural educators, a user-friendly outreach kit outlining protocol, safety and the significance of ceremony for all Canada Day organizers;
- Require that every Canadian Heritage–supported Canada Day event in the National Capital Region begin with an Elder-led opening; and
- Track and publicly report progress on ceremonial inclusion in the Departmental Plan, setting measurable targets for July 1 2026.
The Petition was open for signatures on September 24, 2025, at 5:03 p.m. The opportunity to sign the Petition will close on January 22, 2026, at 5:03 p.m. (EDT)
If you want to sign the Petition, click HERE.
What is the process used to get a Petition before the House of Commons.
 By Sadie SmithOctober 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
From Raptors games to rapid winnings: The rise of fast payout casinos in Canada
No one likes to wait, whether you are waiting in line for your coffee at Tim Hortons or waiting for your barber to finish with another client. In Canada’s online gambling world, the narrative remains the same. No player wants to wait for days before their payouts enter their accounts: everybody wants to withdraw their winnings as fast as possible. And because of that, fast payout casinos in Canada have been coming up really fast in an attempt to fit the needs of players.
 After a big win or a big game, it becomes quite frustrating if you have to wait for a couple of days in order to make withdrawals. In a 2022 online survey by PayNearMe, 39% of the respondents stated that the process of withdrawing funds from casinos was normally too long, and that made it a big pain point. In fact, 29% said that the lengthy process was a potential reason for abandoning a betting app. If only players could get platforms that allowed them to have faster payouts, then they would have better experiences. This is the key marketing point that many competitive fast payout casinos in Canada are coming with, bringing a big shift to the gambling landscape.
After a big win or a big game, it becomes quite frustrating if you have to wait for a couple of days in order to make withdrawals. This is normally the case with casinos that use traditional modes of payment like direct bank transfers and cards. Sometimes, you find yourself waiting for up to five days! And it is even worse during the weekends and holidays since banks only operate on working days.
But apart from just being fast, are there any other advantages that make the casinos desirable?
Quick withdrawals enhance financial control
You can easily attest to the idea that you are able to better control your finances if you have your money when you have planned for it. If you can access your money sooner, you will be able to make a logical decision about whether you will reinvest, withdraw or save without adding any complications.
Conversely, delayed withdrawals make players continue gambling while waiting for their winnings to come. In the process, most players find themselves dipping into the winning they had originally intended to cash out. In fact, that is one of the strategies that some casinos use in order to make their clients gamble more. Withhold winning for up to 48 hours and players get the urge to continue with their games before they withdraw. With rapid playouts, you are able to enforce self control, which is a real benefit to many.
Transparency and efficiency operate on the same plane
 A casino where you are able to withdraw your winnings in 24 hours or less. If you have realized, fast withdrawal casinos are often transparent with their terms of services and wagering requirements. They don’t hide behind vague “up to 7 days” terms and avoid unnecessary pending periods. These delayed withdrawals are normally common with unregulated casinos which push the dishonest process in order to have players gambling further or abandoning their request.
The clarity with fast payout casinos reduce confusion and unnecessary back and forth communication with customer service. Instead of being taken through loops of endless documentation, why not go for a casino that only asks for complete verification once (during sign-up) and after that it’s just a walk in the park?
What makes a casino a fast-payout?
But one question that might come up would be the elements that make a casino be termed as fast withdrawal. In essence, just like its description, it is a casino where you are able to withdraw your winnings in 24 hours or less.
One of the things that makes a casino fast-payout is efficient payment methods. For example, it is more efficient to use crypto payments and e-wallets instead of using cards and bank transfers. You see, cryptocurrencies (under blockchain technology) are inherently fast, with transfers being confirmed within a couple of minutes. Slow networks like Bitcoin might need 10 hours for confirmation, plus an extra hour for settlement, while faster networks like Solana might take just a few seconds.
In comparison, bank payments take anywhere between 1 and 5 days to complete the whole process. Compare that with the slowest crypto network, and there is actually no comparison.
Another thing is upfront verification. These casinos verify your identity once you register, and you do not have to wait until you are trying to withdraw. Actually, they encourage players to complete their KYC early in order to avoid frustration. In addition to that, fast payout casinos have automated systems that approve withdrawals within hours. This counters the manual approval systems which often cause delays.
Competition is making everything better
 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 grow at a CAGR of 14.3% between 2025 and 2030. Now, each operator wants a chunk of that market, and the only way to do it is give players what they want. This would allow them to have a larger following.
The best way to amass a huge following is by increasing the payout speed of casinos. More and more players are preferring them, and it only makes sense that operators jump into the bandwagon. The competition is intensifying and you can be sure that it’s a big plus to players who don’t want to deal with long delays.
 By Games Hub
October 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Sports betting and online casinos are two platforms where gambling is flourishing in 2025. They are both moving at a high rate, although not necessarily due to the same reasons. One of them has the power of live events and live interactions, whereas the other has the power of immersive play and quick online transactions. They are all together defining entertainment time spent by millions of people.
Market Growth in Numbers
 Sophisticated data applications are driving market growth. The betting business in the sports world is expanding worldwide. Projections indicate it will hit $119 billion in the current year with legalization, mobile applications, and sophisticated data applications driving its growth. The market may grow as high as 235 billion by the year 2033, with current trends indicating that betting has been adopted very fast into the daily routine of digital life.
Casinos on the internet are forging their own course. Another revenue in 2025 will be between 21 and 38 billion with the help of mobile play, cryptocurrency transactions, and live dealer tables. The industry is growing at a rate of approximately 12 percent, and as such, it is one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment industries. Approximately three-quarters of playing online casinos today occurs on smartphones, which is evidence of the fact that convenience is a significant factor.
 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 GamesHub’s list of top Canada online casinos highlight just how wide the field has become.
What’s Fueling the Rise?
The two industries are technology-driven. AI provides a customized betting experience, blockchain offers trust and transparency, and VR/AR would provide additional immersion. The emergence of 5G has ensured the smoothness of mobile play, and digital wallets and cryptocurrencies ensure that the transaction will remain fast and safe.
Sports betting is another category that is boosted by the emerging esports sphere, in which real-time participation and streaming are at the heart of the process. Online casinos, however, are paying much attention to the simulation of the gameplay environment. Live dealer tables, interactive chat, and mobile platforms that are well developed provide the users with a feeling that he or she is in a casino without leaving the house at all.
Who’s Playing Both?
Gen Z and millennials are at the heart of the growth. They are not afraid of switching between sports betting and online casinos, and frequently on the same application. This generation crossover is supported by hybrid platforms, which support the two alternatives, allowing a person to bet on a Saturday hockey game and then switch to poker or blackjack.
This is known among the operators, and this is why marketing is moving forward to mobile-first campaigning, crypto-friendly transactions, and social interactive functions. Calendars and seasonal events attract bettors, and constant casino promotions ensure that a bettor is kept entertained even after the final whistle.
The Road Ahead
Sports betting and online casinos are growing for different reasons, but their futures are tied together. Sportsbooks bring energy and immediacy, casinos bring variety and depth. As long as players want both, platforms will keep blending the experiences–making gambling in 2025 less about choosing sides and more about having everything in one place.
By Gazette Staff
October 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Knowing people in the right places makes a difference.
The latest Provincial Public Accounts reveal just how much of your taxpayer dollars are flowing through the quasi-partisan Caucus Services Bureaus — a.k.a. the piggy bank for government and opposition consultants.
The Liberals and Greens are MIA – no cash receipts — but the PCs and NDP were writing some pretty hefty cheques last year.
Just the Highlights:
 NICK KOUVALIS’s twin outfits, Campaign Research and Campaign Support, cleaned up with a combined $1,655,450 haul- DIMITRI PANTAZOPOULOS and RICHARD CIANO’s Yorkville Strategies raked in $201,173
- Geppetto Technologies — which the PC Party previously used to deploy campaign canvassers — scored $252,657
- WARREN KINSELLA’s Daisy Consulting snagged $67,000
- Unilogic Solutions banked $395,500
- MacPhie & Co.: $185,970
- Snapstream: $101,600
- Testerdigital: $74,580
- Blue Labs Analytics: $67,000
Plus: another $1.14M spread across firms that fell under the $50K disclosure threshold (read: plenty of mystery players still pocketed public cash).
 Spending by political parties – the growth is not healthy.
 By Gazette Staff
October 5th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
This 3-week workshop will teach participants how to warp, weave, and finish a scarf using the rigid heddle loom.
It is suitable for adults of all skill levels and no prior weaving experience is necessary. The finished project is approximately 12” x 60”. Materials for the warp (100% wool) are included in the registration fee.
 Rrigid heddle loom Participants will be asked to provide weft yarn in their choice of colours – a full material list will be provided in advance.
Amanda Rataj is an artist and weaver living and working in Hamilton, Ontario. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design University and has developed her contemporary craft practice through research-based projects, artist residencies, and exhibitions. Amanda is a contract lecturer in Toronto Metropolitan University’s Fashion program and has been an educator at the Art Gallery of Ontario for over a decade. Recent exhibitions include Generation at Craft Ontario as part of the Design TO festival (2023), Crosscurrents: Canada In the Making at the Textile Museum of Canada (2018), and Nothing is Newer Than Tradition (Art Gallery of Burlington, 2017).
 By Gazette Staff
October 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Want to learn about a ceramicist’s unique approach to their craft, while trying your hand at creating your own clay vessel?
 Join us for a night of learning how to use the pottery wheel – absolutely no experience is required for this fun, hands-on night working with clay.
About the Instructor: Neslihan Atay has been a passionate potter and a member of the Art Gallery of Burlington and the Burlington Potters Guild since 2017. Her primary focus is wheel work. She creates a wide range of both contemporary and traditional pieces including a line of Ottoman/Turkish designs that back to the 15th century. She has received her certificate through the Mohawk College Ceramics program and has taken advanced classes from master potter Donn Zver. Nesli’s work has been on exhibit at AGB. She takes part in seasonal sales of Burlington Potters Guild and Hamilton Potters Guild. She loves to teach and transfer her passion and knowledge to people interested in playing with clay.
Schedule:
AGE: Adult
DAY: Friday
START/END: September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12,
TIME: 6:30 to 9:30 PM
MEMBER DISCOUNT: 10% off for Regular Friends & 15% off for Philanthropic Friends
COST: $70
INSTRUCTOR: Nesli Atay
LOCATION: Onsite
 By Pepper Parr
October 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
We sent Ron Foxcroft a short note early this morning:
Ticats Game Day
Hamilton (9-6) at Toronto (5-10)
When Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where BMO Field
WHERE WILL YOU BE?
He came back with
With Beloved and Loving Tiger Cats. Oskee Wee Wee
He’s expecting plays like this:
 This is what the game is all about. And with a play like that, the Tiger Cats could defeat their lifelong rivals, send the Argo to the dressing room and improve Hamilton’s grip on first place in the East Division. A Tiger Cats’ win puts them just one victory or a Montreal loss away from locking up first place in the east and earning a first-round playoff bye.
A Toronto loss means they’re done.
 By Paul Deegan
October 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
This National Newspaper Week, as we face the rise of fake news amplified by algorithms that prioritize engagement, it is in everyone’s interest to protect the truth.
 In their 2018 book Truth Decay, Jennifer Kavanagh and Michael D. Rich of the RAND Corporation, wrote about the role news publishers and broadcasters play in mediating information – separating fact from fiction. They differentiate between these businesses and Big Tech platforms, arguing that because the former can be sued for defamation and hold themselves to journalistic standards, they remain accountable.
According to Kavanagh and Rich, “the filters and algorithms embedded in social media platforms and search engines, such as Google, contribute to Truth Decay — and particularly to increasing disagreement and the blurring of the distinction between opinion and fact — by inserting bias into the types of information a person is likely to encounter or engage with.”
 Generative artificial intelligence has compounded the problem. In the seven years since their book was published, generative artificial intelligence has compounded the problem. AI companies are flagrantly scraping and summarizing content directly from published news articles. This is theft on an industrial scale – plain and simple.
Publishers are being harmed because these artificial intelligence overviews are so detailed that the reader often stays within Big Tech’s walled garden, rather than being pointed electronically to news websites via links. No clicks mean no money for publishers to reinvest in fact-based, fact-checked journalism.
Readers are being harmed too. All too often, these artificial intelligence overviews serve up slop: inaccurate, irrelevant, out-of-date, and even harmful information. In today’s attention economy, these companies prioritize engagement. That leaves it up to the user to try to separate fact from fiction.
In a world of misinformation and disinformation, we need fact-based, fact-checked journalism. Crowdsourcing is not journalism. There are no alternative facts: there are just facts. And Canadians need facts to live their lives and to make informed decisions that empower them to participate effectively in democratic processes.
 Federal government advertisement. “Buy Canadian” is part of the solution. According to a recent report from Canadian Media Means Business, 92 per cent of digital ad dollars are now going to non-Canadian platforms, which puts the sustainability of Canadian media in jeopardy. Governments across Canada should not be spending their advertising dollars with foreign search and social media giants. They should walk the talk and “Buy Canadian”. They should follow the Government of Ontario’s lead and set aside a minimum of 25 per cent of their advertising budgets for trusted news brands. And that should be one of the planks in the Government of Canada’s new Buy Canadian Policy, which seeks to ensure our economy is resilient and self-reliant.
Beyond ensuring federal advertising is placed in a brand safe manner and without any additional cost to the taxpayer, a federal set-aside would send an important signal to other orders of government and to the private sector about protecting Canada’s digital sovereignty and sustaining independent, commercially viable public interest journalism.
More than 85 per cent of adults in Canada turn to newspaper content each week, and two-thirds trust that content – ahead of television, radio, magazines, social media, and online search.
Editor’s note: That statement is not completely true. Older people used to getting a newspaper delivered to the doorstep are still reading newspapers. The people under 35 – not so much.
Paul Deegan is president and chief executive officer of News Media Canada
 By Gazette Staff
October 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has been informed by the developer that on Wednesday, October 8, crews will be on-site to complete geotechnical investigation work.
Work is expected to take less than a day to complete. During this time, residents may notice drilling, vibration, and noise in the area. These disturbances are temporary and will only occur for the duration of the work.
This is not development-specific work and therefore it does not require City approvals or development agreements. Site investigations can be carried out by any property owner on their private land. They are used to determine site conditions ahead of any future construction.
No – not development work – they are drilling for oil or a shortcut to China!
 What was once seen as a gem of a community is going to undergo significant changes because the city has failed to resolve a problem.
 By Pepper Parr
October 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
An announcement that appeared on the Getting Involved website page said:
We are creating our next long-term vision and strategic plan – Horizon 2050 and we want to hear from you!
The Council in place now is working towards getting a budget in place for 2026.
Why are they starting a process that will outline a plan that takes the city forward to 2050? Will they be re-elected in 2026?
That is a job for the Council that will be elected in 2026
Their job at this point is to get themselves elected and then work with staff and the public to determine how the city should be built going forward.
 What do the citizens of the city want to see for a future Burlington? What’s possible. Horizon 2050 will guide the choices City leadership makes today and over the next 25 years. Help us plan for a Burlington that is future-ready, focused on connected communities and a thriving city for future generations.
What you share with us will help City staff and Council set the priorities that shape policies, programs and investments that impact our community for years to come.
 The 2015 to 2018 Strategic Plan was a real staff and City Councillor initiative. The 2022 to 2026 was driven to a considerable degree by consultants brought in by then City Manager James Ridge. 
How to Get Involved
Take the online survey from Oct. 1 to 31
Join us for a meeting in-person or online
Follow the project page for updates, reports and “What We Heard” summaries during the project.
Share your ideas with your neighbours and community groups and encourage them to share their ideas.
Why Horizon 2050 Matters
The decisions we make today will shape Burlington’s future. Horizon 2050 is about building a community where:
- Everyone feels included and connected,
- We protect and strengthen our natural environment,
- Housing, transportation and services meet the needs of all residents,
- Our city thrives socially, culturally and economically.
No point in protesting at this point. The city has already scheduled meetings for October (could this be to distract people from a budget that is going to have an increase in taxes of 5.8% over last year?)
October 14, 2025
 Every thought, every idea made by anyone during the 2015 – 2018 Strategic Plan sessions got written down. Staff and council put in much more than a full week of work to produce a solid document. When it came to getting opions using dotology – Council and Staff were far apart. Community Public Engagement Session #1
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Haber Recreation Centre, Room 1Tim Dobbie Dr., Burlington, Ont.
October 15, 2025 Community Public Engagement Session #2
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Mountainside Recreation CentreRoom 22205 Mt Forest Dr., Burlington, Ont.
 Frank McKeough, on the left, talks with Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman during the Strategic Plan sessions. The discussions were wide open and boisterous. October 15, 2025
Community Public Engagement Session #3
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Mountainside Recreation Centre Room 22205 Mt Forest Dr., Burlington, Ont.
October 21, 2025
By Gazette Staff
October 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The good news is that
No lane closures are currently planned for this weekend.
Background:
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has retained Alliance Verdi Civil Inc. (contractor) to undertake the rehabilitation of the 2.2 km QEW Burlington Bay Skyway Niagara bound bridge, and illumination upgrades in both directions of the QEW, from north of Northshore Boulevard to south of the Burlington Bay Skyway bridge, in the City of Burlington and City of Hamilton.
This project will extend the service life of the QEW Niagara bound lanes.
AECOM Canada ULC has been retained by MTO to provide construction administration and oversight of this project.
Construction started in May 2024 and is anticipated to be completed December 2026.
The Ministry of Transportation has advised media that a website has been set up to keep us aware of what they are doing that will impact travellers and when they are doing it.
Took far too long to get to this point – but at least we are there.
By Gazette Staff
October 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Experts ‘don’t think it will be a short crop year, just some reduced yields when comparing to other years.’
With harvest underway in Niagara, experts from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) say the region is headed for a good crop despite the summer’s extreme heat and lack of rain.
“It looks like it is going to be an example of quality over quantity,” says CCOVI Researcher and Associate Professor Jim Willwerth (PhD ’11, OEVC ’04).
A damp spring combined with current moderate daytime highs and cooler evenings are helping to mitigate worries caused by the hot and dry summer conditions, says Willwerth, whose expertise includes soil, water and plant interactions.
 Jim Willwerth: “I don’t think it will be a short crop year, just some reduced yields when comparing to other years,” “I don’t think it will be a short crop year, just some reduced yields when comparing to other years, especially for those growers without irrigation,” he says, adding that a smaller yield due to smaller berries on the vine traditionally means more concentrated and desirable flavours in the grapes.
“We will see how the fall weather goes but right now the quality is looking excellent,” he says.
Last year, Ontario’s three major producing regions — Niagara, Prince Edward Country and the Lake Erie North Shore — produced 65,000 tonnes of grapes, according to the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO).
GGO Chair Matthias Oppenlaender shares Willwerth’s optimistic outlook on this year’s harvest while also acknowledging the likelihood of a lower yield.
“The heat and drought in the summer were a challenge,” he says. “But even with a lower crop, the quality is excellent. We hope the cool nights and sunny days continue to carry us through to the end of harvest.”
Temperatures reached extreme highs over the summer, with several extended heat waves consistently measuring over 35 C.
Worries of a short crop were compounded by limited summer rainfall, with many areas of Niagara getting a third of their normal precipitation, Willwerth says.
“Most rain, if it did arrive, came in brief thunderstorms that did not allow the soils to absorb much water,” he says.
While wet weather in the spring helped grapevines avoid summer water stress, Willwerth says conditions in June and July impacted “fruit set” and helped create the lower yield estimate.
“Fruit set is the time when flowers develop into berries, and the excessive heat appeared to impact that process leading to fewer berries and smaller clusters,” he says.
Willwerth is hopeful October will see continued moderate temperatures and precipitation.
Too much heat now, he says, will have a poor impact on acidity and flavours in the grapes, and drier conditions can help reduce diseases that can be caused by moisture and humidity.
“We want to retain acidity to give the grapes that cool climate freshness that we are known for,” he says. “If temperatures get too high now, acids will start to break down faster.”
He says growers and winemakers are looking for a balance.
“Hopefully we will have a gradual ripening period where we have good flavour, good sugar levels and optimal acidity,” he says.
CCOVI Senior Oenology Scientist Jennifer Kelly runs the institute’s Pre-Harvest Monitoring program that serves as a free resource for industry to monitor ripeness of five varieties across the region from multiple vineyard sites, soil types and crop levels. From her perspective, the outlook is positive for local grape growers.
“The weather we are having now is really helping with a favourably slow progression of ripening,” she says, adding that the ripening rate could mean harvest 2025 will be extended by a couple weeks into early November.
“We are finding that sugar accumulation and acid degradation is happening a bit slower than it did last year,” she says. “More time on the vine is always a good thing.”
Oppenlaender agrees and says he expects this year’s conditions will result in a vintage that local growers and connoisseurs will happily remember.
“It will make for outstanding 100 per cent Ontario grown VQA wine,” he says. “I am looking forward to tasting them.”
 By Pepper Parr
October 2, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
We are not naming sources in this article. Gag orders appear to have been slapped on everyone involved in the process.
The date was set as September 29th – the two swimming clubs that are battling over the amount of time swimming pool time they will be given, were to have submitted their clubs’ membership by that date,.
In order to determine who is going to get what in terms of pool time – the Procurement people (it may be people from some other department) asked each club to provide verifiable membership numbers.
 BAD: Burlington Aquatic Devilrays The most recent information request from the city was for a list of the postal code for each member of the club.
 Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club One of the clubs, we have yet to determine which club, had a problem with just a postal code to determine if a swimmer was a resident of the City. They could give a Burlington postal code for a relative or a friend – there would be no way to follow up and verify.
The source of verifiable information on swimming club membership rests with Swimming Ontario. One of the swimming clubs suggested that the city get the information from that source.
No response yet from the city.
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns The intention Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns expressed to have the City Auditor look into just how the decision to award swimming pool time was made isn’t clear – someone with the authority to acquire information was needed.
At this point, the matter does not appear to be on the Council agenda for next week.
Additions can be made to the Agenda before the meetings on October 6th and October 7th. Or Kearns can bring a Motion to have an item added.
Prior to this year, BAD had 40 hours of pool time each week. They now have 17 hours, while GHAC is believed to have 37.
The reduction in pool time is hammering the BAD club – their membership was once at 400; it is now less than 175. Swimmers join a club that has pool time.
The wheels at City Hall do not move quickly – they are as bad as they are in the provincial Court system.
But this will get resolved.
And if it is done fairly Burlington will have a hometown swimming club.
If it is unfair, the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays will become part of the city’s history.
By Gazette Staff
October 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Bowling lanes at Splitsville no longer have that hardwood floor look – they glow blue. Not sure that results in better bowling scores – but it sure is different. Splitsville Bowl has been an integral part of Burlington’s community for over 20 years, providing non-stop fun for family, friends, and businesses throughout the area.
After months of anticipation, changes, and renovations, Splitsville Bowl Burlington’s glow-up is complete.
Brands new lanes and pinsetters – guests can enjoy seamless bowling and our state-of-the-art scoring systems.
The have upgraded the arcade area, with new games and new prizes for everyone to enjoy!
Reserve your fun time online – click HERE
By Gazette Staff
October 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Chick-fil-A restaurants across Ontario will be offering a complimentary Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich or Spicy Chicken Sandwich to guests, while supplies last.
 The Burlington location is at 2331 Appleby Line
This offer is a way for Chick-fil-A to express gratitude to the citizens of Burlington and connect with both long-time fans and new customers. It’s the perfect opportunity for Canadians to enjoy a taste of Chick-fil-A’s signature offerings completely free of charge.
How Guests can Claim Offer
- Guests can claim their complimentary sandwich by visiting any participating Chick-fil-A restaurant in Ontario or Alberta, either inside the restaurant or via the drive-thru.
- This offer is limited to one per person, per day, while supplies last, and no purchase is necessary.
- The offer is not available through the App, personal web ordering or third-party delivery.
The fine print? While suppliers last.
 By Ray Rivers
October 2nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The timing couldn’t be worse. Canada’s economy is struggling, showing signs of stagnation, rising unemployment and a decline in per-capita GDP (productivity). This was Mr. Trump’s plan after all – destroy Canada’s economy and we will beg to become the 51st state. The last thing we needed was another postal strike.
 Postal workers – waving goodbye to the decent jobs they had? We shouldn’t be blaming Mr. Trump for the mess in our postal service. Mr. Trudeau won his 2018 election promising to preserve the money-losing door-to-door delivery service. And then, perhaps because of all the strike threats, the post office corporate management lost much of their lucrative parcel business. They went from holding over 60% to less than 25% of the parcel market in just the last five years. That’s no way to run a business unless you want to bankrupt it.
Email has made snail mail delivery something of an anachronism. I had been hired by the post office in the mid-1970s as their senior economist and stayed long enough to help ease in the new crown corporation of the 80’s. That allowed enough political leverage to end the stream of deficits back then by jacking up the price of postage – something which wouldn’t work today.
The post office has played a crucial role in this country’s development since its beginning. It is vital for remote communities where alternate means of communication are limited. Perhaps that is where the post office’s real future lies? After all, it’s been really lousy competing with the private sector. Still there are all those group mail boxes, the street mail drop-off boxes and all those postal stations.
Canada Post currently delivers mail over the largest geographic area in the world, including Russia. So it is not going to disappear. It’s not the pony express – where riders relayed, swapping horses along the way, as they carried mail between Missouri and California to honour their 10 day delivery guarantee. That early private sector mail experiment lasted fewer than two years.
 Every country road has scenes like this. They could all be gone in less than three years. There are about 70,000 full and part time employees in the corporation which serves over 3 million rural customers with residential mail delivery. Regardless of the current strike’s outcome, thousands of existing employees will end up on the jobless rolls.
Even if those lay-offs are phased-in, the pain of finding oneself jobless in a growing jobless market today is problematic. We should have seen this coming.
Mr. Carney has his work cut out for him.
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
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