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May 22nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
The Touch-a-Truck event scheduled for Saturday, May 23 is cancelled due to the forecasted weather conditions. We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we prioritize the safety, comfort and overall experience of event participants.  The event was cancelled by the city. 
By Gazette Staff May 22nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
They had to try – NDP introduces motion to delivery grocery price relief to Ontario Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, held a press conference in Scarborough this morning; where they introduced a bill to scrap the HST on all food and drink, and prevent grocery monopolies from using lease agreements to stifle competitive pricing.  Marit Stiles: After eight years of Doug Ford, affordability has never been further out of reach. Stiles said: “After eight years of Doug Ford, affordability has never been further out of reach. People are hurting every time they go to pay for their groceries, trying to stretch a dollar further and further just to feed their families. Our bill calls on Doug Ford to scrap the HST on all food and drink, and ban grocery stores from using lease agreements to prevent competitors from opening nearby, and selling products for less. “We know it can be done. Wab Kinew’s NDP government in Manitoba has proven we can rein in these wealthy grocery giants and make life more affordable. All it takes is a Premier with the will to act.” “The Conservatives have already voted against banning surveillance pricing. If they again vote in opposition to making groceries more affordable, they’ll have to explain that to the people of Ontario.” Bill 113, Fair Prices and Tax-Free Groceries Act, 2026 will be debated in the Ontario Legislature next week. The unfortunate part is that more than a majority of the people in Ontario seem prepared to live with whatever Doug Ford decides to do.
May 22nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Lisa Kearns held an event to tell the community about the planks in election campaign drive to become the next Mayor of Burlington. She got more than a respectable turnout at an event that offered free food: pizza, breaded chicken and French fries. And a cash bar.  A few more tables could have been added, but this was a very respectable-sized audience. She told the audience what she wanted to deliver as Mayor. Service Excellence: “Excellence is what people expect when they come to City Hall. They expect to be served immediately. They expect to be served fully. How many of you have gone into a business, a restaurant, a service, a retailer, an event, and said, Wow, that was amazing. They anticipated what I needed. They got it done quickly and I didn’t get the runaround. “Do you know we have people at City Hall who, when they’re on vacation, they stay out of office, contact that person, and it says, out of office, contact that person, and they said, I’d love to contact that person, I’d want to actually contact them. And you end up in a cycle that makes you want to just cry. “Where do you stop that? We’re going to bring in all the absolute best practises. I know people don’t like that word best practises, but I’m going to be dedicated to absolute excellence.” On getting building permits: “There is no logical reason why our roller skating rink can’t open in an empty mall. There’s no reason I can’t get a cupcake shop back into the downtown. There’s no reason why it’s taking 18 months for a coffee shop to open, and they couldn’t even get a scaffolding permit to make a beautiful place of connection in our community. And why can’t a comic bookstore can’t even open without the city’s elected officials getting involved? We have to do a better job. “These permits are a source of revenue. Those building permits go straight into the back pocket of the city, taking pressure off your local taxes. What we already know is that the building department has had to dig into its reserves because it’s come in under what it’s making. It’s costing more than we’re making in the buildings department. If you have a piggy bank of savings, we’ve had to take a third of those savings out to make the department whole. That is not sustainable. We need to come up with more revenue on the other side, or you need to make a change on the operating cost side. They are out of balance.  Kearns gave a good presentation and then listened to small groups. “This kind of change starts only at the top, and I promise you it will change at the top. “Let’s talk about housing, which is a very failed conversation. I want to do away with the divisiveness between developers and the city. We’re really getting sick of getting hauled up to the tribunal all the time. I want to talk to developers in advance and say: Listen, let’s sort this out now.  The platform Lisa Kearns is going to run on to get her elected as Mayor of the City in the October 26th election. “I have decades of negotiating experience, of getting to what’s called the best possible outcome, or the total cost of ownership. If you are blindsided by either of those two things and you didn’t achieve both of those in every introduction you do, you’re coming up short. “What we’re going to do is figure out what everything is going to cost. We’re going to take a collaborative approach and find the amenities our community is asking for. “I won’t be a mayor that is constantly screaming into the sky at the provincial government. I am just here to work with whoever is in office, and just get as much money as possible. I am not writing a thousand advocacy letters. “I will not fight with them. We need to actually see things happening. This council, did a good job at advocacy, but we didn’t get things built, we didn’t deliver any more enhanced services. We kind of just went around in circles, yelling at the sky. We’re going to stop that. We’re going to work towards our traffic light synchronization and our advanced priority signals for transit. “I’ll be looking at bringing forward a commissionaire slash by law ambassadors that are going to be helping make sure that everything is in working order here in our community. I won’t put my kids on transit or on a transit shelter waiting for the bus. If I don’t have absolute certainty that that transit shelter is going to be safe and clean and lit.” Some of this is pretty stiff stuff. To make it work, there will have to be a major change in the culture at City Hall.  The food was good and there was lots of it. Kearns had a lot more to say. We will cover that in a separate articles. Kearns suggested people hang around, eat some of the food and “chat with your neighbours and get back to me with your thoughts”. And they did.
May 22nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
The search for Ambassadors to represent the St. Louis’ Brand of hot dogs is proving to be a highly competitive (and deeply disturbing) process. Forget your traditional resume; applicants’ experience has included eating hot dogs boiled, microwaved, slathered in whipped cream, and in one tragic case, blended. We’ve received everything from hot dog tattoo pics to videos of candidates straight up eating hot dogs, and our most seasoned applicant thus far boasts an incredulous 40 years of hot-dog-eating experience. St. Louis Bar & Grill will now serve up a new staple: mouth-watering, beef and chicken hot dogs, officially coming to menus on June 2nd.
The Pickle Dog: A crunchy combination of crispy pickle coins and diced pickles, drizzled with St. Louis’ infamous Garlic Dill sauce—a pickle lover’s dream! A fully-loaded dog, smothered in signature St. Louis-style chili and perfectly balanced with a kick of classic yellow mustard. The Chili Dog: A fully-loaded dog, smothered in signature St. Louis-style chili and perfectly balanced with a kick of classic yellow mustard. The Supreme Dog: This loaded behemoth features a decadent blanket of queso cheese, seasoned nacho beef, fresh pico de gallo, and a fiery finish of fresh jalapeño rings. Calling on experienced hot dog lovers. A nationwide hunt for Brand AmbassaDOGs—a prestigious new “position” whose primary responsibility involves wearing a massive frankfurter suit in public. This is a prestigious and slightly ridiculous role that involves wearing a branded hot dog costume in public in exchange for a $149.99 gift card, equivalent to ten “shifts” of All-You-Can-Eat Premium Hot Dogs. If you have a seasoned ability to handle extreme condiments and a passion for premium wieners, this could be the career pivot you have been waiting for. It’s looking like a slow news day – this is just about all there was early in the day.
May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
FOR LAKESHORE WEST CUSTOMERS: On the weekends of Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24 and 30-31, Lakeshore West rail service will be temporarily modified to accommodate major track upgrades. These track closures are required to make essential improvements that will support faster, more frequent GO service as part of GO Expansion. On both weekends, regular Lakeshore West train service will run between Niagara Falls and Aldershot GO. GO replacement buses will operate, making stops at West Harbour, Aldershot, Burlington, Oakville and Clarkson GO stations, then to Bramalea GO, where customers can connect to eastbound trains on the Kitchener line to Union Station.
On Friday, May 22, there will also be some late-night service adjustments. Regular service will resume on Monday, May 25 and Monday, June 1.
More information about Lakeshore West service adjustments and alternate route options is available HERE.
May 22, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Central Park is a shared community space that supports organized sport, informal recreation and general park enjoyment.  A game can last as much as half a day. It is very intense, the rivalries are deeply held. The City is reviewing how the park is currently being used, including the cricket pitch area, permitting practices and non-permitted play, to better understand opportunities to support a safe, functional and balanced experience for all park users. The Public Information Centre will provide an opportunity to share information and discuss next steps. To help residents, park users, and cricket players understand the upcoming changes, the City will be hosting an information session with participation of staff from Recreation, Community and Culture, Engineering Service’s and Bylaw Compliance. Join us for an information session to learn more about the park construction scheduled for this summer, how sports, including cricket, are permitted in Central Park, and future enforcement considerations.  City View Park was created to accommodate the Pan Am Games and had plastic turf, which was eventually moved. The City Parks, Recreation and Culture appeared to be a little behind the growth that was taking place and the demand for sports facilities. Plans are in place for a pitch in Sherwood Forest Park. A lot of people are asking why there can’t be a facility at City View Park in the west end of the city. Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions and talk directly with City staff about the project.
 Given the changes in the demography in Burlington, there are going to be more people who want to play cricket. The clubs have a serious program teaching the sport to their younger members. Attend in Person Attend Online
May 21st, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON OPINION The race in Ward 2 is expected to tighten up shortly. A candidate who was planning to announce put things on hold when Gary Carr filed his nomination papers. Carr has yet to do very much in the way of campaigning. He did chair the Regional Council meeting on Wednesday.  Marianne Meed Ward with the Save the Waterfront Committee that became her election campaign team. Ward 2 was where Marianne Meed Ward planted her flag. She had run in Ward 1 against Rick Craven and lost. The family moved into the downtown core where Marianne was first elected as a Council member n 2010. She made the waterfront her main issue and went on to become a very effective member of Council. The best Council member I’ve observed in this city.  Marianne Meed Ward taught Council what transparency and accountable were about as a citizen. She went on to become a ward Councillor in 2010. She made the words transparency and accountability very real and improved the performance of the Rick Goldring council. She was unyielding even though Councillors Sharman, Craven and Lancaster went to considerable lengths to slow Meed Ward down. The only person who gave Meed Ward any room was John Taylor of Ward 3. In 2018, Meed Ward was elected Mayor, and there were a lot of very high hopes. Some of the expectations were not very realistic, and Marianne didn’t do all that much to tamp them down.  Mayor Meed Ward with CAO Tim Commisso at a City Council meeting. Finding a City Manager she could work and grow with provided to be a challenge she was unable to overcome. She dumped James Ridge the day after she was sworn in. Brought in Tim Commisso and lost him when negative remarks she had about his performance got back to him. Weeks after being given a significant salary increase he advised the Mayor that he would not be renewing his contract.  Haasaam Basit being introduced to the public as the new City CAO. Commisso was followed by Haasaam Basit who made all kinds of administrative changes, but when a better opportunity presented itself, he left the city after six months of service. “Bitter sweet” were Meed Ward’s words. The urgent need for a replacement resulted in a good planner being drafted to fill the CAO position until the next Council was elected. Curt Benson is a good planner and a decent human being. He has yet to put his mark on the administration of the city. He sits next to the City Solicitor during Council meetings – there is a good reason for that seating arrangement. A small group of people who were heavily involved in the 2018 election began to turn on Meed Ward. COVID didn’t help, tax increases were what people really objected to. The introduction of Strong Mayor Powers and the housing shortage that seemed to come out of nowhere – they all added up to varying levels of disappointment. Council meetings had become unpleasant experiences for people who were delegating. There were occasions when some of the women delegating broke down in tears. Clamping down on any form of clapping or booing did not work. when Lisa Kearns pointed out to both the City Clerk and the Mayor that there was nothing on the Procedural Bylaw that forbade clapping, the genie was out of the bottle.  Mayor Meed Ward chairing a Council meeting virtually while at a graduation ceremony for her daughter. The Council meeting that included that 14-minute rant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcVTnWIi8O8 was not the best day in her career. It is difficult to tell if Meed Ward was unaware of the shift or if she really didn’t know what to do. Many said she was both aware and didn’t care. Marianne was going to be Marianne. So here we are in the early stages of the October 26 municipal election.  Marianne and her husband Pete in front of the Survivor Bell at Joseph Brant Hospital. And Marianne has yet to file nomination papers. In 2018 she and her husband Pete were at City Hall early in the day. She signed papers while Pete took pictures. And the Gazette took pictures of the two of them The divisiveness of this Council began to become more obvious. Lisa Kearns began to take stronger positions and found herself telling people, “We can do better than this” Has Meed Ward begun to realize that Kearns just might be able to defeat her as the sitting Mayor? Losing is something Meed Ward would find difficult to manage emotionally. Has the time come for Meed Ward to decide that this is the time to get out when you are at the top? To say ‘I have devoted 16 years to this city, my husband’s health is stable, but the cancer returning scare is always there, so I am not going to seek re-election. The public can decide who should replace me’. What next for Marianne? Probably not in the world of politics – provincial or federal.
May 21st, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
 Getting the full story out. Before we get into it, here’s a brief Journalism 101 lesson in story selection. Not news: man successfully fights traffic ticket for failing to stop at a red light. Picked up from the Toronto Star News: it took him 18 years in court.
May 21st, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
You likely already know that your phone collects information. What’s less obvious is how many different systems contribute to that collection, generating small pieces of information that get combined into a detailed profile.  These call phones are collecting information. To make meaningful changes, you need to understand where tracking happens and decide what you want to allow. Here are three important parts of your digital footprint you should consider focusing on.
Many default apps on Android devices are designed to integrate with larger data ecosystems. This integration often means your browsing habits, search queries and usage patterns feed into a broader profile. You can reduce that exposure by choosing alternatives that limit data collection by design. For example, private browsers like Firefox or Brave block many third-party trackers automatically. Likewise, switching to DuckDuckGo means your searches aren’t tied to a persistent identity. This change gives you clearer boundaries. When you open a link or search for a topic, you reduce the number of companies that can observe that action.
Your internet provider and local network can see the domains you connect to, even if the content itself is encrypted. This visibility can reveal patterns, such as which news sites you visit or when you access certain services. Using a VPN can reduce that exposure. You can simply download a free VPN for Android or iOS, which will route your connection through a secure server that limits how much detail your network provider sees about your activity. Bear in mind that this step has limits. VPNs don’t prevent tracking tied to logged-in accounts. They do, however, give you more control over what your network can observe, especially when you’re outside your home connection.
Many apps continue to send and receive information even when you’re not actively using them. This background activity often includes analytics, location updates and usage reports.
This step reduces passive data collection. It also helps you identify which apps truly need connectivity and which ones benefit more from limiting access. Final thoughts… You build control over your privacy by understanding how different systems interact and by making deliberate choices about each one. By implementing these changes, you can reduce the number of entities that can observe your behaviour. This will let you use your phone with more independence and with a clearer sense of what information you share and what you keep to yourself.
May 21st, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
A Gazette reader sent us the following: Last Friday evening, May 15, my grandson was walking along Brant Street across from the No Frills Plaza at around 9:30 PM. There was a group of about 20 male teenagers surrounding a Tesla that was waiting for the red light to change.  Halton Regional Police delegating to city Council on how they were policing the city. My grandson called me to tell me what was happening. I told him to get away from there as soon as possible and to call 911. I don’t know if he called because he was concerned that they would come after him if they knew he had called. He went home, got his car and circled the area. These same teenagers were riding all around the streets on bicycles and later he saw police cars as well. He could not believe that this was happening in Burlington. I have to admit that I had not expected this type of behaviour in downtown Burlington (Ward 2) Once there was a police station in Burlington. Perhaps it is time to have a permanent police station in this area again. With all the new construction and increase in residents this should be considered.
May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON Since announcing his candidacy for Mayor on May 1, 2026, Rory Nisan’s Instagram content (@rorynisan.ca) has pivoted from his role as Ward 3 Councillor to a city-wide mayoral platform. After a review of Nisan’s recent Instagram postings his platform is built on three central pillars: 1. Affordability and the “Burlington Dream” “I am going to partner with residents to fulfill the promise that Burlington is for everyone.” In his launch and follow-up videos, Nisan emphasizes that the “promise” of Burlington is becoming unaffordable for many.
2. Fiscal Responsibility and Budget DisciplineNisan frames himself as a candidate who offers a more “disciplined and practical” approach to city spending.
3. Quality of Life and Community Partnership
May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
It’s on! The parade that was the start of the now-defunct Sound of Music event will take place on June 20th at 10:00 am.
Set along the city’s waterfront, the festival will come alive as a vibrant, multi-stage experience featuring nationally celebrated Canadian artists, emerging performers, local artisans, an extensive selection of food trucks, and engaging family-friendly programming. Lakeshore is poised to become one of Ontario’s premier outdoor music and cultural events for years to come. Local bands, including the Burlington Teen Tour Band and Burlington Junior Redcoats, Top Hat Marching Orchestra, Halton Region Police Service Board Pipes and Drum Band, Crash Rhythm will be featured, along with entries from community organizations. The parade route will begin near Central Arena on Caroline Street at Drury Lane and continue to Brant Street, ending at Baldwin Street.  Burlington Teen Tour Band The Burlington Teen Tour Band Boosters will be collecting non-perishable food items and donations for the Burlington Food Bank along the route. Organized by MRG Live, the festival runs June 20–21, 2026, and will feature more than 30 local and Canadian artists, highlighted by headlining performances from Walk Off the Earth, The Trews, Katie Tupper and The Dirty Nil across a dynamic weekend of live music and arts programming. The festival is free to attend, with optional paid VIP experiences available. Having a summer music festival began to look a little iffy when city staff came to the conclusion that the Sound of Music team was not going to be able to hold the event. Most members of Council wanted something to take place and set aside a large sum of money for whoever would put on a festival. MRG Live came out of nowhere with a proposal city staff were stunned with. They moved mountains to make it happen. Now the public gets to see what MRG is capable of doing. They decided to start with a two-day event (they have a multi-year contract with the city) and decide if they can grow it to become what the Sound of Music used to be.
May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON .
 Dr. Frank Hayden. Alton Community High School was named after him. Francis (Frank) Joseph Hayden, founder of the International Special Olympics Movement, was born on Windsor Ontario, passed away Saturday at the age of 96 Dr. Hayden received numerous honours, including being named a Member of the Order of Canada; he was later promoted to a Companion. The high school in the Alton community was named after him. Retired Olympic swimmer Mark Tewksbury said of Dr. Haden: “What I loved about Frank is when I would talk about the joy and spirit of the Special Olympics, Frank would always bring me back to athletism” “He loved Special Olympics because of sports, not because it was a feel good but because of the spirit of it.” Jonathon Weiss, a York University professor, said: “At the time the prevailing attitude was one of exclusion – that people with intellectual disabilities could not and should not engage in these activities.” Bucking academics’ exclusioary mindset, Hayden demonstrated that developmentally disabled children’s poor physical fitness stemmed from a lack of exercise rather than their mental health challenges. Dr. Hayden first helped the Kennedy family establish a Special Olympics in the United States after Canada had rejected his efforts. In the early sixties, testing of children with intellectual disabilities revealed that they were only half as physically fit as their non-disabled peers. It was assumed that their low fitness levels were a direct result of their disability. Dr. Hayden questioned this assumption. He conducted research which concluded that, given the opportunity, intellectually disabled people could become physically fit, and acquire the physical skills necessary to participate in sport.  Frank Hayden with Ontario Lt Governor after receiving the Order of Ontario. In 1964 the Kennedy family were running summer camps; they learned about Hayden’s work and invited him to visit with them. The Kennedys sought to hire Hayden, who at first resisted. He eventually went to Washington for what he thought was going to be a four-month assignment. He wound up staying for more than seven years as Director of the Kennedy Foundation. His belief and understanding led him to conceive the idea of Special Olympics, a national sports program for people with an intellectually disability. His proposal was originally rejected by the Canadian government, however, his research became known to the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation in Washington D.C. So he went to work with Eunice Kennedy Shriver for the next seven years. Here he served as Director at the Kennedy Foundation and was the catalyst in establishing federal legislation to assist persons with a disability. He returned to Canada and worked to establish a similar program here. Canada’s first games were held in Toronto in 1969 with 1400 athletes. In 1975 and assumed the position of Director of the School of Physical Education and Athletics at McMaster. From there Dr. Hayden persisted with his dream and established the Special Olympics Office of International Development , assisting with the growth of International programs from 15 to 50. He retired from McMaster University 1988. Hayden finally ceased his Special Olympics travel at the beginning of COVID. Suffering from dementia and other health issues, he moved into a long-term care home in Oakville, where he died.
May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Starting on Friday, May 22, until Monday, June 1, 2026, Burloak Drive between Harvester/Wyecroft Roads and Prince William Drive/Superior Court intersections will be temporarily closed to accommodate work on the Burloak Drive Grade Separation project.
This work will bring the train tracks into service on the newly built rail bridge, with construction of the new roadway under the rail bridge to continue following the closure. The project is being delivered in collaboration with the City of Burlington and the Town of Oakville and is vital to supporting more frequent two-way, all-day GO service for customers on the Lakeshore West Line. Once completed, the new grade separation – known as a rail-over-road underpass – will enhance safety for the community by allowing trains to pass through the area without disrupting vehicular and pedestrian traffic. What locals can expect during this time:
During the road closure, crews will also relocate and pave the at-grade railway crossing on the Burloak detour road and install storm sewers south of the Burloak and Harvester Dr./Wyecroft Dr. intersection. Following the closure, crews will continue construction work on the underpass for the grade separation project. For further details regarding the temporary closure of Burloak Drive, please refer to the construction notice HERE. Learn more about the closure HERE.
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May 20th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Is she or isn’t she? Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte is sponsoring a community event related community safety. That tells us she is reasonably active as a ward Councillor (does missing Standing Committee meetings not count for anything), but has yet to declare if she will run for the Council seat in the October 26th election.
Will she?
May 19th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
I make extensive use of the Canadian banking Interac service. The is something unique to Canada – the Americans have nothing like it. I tracked the transaction and didn’t recognize the $49.11 that was deposited.  Loblaws and the Weston bread operation agreed to return some of the money they earned from price fixing. On inspection is was a settlement to me from the price fixing mess the supermarkets caught themselves caught up. The Court Settlement required the supermarkets to pay restitution to those people who had purchased bread products during a specific period of time. Most people ignore these things – thinking that nothing will come it. I wasn’t prepared to let the buggers off quite that easily.
Canadian Bread Settlement
LAST CALL Make a show of strength with Ontarians travelling from 13 towns across the province No cost but you must reserve your seat Hurry up and register! The registration deadline is tomorrow on Wed, May 20 Thurs May 28 at 12 p.m. noon in Toronto: gather outside Union Station for a rally then march up to Queen’s Park for a giant protest. Groups will be joining in along the way.
Make no mistake. They are now coming for our hospitals and unless we fight back, they are going to privatize them and bring in two-tier medicare. We need to make a show of strength that is commensurate to the threat of losing our public hospitals to privatization. Please sign up to get a seat on a train to the march and rally to the Ontario Legislature. There is no cost. Please share this as widely as possible. It will be an exciting day. Ontarians are coming in on trains from all over the province. REGISTER TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT. DEADLINE IS TOMORROW: WED, MAY 20 Seats are first come, first served. After you register, we will send you an email with all of this information and more. On Thurs May 28, we will be getting on VIA Rail or GO Transit trains from Aldershot (Hamilton), Barrie South, Brampton, Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Niagara, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa, Windsor, and Woodstock. (For those from Sudbury – the train only runs twice a week as you know. We invite you to carpool or travel down and jump on the GO Train with us in Barrie.) Morning of May 28 – arrive at your train station at least 45 minutes before departure to meet your train captain at a designated area. TRAIN DEPARTURE & RETURN TIMES We have bought entire train cars and blocks of tickets for the following trains. At each place, we will gather at the VIA/GO station and travel together. You must reserve your seat to get on board! Aldershot GO Train- for Hamilton & Area
May 19th,2026 BURLINGTON, ON
The campaign is underway for at least one candidate. Ward 2 Councilor Lisa Kearns has invited the community to a meet-and-greet as momentum continues to build in the campaign to become the next Mayor of Burlington.  Lisa Kearns at her campaign launch earlier this month. WHAT: WHEN: WHERE: Earlier in the month, Kearns had 45 volunteers deliver 5,500 flyers across Burlington neighbourhoods. No action to date from Rory Nisan, who has decided he too would like to be Mayor. Mayor Meed Ward has yet to announce if she intends to run for another term as Mayor.
May 19th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Alcohol sale and service extended to 4 a.m. to support local businesses, hospitality workers and fans during global tournament The Ontario government is supporting tourism and local businesses by allowing licensed restaurants and bars to extend the sale and service of alcohol across the province until 4 a.m. during FIFA World Cup 2026™. The temporary extension will apply from June 11, 2026 to July 19, 2026. “This summer, fans visiting from around the world will gather in Toronto to celebrate world-class sport,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “Allowing restaurants and bars to stay open later means that fans can fully experience the energy, excitement and atmosphere of the tournament while supporting jobs, strengthening local businesses and driving economic growth across Ontario.”
“Extending last call during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will help Ontario deliver a safe, vibrant and welcoming experience for fans from around the world,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “As Ontario welcomes visitors for this global event, this measure will give people more time to enjoy our world-class bars and restaurants while supporting the province’s tourism sector.” The Ontario government is working in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to enable the temporary extension of hours for establishments that are licensed to sell alcohol, such as bars and restaurants, for the duration of the tournament. The last call for alcohol service in Ontario is typically 2 a.m.  Seen on the streets of Toronto This temporary extension builds on Ontario’s experience during other major international sporting events, including when the province temporarily extended alcohol service hours to support fans during the recent 2026 Olympic gold medal hockey game between Canada and the United States. The LCBO is extending store hours in 27 select retail stores across the GTA and Ottawa between June 11, 2026 and July 19, 2026. Extended hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Last summer, the province made an amendment to the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 to allow alcohol sale and consumption on pedal pubs.
May 19th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
 The City has received proposals from telecommunications carriers to install fibre optic networks. Telecommunications carriers are planning an accelerated fibre optic network build-outs within the City, beginning as early as 2026. The City has received proposals from telecommunications carriers to install fibre optic networks that would service thousands of homes and businesses through accelerated deployment within the City’s right-of-way. These projects typically involve multi-phase construction programs focused on urban areas. Work includes installation of fibre optic cables and related infrastructure within the City’s rights-of-way to support future service private service connections. The City does not currently have sufficient resources to manage the significant increase in permitting, coordination, inspection, and public relations that will be required to support build-out projects. These projects typically involve multi-phase construction programs focused on urban areas. Work includes installation of fibre optic cables and related infrastructure within the City’s rights-of-way to support future service private service connections. The City of Burlington permits utility companies (e.g. telecommunications companies) to install, operate, and maintain its plant within the municipal right‑ of‑ way (ROW) through the execution of a Municipal Access Agreement (MAA). The MAA establishes the legal and technical framework governing the utility’s access to the ROW, including location, design, construction standards, restoration obligations, safety requirements, and financial securities. The agreement ensures the municipality retains control over its assets and coordination of competing uses of the ROW, while providing the utility with predictable, non‑ exclusive access necessary to deliver essential services. The Director of Engineering Services is given delegated authority to negotiate and execute these agreements in a form satisfactory to the Commissioner, Legal and Legislative Services and City Solicitor.  They call it “pulling cable” Due to the scale and pace of fibre network buildouts planned by telecommunications carriers, the carriers are requesting municipalities to dedicate additional resources to support timely permit processing and inspection services. Fibre buildouts are both planned and underway in area municipalities, including the Town of Oakville and the City of Hamilton, and carriers are anticipated to begin similar work in Burlington as early as 2026. City staff have undertaken a scan of peer municipalities and engaged directly with them to inform Burlington’s approach, including understanding best practices and implementation considerations. The City will create Resource Funding Agreements to ensure the City is adequately resourced through carrier-funded temporary staffing and operational support. The agreements will be structured so that carriers fund all incremental costs required to meet defined service levels. The agreement will support the timely installation of critical broadband infrastructure while ensuring the City is adequately resourced to manage the project and protect the interests of residents, businesses, and the community during construction. Implications: There will be no financial impact to the City; all costs will be recovered through agreements. Temporary contract staff will be required and funded through the agreements. The additional staff funded by the agreements will oversee construction and ensure City infrastructure and natural assets are protected and properly restored and assist the public with any issues that may arise during construction. Background  The type of trenching is determined by the location and the number of people who will want access. Across Ontario, municipalities, including Burlington, continue to experience gaps in high-speed fibre infrastructure, particularly as demand for reliable, high-capacity connectivity increases for both residences and businesses. There was a time when the city owned what fibre option cabling existed. Burlington sold its telecom and fibre-optic division, FibreWired Burlington Hydro Communications, to Cogeco Cable on June 30, 2008, for $12.6 million CAD. The sale involved FibreWired’s 400-km fibre optic network which Burlington Hydro had operated to serve local businesses and public institutions. That sale in 2008 turned out to be a year that the city experienced a significant surplus. The Resource Funding Agreement (RFA) complements the Municipal Access Agreement (MAA) by addressing the additional municipal capacity and coordination requirements associated with an accelerated or large-scale utility build-out within the municipal right-of-way. While the MAA establishes the standing legal authority and conditions for access to the ROW, an RFA enables the municipality to recover costs and secure dedicated resources needed to manage a heightened level of activity over a compressed timeframe. This includes funding for temporary or incremental staffing for permitting support, engineering review, traffic management coordination, engineering and forestry inspection, and increased engagement with other infrastructure stakeholders. A core principle of the RFA is full cost-recovery for the municipality.  Getting the cable into the buildings is the last step. Delegating authority to the Director of Engineering Services to negotiate and execute Resource Funding Agreements will allow the City to be responsive to telecommunication carrier build-out proposals, reduce the risk of delay associated with Council approval cycles and avoid seeking repeated Council approval for each telecommunication carrier that pursues a build-out project in the City. This approach will complement the existing delegated authority established for Municipal Access Agreements. Community Engagement and Communications Large-scale fibre deployments will increase construction activity across multiple neighbourhoods, resulting in temporary impacts: noise, Boulevard and sidewalk work. Each Resource Funding Agreement will require a comprehensive communication plan that provides advance notice of construction activities, outlines timelines, impacts, and restoration plans and includes complaint tracking and response protocols. Carriers will be responsible for implementing communication plans, with oversight from the City. This all goes to City Council on the 26th of May.
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