By Pepper Parr
June 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
City CEO Hassaan Basit has made a practice of updating Council on what he and city staff have been doing.
The report this month was almost missed when the Mayor skipped through the agenda a little too quickly and had to be reminded by the Clerk that the CEO had things to say.
CEO Basit:
I’ll start off with something you know, the senior team continues to reposition people and redefine jobs and offer more support for leadership and accountability, and we launched our Leaders Forum that which brought together 150 supervisors and managers for a hands on session focused on building trust and living our core values. Those really were the objectives that you have to start with. These facilitated conversations aren’t just about leadership theory; they actually give our leaders real tools and networks to support their teams and strengthen our culture.
We’re going to continue to invest in their development, continue to foster connections across departments, because that’s what’s really needed, and we’re making sure that people serving Burlington are even better equipped to listen, collaborate and deliver the services our residents deserve.
CEO Basit: The campaign is working to unlock more of the missing middle housing right within our neighborhoods.
Switching very quickly, we had our touch a truck session event held by public works. Burlington Transit took part in the event and welcomed over 1100 visitors to showcase how public transit keeps our community moving.
503 free Presto cards distributed
Councilor Nisan mentioned youth and transit ridership and incentives during Youth Week, which was May 1 to the 11th. Recreation, culture and transit team teamed up to remove a key barrier access to rides and distributed 503 free Presto cards and that means hundreds more young people can attend camps and activities without having to worry about fares.
An update from the Burlington fire team that participated on June 5th and 6th in the vehicle rescue regional extraction event in Markham. They competed in both limited, where you don’t use hydraulic tools, and unlimited, where I presume you use hydraulic tools. Burlington placed top of the charts in both events. That expertise translates directly in the faster, more effective response when every second counts in a roadside emergency. Just like to congratulate the fire team, the training they received, the support they have and the commitment they have.
CEO Basit: “…important to continue to train staff so we can extract more value from these systems.“
In late May, our finance team hosted work day training session covering procurement and accounting and budget best practices. Why I mention that is because we buy a lot of these tools. We’re upgrading. We’ve been investing in it, and it’s equally important to continue to train staff so we can extract more value from these systems. 150 staff participated in that exercise, and we’re going to continue to do that.
We wrapped up phase one of our community trail strategy engagement with impressive participation, over 200 survey responses, lots of comments and lots of attendees in person at two public meetings. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for the city to start to collect feedback, which will guide our trail planning so future paths truly reflect how residents want to walk, bike and explore Burlington screen spaces.
Speaking of transportation, our comms team and traffic teams partnered to keep motorists as best informed as they could about overlapping closures at the Skyway bridge and at Burloak. We really , really appreciate the advocacy from your office and from council to the province as well to always encourage them to be proactive in working with us when serious disruptions are anticipated.
CEO Basit: Each of these initiatives, whether it’s developing our leaders, engaging in the community, delivering critical services, illustrates the focus that the city and the staff have on collaboration, innovation, putting residents first.
We will continue to take a proactive approach across the summer, not just with these closures, but also to make sure all the events that we host and are so proud of you know, are supported on development and growth management.
To support our housing targets, we’ve launched additional residential unit known as ARU an incentive program, and a lot of communication tools, FAQs, digital displays, newsletters, Google ads have been put in place.
The campaign is working to unlock more of the missing middle housing right within our neighborhoods. Each of these initiatives, whether it’s developing our leaders, engaging in the community, delivering critical services, illustrates the focus that the city and the staff have on collaboration, innovation, putting residents first. So with that, thank you.
Wayne, Caren, Valerie, Joseph and others who whine about increases in property taxes.
You must be the only people in Canada, the USA, the UK and EU who have not suffered from the affects of the substantial inflation experienced and over the passed few years. The City unlike you it seems is not immune to having to pay considerably more for services it purchases. So residents are faced with a choice; pay more in taxes to keep services at the high level they are now or cut services to keep the present tax level or something in between.
If you are one of those who wants to keep the same tax level or maybe even reduce it. Please speak up and say what services you are willing to have cut. Snow clearing? Leaf collection? Road maintenance? Closing toilets at Spencer Smith Park? Reduce hours at senior centers and libraries?
Caren, You cite Hamilton as a shining example that we maybe should look at. Hamilton residents pay considerably high taxes than we do here in Burlington. And yes, have you driven on their roads? The roads are in a complete state of disrepair.
Certainly there are programs which are discretionary spends that maybe should be eliminated or cut back.
Burlington is presently one of the best places to live in Canada. If you want the best, you have to pay for it.
Not sure if this is whining but here goes. Burlington City Council unveiled its last budget amidst a growing concern over the council’s strategy of blending municipal budget increases with regional budget changes. This tactic, aimed at softening the perception of local spending increases, sparked a debate about transparency, accountability, and the true financial burden on taxpayers.
The Burlington council has faced scrutiny for its budgeting practices, particularly regarding how it communicates financial decisions to the public. By combining municipal budget increases with those of the Halton Region, the council presents a narrative that suggests a smaller overall increase in spending. However, critics argue that this approach obscures the reality of rising costs for residents.
Perception Management or Transparency Erosion?
Local governance experts have raised alarms about the implications of this blending tactic. “When councils blend budgets, they risk creating a false sense of security among taxpayers,” says Dr. Emily Carter, a political science professor at McMaster University. “Residents may not fully grasp the extent of the financial increases, leading to complacency and disengagement from local governance.”
The lack of clarity surrounding budget increases can hinder public engagement, as residents may feel less inclined to voice concerns or participate in budget discussions. This disengagement can ultimately lead to a disconnect between the council and the community, undermining the principles of effective governance.
The Taxpayer Burden
As Burlington’s budget discussions unfolded, many residents were left wondering how these financial decisions will impact their wallets. Property taxes, which primarily fund municipal services, have been on the rise in recent years. Critics argue that by downplaying the impact of budget increases, the council may inadvertently contribute to a growing financial burden on taxpayers.
“People need to understand how their money is being spent,” said local resident and community advocate Sarah Thompson. “If the council is not transparent about budget increases, it makes it difficult for us to hold them accountable.”
Calls for Greater Transparency
In light of these concerns, community leaders and residents are now calling for greater transparency in the budgeting process. They argue that clear communication about financial decisions is essential for fostering trust and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively.
“Transparency is key to building trust between the council and the community,” said Thompson. “We need to know what the budget increases are for and how they will benefit us as residents.”
As the council prepares to present its next budget, the question remains: will council prioritize transparency and accountability, or will they continue to rely on blending tactics that obscure the true financial picture? The outcome of this budget discussion will not only shape the city’s financial future but also determine the level of trust residents have in their local government.
Conclusion
As Burlington navigates its budgetary challenges, the need for clear communication and transparency has never been more critical. Residents are eager for a budget that reflects their needs and priorities, free from the complexities of blended financial narratives. The next budget with possibly a different council will be a pivotal moment, as it seeks to balance fiscal responsibility with the expectations of an engaged and informed community.
If you think the CEO of GM, Stellantis, Presidents Choice or Nvidia would report on having a “touch a something” day, without being canned shortly thereafter, you will probably vote for the same council in 2026.
Well said Wayne!
Addendum to my previous comment of today, dated June 21, 2025:
The Burlington portion of our 2025 Property Taxes was 7.52%.
What is Burlington doing to reduce our 2026 Property Taxes? This should be front and center for our CEO, and our mayor and council to be discussing with staff and Burlington Property Tax Payers as our 2026 Property Tax Budget grows closer.
City of Oakville just announced that they have placed a maximum increase of 3.5% Property Tax increase for the 2026 Property Taxes, dated June 18, 2025, article here:
https://www.insidehalton.com/news/council/oakville-sets-this-limit-to-next-year-s-property-tax-increase/article_bfe8ec80-63f4-58ea-8745-30a9194b1b26.html
City of Hamilton Council passed a Hiring Freeze and two other cost-containment proposals as of June 13, 2025, article here:
https://bayobserver.ca/spadafora-hiring-freeze-and-two-other-cost-containment-proposals-approved/
Time for our Burlington Mayor and Council to follow suit and reduce our property taxes significantly for 2026! If other cities can do this, Burlington can too. Burligton residents can no longer afford our exhorbitant property tax increases. Forget all the fluff and look at basics only!
having this person take time at a council meeting just amplifies the direction and priorities of our city’s leadership.
The Mayor should have “skipped through” the agenda and sent Basit back to his office to make a concrete contribution of some kind.
Although these updates, public meetings, and polished presentations often highlight partnerships, and community engagement, what stands out just as clearly is what’s not being discussed: reducing operational costs, eliminating inefficiencies, and easing the tax burden on residents.
In a time when City taxes, housing costs, and utility bills are straining household budgets, it is both surprising and disappointing that the administration’s public messaging contains little—if anything—about tangible efforts to rein in spending or offer relief to taxpayers.
Instead, we see a pattern of announcements, consultations, and reports that appear more geared toward image management than responsible governance.
Residents don’t need more panels, task forces, or professionally designed slide decks. We need leadership that’s willing to make hard decisions, trim the fat, and focus on core services. We need to hear how his office is working to ensure accountability, transparency, and measurable fiscal restraint.
We deserve more than showpieces
A whole lot of nothing!
CEO Hassaan Basit just trying to justify his position and the over spending taking place at the City of Burlington!!
Looking so forward to the next municipal election in October 2026 with more input from residents and more accountability for Burlington residents!