By Pepper ParrJune 12th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
It may not be readily apparent, but what follows is, in my opinion, the first part of a run for the office of Mayor by Lisa Kearns.
Based on what I know and what I have concluded, Lisa Kearns is not going to run for the Ward 2 in 2026. She will work hard right up to the last day – but being a Council member is not on her radar screen.Being the Mayor is on her radar screen. A final decision has yet to be made.
Standing outside the empty parking lot on Old Lakeshore Road opposite Emma’s Back Porch, Kearns said:
Lisa Kearns standing in front of the empty parking lot at 2083 Lakeshore Road where the developer wants to build a 24 storey mixed use tower
“It’s important that I am accountable and transparent to the community I serve. I voted to uphold a planning recommendation by staff in support of 27 storeys at 2083 Lakeshore Rd.
“I know there is a different planning vision the community thought possible for quite some time, our own Staff report says it’s “no longer achievable on this site”.
“I reviewed and challenged every technical report, agency, and staff on this file and ultimately found the position of both staff and the applicant defensible – heavily due to the planning context that was the result of OLT (Planning Tribunal) decisions.
“This is what happens when precedent is set.
“I believe in fighting for our community, but I also heed the loud desire to respect our tax dollars.
“I’ll fight for you, but I won’t fight just for the sake of a fight. And I won’t spend your tax dollars when I can’t justify the return. And when we really need to mount a fight, I’ll be there, and make sure we have the funding to do so.”
Final report goes to Council June 17 where a decision will be made.
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I think the strong mayor designation came along with providing a guarantee of the building of more affordable and suitable housing within a certain time frame,
The answer I would like to know is if a new mayor is elected does the new mayor have the ability to step away from this designation because guarantees were made to provide this housing?
If Councilor Kearns runs for Mayor in October 2026, will she accept Strong Mayor Powers? or will she decline them?
Pepper. I am really sorry i didn’t send this comment to this story, as it fits here as well, 3 days later, and less likely to be overlooked than the one it was inadvertently being sent to a June 9 story. Please consider your prerogative
Let me tell you something I learned is fact in how planning now works in Burlington due to the way OLT now works. This is particularly evident now that the city staff have bought into over-development, and a planning opinion that a previous “good planning” vision is no longer good enough and viable as “good planning” because of OLT reasoning step by step decisions, led by developer hired hands.
These so called “Expert Witnesses” practice planning process methods following the OLT data clues to get to the maximum profit precedent outcomes or conclusions.. These hired experts are the only ones allowed to give evidence and opinion, and they work for the developer beneficiaries of the planning process profitability rate.
This means that the planning is not values free, and is biased, and the process gets reversed. They look at the planning conclusions that are agreeable or preferred and then they start working backwards.
How can they prove this conclusion? When you add OLT in the command post. Then compliant well paid City staff planners, folding their ethics, and following orders from City Council, as they always have in my 50 plus years as an employee at the Province and Fed, and 30 years as a resident in Burlington.
Believe me, I have seen it all – it’s corrupt.