By Gazette Staff
March 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
In a note to the Gazette this morning, Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns said, after completing her two-hour presentation to an audience of about 50 people in a small room on the second floor of city hall, said:
“My job today is to lift our community’s collective knowledge so we can have an informed conversation.
Councillor Lisa Kearns explains what development charges are and how the city can best use them. She also explained the numerous options available to the city.
“Oftentimes residents feel distanced from the nuances of reports, recommendations, charges, complex legislation and squabbling councils. It’s the feeling in this room right now that says some trust is broken because this matter came out of line with the covenant of how we consult and inform our electorate about how the business of the city gets done.
“I am the first to admit, this is a file that has legacy, ledgers and legs and more so it has heart.
“Truly we are all trying to achieve the same goal – help people call Burlington Home. We can do that – but in a way where everyone feels engaged, informed and prepared for the best possible outcome. We can do that. We can share our great quality of life, but we have to protect the tools that help us invest in that love so many have for our great city.
In her presentation, which was detailed and in depth, followed by Q&A, residents got a glimpse of her leadership potential.
We can also report that the toilets at City Hall were spotless and that Staff were on hand to direct people to the location of the meeting.
A detailed report on the meeting will be published later today.
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This is leadership.
Writing lengthy diatribes in the Spectator and all over social media accusing fellow council members, journalists, and the public of committing some grave offence for the sin of daring to speak out critically, as the current mayor continually does and did yet again this weekend in response to an excellent article by Councillor Nisan, is NOT good leadership. Question: could the Spec run a fact check on her latest, please.
This concept that nobody can criticize her actions and that she must present herself as a victim – “I’ve been impugned! Disrespected!” and of course a hero — she will save the homelessness crisis! — is beyond old, is getting worse, and the hypocrisy in her commentary is staggering. Claiming to be one who wants to work with one’s colleagues collaboratively while using undemocratic strong mayor powers to go over their heads and then attack them for daring to criticize your actions is something else.
No other mayors write to the papers complaining every time they are criticized like this. It’s embarrassing.
While Kearns is getting on the right side of this, I’d argue that “leadership” is a bit too strong a word. How many budgets, how many budget amendments has Kearns voted against as taxpayers have been saddled with egregious tax increases? She has been as much a part of the problem as any of these councilors spending $ like it grows on trees without good fiscal sense.
There is an election coming up. From my perspective, her, Nisan & Stolte are trying to position themselves for re-election knowing that MMW is loathed with a ticking expiration date.
Does she actually agree with not putting more on taxpayers? No part of me believes that. It may not be this but it will be something else.
There is another issue as well. If she truly believed WE HBA should be paying their own way, if she truly believed using taxpayer $ to fund corporate welfare is abhorrent, why even come up with an alterative thru federal funding? Its still taxpayer $, just a bigger pool of it. A truly ethical councilor, one running on integrity, would be coming out the gate against making rich developers richer on the public’s dime. I posted a link to the members of WE HBA elsewhere. There are multi builders of luxury homes, trust companies, Enbridge who cleared 7.1B net income in 2025. It should have been a hard no from the jump. If you look at Williams math, it is hardly the slim margins he claims. Lots of rooms for cuts but instead begging at public coffers.
Sorry but Kearns has a long history of being fiscally irresponsible with taxpayers money. Her bid for mayor is going to result in more of the same. While I’m certainly glad to not have this added to my tax bill, its still theatrics for a higher purpose imo. Its not like she’s really been fighting for us before now