By Pepper Parr
October 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone uses a calendar – they are things we look at almost every day.
Advertisers have learned that calendars are great places to place their message.
Politicians have been a little slower to make use of a calendar as a place to keep their name in front of the people that are going to elect or re-elect them.
The city produced a calendar last year – there was an error in the first print run – they had to trash everything that was printed – the city didn’t produce any numbers on how many copies had been printed.
Is a calendar printed and distributed by the city with the Mayor’s name all over it legal in an election year?
For 2026 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has seen the advantage – she is publishing her own calendar. We had not heard about this idea – the Mayor’s office doesn’t send us very much in the way of information – unless there is something that she wants changed – but that is another story.
The Mayor is turning to the public for pictures that will be included in the calendar – prize money too.
We have a couple of questions about this calendar. Is it legal? Who is going to pay for the printing and distribution of the calendar?
2026 is an election year and there are tight limits on what Council members can use in their election campaigns. Mayor’s 2026 Calendar might be getting too close to the “you can’t do that” set of rules. The Municipal Act sets out all those rules.
We will reach out to the Integrity Commissioner and ask if the Mayor is crossing.
For the Gazette it is all about “transparency and accountability”.
Once again Mayor Meed Ward is charging Burlington Taxpayers for something that is not needed or necessary. (A self promoting Calendar).
Whether it is legal or not, it is most definitely not ethical imo.
It gives Mayor Meed Ward an unfair advantage over any candidates wanting to run and replace her in October 2026.
Same goes for the “Food for Feedback event” which has been held the last 5 years in September; all at a significant cost to Burlington taxpayers. Although this event is meant for feedback, it is more of an event for our mayor and council to promote themselves at the public’s expense. (photo ops included)
This event should also be eliminated from happening in an Election year and every year thereafter.
All candidates and incumbents should be given a level playing field moving forward.