 By Sadie Smith
December 11th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The digital economy in Burlington is finding its groove in the swiftly growing Canadian entertainment industry. The growing presence of tech ventures, creative production houses and media companies exploring novel cyberspace opportunities has made the town a hidden innovator.
Burlington’s transformation is part of a much larger narrative unfolding across the country, as experience, storytelling, platforms and technology reshape how people engage with media. Innovators in the city are positioning themselves at the forefront of this evolving landscape.
The Burlington Tech Scene Moves into the Limelight
 The high tech environment space has always been both stressful and exciting. “Canada added 66,600 tech jobs in 2024—a growth rate of 5.9%, compared to just 1.1% in the U.S.; high-tech alone contributed 51,300 new jobs (11.2% growth),” according to a 2025 LinkedIn article highlighting the country’s expanding innovation economy. This national surge has been mirrored locally, as Burlington has transformed over the past decade from a manufacturing center into one of the most promising technology hubs in Southern Ontario. Local companies are now at the forefront of the exploding digital entertainment sector, which generates billions annually for Canada’s economy and continues to redefine the city’s economic identity.
This change has been brought forth by the next generation of entrepreneurs. The technological start-ups, which in the past mainly focused on developing technology for businesses, also began to create consumer offerings that integrate technology and art. From AR storytelling applications to live sports streaming applications, the people of Burlington are capitalizing on the desire for interactive content.
Its proximity to the innovation corridor in the Greater Toronto Area affords companies in Burlington the capital, talent and connections necessary to successfully compete in the marketplace, not only regionally but also throughout the country. The growing intersection of media and technology means that Burlington will be an integral part of the burgeoning digital culture in the Canadian market, where innovation as well as authenticity are important.
Applications, Platforms and the Power of Engagement
Mobile applications lie at the forefront of the digital media entertainment industry in Canada and businesses in Burlington are taking advantage of this. They are developing applications that optimize interactions, the speed of content and AI-driven personalization.
 Change is constant – new ideas pop up, and a better product is the result. Interactive media has proven extremely popular among young professionals. These include lifestyle applications where people can set targets in a game format, as well as media streaming applications that facilitate live commentary while watching sports. Companies in Burlington realize that it isn’t the number of downloads but the level of engagement that determines success.
The market also encompasses other online casinos that currently operate in the mainstream within the regulated Canadian iGaming market. The use of review websites that compare the approved operators helps customers behave responsibly in the industry. For example, Casino.ca offers comparisons of more than 120 approved online casinos, assessing information related to their operations, payment methods and responsible gambling practices.
Through a fusion of content creation, mobile know-how and responsible technology, companies in the city of Burlington are working towards the development of a trust-driven digital ecosystem.
The Expansion From Streaming to Gaming
One of the most exciting developments in the technology sector of Burlington has been in the area of interactive entertainment. Local companies are exploring innovative methods of connecting with consumers, ranging from the use of virtual reality in stories to incorporating e-sports.
Gaming, as a sector, has registered phenomenal national expansion too. In fact, Canadians spend more time gaming than watching television. The developers in the town of Burlington are meeting this challenge by developing games that promote creativity, accessibility and community as important values. Entertainment, for them, means doing, not consuming.
In addition to gaming, companies in Burlington work in partnership with the national broadcasting networks to create streaming for the Canadian audience. The creation of programs ranging from live broadcasts to music, among others, addresses the growing demand for content diversity.
Burlington’s strategy, which pairs creativity, collaboration and knowledge of digital behavior in the Canadian market, is positioning the city as a versatile participant in the Canadian entertainment market.
Partnerships that are Focusing the Nation’s Growth
Start-ups in the region often form partnerships with media networks, fintech companies and marketing agencies in order to reach a broader market. This helps smaller companies make use of the technology as well as the creative assets.
Media companies are collaborating with broadcasters to deliver branded content, while the technology companies collaborate with analytics firms to enhance the users’ experience. The sports sector, as well as the esports platform, remains another important sector contributing to innovation in the media segment.
With transparency now assured by Canadian market regulations, Burlington-based developers are actively contributing to the responsible growth of the digital industry. This extends to sportsbook sites and other forms of entertainment, aiming to seamlessly blend innovation and trust. Their goal is to build interactive communities for sports fans, fostering both engagement and responsible participation.
The Future of Entertainment Innovation in Burlington
 The online world continues to expand – offering more and more in the way of choices. The growing digital entertainment industry in Canada means that the technology and media industry in Burlington continues to develop. The business culture in this city, along with talent, means that innovation continues to flow.
Through collaboration, ethical design and innovative development, the companies in the city are harnessing digital entertainment as a means of driving innovation. This is in light of the ongoing innovations in technology that continue to influence the way people connect as well as the way people play. Burlington offers tangible evidence that innovation can occur anywhere, where creativity meets this intersection.
 By Gazette Staff
December 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Today the Fraser Institute published Waiting Your Turn, their annual survey of physicians across Canada regarding medical treatment wait times.
The study reports a median wait time of 28.6 weeks — the second longest ever recorded.
Shorter than the 30 weeks reported last year and 208% higher than in 1993, when we began tracking wait times.
 Remarkably long wait times for medically necessary care have become the defining characteristic of the Canadian health care experience.
See the provincial numbers here, and be sure to help spread this important news on social media.
The Fraser Institute is a Canadian independent, free-market think tank founded in 1974, dedicated to promoting policies that improve quality of life through limited government, private enterprise, and individual choice, focusing on areas like education, healthcare, taxation, and natural resources, using data-driven research to influence policy via publications, media, and educational programs, funded by private donations rather than government grants
 By Pepper Parr
December 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
There was a time when Burlington had a healthy number of local community organizations, built around education and recreation issues.
Burlington was a bustling place – parents were involved, and life was safe, easy, with no major issues taking up everyone’s time.
That began to change as we got into the 1980’s and into the 90’s
The city hummed along when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor; never any tax increases, and not nearly enough spent on infrastructure – leaving the city with a several million dollar gap that now requires a 2% tax levy that will go on for at least two decades.
 In 2018 a community organization was created to get the vote out.
 Then Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward with Mayor Rick Goldring. Rick Goldring was Mayor. Marianne Meed Ward, then a Councillor for Ward 2, had decided she wanted to be Mayor. She won the seat with the promise that there would be no towers in the downtown core.
She eventually got the Urban Growth boundary moved north of the downtown core and committed herself to building high-rise towers around the three GO stations, which became known as MTSA’s
The community organization Engaged Citizens of Burlington held all candidate meetings in every city ward during the lead-up to the 2018 election did a superb job. The only thing one could complain about is that ECoB never did release a financial statement.
ECoB used the money raised to pay for the debates and one event held at the Burlington Performing Art Centre ( A Tale of 2 Cities). We arranged for a meeting prior to the election at Tansley Woods Community Centre to try to inform potential candidates on how to run an election campaign and what the job entailed.
They had to pay for the use of the venues for some of the debates. They decided to have a videographer film the debates so that residents who could not physically come to the Ward Debate could watch them on YouTube. We had to pay for people to operate the sound systems at the debates themselves.
They had to pay to incorporate as a not-for-profit and buy directors’ insurance. We paid for advertising. (The Gazette carried some of the ECoB advertizing.) In the end there was nothing left.
 There wasn’t much in the way of standing room at the ward 2 all-candidates meet held at the New Street Baptist Church in 2018 ECoB was never able to get any traction after the election. The turnout at the all candidate meetings was very high – but it didn’t result in people signing up to continue the good work.
ECoB used the money raised to pay for the debates and one event held at the Burlington Performing Art Centre ( A Tale of 2 Cities). We arranged for a meeting prior to the election at Tansley Woods Community Centre to try to inform potential candidates on how to run an election campaign and what the job entailed.
We had to pay for the use of the venues for some of the debates. We decided to have a videographer film the debates so that residents who could not physically come to the Ward Debate could watch them on UTube. We had to pay for people to operate the sound systems at the debates themselves.
We had to pay to incorporate as a not for profit and buy director’s insurance. We paid for advertising. etc. – there was nothing left.
 ECoB folded. An organization call BRAG – Burlington Residents’ Action Group got off the ground – which was as far as they got.
The group wasn’t able to find a common cause; leadership issues resulted in its dissolution.
BRAG was replaced by Focus Burlington, which dedicates itself to going over the budgets with a fine-tooth comb.
Focus has about a dozen, maybe a few more, men and women who share different sections of the Budget Book, with each person focusing on a different part.
They badger city hall for data; they complain – rightly so -about the paucity of data.
They communicate via email. Except for one person, the members know each other.
The difference with Focus Burlington is fundamental – other than the two founding members, no names are released.
Of those doing the hard work – and it is hard work – some fear repercussions and don’t need the hassle of getting on the wrong side of City Hall Staff.
People aren’t interested in sharing their names and BIOs, which might make people easier to identify.
 BRAG founders Eric Stern (above) and Stephen White  Focus Burlington’s board members are Eric Stern and Stephen White.
Stern provided the Gazette with the following:
“Burlington residents and taxpayers with an interest in the city’s budget are welcome to join the Focus Burlington Budget Group. We are a group of professionals who are not looking for recognition, but are focused on ensuring good governance of the city administration by elected officials. Our membership includes retired CEOs, auditors, HR experts, enterprise risk and performance improvement specialists, engineers, and media experts.”
“Focus Burlington does not publish the names of their helpers. Most don’t want to be known, fearing retribution from either Council or city administrative staff.
“They communicate primarily through email, and they rarely meet in person. One member of our group has not shared their name and communicates only through an unidentifiable email address.”
Stern and the group members believe that some members of council have abdicated their responsibility to review the budget in a robust fashion and look to the Citizens for input.
 These people turned out for a meeting on how to get involved in the process of getting elected. On balance, Focus Burlington is doing a good job at keeping the idea that citizens have the right to participate in the affairs of the city alive – and that this amounts to more than just responding to city surveys.
Future political leaders come out of ward-based organizations. Without these groups there is little in the way of candidates to choose from when an election takes place.
When every member of Council is returned to office one does not have a council that is responsive – you get what we have now.
 By Gazette Staff
December 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 This is a deep dive into how Canada is likely to manage the threat to our northern border. It was first published by Policy Alternatives,
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Ottawa has aligned itself with Washington: sanctions, military aid to Kyiv, reinforced deployments in Eastern Europe, suspended diplomatic channels. But in a multipolar world, can Canada maintain this course? Supporting Ukraine remains essential, but Canada must also protect its interests and play its historic role as mediator.
When Pierre Elliott Trudeau went to Moscow in 1971, Canada was in the thick of the Cold War. The Soviet Union was the West’s adversary, yet Ottawa chose dialogue, balancing deterrence and diplomacy. Half a century later, in a new era of great-power rivalry, that lesson bears repeating.
Today, the international system is no longer unipolar. The post-1991 era of uncontested U.S. dominance has given way to a more fragmented world. Emerging powers such as China, India, Turkey, and Brazil are reshaping the global order. As for Russia, despite sanctions and the costs of the war, it remains a central player: a nuclear power, an Arctic neighbour and, a state embedded in energy markets, diplomacy and security networks.
A long history of shifts
Russia’s place in the world has never been fixed. Since Peter the Great’s reforms in the early eighteenth century, the country has alternated between European integration and inward-looking autocracy. The late nineteenth century brought industrialisation and a measure of liberalisation, quickly followed by revolution and the rigid centralisation of Soviet power.
The Soviet Union projected power worldwide but collapsed under the weight of its contradictions in 1991. In the late Soviet period, Mikhail Gorbachev began limited political liberalisation (glasnost, perestroika, competitive elections). After 1991, that liberalisation continued briefly. In 1993, under President Boris Yeltsin, the constitutional crisis and the new constitution entrenched a strong presidential system; from then on the authoritarian turn gathered pace.
Canada had to adapt to these shifts in Russia’s orientation. During the Cold War, Ottawa condemned Soviet repression while maintaining exchanges and pursuing détente. From the 1950s onward, Canadian peacekeepers were deployed to conflicts shaped by East–West rivalry. Canada supported NATO and NORAD but also sustained cultural and scientific exchanges, convinced that isolation alone was untenable.
What is at stake for Canada today
 Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in the Arctic reminded Canadians daily that Soviet bombers could reach North America within hours. Russia and Canada share an Arctic geography that is more than symbolic. During the Cold War, radar stations on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in the Arctic reminded Canadians daily that Soviet bombers could reach North America within hours. Today, climate change is opening new Arctic sea routes. If Canada wants to assert its sovereignty in the North, it cannot ignore Russia as a key actor.
The Ukrainian diaspora is another dimension. Canada hosts one of the world’s largest Ukrainian communities, which has naturally shaped Ottawa’s pro-Kyiv policy since 2014. Yet Canada’s own history also reminds us of the need to balance solidarity with dialogue. Even at the height of the Cold War, Ottawa kept communication channels with Moscow open, recognizing that engagement and deterrence can coexist.
Canada’s commitments to its alliances are real. NATO, NORAD and the G7 remain the pillars of its security. But the country has always aspired to be more than a loyal ally: a mediator, a bridge-builder, a moderate voice. In a multipolar world, aligning exclusively with Washington risks narrowing Ottawa’s strategic room for manoeuvre.
This approach must also take into account Canada’s domestic constraints: the importance of the Ukrainian diaspora, its commitment to NATO and the G7, and public opinion. The policy focus should therefore focus on risk management and crisis-prevention mechanisms where Canadian interests are direct and measurable.
Multipolarity and realism
Recognizing multipolarity does not mean condoning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine or abandoning a rules-based international order. It means acknowledging that the global system is no longer organised around a single pole of power. Russia has tightened ties with China, expanded its presence in the Middle East and sought greater influence in Africa.
 The DEW Line was the northernmost and most capable of three radar lines in Canada and Alaska. The first of these was the joint Canadian-United States Pinetree Line, which ran from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island just north of the Canada–United States border, but even while it was being built there were concerns that it would not provide enough warning time to launch an effective counterattack. The Mid-Canada Line (MCL) was proposed as an inexpensive solution using bistatic radar. This provided a “trip wire” warning located roughly at the 55th parallel, giving commanders ample warning time, but little information on the targets or their exact location. The MCL proved largely useless in practice, as the radar return of flocks of birds overwhelmed signals from aircraft. For Canada, the task is to defend its national interests while accepting the realities of a multipolar system. That means preparing for long-term coexistence with Russia. At times this coexistence will be conflictual, at times cooperative.
We should distinguish two tracks. First, the need to keep communication channels open to manage crises, avoid miscalculation, and state Canada’s positions directly. Second, the idea of deep security or environmental partnerships, which is not realistic so long as Moscow continues to violate international law and wages a war of aggression. This article addresses the first track.
A forward-looking Canadian policy
A pragmatic approach should start with limited, verifiable measures in the Arctic: search and rescue; air and maritime deconfliction; spill prevention; and tightly scoped scientific exchanges on permafrost and climate risks. Gradually revitalising the Arctic Council would focus on risk management that directly affects northern communities.
Since 2014, and even more since 2022, Russia has acted reactively (at times over-reactively) and in defiance of several treaties and international frameworks. That does not make it unpredictable. Its priorities and red lines have been relatively consistent. Since 2014, Moscow has repeated them: NATO enlargement, Crimea, Western deployments, and Belarus’s security. What is often read as unpredictability largely reflects weakened Western analytical capacity and channels of understanding. Hence the case for crisis hotlines and renewed expertise to reduce misperception.
Diplomatic channels must also remain open. Canada kept talking to the Soviet Union at the height of Cold War hostilities; the same logic holds today. It ensures that crises can be managed and that Canadian positions are not filtered only through allies. In practice, that means maintaining crisis channels, military points of contact to prevent incidents and very targeted technical exchanges when Canadian interests require them.
Lean into our middle-power identity
Energy and resource security is another area where Canada makes a distinct contribution. As a reliable supplier to partners seeking to reduce dependence on Russian hydrocarbons, Canada can strengthen its position as a credible alternative. At the same time, it should not shy away from including Russia in global discussions on energy and climate, because those debates lose relevance if major powers are excluded.
Diaspora communities matter as well. Canada’s large Ukrainian community has shaped Ottawa’s policy, but Russian-speaking Canadians should also be part of the conversation. Encouraging dialogue among communities helps ensure Canadian policy reflects a plurality of perspectives.
Finally, Canada should lean into its middle-power identity. Its credibility has always rested more on constructive mediation than on military might. It should champion global governance frameworks that do not close the door to Russia when concrete interests converge, when compliance with rules can be verified, and when safeguards are in place.
Drawing on Canada’s past
 Soviet tanks are surrounded by crowds of Czechs protesting against the invasion on Prague’s Wenceslas Square on August 21, 1968. Canada’s Cold War experience shows that principled pragmatism is not weakness but strategy. Ottawa condemned the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia while pursuing arms-control talks. Canadian universities welcomed Soviet students. Cultural exchanges continued. Canadian officials pressed for human rights within the Helsinki framework.
From 1945, Canada emerged from the Second World War as a founding member of the United Nations precisely because it understood that adversaries had to be included. Excluding the Soviet Union from the post-war architecture was never an option. The same logic applied during the 1956 Suez Crisis, when Lester B. Pearson proposed the first UN peacekeeping force, a solution that won the support of the United States and the Soviet bloc and hastened British and French withdrawals. Canadian influence did not come from military force but from creativity and credibility as an honest broker.
Canada was also at the forefront of disarmament and arms-control initiatives. In the 1980s, as Cold War tensions intensified, its diplomats pushed for a ban on chemical weapons and for nuclear non-proliferation frameworks.
These precedents show that Canada has long understood a basic truth: global governance cannot function if adversaries are absent from the table. In today’s multipolar era, trying to exclude Russia risks weakening the very institutions Canada has championed for decades.
Diplomatic imagination
As Russia redefines its place in a multipolar world, Canada must also reposition itself. The choice is not between naive engagement and total isolation; it is between a reactive role that trails great-power rivalries and a proactive middle-power role that helps shape the terms of coexistence.
 Late November 1956: Canadians arrived in Egypt to serve in the first large-scale United Nations peacekeeping force. Canada has long played an important role in international peace support efforts; the country was a central player in the first large-scale peacekeeping mission undertaken by the United Nations in response to the Suez Crisis in Egypt in 1956. Canadian Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson put forth the concept of a multinational force that would go there to enforce a cease-fire and oversee the withdrawal of foreign troops. Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Trudeau’s 1971 trip to Moscow was controversial, but it reflected Canada’s confidence in its ability to play its own game on the world stage. Pearson’s initiative during the Suez Crisis reflected the same intuition: Canadian influence has come less from military strength than from diplomatic imagination. Half a century later, that confidence – together with vision and initiative – is needed again.
If Canada defines its Russia policy solely by Washington’s preferences, it risks shrinking its own role in a multipolar world. If instead it draws on its history of engagement, combining firmness with dialogue, loyalty to allies with independent judgment, it can speak with a voice that matters. Canada does not choose the Russia it has; it chooses the policy it pursues.
A strategy of selective engagement, backed by deterrence, law and verifiable safeguards, reduces the risk of miscalculation and creates space for action when interests align. Over time, it can also rebuild a minimum of trust and stabilise the relationship, while steering away from a dangerous collision course, including the risk of nuclear escalation.
 By Pepper Parr
December 6, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The story was told on social media: it should have been front-page news.
 Alexa Gilmour; NDP member for Parkdale-High Park. Her comment on social media should been front-page news. Earlier this week, the Ford Progressive Conservative government voted down the NDP motion to end violence against women. I want to tell you just how big a slap in the face it was to women across Ontario.
The Associate Minister for Women’s Social and Economic Opportunities;
the Minister for Children Community Social Services;
and the Minister for Education and Child Care,
didn’t even bother to show up for the debate to hear the plan being put forward.
This after we had gathered dozens of frontline workers from the labour, union rights workers, and advocates in the Violence Against Women.
All these people had come together to write this plan, hand it to the government and say, Please, here’s what we need to do to end violence against women.
They voted it down.
By Gazette Staff
December 5th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Specifically: 1 (one) lane out of 3 existing (1 left lane), on the QEW Niagara Bound will be closed from 2:00am until 5:00pm Saturday December 6th weather dependent. As part of our project on the QEW/Burlington Bay Skyway Bridge (Niagara Bound), the contractor is working on the rehabilitation of the QEW Niagara Bound lanes of the Burlington Bay Skyway bridge and to carry out this work, one Niagara Bound (eastbound) lane, out of the three lanes approaching the Skyway will be closed to allow for waterproofing and paving of lane 1 and the median, including the approach slab.
Specifically:
- 1 (one) lane out of 3 existing (1 left lane), on the QEW Niagara Bound will be closed from 2:00am until 5:00pm Saturday December 6th weather dependent.
It is expected that there will be traffic delays during this closure.
- Advance signing and notification will be provided to motorists so they can plan an alternate route. Eastport Drive will be open and available as an alternate route. Motorists can access the QEW Niagara Bound both before (north) and after (south) the Burlington Lift Bridge.
- No additional weekend work is anticipated if the work scheduled for this weekend is completed.
Travellers can visit http://511on.ca/ or @511Ontario for updates on work and traffic impacts.
 By Pepper Parr
December 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
City Hall was shut down and Staff evacuated and then went into a lengthy hold and secure process that lasted more than seven hours.
The threat was made at around 2 p.m. yesterday (Nov. 26) and lasted late into the night to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.
What has yet to be made clear is the actual threat. Some reports say it was a phone call, another report had the threat made by someone from the mail floor of city hall.
 Some reports have the intruder standing in the middle of the ground level of city hall. No dat from anyone on this matter. A representative from the city stated that the hold and secure was lifted at around 11 p.m. last night, but did not respond to questions on the nature of the threat and who it was directed towards.
Const. Jeffery Dillon, a media relations officer with the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), added that the hold and secure was initiated by the city itself as per City Hall policies and was not initiated by the police.
Nothing else?
An arrest was made.
No court date given and so far no names.
This doesn’t pass the smell test.
In the eight hours the building was shut down, there was enough time to search every nook and cranny in the building?
 By Amy Smith
December 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada continues to establish itself as one of the NBA’s most valuable markets. The support the Toronto Raptors have received even during leaner years is consistent, and when they’re good, it’s arguably beyond compare. That makes sense.
For all this talk about other sports in The True North, basketball is ingrained into the fabric of societal interest. Canada’s impassioned fanbase is what drew the NBA to it in the first place. And now, with franchise valuations skyrocketing, gate revenue on the rise, Canadian sportsbooks emphasizing all sorts of basketball events, and a population of over 40 million people, an intriguing question is starting to make the rounds: Should the NBA add a second franchise to its Canadian ranks?
 Is Canada fit to host a second NBA team, be it back in Vancouver or elsewhere? Anyone who has tangentially followed the Association knows that Canada housed two organizations at one point. Both the Vancouver Grizzlies and Raptors debuted during the 1995-96 season. The Grizzlies, however, vacated Vancouver after just six seasons. More potential was seen in the Memphis market, which is now home to the Grizzlies.
Somewhat ironically, as NBA expansion talk continues its gradual crescendo, the Memphis franchise is commonly cited as one that’s a candidate relocation. Regardless of the machinations behind it, the question is out there: Is Canada fit to host a second NBA team, be it back in Vancouver or elsewhere?
Can Vancouver Support an NBA Franchise Now?
Let’s not mince words: If the NBA adds another team in Canada, it will revisit the Vancouver operation. In fact, many believe The Wet Coast is among the top three destinations for the next franchise, joining Seattle and Las Vegas.
Of course, this raises another question: If Vancouver couldn’t drum up the necessary support before, what has changed in the decades since?
A whole lot, actually.
The proliferation of social media has rendered, well, pretty much everything more accessible to everyone. It is easier for Vancouver residents to become enamored by the game of basketball, even if it’s from afar. The NBA, in particular, is among the leagues that have committed the most time and resources to growing their social media presence. It is no coincidence that Canada has turned into one of the Association’s three-best ratings drawers. And this holds true even if you filter out the Toronto market, which is obviously beholden to the Raptors.
Beyond that, Vancouver seems more attracted to basketball culture in general—not just NBA basketball, but basketball overall. As Niako Liapsis writes for Evolution 1079:
 Toronto Raptors’ Fred VanVleet (23) makes a shot against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter of a NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2017. “Fast forward now to 2025, the city now has a fantastic basketball culture with thriving programs for youth academies and university level athletes. UBC is one of the best university basketball programs in the country and has produced multiple high level professional players throughout the years. Vancouver is also home to the Vancouver Bandits, a professional basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League or the CEBL. The Bandits have done a great job of increasing interest in basketball in Vancouver and even had some success with the franchise making it to the championship games in both 2020 and 2024 seasons. The team also welcomed Social Media Basketball Influencer Tristan Jazz as a new player to their roster in May, which has further gathered interest for the Bandits and the sport of basketball.”
This growth is enough to put Vancouver on the map. The same goes for its population size.
According to World Population Review, the greater metropolitan Vancouver area has a population of over 2.7 million. That does not compete with Toronto’s population of 7.7 million, but it’s more than double the population of the 1.4 million census data in Memphis.
Further Basketball Expansion in Canada is a Waiting Game
At the bare minimum, we can at least say Vancouver is a potentially viable market for another NBA team. The issue, however, will be moot until the league embraces expansion or relocation.
Unfortunately, the timeline for either is unclear. Relocation may happen first, since two teams have arena leases that expire by the end of the decade. The first is the Grizzlies, formerly of Vancouver. The second is the New Orleans Pelicans—who, for what it’s worth, play in a metropolitan area with a population of 1.7 million, which is smaller than that in Vancouver.
 June 5th, 2019 Burlington citizens turned out to sit in Civic Square to watch the Raptors. Beating out other candidates is Vancouver’s bigger issue. Many experts believe Las Vegas and Seattle will have first dibs on whatever happens. If the league adds to expansion franchises, the prevailing assumption is that each city will end up with one. If there are relocation opportunities, Las Vegas is considered in the poll position, with Seattle right behind it.
This is not an insurmountable obstacle for Vancouver. Given the shaky state of affairs in Memphis and New Orleans, it’s fair to predict at least one of those franchises will be relocated in the semi-near term. And if you combine the prospect of expansion with relocation, there could be four bites at the apple for new markets (two from expansion, two from relocation).
Vancouver, in the above scenario, doesn’t just become a viable candidate. It may turn into an odds-on favorite.
 By Gazette Staff
December 4th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Meed Ward commented on the whistleblower policy. She had a huge thank you to the team for their work on this. “This is an incredibly important piece of work to ensure that people have the freedom and the respect and the confidentiality required to report items that may be to the detriment of the city and the city services that we provide. I understand that it is scheduled for implementation pending approval of the budget, which we approved earlier this week. So full steam ahead, this will take effect in Q2 of 2026.
 Mayor Meed Ward: Staff will have the freedom, respect and the confidentiality required to report items that may be to the detriment of the city. This was the first we heard of this policy.
Audit Committee Chair Lisa Kearns had an: Okay, echo that. Thank you very much. We have examples of neighboring municipalities that have had discoveries and that have led to better stewardship of tax dollars and better protection for employees. So looking forward to this implementation next year.
Background:
SUBJECT: Whistleblower Policy & Program update
TO: Audit Committee
FROM: Corporate Affairs
City Auditor
Date to Committee: December 3, 2025
Date to Council: December 9, 2025
Recommendation:
Receive for information office of the city auditor report AUD-15-25 regarding an update about the Whistleblower Policy & Program identified in the 2025 Annual Audit Plan.
Purpose of report:
Work towards designing and developing the Whistleblower Policy was approved by Audit Committee as a part of the 2025 Audit Plan; this report provides Audit Committee with a status update.
Key findings:
A Whistleblower Policy & Program was designed based on leading practices implemented in other mid-sized and large Canadian municipalities. This policy was approved by the CAO and XLT in August 2025
 City Auditor: Maciej Jurczyk The Whistleblower Policy will allow City staff who fear reprisal to confidentially report an issue of wrongdoing to the City Auditor and Chief Human Resources Officer
The Whistleblower Program is scheduled for implementation in Q2 2026, pending Council approval of the 2026 operating budget
A procurement process to source a service provider which will host an online confidential whistleblower hotline/portal will proceed immediately following Council’s approval of the 2026 budget on Dec 2, 2025
Implications:
The City Auditor and staff from Human Resources are leading this initiative; however, multiple staff from Legal Services, Procurement, Information Governance and Burlington Digital Services have been impacted and provided support.
An operating budget of $13,000 was requested from Council through the 2026 budget process
There are no climate-related implications.
 By Tom Parkin
December 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Improved net imports kept GDP positive, but falling household consumption and higher capital investment arising only from a narrow increase in weapons systems is not a win.
Canada’s quarterly change in GDP, Q1 2022 to Q3 2025
Last Friday’s report of a 0.6 per cent GDP increase in the third quarter had the prime minister practically popping champagne bottles. But a deeper data look suggests any self-congratulations should be put on ice and a focus on jobs and affordability needs to become more urgent.
A 0.6 per cent GDP boost in Q3 is just 2.4 per cent annualized, a pretty mediocre growth rate at any time. And this year’s GDP growth isn’t going to be 2.4 per cent, or anywhere near it.
Canada’s GDP grew 0.5 per cent in Q1 then shrank 0.5 per cent in Q2. So with three of four quarters now played, we are at an annual GDP growth rate of 0.6 per cent for 2025.
And in its Friday report, Statistics Canada provided its “advanced estimate” for October, which showed GDP shrank 0.3 per cent that month.
Champagne, anyone?
Improved net trade drives positive GDP topline
And even in the Q3 data there are worrying signals.
Statistics Canada breaks GDP into several components. The one that pushed GDP into positive terrain was improved net imports, which gained $19.3 billion.
Components of GDP
Major components of GDP and change Q2 to Q3
Q3 imports fell $17.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted and annualized basis while exports rose $1.3 billion, a $19.3 billion net change.
Imports were down for consumer goods, overall. Food imports were almost unchanged while medicines or health product imports increased $3.8 billion. But there were declines in imports of furniture and fixtures (down $612 million), appliances and supplies (down $3.1 billion) and clothing (down $1.9 billion).
A deeper look into household spending data shows that where consumer goods imports have fallen, it doesn’t necessarily mean household spending has fallen. Though furniture and fixtures spending was down $1.3 billion, appliance purchases fell a very slim $20 million, and clothing and footware purchases were up $1.1 billion. We may be seeing some effect from Canadians’ strengthened preference for purchasing Canadian-made products. More of that, please.
But lower imports for businesses may not be the same positive story. Imports of industrial machinery were down $7.0 billion and “intermediate metal products,” such as steel to build cars, were down $5.8 billion.
It’s great to have lower imports. But Canadian workers need more investment in machinery and equipment to improve productivity so they can try to bargain higher wages. And a drop in demand for intermediate metal products may be a further signal of weakness in manufacturing.
It would be great news if lower imports were due to domestic substitution. But if lower imports are due to lower business demand, that’s not a good sign.
But that will take a deeper investigation. We’ll do that deeper dive into business investment and imports later this week.
Consumer consumption falls, government capital up
StatsCan’s other major components of GDP are consumption and investment.
Total consumption fell $3.8 billion, a very bad sign. And within that category, household consumption fell $1.5 billion, which should not be a surprise when there are 1.4 million Canadians without a paycheque to spend. Government consumption tumbled $2.4 billion. Government consumption includes spending on programs (like healthcare and education) and administrative spending, not capital.
But capital investment rose $3.0 billion. Overall, business capital investment was flat. Private investment in housing rose a very welcome $2.6 billion in Q3. Somewhat worryingly, investment in machinery and equipment fell $2.2 billion, intellectual property was down $377 million and commercial building investment was down $347 million. It’s this kind of data that make the decline in business imports perhaps not seem so wonderful.
Capital investment growth came almost entirely from the public sector, and a very specific section of it. Government spent $2.9 billion more on public capital in Q3 with a big boost in weapons systems investments, which jumped $2.4 billion. Hmmm.
Government capital rose $2.9B, mostly on weapons
Government investment into major capital categories
In Q3, businesses added $4.0 billion less to their inventory of goods — that is, goods produced but not yet sold.
A troubling time for working Canadians
While we haven’t finished the analysis of this quarterly GDP report, we can confirm all champagne should remain in refrigeration.
As Data Shows has been reporting for months, the economic challenges for Canada, and especially in Ontario, are not new. GDP in 2023 and 2024 were pretty paltry at just two per cent nationally. It was less than that in Ontario.
Ontario has had rising unemployment for over two years. Now Trump has launched his campaign of economic force against Canada, targeting our manufacturing sectors. Trump would love to turn Canada into nothing more than a resource landscape that ships him logs, not lumber, or metal ingots, not steel beams or machinery or assembled cars or airplanes. That outcome would be devastating to Canadians workers.
The response from the Ontario Doug Ford government is about as lumbering and ham-fisted as would be expected. There is no plan for jobs or affordability.
The Carney government has turned attention to economic development, but needs to feel the urgency and pick up the pace on jobs and housing. Mega-projects that take many years to be realized aren’t wrong. But Canada cannot be strong when 1.4 million Canadians aren’t working and aren’t spending a paycheque into the economy. Canada cannot be strong when affordability is crushing household spending.
When we have full employment and a return to affordability we can pop some corks. Until then, Canadian workers need governments to show urgent attention to their needs, which are this nation’s needs.
By Gazette Staff
November 28th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
With much of the winter season still to come, the City is reminding residents of its snow clearing service levels and providing guidance to help residents stay informed during future snow events.
Clearing all the snow is tiring, but there is an upside: driving down a road like this:
 This is a Canadian winter Declared Snow Events
 Salting of primary and secondary roads is initiated at the start of every snowfall event. Salting of primary and secondary roads is initiated at the start of every snowfall event and plowing will occur when an accumulation of 5 cm is reached. When accumulation reaches 7.5 cm, the City will declare a “Snow Event” to advise that local residential road plowing will occur and to announce the prohibition of all on-street parking. During a snow event, road clearing updates will be sent to Snow Control Update subscribers at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. To receive Snow Control Updates by email, visit burlington.ca/subscribe to subscribe to receive these updates.
Snow event declarations and parking restrictions are announced through the City’s social media as well as through Snow Control Updates, which can be found at burlington.ca/snow.
Parking Permit Cancellations
When a snow event is declared, there is no parking on any city street until after the snow event has been declared over, no matter the permit type. The City thanks residents for their cooperation to move their vehicles off city streets to help with snow-clearing operations. Residents who park their cars on streets blocking snow removal may face a $120 parking ticket or be towed. The declaration of a snow event means that the City expects a large volume of snow that will require clearing. Residents may still be subject to a ticket for parking which impedes road operations despite the actual snow volume.
All existing parking exemptions are invalid during snow events.
Potential City facility closures – Stay Informed
 Nelson Arena: Doesn’t happen very often, but if weather conditions are treacherous, places like this get closed. When weather events such as snow or freezing rain become more extreme and safe travel becomes more challenging, the City may decide to close some or all City facilities such as community centres, pools, arenas and City Hall. When City facilities are closed due to weather, residents can stay informed by subscribing to Facility, Sports Field and Pool Closure updates at burlington.ca/subscribe. Residents can also check our website at burlington.ca/facilityclosures. The recorded message at 905-335-7738 will also be updated when recreation facilities are closed due to inclement weather.
A declared snow event does not automatically mean all City facilities are closed or programs are cancelled.
On occasion, a recreation program may be cancelled when City facilities remain open. If a registered program is cancelled while the facility remains open, City staff will notify participants directly. Residents wondering about the status of drop-in programs should check the City’s website: burlington.ca/dropinandplay
Snow Clearing Service Levels
- Residential roads are not maintained to bare pavement but are sanded as required at intersections, hills and sharp curves to enhance traction.
- All sidewalks are plowed after 5 cm of accumulation and salted or sanded as required.
- Roads will generally be cleared 24-hours after the snowfall has ended. Heavy snowfalls or successive storms can sometimes extend this period longer than 24 hours. Please be patient as our crews work to clear the busiest streets first.
- The City is not responsible for clearing windrows left on driveways when the plow passes. If you think you will need help clearing the windrow, please make arrangements such as speaking with your neighbours, family members or hire a contractor.
Road and Sidewalk Plow Tracker
 It takes time to clean up after a storm; please give us 24-hours after the snow has ended to do this work. Residents can visit burlington.focus511.com to see which streets and sidewalks have been plowed. When plows pass over a road, the colour of the road on the map changes to indicate a plow is operating in the area. As the clean-up continues, roads throughout the city will change colour until all plowing is complete.
What Residents Can Do
During the winter season, the City of Burlington maintains 1,900 lane kilometres of roads and 850 kilometres of sidewalks. Residents can help with the removal of snow from streets and sidewalks by following road safety and parking rules:
- Please wait until 24-hours after the snowfall has ended before calling or emailing your road concerns and 48 hours for sidewalk enquiries. It takes time to clean up after a storm; please give us 24-hours after the snow has ended to do this work. Your patience is appreciated.
- Do not park vehicles on the street during a snowfall or declared Snow Event. Also, please do not leave vehicles over the sidewalk while in your driveway as this can prevent the sidewalk plow from completing its work.
- Do not shovel, plow or blow snow from residential or commercial properties onto the road or across the road. This poses a hazard to motorists and is prohibited by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and City bylaw.
- Snowplows need room to clear the snow. Please stay back 20 meters as sand and salt may be dropping from the trucks. This also gives you room to stop safely.
- Do not pile snow in the bike lanes in front of your residence or business.
- Give snowplows plenty of space at intersections. The snowplow may need two or more lanes to turn or to get through the intersection. If a snowplow is waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not pull up and stop underneath or in front of the wing plow (the plow attached to the right side of the truck). Your vehicle could be struck by the plow when the truck pulls forward.
Burlington is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.
 Scott Hamilton, Commissioner, Public Works Scott Hamilton, Commissioner, Public Works: “Thank you to the Burlington residents who continue to move their vehicles off the street during Snow Events. Your cooperation makes a significant difference and allows our crews to clear roads more quickly and safely. We also appreciate your patience as we work through major storms. With significant snowfall or back-to-back storms, clearing all routes takes time, and we appreciate residents for following parking rules, shovelling snow back onto their own property, and helping neighbours who may need a hand.”
Links
By Annestina Anthony
November 28th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Nathan Phillips Square There’s no doubt about it, Christmas in Toronto can be magical. The lights on Queen Street West, the festive markets in the Distillery District, and skating at Nathan Phillips Square all make the city feel special. But it can also be stressful. Between work parties, family visits, shopping for gifts, and trying to keep up with, well, everything, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
Yet the good news is that there are ways to reduce stress and actually enjoy the holidays.
Make Time for Yourself
This one is top of our list for a reason, and it cannot be emphasized enough: One of the best ways to keep Christmas stress under control is to take time for yourself. Even just a few simple minutes each day can help. It can be having a quiet, warming coffee in the morning while listening to music or taking a bath in the evening to unwind. The point is to have moments where you are not doing anything for anyone else.
Toronto has lots of options if you want to get out of the house. A walk through High Park or along the Waterfront Trail can give you fresh air and a little peace. Even a stop at a quiet café like Rooster Coffee House in the Junction can feel like a mini escape from the holiday chaos.
At home, there are ways to relax that do not involve leaving the house. Reading, drawing, cooking, or working on a creative project can all take your mind off stress. Gaming can also be a surprisingly good way to relax. Video games help you focus on something fun and provide a way to escape for a while. Online gaming, including iGaming, can also be enjoyable. There, you can learn how to play crash casinos with crypto, for example, on platforms that are safe and secure and bring you the chance of winning a bit of extra Christmas funds, if you are really lucky.
Family Gatherings
 You don’t have to have perfect conversations or make everyone happy. Family visits can be stressful, especially if you do not see some relatives often and it’s for a specific reason. It is normal to feel nervous about these gatherings. One way to handle this is to set realistic expectations. Remember, you don’t have to have perfect conversations or make everyone happy. Small positive interactions are enough.
Try to avoid topics that often cause tension, like politics. Talking about local events, holiday plans, or hobbies can help keep conversations light. If you feel overwhelmed, take a short break. Stepping outside for a walk or going to another room for a few minutes can help you reset.
Remember, however, if things feel like too much, there is no obligation to stay in a situation where you feel uncomfortable. Make your excuses and leave.
Work Parties
Work parties can be super fun, yes, but they can also cause a lot of stress. The pressure to talk to everyone or act a certain “casual professional” way can be tiring. Planning ahead can help. Decide how long you will stay and stick to that plan. Focus on a few good conversations instead of trying to talk to everyone. Treat office games or competitions as just for fun and keep a light attitude. Don’t feel forced into participation if you don’t want to. A simple “No, thank you” is all that’s required.
Things to Do Around Toronto
Getting out of the house can help reduce stress. Toronto has lots of festive activities that are fun and relaxing:
- Holiday Markets: The Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery District is full of lights, food, and music. It’s iconic for a reason, and a short visit can feel like a break from the holiday rush.
- Skating: Outdoor rinks like Nathan Phillips Square give you a way to exercise and enjoy the season. Moving around naturally reduces stress.
- Nature Walks: Toronto’s ravines and trails, such as the Don Valley Trails or Crothers Woods, are perfect for quiet reflection. A quick half-hour walk in nature can feel refreshing.
- Cultural Activities: Visiting the AGO or catching a seasonal show at the Royal Alexandra Theatre is another way to reset your mind and enjoy the season.
 Huge tree with large crowds celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Distillery District. Relaxing at Home
Spending time at home can be just as good for reducing stress:
- Creative Hobbies: Baking, crafting, or making your own holiday decorations can be a nice way to relax and feel accomplished.
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Spending 10 to 15 minutes on meditation or yoga can calm your mind. Apps like Headspace or Calm can guide you if you are new to this.
Shopping Without Stress
 Rushing about in crowded locations can be stressful. Buying gifts can be one of the most stressful parts of Christmas. Shopping online or in person before December can prevent last-minute crowds, although be warned, it’s already looking busy out there! Thankfully, Toronto has many local artisans who sell gifts online, which makes shopping easier and supports small businesses.
It helps to make a budget and stick to it. Knowing what you can comfortably spend will prevent financial stress. Remember, Christmas is not a time to get into debt, so only ever shop within your budget.
Socializing Mindfully
Overcommitting socially can drain you, and it’s not only introverts who suffer. Only say yes to events that matter to you and politely decline the rest. Remember, “No” is a whole sentence. During social events, focus on being present. Listen, enjoy conversations, and do not worry about impressing anyone. Laughter most definitely helps, so find humor where you can.
Limit Technology
Phones and computers can add more stress during an already stressy holiday. Constant notifications, emails, and social media can make you feel pressured. Consider turning off notifications during family time or in the evenings, as this will help you be more present and relaxed. Some apps and games can actually help you relax instead of stressing you out, though, so choose your digital time wisely.
Exercise and Healthy Eating
Exercise and nutrition are important for keeping stress low. Toronto has many gyms, yoga studios, and winter sports facilities. Even a walk or stretching session at home can help. Eating a mix of holiday treats and healthy meals will keep your energy steady and mood stable. You do not need to be perfect, just try to balance things.
Practising Gratitude
Taking a few minutes each day to think about what you are grateful for can shift your focus away from stress. You could be thankful for health, friends, family, pets, your job, or just having a cosy home. And sharing these thoughts with friends or family can add so much warmth to your celebrations and make the season feel more joyful, and it’s a nice little reminder of what Christmas is meant to be all about.
Other Ideas to Reduce Stress
There are plenty of other small things you can do to make the holidays calmer. Some people like to do small acts of kindness, like volunteering or helping out an older neighbour by cooking for them. These activities can give a sense of purpose and make you feel good. Another idea is to plan a “quiet day” just for yourself, with no plans or obligations. Reading, listening to music, gaming, or cooking can fill that day with simple pleasure. Or why not stick on a classic Christmas movie like A Muppets Christmas Carol or Scrooged that you can laugh along to?
Even keeping your home tidy can reduce stress. Decorating and organising in a way that makes you happy can help you feel more in control. Lighting candles, playing festive music, or creating small cozy corners at home are simple but meaningful ways to make your space relaxing.
Key Takeaways
 Christmas is difficult mentally for many of us. Christmas is difficult mentally for many of us. The key is to plan for yourself, set limits, and focus on things that bring you joy. Spending time on personal activities, enjoying some “me time” fun, attending family and work events with realistic expectations, exploring the city, and keeping social and digital boundaries can all help reduce stress.
This season, give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays at your own pace. Take small breaks, do things that make you happy, and remember that Christmas is about more than obligations.
 By Gazette Staff
November 24th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 When first envisioned Millcroft was a model others were expected to follow.
On November 5, 2025, the charges related to the tree removals at Millcroft Golf Course were scheduled for first appearance before the Court. Legal counsel appeared on behalf of Argo Development Corporation and Argo (Millcroft) Limited, and acted as agent for all other defendants. All matters were adjourned to February 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. and marked to be spoken to. No date for the trial of these matters has been set yet. The purpose of the adjournment was to:
1.Allow the prosecution additional time to prepare and produce the voluminous disclosure;
2.Give the defendants time to review the disclosure and retain further legal representation, as required; and
3.Allow the parties time to enter into any resolution discussions.
The following defendants have been charged:
Private Tree By-law defendants: 2079610 Ontario Ltd. operating as Millcroft Golf Club, Argo Development Corporation, Argo (Millcroft) Limited, Millcroft Greens Corporation, Timbertek Inc.
Public Tree By-law defendant: Timbertek Inc.
Municipal Consent By-law defendants: 2079610 Ontario Ltd. Operating as Millcroft Golf Club, Argo Development Corporation, Argo (Millcroft) Limited, Millcroft Greens Corporation, Timbertek Inc.
MAD continues to work closely with our elected officials Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos, Councillor Angelo Bentivegna, Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr and Community Advocates. They are using every tool in their tool box to preserve our green space. MAD can assure you that the fight is still on!
 Is this a by-law offence taking place? Mediation is ongoing and confidential, so we have no updates on this matter at this time.
We hope you have seen our new lawn signs. Our first order is now sold out. Our generous supplier, Global Printing, a fellow Millcroft resident, surprised us with a sizable discount, with the price now only $17.
Please email the Admin team at admin@millcroftagainstbaddevelopment.ca if you wish to order a sign. The image of the new lawn sign draws attention to this “tragic” development, building on floodplains, illustrates our unity as a community and that the fight continues.
We encourage you to keep up the fight as well. Continue with your calls, emails, letters and comments on our public social media. We are not going down easily and we are getting noticed! Well done folks!
By Gazette Staff
November 21st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
| Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, will be joined by Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario, Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney General and Zee Hamid, Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform, to provide remarks and hold a media availability. |
It is going to be a full-court press at the Monday media event.
 Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario  Zee Hamid, Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, will be joined by Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario, Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney General and Zee Hamid, Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform, to provide remarks and hold a media availability.
Bail reform changes and finding ways to crack down on auto theft, which has become rampant in all the major urban centres are going to get a lot of attention.
By Pepper Parr
November 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a raucous day inside the Legislature…
Oppo NDP Leader MARIT STILES got turfed from Question Period after she dropped the C-word — calling the PCs “corrupt” over the Skills Development Fund controversy — then refused to take it back.
 Sergeant-at-Arms escorts Stiles out of the Legislature, to much applause from the NDP benches. Under the House rulebook, such unparliamentary language (think: questioning an MPP’s integrity or even mentioning their absence) is a no-no, so Speaker DONNA SKELLY officially “named” her and Sergeant-at-Arms TIM McGOUGH promptly escorted Stiles out, to much applause from the NDP benches.
Scrumming with reporters after, Stiles didn’t blink: she dared DOUG FORD to sue her if he felt defamed. (Inside the chamber, she’s protected by parliamentary privilege — outside is another story.) “I welcome the discovery process,” she quipped.
Why it matters: While it didn’t do much to change the Ford government’s tune over the SDF drama (Ford is still standing by his Labour Minister DAVID PICCINI and praising training-fund decisions), Stiles’s stunt made primetime news and was all over social media — the NDP has even launched a website where people can sign an “I agree with Marit Stiles” petition.
It’s a solid feat for an Opposition party that has few manoeuvres to pull against the majority-enjoying, popular-polling PCs, and that has struggled to get its message out there as Ford holds frequent headline-nabbing pressers.
By Gazette Staff
November 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Do you have a story to tell, a skill to share, or a message to record?
Burlington Public Library’s new MakerStudio at New Appleby Branch is open and ready for your creativity.
The two self-guided studio spaces are equipped with professional-quality tools for recording and editing video and audio projects—and they’re free to use with your BPL card.
What the library is offering two well equipped studios.
 All you have to do is book the time you’d like to have to put your media feature together.
The New Appleby Branch Maker Studios had 62 bookings during the first six weeks of service (Sept 15 – Oct 31). They are already seeing regulars book the space to record their podcast and youtube productions.
Make It Happen Here
Looking for some inspiration to help get your creative juices flowing? Here are four ways you can make it happen in MakerStudio!
Send a Video Greeting
Add a personal touch with a video message that’s warmer than a text, email, or post. Record a holiday greeting, birthday wish, or friendly update to share with family, friends, or social media followers.
Start Your Own Podcast
Got something to say? Record and edit your own podcast—solo or with friends—on topics that matter to you. Discuss local stories, explore your hobbies, or share interviews with community changemakers. Reaper and Audacity audio editors, along with the studio’s microphones, can help you sound your best.
Film a How-To or Demo Video
Show the world your skills by creating a short demonstration video. Combine recordings from home with a well-lit studio setup to give your project a professional polish allowing you to showcase your hobbies. From cooking and crafting to coding and coaching, use the digital tools to record, edit, and upload your masterpiece—all in one place.
Record Your Next Song or Audio Project
Musicians and makers of all kinds can explore their sound here. With studio-quality microphones, simple plug-in gear like the Scarlett 2i2 audio interface, and speakers that let you hear your music clearly, you can lay down tracks, add vocals, record an instrument, or fine-tune a mix. Whether you’re creating a song for fun or creating background tracks for a video or slideshow, come to MakerStudio to experiment and discover how good your music can sound.
Discover MakerStudio
Visit our MakerStudio web page to learn more about the spaces, explore the equipment and software, and find tutorials to help you get started. Once you’re ready, book your studio time, and bring your creative project to life!
By John Carpay
November 18th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
If Parliament passes Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, Canada will become more like the United Kingdom, where more than 30 people are arrested every day for “speech crimes.”
UK police now routinely arrest people for offensive tweets. Police issue warnings to citizens about their political commentary. Police have even arrested parents in front of their children over private WhatsApp messages.
This is the real-world outcome of vague “hate” laws like Bill C-9.
What we’re doing about it
The Justice Centre has provided its submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. We have also informed all 343 Members of Parliament (of all parties) that Bill C-9:
- is politically motivated, as was shown when Justice Minister Sean Fraser lamented “rising antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia” but said nothing about the dozens of Christian churches that have been destroyed by arson;
- fails to provide a clear and coherent definition of “hatred,” such that citizens cannot know when they are – or are not – committing a Criminal Code offence. Criminal charges and prosecutions will depend on the feelings and subjective assessments of police, prosecutors and judges;
- unnecessarily increases the existing power of judges to impose harsher sentences in cases where the judge feels that a crime was motivated by hate; maximum prison sentences can be doubled;
- duplicates existing Criminal Code provisions that already make it illegal to block access to houses of worship and other buildings and structures. Canadians need and deserve better enforcement of existing laws, not virtue-signalling like Bill C-9.
In a word, this legislation is redundant, arbitrary, and damaging to your fundamental rights and freedoms.
Freedom of expression is the foundation of every other freedom. If Parliament passes Bill C-9, Canadians will face more criminal prosecutions over what they say.
If the erosion of free speech can happen in the UK – the birthplace of parliamentary democracy, it can happen here. Many Canadian journalists, writers, podcasters, politicians, commentators, and citizen activists will self-censor to avoid the risk of a hate-speech prosecution.
Our lawyers and policy analysts continue the fight against unjust laws like Bill C-9 every day. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Do your part today: defend freedom of expression and urge your MP to vote against Bill C-9
We accept donations by secure e-transfer to etransfer@jccf.ca. Please include your full name, mailing address, postal code, and email address in the notes of your e-transfer or in a follow-up email. We need this information to issue official tax receipts.
We accept credit card donations here and over the phone at 403-475-3622.
We accept donations by cheque. Please mail your cheque to 253-7620 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB, T2V 1K2.
For those interested in exploring legacy gifts, please email us at giving@jccf.ca.
Please consider becoming a monthly donor so that the Justice Centre can continue to defend your rights and freedoms throughout 2025.
John Carpay, President and Founder, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. Freedom Convoy lawyer John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), has been disbarred by Alberta’s Law Society and can no longer practice law in the province.
 By Nelson Nikolson
November 13th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington residents are doing things differently these days. Whether you’re grabbing coffee on Brant Street or walking the pier at Spencer Smith Park, you’ll notice people video-calling into meetings. You’ll spot people checking phones for food delivery, or managing investments with a few taps. What started as a temporary adjustment, a necessity due to the pandemic, has become just how we live now. It’s no surprise that most residents actually prefer it this way.
 Roseland, a mature community with trees that have been there for decades. The Roseland neighborhood, like many Burlington communities, has seen professionals trading their commutes for home offices. Working remotely has been a game-changer for those of us who originally spent hours commuting into Toronto. Instead, people collaborate with clients across the country from their Burlington homes, finally getting to know neighbors they never had time to meet before.
Burlington businesses have gotten creative, too. Walk into any shop downtown and you’ll find QR codes for online stores, Instagram handles posted prominently, and staff who can help you order something special through their website. From longtime bakeries to family hardware stores that have been here for generations, local businesses now blend physical and digital shopping experiences.
 Millcroft, a community going through a significant change. Money matters have gone digital in a big way. Residents in neighborhoods from Tyandaga to Millcroft check investments on their phones and handle banking through apps. Video consultations have replaced many in-person meetings at downtown financial offices. Digital tools have opened up financial services that were once harder to access for everyday investors.
Entertainment has evolved far beyond Netflix and streaming services. Burlington residents are exploring a range of online activities — from casual games to skill-based challenges that add a social element to leisure time. As more people spend time online, digital safety has become just as important as convenience, especially in spaces that involve money or data exchange. That’s why examples like those found with PokerStrategy stand out, offering clear insights into how online casinos in Canada operate under secure and transparent conditions. Gaming now spans generations, with people of all ages enjoying poker, puzzles, word games, and interactive platforms that make staying entertained through long Canadian winters easier than ever.
Burlington schools are preparing students for this digital reality. Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School, Nelson High School, and M.M. Robinson High School have expanded their computer science and digital media programs. Schools throughout Burlington now teach coding alongside traditional subjects, recognizing that digital literacy has become essential for future careers, including many remote work possibilities that didn’t exist a decade ago.
Getting online isn’t a problem anymore. Most Burlington neighborhoods have high-speed internet, from waterfront condos to suburban Millcroft. Burlington Public Library has evolved beyond books. The Central Library on New Street offers technology workshops, while the Alton branch provides digital creativity programs. Libraries have become digital resource centers serving all ages.
Burlington has become attractive for home-based businesses. Entrepreneurs launch companies from spare bedrooms, artisans sell crafts globally through online marketplaces, and consultants serve clients nationwide without leaving the city.
Not everything has been smooth. Some residents still prefer traditional ways of doing things. Internet outages can derail entire workdays. Screen time sometimes replaces face-to-face interactions. But overall, Burlington has found a balance between embracing technology and maintaining community connections.
Young families appreciate being able to work from home while children attend Burlington schools. Parents can make it to activities at places like the Brant Hills Community Centre. Empty nesters stay connected with family through video calls. Technology serves to enhance Burlington life rather than replace what makes the city special.
 An indoor track and an NHL size hockey rink have made Skyway a new destination for the sports people. Looking ahead, Burlington continues adapting thoughtfully. The new Skyway Community Centre will feature modern technology alongside traditional recreation facilities. Downtown development plans include enhanced connectivity in public spaces. When the Festival of Lights illuminates Spencer Smith Park each December, families still gather in person while sharing the experience digitally with those far away.
Burlington demonstrates that going digital doesn’t mean losing community character. We’ve kept the waterfront walks, local festivals, and neighborhood connections while adding tools that make daily life more convenient.
By Pepper Parr
November 10th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Special Council meeting that took place this afternoon was a continuation of the meeting that took place November 4th that heard comments from the Burlington Economic Development & Tourism Corporation who were responding to a report from Rubicon Strategy, a consulting group that was hired by the city to do a review of BEDT’s operations and the value they city was getting for the $1.9 million they spend each year.
BEDT has a staffing complement of 15 people and a 13-member board that includes two members of Council, along with the Mayor.
Why is this an important matter? Attracting new business to the city is vital toits growth; retaining what we have is equally as important. Having a tourism unit that can attract visitors and play a major rile in making the city a tourist destination.
This is a complex story that needs to be told in pieces.
A conclusion was reached. Staff were instructed to come back in April of 2026 with
Direct Staff to report back by April 2026 on two options for Council’s consideration.
1: Fully detailed options for integrating economic development and tourism functions within the municipal structure and
2: Provide a draft Services Agreement that retains an independent entity while permitting a collaborative decision-making relationship with Council.
Getting to that point was the roughest experience CAO Curt Benson has experienced since he took up that office several months ago. Benson was appointed CAO on very short notice when Hassaan Basit resigned after serving just 16 months of his five-year contract; he left Burlington to join the provincial government
During his time with the city, one of the things Basit did was merge the existing Tourism department with BEDT. Why?
The province created a 4% Municipal Accommodation tax that is collected by the city.
The city keeps 50% of what is collected in a reserve fund to be used as Council directs.
The remaining 50% is made available to eligible tourism entities to be used to promote tourism, including product development.
Council designated an eligible tourism entity, governed by a board, to receive and spend these funds in the community. That entity was Tourism Burlington. The tourism community and city hall came to the conclusion that they were not up to the job.
Basit merged Tourism Burlington with Economic Development to create BEDT.
The problem was that important City Hall staff did not feel Economic Development was doing a very good job, and they brought in Rubicon Strategy, a consulting group to do a review. They issued a devastating report which recommended dissolving BEDT.
Benson wanted to act on that recommendation and explained his reasoning at the Tuesday Special Standing Committee meeting saying:
 CAO Curt Benson explaining his thinking to Council. “As a part of a continuous improvement approach, it’s important to do periodic reviews of services to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, value for money, and to address areas of alignment to strategic objectives, policies and practices here at the city. The work to review the economic development function was initiated back in May 2024 through the endorsement of a report that identified an opportunity to address deficiencies and agreements between the city and the agency partners that deliver important services that our residents and visitors depend upon.
“Having detailed agreements in place helps to ensure mandates and services are aligned with Council’s expectations where there is discretion. The report recognized the need to advance this work in Priority sequence.
“There has been feedback shared on this approach, namely that we need to look at all agreements for city agency partners, comprehensively and staff will get there. We have been deliberate in addressing our approach with economic development as the highest priority. It represents the greatest opportunity to correct the alignment and integration challenges that have persisted under the model. The learnings from this work, in particular, the collaboration and consultation in developing a new arrangement will provide the clarity and accountability that can serve as a model for agreements with the city’s other agencies. It’s important that, based on staff’s initial assessment, there is no intent to assume or internalize the valued functions of any other city agency.
“Most of the other agencies have a mandate that are either back stopped by existing arrangements derived from parent legislation that drives governance and accountability, or they are at a point in maturity that reflects a steady or stable state, given some of the change over in city leadership roles. Work needs to continue to strengthen the relationships with all agency partners. It’s important that progress is made before coming back and providing council with an update on this work early next year.
“For Burlington Economic Development and Tourism, from my perspective, there is a strong desire for the city to have a clear line of sight to the full range of activities associated with business retention, business attraction, and leveraging of tourism in driving business outcomes. The line of sight currently does not exist. To address this gap and to address other issues of alignment we recommending that council in principle endorse the integration of Economic Development and Tourism services and operations into the city’s organization structure.
“There are other recommendations to ensure that this is done in a careful and coordinated manner through the development of a transition plan. That transition plan would be prepared and provided to council no later than April 2026, highlighting key milestones, timelines, resource implications and options for a model to ensure effective oversight.
“This represents a material change, and we do not take these recommendations lightly. The changes proposed in the report are two governance and structure, and are meant to build on accomplishments made under the current model and to seize an opportunity to keep what works, the business insight, the relationships, the tourism partnerships, but place it in a model that gives Council clear line of sight, gives businesses a single front door, and uses public funds in a transparent and effective way.
“The review and its recommendations are by no means a reflection on the commitment and significant value driven by the volunteer board or its staff. We are quite fortunate to have a highly skilled, engaged board of volunteers who are passionate about supporting businesses in our community.
“There are a few points addressed in the report that were also raised by the delegations on Monday that I’d like to address really briefly. Comments on the review itself.
 The consultants released a devastating report that recommended dissolving the Burlington Economic Development and Tourism Corporation, a city not-for-profit organization. “For example, some question the process, its independence, the fact that it did not take stock in the positive outcomes delivered by the model, or did not address the significant effort or value of the merger. While many had comments and criticisms about the nature of some of the statements in the report, none of the delegation suggested there was there wasn’t room for improvement.
“As staff, we take stock in that, and as was mentioned by a couple of the delegates, we also want the very best for the city and the business community to thrive. We’ve heard from delegates that the current model is superior from the perspective of agility and speed and working in the gray area, that means independence and minimizing bureaucracy or politics.
“Well, if speed is a concern, there are remedies to design a fit for those purposes, tools within that framework, standing offers, pre qualified vendors, templated scopes, rather than operating outside of municipal controls.
“Unwinding: We’ve also heard that unwinding, the model led by the independent board could come at significant cost. It could be disruptive, and it could include an issue of garnering compliance with the MAT tax rules. City staff maintain that all these things, can be solved as a part of a new model. If specific barriers are identified, the intent was always that we would review them and propose targeted fixes as a part of a transition plan.
“There is an opportunity through the work of a transition plan to define how best to leverage the value and community based business perspectives through different models. It’s really important to take stock in where we are in our growth and maturity as a municipality. For example, in 2019 After launching the red tape red carpet initiative, there are key lists of a long list of recommendations on how the city can be better partners with businesses and developers, you heard from us in July 2025 through a report that nearly all the recommendations falling out of the red tape red carpet initiative have been operationalized.
“There has been significant process reviews undertaken and many of those overhauled. There’s been an establishment of a small team to address support for high impact files and also support for Main Street small businesses, as evidenced over the past two years, our relationship with the development industry is strong. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for our relationships with the business community. We have no direct opportunity to build those relationships and strengthen those relationships without going through an intermediary. Board, council has important levers under the system, under its decision making under the municipal act, we want to make sure that our plans, policies, incentives are there to support business in our community, and that that is done in a way that represents accountability over budget and defining key service standards to support.
“Those are my opening comments.”
Much of the questioning from staff that followed could not be described as a pretty picture. We cover that in part 2.
 By Ray Rivers
November 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
This may have been the most over-hyped budget ever. The consensus among many economists is it is neither as transformational nor as generational as the PM and his finance minister had billed it.
When an economy starts to go downhill as Canada’s has, it is government’s role to prime the pump. Stephan Harper did exactly that during the 2008 economic downturn with Mr. Poilievre in his caucus. And that is exactly what this budget does. The question many economists are asking is whether there is even enough priming given the challenges we face – whether Mr. Carney is being too cautious.
 We are just not ready for serious import substitution. Mr. Carney must feel it is too early for Canada to fully reciprocate by countering all of Trump’s tariffs. One factor is that Trump’s so-called emergency tariffs (his first ones tied to fentanyl and migration) are before the US Supreme Court. Were those tariffs to be ruled unconstitutional, the entire tariff apple-cart might be in play. Plus there might even be some compensation for us on the table. But don’t get your hopes up given the voting record of this highly partisan MAGA Supreme Court.
Second, all trade negotiations have been placed on hold ever since Ontario’s dysfunctional premier interfered in US domestic politics by playing those Reagan ads on US media. B.C. cancelled its planned ads on lumber trading once it saw the damage that Ford had done. And even the PM’s apology for the interference from one of his Team Canada premiers, has not brought Trump back to the table.
And third, we are just not ready for serious import substitution. It’s only been a few months since the tariffs landed. As an example, we are still importing US made beer cans despite the fact that the aluminum comes from Canada. So applying a tariff on US beer cans would just serve to raise the cost of beer – thus adding to inflationary pressure.
Fear of Inflation was the primary reason the Conservative opposition is claiming for voting against the budget. Somehow, Poilievre would be OK with $42 billion but not a $78 billion deficit. And somehow, the fear of recession and joblessness is of lesser importance than inflation. But then the Conservatives have almost never supported a federal Liberal budget over all the years.
 Poilievre has reverted to being Mr. Negativity again – using the same old negative attack dog antics. Besides, Poilievre has reverted to being Mr. Negativity again – using the same old negative attack dog antics which worked so well at eviscerating the previous Trudeau government. It’s little wonder that at least one MP has tired of this negativity and narrow-minded leadership and crossed the floor to join the Liberal camp.
Writing a budget in times like these is a balancing act. Maintaining the social safety net is critical to removing financial insecurity for Canadian consumers, since consumption is the antidote to recession. So pharmacare, dental care and child care are still in play despite the government shaving back the overall costs of its programs.
 Do Canadians want Carney to shift how he has tried to work with Trump? Canada is experiencing an economic crisis but most importantly there is also a crisis of confidence – in ourselves and our ability to rebuild a stand-alone Canada. Critics had warned at the time about entering into the kind of trade deal Mulroney had negotiated – warned about the inevitability of the outcomes we are seeing today. Still, we are fortunate that the USMCA has allowed us to avoid the full impact of Trump’s tariffs even if only until Trump finally squashes it next year.
I had been expecting more from this budget. It would have been good to see even more tax incentives and direct investment, particularly for small and medium business. Carney should have reactivated the digital services tax – money for nothing, a no brainer – which he cancelled in the naive and failed hope of expediting trade negotiations. And if Carney was really serious about new private sector investment why hasn’t he dropped the GST on Canadian made goods?
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
First Budget – Not Good Enough –
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