 By Ray Rivers
November 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They’re red and blue, plastered across the map of America, the divided states representing the divided state of America. And it hasn’t changed much over the years – the reds and blues are pretty constant from election to election, except for a handful of battleground states.
 Yes I called the election result but that wasn’t my preferred outcome. Now it seems that the glass ceiling will have to wait. And if Hillary was doing this for womankind, it didn’t work since nearly half of all female voters chose Trump anyway. But then this contest should never have been about gender… or sex. It should have been about the next four years. There was this entitlement thing. Again, Clinton and her cronies believed it was her turn, that she deserved to be president because she got beaten out by an African-American in 2008.
Trump’s folks called her an elite though she, and not her opponent, had pulled themselves up from a humble beginning. But she acted the part, perhaps overconfident in the knowledge that she was the the only qualified candidate. So she went high when he went low and allowed herself to be branded as corrupt and crooked by someone much closer to that description.
For at least a couple of generations now we have been conditioned by the television set. And when we get bored watching a re-run we change the channel to a reality show – its easy to do. Perhaps Clinton didn’t understand that the people wanted change, and not that phoney ‘yes we can’ change they were handed back in 2008. Even if unemployment has fallen to historic lows under Obama, slinging burgers is not the pathway to becoming part of a dwindling middle-class. The American dream just wasn’t working out for all those angry white voters who ended up propelling Trump into the White House.
 Trump went rogue. End free trade! Build a wall! Kick out illegals! Tear up the climate change deal! Ban Muslim immigrants! Drop out of NATO! Make love with Putin! Plain speak so nobody could accuse the real estate magnate of mincing words. And when the pollsters and the media prematurely pronounced his imminent defeat, the voters thought what the hell? What have we got to lose? It was a Brexit echo, and it sure looks like Trump played that card from the beginning.
It should have been Hillary. Not because of some sexist reason, but because she was qualified and had some very progressive policies, which she rarely even got to talk about. Baggage drags you down, and she had too much, the flip side of all that experience. And then there was how she got be the nominee. Yesterday’s candidate won her party’s nomination with a stacked hand.
Nobody can say that Bernie Sanders would have performed better, but he was at least liked and respected for his years of experience, his ideals and his ethics. Perhaps the millennial crowd would have come out for him, because they sure didn’t for Hillary. And Bernie and Trump would have at least been fun to watch in debate.
 Still, had it not been for the FBI intervention at the eleventh hour, which reinforced doubts about her character, Clinton might have won. And the FBI will likely get off scot-free, since the Republicans are in control now. Isn’t that’s how politics works – the winners get it all?
America was a nation divided before this election, those perennial red and blue states. And it won’t get any less divided over the next four years. Because people don’t always vote in their own self-interest, and they keep voting like they always did. And there can only be two parties in that very imperfect democracy south of the border, where check and balance has transitioned to confrontation and obstruction.
 Hillary Clinton graciously wished Trump a successful presidency, whatever that means. One should expect he will be as divisive in governing as he was in campaigning – and big league. Some politicians focus on what unites us… ‘stronger together’. Others use racism and sexism to drive a wedge between the people, and pit one against another. It’s called divide and conquer. And it worked in the Divided States of America.
There were protests on the first two days following the election. Wouldn’t it have been more effective for those young people to simply have voted? After all, it won’t be long before governing America will be the responsibility of their generation.
 Ray Rivers is an economist and author who writes weekly on federal and provincial issues, applying his 25 years of involvement with federal and provincial ministries. Rivers’ involvement in city matters led to his appointment as founding chair of Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee. He was also a candidate in a past provincial election.
Background links:
Hillary’s Concession – Trump’s Lies – Bernie and Donald – What Happens Next –
 By Pepper Parr
November 7th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone appears to still be in the dark as to just what is going on at the Seniors’ Centre.
One source said “I went on the Centre web site there was only a notice of what has happened and the Board would be meeting in November and the results of that meeting would be posted on that site, so like everyone else I am in the dark.
“There is a general notice at the Centre of what has happened issued by the city you could call and pick one up they are on the front counter.”
The Board seems to be hiding behind their web site.
The city has just moved in and taken over – so much for citizen participation.
The Seniors will get angry and at some point elect a new board.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward serves as the city representative on the Seniors Advisory Council. The city council representative on the Seniors Advisory Board, Marianne Meed Ward has said she “was hoping the discussions the city and board were having over the past year would lead toward a new MOU that would benefit both parties.”
At the same time she said: “The BSCI now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself serving seniors in Burlington, and I have committed to stay on the board to assist them in this transition for as long as they would like.”
This is very unlike Meed Ward. Every battle she has taken on – the Pier, the different developments during her six years as a city councillor, the sale of waterfront property – you name it – she has been at the front of the parade.
The Beachway was not in her ward and it drives Councillor Craven crazy when she involves herself in that issue. There has never been anything shy about Marianne Meed Ward in the past – so why the backing away now?
This was the organization with the potential to be a large part of what was going to propel her into the Office of the Mayor.
To say that the BSCI “now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself” is so completely disingenuous.
It would appear that she too has left them to their own devices and with the leadership the BCSI has at the moment it is going to be slim pickings for the over 55 set.
For the first time in a very long time Meed Ward’s political instincts appear to have deserted her.
Everyone loses.
 By Pepper Parr
November 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
In response to the question: What happened? Ward 2 city councillor Marianne Meed Ward said she “ was hoping the discussions the city and board were having over the past year would lead toward a new MOU that would benefit both parties.
Meed Ward was talking about the significant change that has taken place in the way programs and services are being delivered at the Seniors’ Centre which is a piece of city property that the seniors use.
 The Bistro, the heart of the Seniors’ Centre and the focal point for many of the administrative problems. The Seniors organized themselves as a not for profit – Burlington Senior’s Centre Inc. (BSCI). They elect a board which serves for a two-year period. It is that Board that has been “negotiating” with the city
There was a Memorandum of Understanding that set out who was to do what and who was going to pay what that had been put in place a number of years ago after considerable disruption and happiness on the part of the seniors.
There was a meeting a number of years ago that drew 300 seniors and they were not happy. The MOU seemed to settle things down.
Now things have flared up again.
 Joe Lamb wonders why someone didn’t call him. Joe Lamb, the person who negotiated a very fat deal for the seniors wonders why no one called him when things were going wrong.
The current president of the BSCI, a non-profit organization, hasn’t been able to make himself available for any kind of interview. Fred Hendriks issues media releases and doesn’t allow for any follow up.
Some of those with past board experience complain that Hendriks isn’t much of a communicator – they got that right.
Meed Ward adds that “With the recent change, members of the Seniors Centre should not notice any difference to services or programming.”
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward listening to a senior. She continues: “The BSCI now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself serving seniors in Burlington, and I have committed to stay on the board to assist them in this transition for as long as they would like.”
Meed Ward is the city representative on the Seniors Advisory committee.
There is indeed trouble in paradise. Don’t think this story has come to an end.
The seniors are one of the few really well defined groups in the city with a lot of time on their hands. They have in the past badgered city councillors with telephone calls when they weren’t happy.
The French have a phrase for it – some things never change – Et certaines choses ne changent pas.
By Pepper Parr
November 3, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Gas leaks are dangerous.
Yesterday there was a gas leak on a construction site.
The fire department and the gas company were able to get on site very quickly and shut the gas off.
A resident who was walking in the area wants to know why things like this happen.
When construction permits are issued do the contractors not know where the telephone lines are; where the gas lines are and where the water pipes are?
 The project has been a long time getting to te point where the shovels were in the ground. within a week something struck a gas pipe line shutting down the immediate area for several hours. Fast work on the part of the fire department and the gas company averted a disaster. Our resident wants to know: What is the procedure at The City of Burlington going forward with the developer who put Downtown Core residents and businesses in jeopardy yesterday when a gas pipe was ruptured during construction at Caroline and Elizabeth Streets?
She was walking by the site when the gas pipe was hit and the concentration of gas permeating the air was dense and made it difficult to breath. She didn’t know how gas pipes and pressure work when there is a rupture, but there was gas filling businesses on Brant Street. Wardell Insurance had all of their doors open as their building filled with gas; this building is directly across from City Hall. I observed firemen taking gas readings as far south as James Street.
How is it possible that a builder can still rupture a gas line in the middle of a City with all of the technology available in 2016 for pinpointing exact location? This site is bordered by an apartment building, town homes and businesses in a highly populated and travelled part of our downtown community.
 Medica One or the Carriage Gate project – pick the name you like best – will go up at the top of John Street and consist of a medical offices building, an above ground garage and an apartment/condo complex. It will bring significant change to the intersection and drive redevelopment of the plaza to the immediate north, A transit hub a couple of blocks to the south then makes a lot of sense. Is this developer capable of safely building a safe building in our midst? What are this developer’s credentials? Has this developer ever worked on a project of this scale? This is a disturbing start in the early stages of a multi-year construction at this site.
Does the developer pay the thousands of dollars for the emergency response personnel that were on site for the many hours that it took to secure the area and stop the gas leak? Is there any consideration for the businesses that either had to be evacuated or suffered loss of business?
It is absolutely terrifying to consider the consequences to our downtown community had the gas ignited.
All good questions. Watching for the answers.
 By Pepper Parr
November 1st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council voted to endorse a report that enables the Director of Planning and Building and Chief Planning Officer to close the city’s current Official Plan Review process and start the preparation of a new Official Plan for the City of Burlington.
“With very little green field left for development in Burlington, the city is undergoing a very important transition,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “We are no longer a city that builds new suburban-type neighbourhoods but one that is building a greener and healthier urban community for our residents. A new Official Plan is recognition of this direction and will help us lead the way in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area when it comes to managing urban sprawl.”
 Upper Middle Road looking east towards Burloak – defined as Employment lands by the city – developer has asked that it be re-classified to residential. The Mayor’s comment appears to neglect the significant stretch of land along Upper Middle Road where it meets Burloak that the property owners wants to see converted from employment lands to residential.
Nor does he appear to be taking into account the sizable development going on now at the intersection of Dundas and Walkers line where more than 100 homes are going to be built in the North West quadrant.
And then there is Eaglesfield where the Paletta interests have plans for residential homes.
 Early drafts of the Strategic Plan had it as a four year plan. Somewhere along the way the time frame got changed. How? Burlington’s current Official Plan was endorsed by Burlington City Council in 1994. Every municipality in Ontario is required by the provincial government to review their Official Plan every five years. The current review of the city’s existing Official Plan was started in 2011.
 The strategic Plan that city council approved is now a 25 year plan. The current city council seemed to feel they could bind any future city council to this plan – doesn’t work that way. A future council could scrap the plan. “In the city’s new Strategic Plan, approved in April, Council has made the decision to protect Burlington’s rural boundary and grow in its urban areas over the next 25 years,” said the city’s director of planning and building and chief planning officer, Mary Lou Tanner. “As we reviewed the city’s current Official Plan, we realized a reset of the document was required to reflect and help guide the city’s new priorities.”
“All of the work that has been undertaken as part of the Official Plan Review process, including policy research, analysis, studies, staff reports and community feedback, will be considered within the development of the new Official Plan. The community will also have an opportunity to share its feedback on the draft policies of the new Official Plan early in 2017.”
 Not quite this bold. City has rejected the ADI development Group Nautique project – 26 storeys was just a little too much for then. “We are looking forward to getting input from the community about the policies that are being considered for the new Official Plan,” said Tanner. “Burlington is going to Grow Bold over the next 25 years, embracing density in our urban areas. Now is the time for residents to have a say and help shape their city into a dynamic 21st century urban community.”
These changes are significant – they mark an almost totally new direction for the city.
This kind of change is the type of thing a government needs to have a clear mandate from the people paying the bills – you the taxpayer.
 Director of Planning – Mary Lou Tanner. Her vision is to Grow Bold, Smart and Beautiful. We have a strong statement about the direction the city is going to take from our new Director of Planning – Grow Bold. They tested the name with the Insight panel.
There are a lot of people in the city who don’t want to grow bold.
Yes there is a Provincial Policy Statement in place that requires the city to take on more growth – but, given that the city has decided to put an end to the urban sprawl of the past – what do they want to do with the urban Sprawl that we do have?
Can’t just leave it there to rot.
And – how did this Council manage to create a Strategic Plan that has traditionally been a document that reflected what a council wants to do during its term of office.
This Council decided that they would create a Strategic Plan for the next 25 years. The problem with the document is that one elected council cannot bind a future council to a program or plan.
The Gazette doesn’t recall there being a meeting at which the decision to write a 25 year plan rather than a four year plan was debated.
 This council has approved a Strategic Plan that covers the next 25 years. The plan will not last that long. And given that the council in place now did not get itself elected on a promise to prepare a 25 year Strategic Plan or the statement that the city was going to grow Bold – it doesn’t’ have a mandate to do what it is doing.
That of course isn’t going to stop them – they are boring a head full blast.
The 2018 civic election should certainly be interesting.
There is a three minute video that hypes the GrowBold philosophy – the opening scene is of the pier – the one that cost us twice what it was supposed to cost?
Check it out HERE. – the video, not the Pier – we all know where that is.
Salt with Pepper is an opinion piece.
 By Pepper Parr
October 24, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Vince Molinaro, president of the Molinaro Group had a bunch of people over for lunch last week – 40 of them to be exact – mostly fellow developers who can pack a lunch, if you know what I mean.
They were on an Ontario Home Builders Association tour of developments that were part of what have come to be known as hubs – places where different forms of transportation come together: Go trains and buses, transit, cars, bicycles and those who choose to walk.
 Burlington has identified four different locations for mobility hubs. while they haven’t officially determined which location they will start with the Molinaro Group has started construction on their five building Paradigm project. Municipalities are looking at the idea of making these hopes the focus of development opportunities.
Burlington has identified four such hubs.
While the city was doing its identification thing – the Molinaro group was digging a big hole in the ground and are not at the tenth floor of the west building of what is going to be a five structure project with an average height of 20 storeys just a bit over a stone’s throw from the GO station on Fairview east of Brant Street
 The West tower of the five building Paradigm project has reached the tenth floor level. They are at the 85% SOLD level on two of the five towers that will average 20 storeys each. The association says the population of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is expected to reach more than 10 million by 2041, and most of the growth — 79 per cent — will take place outside Toronto: in York, Durham, Peel, Halton and Hamilton.
This is a “historic moment for city building,” the association says, with an anticipated $32 billion in rapid transit expenditures over the next 10 to 15 years.
The 40 developers, members of the association and other interested people set off on a daylong excursion last Thursday that started in Port Credit before heading to Paradigm Condos adjacent to the Burlington GO station. From there, they continued to Hamilton’s West Harbour.
 Vince Molinaro – president of the Molinaro Group and a former president of the Ontario Home Builders Association Molinaro, whose Molinaro Group is the developer of the Burlington condominium project, says mobility hubs around GO stations are rich with possibilities but bring unique challenges.
A mobility hub is a term used to describe housing and commercial intensification around transportation nodes, such as GO stations. It creates opportunities for commuters to get around without relying on automobiles. The hubs are seen as a way to help with gridlock.
Molinaro says the municipal government in Burlington has been supportive of his project because the developer and city planners are on the same page when it comes to housing intensification. But with the development being so close to the railway tracks, his company has had to deal with numerous requirements from CN.
We had to construct a five-foot-thick, concrete wall between the tracks and the towers to help protect residents in case of a derailment.
 That is a five foot thick concrete crash wall that the railway authorities required between the development and the railway tracks. The track also required a 30-metre easement that cannot be used for residential space. More liability insurance was required than normal because of the five-tower project’s proximity to the tracks. Rather than $10 million, they needed $100 million.
Despite all of that, he says, the development is proceeding well. Construction on the west tower has reached the 10th floor, and a late summer opening is planned for next year. Work has also started on two other towers.
About 85 per cent of the units in the first two towers have been sold, Molinaro says. The buildings vary in height, but average 20 storeys. The final two to be built will have commercial and office space along with residential.
By Pepper Parr
October 20th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There will be a Program Accommodation Review (PAC) – and it is going to keep the parents hoping.
Board of Education trustees voted last night 10 – 1 to form Program Accommodation Review Committees.
The possible closure of both Burlington Central High school and Lester B. Pearson high school are now distinct possibilities.
There is a tremendous amount of work to get done and the learning curve is going to be very steep for the parents.
A Program Accommodation Review is something a board of education has to do when the enrollment in a school falls below 65%.
 Central High school could handle an additional 275 students – but they just don’t live in the community.  Lester B. Pearson is a small school to start with and enrollment is projected to decline. The recommendation the Board put on the table was to look at closing both Lester B. Pearson and Burlington Central High school.
Central High is a large school with a very strong connection to their community – they hit the ground running and have made strong arguments for not even holding a Program Accommodation review at this time.
The trustees didn’t see it that way and voted to take the next step which is to form a Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC). (Note the school board people love acronyms – get used to them.)
The task now is to create the PARC’s. Burlington Central is well prepared for this next step.
Lester B. Pearson (LBP), a much smaller high school and it doesn’t have the depth as a community school that Central has. We will return to the LBP situation.
 Trustees Papin, Oliver and Grebenc The Board of Trustees is responsible for deciding the most appropriate pupil accommodation arrangements for the delivery of its elementary and secondary programs. Decisions that are made by the Board of Trustees are in the context of carrying out its primary responsibilities of fostering student achievement and well-being, and ensuring effective stewardship of school board resources. The Board of Trustees may consider undertaking pupil accommodation reviews that may lead to school consolidations and closures in order to address declining and shifting student enrollment.
 Trustees Sams, Reynolds and Collard. The PARC process has been revised and this is the first time the Halton Board has had to work under the new rules which shorten the amount of time to go through that process.
Here are the steps that are going to be taken:
● Director’s Preliminary Report to the Board of Trustees; DONE
● Preparation of the School Information Profile(s); these are ready to now be turned over to the PARC that is to be formed.
Each high school will have its own PARC
● Board of Trustee’s approval to undertake a Program and Accommodation review process; They did that on October 19th.
● Communication with all stakeholders about the process, opportunities for involvement, and identifying outcomes; The Board staff are going to have their work cut out for them on this level.
● Establishing the Program and Accommodation Review Committee; The jockeying for the spaces on this committee is going to be interesting to watch.
● Consultation with Local Municipal Governments/Community Partners;
● Public Meetings;
● Final Staff Report, including a Community Consultation section;
● Public Delegations to the Board of Trustees;
● Decision by the Board of Trustees; and,
● Implementation and Transition Planning.
A PARC will be formed following the consideration by the Board of Trustees of the Director’s Preliminary Report.
 Parents getting the agenda explained to them by the Board o Education communications manager. The PARC will consist of the following persons:
A Trustee as an ad hoc member, and Superintendent, both from an area not under study;
From each affected school:
the school Principal or designate (resource only)
two parents/guardians from each school, one of whom will be nominated by the School Council Chair; the other will be selected by the Superintendent(s) through the submission by parents of an expression of interest. The Superintendent will review all parent representations and endeavor to ensure that all affected geographic areas and programs are represented.
All Trustees are invited to attend PARC working meetings to observe the proceedings.
 Dania Thurman on the left – one of the more active parents at Central High school. The PARC is to be created within five business days of the motion to form the PARC was passed – which happened yesterday. Things begin to move very quickly at this point – and it is going to be difficult for the parents at Lester B. Pearson to keep up.
Once the PARC is constituted, it will invite a municipal Councillor or delegate to join the Committee. The Committee will be deemed to be properly constituted whether or not all of the listed members are willing and able to participate.
 Matthew DiSouza – a Lester B. Pearson student The Board will invite PARC members from the school(s) under review to an orientation session that will describe the mandate, roles and responsibilities, and procedures of the PARC.
That is what the community is going to immerse themselves in – the people selected for the PARC is important – getting the right people is important.
How did we get to this point? Well enrollment numbers were the first indicator that a change was needed. Burlington has seven high schools, Oakville has six. And Oakville has a larger high school population than Burlington.
Director of Education Stuart Miller explained that the preferred size of a high school is 1200 students. He added using that number Burlington has one and a half too many high schools.
That is the lens the board of education bureaucrat use – they have to look at the numbers – the province requires that they do just that.
However, it is the parents that are at the top of the food chain. It is their money that pays for everything and it is the education of their children that is at issue.
It is now up to the parents to come up with the ideas that will resolve the problem on the table.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller getting a briefing. Miller said a number of times that the option put on the table is rarely if ever the option that gets chosen. Which is fine but in order to be able to come up with the best option parents need to ensure that they do not lose control of the process.
By Pepper Parr
October 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Wow!
THAT is crass.
Less than an hour after sending out a media release announcing the holding of two by – elections on November the province sends out a second media release announcing significant infrastructure projects for one of the ridings – Niagara West Glanbrook.
The by-election release came out as 12:07 – the infrastructure release came out at 1:01.
It is stuff like this that give politics a bad smell.
Was it just a coincidence?
The province has hundreds of communications specialists working to grind out media releases – sometimes as many as ten in a single day.
These people are trained to get out positive messages – and they are expected to be politically aware – especially those who work in the office of Cabinet Ministers.
The media release on infrastructure work that I to “Improving Roads and Bridges in Niagara Region” said the following;
Ontario is supporting upgrades to roads, bridges and other local community infrastructure in Niagara Region, helping to connect communities and keep people moving while creating jobs and economic growth.
Municipalities benefiting from upgrades include:
• Grimsby
• Lincoln
• Pelham
• West Lincoln
• Niagara Falls
• Niagara-on-the-Lake
• Fort Erie
• Port Colborne
• Thorold
• Wainfleet
• Welland
The boundaries for the riding of are shown below:
 That detailed information is followed by the boiler plate stuff put at the end of every media release the province sends out – sort of like Burlington’s fetish for the news that it is the number one mid-sized city in Canada
Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history – about $160 billion over 12 years, supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province with projects such as hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit. Since 2015, the province has announced support for more than 475 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life. To learn more about infrastructure projects in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.
Investing in municipal infrastructure is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
They do all this with your tax money – don’t you just love them?
Related article: By-election announcements.
By Pepper Parr
October 14th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Not quite sure how to take this announcement from our provincial government – let’s see what you think.
GO train schedules are going to be displayed on highway signs telling commuters when the next train is leaving and how much time you have to get there.
Ontario is introducing a year-long pilot that will use electronic highway signs to show drivers nearby transit information and promote alternative travel options, to help manage congestion and get people where they’re going sooner.
 The province appears prepared to go to ridiculous lengths to get you to use the GO trains On October 17, a sign will be installed on the QEW near Appleby GO station displaying information about upcoming GO train trips departing from that station. The information will factor in the time it takes to drive there, park and catch the next available train. By the end of the year, the pilot will expand to Bronte and Oakville GO stations.
Let me see if I understand this. I am in my car on the QEW, heading east for an appointment or maybe driving to the Rogers Stadium to watch a baseball game. And the sign on the highway is supposed to convince me to hang a right and head for the GO station and take the train instead. Did I get that right?
The media release doesn’t say how much the province is spending on this initiative – nor do they make any mention about how they will measure the success of the idea.
This one has the look and feel of the road diet we put New Street on.
Where do these ideas come from?
Is there something in the water we drink?
Maybe I misunderstood the purpose of this project.
 While there may be close to 3000 parking spots – finding an empty one can b a challenge at times. Reminding me that the GO train is a very good alternative, perhaps even better than driving to get me to the stadium to watch the ball game – and if you know anything about parking prices in Toronto – it is a better alternative.
Telling me that this is a better alternative while I am already in the car. I don’t know about me changing my mind just like that.
The media release did tell me that the Appleby GO station has 2,964 parking spaces. As part of the pilot, technologies will be evaluated that determine real-time parking availability at GO stations. This information could also be displayed on the signs.
The two Jane’s going after the Progressive Conservative nomination to be the candidate for that party are going to have a field day with this one.
Jane McKenna and Jane Micheal have announced they are going after the nomination.
By Ray Rivers
October 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As I write this, hurricane Matthew has just pushed its toll of death and destruction, closing in on 900 killed in Haiti alone. The role of climate change in hurricanes is still being debated in the science community, but three factors make for a strong linkage. A warmer atmosphere means more humidity and more rain with the storms.
Second, a higher sea level resulting from melting polar ice means flooding occurs more often and much further inland with each storm. And a warmer ocean has been associated with the creation of the storms.
 More than 900 lives lost in Haiti alone as the result of Hurricane Matthew. Had the eye of this hurricane moved inland on the United States the devastation would have been record setting. At the least hurricanes have become more ferocious, do more damage and occur more frequently than when the earth was cooler. The other part of the science we don’t understand is how unstable, hurricanes, cyclones and tornadoes will be into the future as the planet continues to heat up. And then there are the other consequences: the northward migration of pests; losses of cold weather species such as the polar bear; longer periods of drought in some areas; and the propensity for even more raging wild fires, such as the one we witnessed at Fort McMurray last year.
 Weather was a huge factor with the fire in Alberta this summer. Even before the fire had finished its rampage insurance claims in that northern Alberta town were totaling $6 billion . Another $2 billion was paid out by insurance companies following the massive flooding in Calgary only a few years earlier. And then there were climatic related events closer to home in Toronto and the flooding in Burlington. Hurricane Sandy cost over (US) $60 billion and Katrina a whopping $125 billion. That storm damage from Katrina cost the equivalent of the entire 2016 Ontario provincial budget of (Can) $134 billion.
So Justin Trudeau this past week rose up in the House of Commons and in his best ‘pay me now or pay me later’ moment announced that he will impose a $10 per tonne carbon pricing levy in those provinces without such a scheme by 2018. Another $10 will be applied each year thereafter until the total is $50 per tonne by 2022.
 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a national carbon tax if the provinces do not create their own tax. The opposition wailed and railed, but the best they could do was demand Trudeau call it a tax, which it is – a carbon tax. But we pay a lot of different taxes and they’re not all bad. There are property taxes for municipal garbage removal and police and fire services and even income taxes go to make sure that even lower income Canadians can have access to health care, education and old age security.
Besides, the provinces where the vast majority of Canadians live already have or are getting a carbon tax anyway. Quebec led the way back in 2007, with a carbon levy of $3.50 per tonne. B.C. followed suit and its tax is now $30. Alberta will be introducing one starting at $20 this year, in addition to an existing carbon pricing mechanism for the energy sectors. And Ontario’s new emission trading program will include an inherent carbon tax. B.C’s carbon tax amounts to about only seven cents at the pump. And – and that is the challenge.
 Electric cars are one part of the solution to cutting back on the use of fossil fuels. The idea of a carbon tax is to change consumer behaviour by reducing their use of fossil fuels – forcing conservation through smaller cars, less driving, lower thermostats, etc. But if you want people to switch from their old daddy’s Caddy gas guzzler, they’ve already paid off, and buy a new Tesla EV (electric vehicle), the cost of gasoline has to rise significantly higher than seven cents. But if you make the tax too high, everyone will just get upset and vote for that other party next election. So there has to be a rationale for the carbon tax – beyond arbitrarily setting a price to get people out of their cars.
And there is a rationale since we don’t pay the full price for the fossil fuels we use. They are implicitly subsidized. The real cost of a litre of gasoline should also include the clean up of tailing ponds at the oil sands, health and environmental deterioration from air pollution, the costs of clean up from leaking pipelines, impacts of exploding rail cars – and now the huge costs from climate change related disasters. But figuring out these external costs (since they are not in the price per litre) is a tricky proposition. So pay me $50 by 2022 is a good first approximation though we’ll still be paying more later.
Trudeau has promised to return all the tax money collected to the pertinent jurisdictions so they can apply it to provincial programs, for example, assisting those with lower incomes, reducing other taxes, transitioning the economy to be less carbon intensive. Making the carbon taxation revenue neutral and not just a tax grab was a key aspect of B.C.s carbon tax. Alberta and Ontario also intend to use some of the revenue to transition their economies to a lower carbon intensity.
It wasn’t that long ago that all the provinces agreed with the federal government on a strategy, which, in line with Mr. Trudeau’s election platform, called for the inclusion of carbon taxation. Still Saskatchewan and some Atlantic provincial delegates (NS and NL) walked out of a climate change meeting in protest almost immediately after Trudeau announced his mandatory carbon pricing policy.
 A part of Canada’s Coat of Arms – From sea to sea A political cynic might call that grandstanding or just politics. Or perhaps there is genuine concern about a new tax being imposed in their jurisdiction, regardless that they get the proceeds. But it sure sounds like a pretty good deal to me – a common nation-wide carbon tax to level the economic playing field across the country. And the provinces get to keep the cash while the feds get the blame for it.
Ray Rivers is an economist and author who writes weekly on federal and provincial issues, applying his 25 years of involvement with federal and provincial ministries. Rivers’ involvement in city matters led to his appointment as founding chair of Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee. He was also a candidate in a past provincial election.
Background links:
Matthew – More Matthew
Climate Change and Hurricanes – Toronto/Alberta Disasters – Fort McMurray –
Canada Ratifies Paris – Carbon Price – More Carbon Tax – Insurance for Climate Change –
Even More Carbon Price – Even even more – Provinces and Climate Change – National Post on Carbon Tax –
Globe & Mail on Carbon Tax
By Pepper Parr
October 4th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington does not take to change all that well.
A change in the configuration of traffic lanes on New Street has everyone up in arms – both those wanting the change and those opposed to a change.
The Halton District School Board has told the public, via the release of the agenda for the October 5th regular board meeting, that two of the city’s high school “could” be closed effective June 2018.
Burlington has seven high schools:
Aldershot High School,
Burlington Central High School,
Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School,
Lester B. Pearson High School,
Nelson High School,
M.M. Robinson High School and
Robert Bateman High School
A recommendation to close two of the seven Burlington Central High school and the Lester B. Pearson high School, has left the community thunderstruck.
 Central High – the school in th downtown core is where the biggest battle to remain will take place. The ward alderman has already come out against closing the school – fortunately the school board trustee might give the decision more thought and wait until there is more in the way of public feed back. Feathers flew, school board trustees were inundated with phone calls and emails. One can expect all kinds of misinformation to get in the way of what the board is being asked to approve.
 The spunk and school pride at Lester B. Pearson may not transfer to M.M. Robinson where most of the students will transfer to in the 2019 school year. Some things to keep in mind: Staff prepare reports, they work within the provincial guidelines and have a collection of acronyms that that can’t be used in a Scrabble game. The staff report goes to the trustees – those men and women you elected two years ago – they are going to make the decision on your behalf.
There is a well-developed process for community input – use it before you lose it.
The proposed time line, assuming the trustees, go along with the staff recommendation is as follows:
If the Program and Accommodation Review proceeds as scheduled the following is a proposed timeline for the implementation staff recommended (they are considering 19 different options)
Completion of a PAR with a Final Decision in 8 – 9 months
Capital Priorities Application and Funding takes 3 – 6 months
Transition Planning takes 1 year
Pre-Construction and Construction (project dependent) 1-3 years
School Closing June 2018
Now to those acronyms – try to remember them – the process doesn’t make much sense without some understanding of what the Gazette has come to call “board speak”
PAR – Program and Accommodation Review
As outlined in the Board PAR policies, the Director must prepare a Preliminary Report which identifies a school or group of schools that may be considered for a Program and Accommodation Review. In order for a PAR to be initiated, one of five conditions must be met. The conditions are as follows:
1. The school or a group of schools has/have experienced or will experience declining enrolment where On-The-Ground Capacity (OTG) utilization rate is below 65%;
2. Reorganization involving the school or group of schools could enhance program delivery and learning opportunities;
3. Under normal staffing allocation practices, it would be necessary to assign three or more grades to one class in one or more schools;
4. The current physical condition of the schools negatively impacts the optimum operation of the building(s) and program delivery;
5. In respect of one or more of the schools under consideration there are safety, accessibility and/or environmental concerns associated with the building of the school site or its locality.
LTAP – Long Term Accommodation Plan is something done by all school boards annually. The plan is adopted by the Board of Trustees. The document provides enrollment projections for the upcoming ten years for all schools in Halton.
PARC Program and Accommodation Review Committee is an advisory group that acts as an official conduit for information shared between the Board of Trustees and their communities. The PARC will meet, review information, provide feedback from the community, and suggest options.
Each PARC consists of a Trustee and Superintendent from an area outside of Burlington; Principal or designate, two parents/guardians
Utilization rate – the percentage of the capacity that is being used.
 The table set out above shows enrollment estimates for the next ten years, the capacity of all the high schools in the city; the percentage of that capacity that is being utilized and the amount of space that is available. These numbers are for all the high schools – a breakdown of the numbers for each school is set out below. Staff are recommending that two high schools be closed in June of 2018:
Lester B. Pearson be closed and the current student population be sent to M.M. Robinson which is 1.6 km away.
 The Utilization rate is just too low to justify keep the school open. Lester B. Pearson High School, Grades 9-12, located north of the QEW between Guelph Line and Walker’s Line. The school offers English and Late French Immersion programming. It is the only school in Halton to have Late French Immersion. Late French Immersion begins in Grade 7 at Sir E. MacMillan Public School. Growth from infill developments are included in projections. The utilization is 65% and it is expected to decline. There currently is an excess of 220 spaces in the facility. Enrollments in Grades 9-11 English are expected to be less than100 students per grade. The board staff may have failed to recognize the changes taking place between Guelph Line and Walkers Line – east and west and between Upper Middle and Mainway – north south. Real Estate agents will quickly tell you that multiple families are living in a single detached house with basements being converted into a bedroom for four and six children. Many of these families are from the Middle East and culturally they are comfortable with a large family in the house – this is the way they choose to live because it is the only way they can afford houses in that community.  The Burlington Central facility houses elementary and secondary school classes (Grades 7-12) and is located within the downtown core. Combined with adjacent Central PS (K – Grade 6), this facility forms a part of a K-12 campus. This school offers English and French Immersion programming. Enrolments are projected to be stable. Growth from infill developments are included. The high school’s utilization is expected to remain stable at 68% capacity. In 2015, there were 376 available pupil places in the facility. Burlington Central is the only facility without an elevator/stairlift. The sports field lands are not owned by the Halton District School Board. Staff is recommending that Burlington Central HS be closed effective June 2018. All secondary students, west of Brant St., will be redirected to Aldershot HS and secondary students east of Brant St to be redirected to Nelson HS.
This recommendation does not include the redirection of Grade 7 and 8 students from the Burlington Central Elementary PS.
In the event that the decision is made to close this high school, there is a potential that a Program and Accommodation Review may be required for the elementary schools that currently feed into Burlington Central PS for Grades 7 and 8.
The enrollment, utilization ans space available in the other five schools is as follows:
 Located within the Aldershot community in southwest Burlington, the Aldershot facility houses elementary (Grades 7-8) and secondary classes (Grades 9-12). It is the only Grade 7-12 school available west of QEW/407 ETR. This school offers English and French Immersion programming. Enrolments are projected to decline beyond 2020. In 2015, there were 327 available pupil places in the facility. Growth from infill developments and North Aldershot Planning Area developments are included in the projections. The high school’s utilization is currently 78% and is expected to increase to 83%, by 2019. It is projected there will be close to 100 English secondary students per grade (excluding Grade 12). Aldershot High School
 Nelson High School, Grades 9-12, is located south of the QEW between Walker’s Line and Appleby Line. This school offers English, French Immersion, and Secondary Gifted Placement. Enrolments are expected to increase over the next ten years. Growth from infill developments are included in the projections. Nelson HS utilization rates are expected to remain above 80%. Nelson HS has the second highest high school utilization in Burlington. There is an excess of 343 available places at this school in 2015. There is support for a Nelson Stadium Revitalization project between the community, Board and Burlington staff. Nelson High School
 M.M. Robinson High School, Grades 9-12 is located north of the QEW between Guelph Line and 407 ETR. The school offers English, French Immersion and SC-SPED programming. It is one of two schools to offer SC-SPED programming in Burlington. The SC-SPED program was added to the school in 2013. Growth from infill developments are included in the projections. The utilization is below 55% and is expected to decline. There is currently an excess of 617 spaces in this facility. M.M. Robinson High School
 Robert Bateman HS Robert Bateman High School, Grades 9-12, is located south of the QEW between Appleby Line and Burloak Drive. A small area known as Samuel Curtis Estate in Oakville is directed to this school. The school offers English programming, International Baccalaureate programming (IB) and a variety of Self Contained-Special Education (SC-SPED) programs. Robert Bateman High School is the only school in Burlington to offer the IB program. This program attracts students from senior elementary schools in the Burlington area. This high school is one of two schools to offer SC-SPED classes and as such, this school has specialized facilities to accommodate the programs. Growth from infill development is included in the projections. Utilization is below 65% and is expected to decline. There currently is an excess of 500 spaces in the facility. The combined English program and IB program is expected to be under 100 students per grade (excluding Grade 12), by 2022. Hayden is already over-utilized and there are three new developments that are going to feed into the school – the third is the development at Dundas and Walkers Line.  Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School, Grades 9-12, is Burlington’s newest high school located in Alton Village, north of Dundas St. It opened in 2013 and offers English and French Immersion programming. Enrolments are expected to increase. It is the only high school in Burlington that is currently above total capacity (2016) and is expected to continue to grow until 2021. Growth from new development west of Guelph Line and north of Dundas Street, and infill development is included in the projections. Current utilization is 118%. A major development application has been submitted after projections have been created for the 2015-2016 LTAP in the Evergreen Community, located north of Dundas St., and west of Tremaine Line. This area has not been assigned to a specific school. The development consists of 907 residential units. The City of Burlington is in the midst of creating a secondary plan. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 50 secondary students from this area. The closest high school to this development is Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS. Using the space that is available in a school if there aren’t enough bums to put in the seats.
The province recently gave the school boards permission to rent out some of their space to community organizations.
The Community Planning and Partnership Guidelines directs Boards to identify potential partnership opportunities and to share such opportunities with government agencies and parties that expressed interest for such opportunities.
In response, the Halton District School Board adopted the new Community Planning and Partnership Policy on October 21, 2015. The first annual Community Planning and Partnership meeting was held on June 22, 2016, in Burlington.
Approximately eight organizations had representatives at this meeting. There have been three follow up meetings and preliminary inquiries with interested partners since June 2016. At this time, there has been expressed interest in potential partnerships, but no specific details related to a partnership within a Burlington secondary school.
So that opportunity isn’t going to save either of the two high schools.
What is possible with both is re configuring them into affordable housing which is a Regional responsibility. However, surely the Region could pick up the telephone and call the school board and ask: ‘What do you think of the idea of selling the buildings to a developer we can convince to take on such a project.’
Have a chat with the four major developers who want some additional height and density and suggest a proposal to turn a high school into affordable housing units might elicit a favourable response to more height and density.
None of the developers in this city are interested in including affordable units in their buildings – they are marketing a lifestyle that doesn’t include people who can’t afford a unit that is going for something north of $400,000
Closing one high school in a community the size of Burlington would be a big deal – suggesting that two be closed at the same time is a bigger piece of meat than th school board can chew through in the time frame they have given themselves.
These decisions are Burlington decisions – but there are school board trustees from Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills – what impact will their votes have on a Burlington situation?
Interesting times ahead – stay tuned.
By Pepper Parr
September 26th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
The debate on the installing of dedicated bike lanes on New Street was the thin edge of the wedge that is leading the city into a full blown review of both the way land is used in the city and how we transport ourselves.
Sometime ago the city hired Brent Toderian to consult with the planning and transportation departments. Set out below is the “reporting letter” Toderian sent the city before the Committee of the While meeting last week that set out what Toderian described as a bold new move.
Toderian UrbanWORKS (TUW), the corporate name this consultant uses explains that the reporting letter is what is behind the support for Council consideration of a proposed launch of a public engagement exercise for a new City of Burlington Transportation Plan.
 Burlington as it was in 2013 – before the pier was completed. Council has decided it needs to grow up rther than out. How are they going to do that? TUW has been providing city planning, transportation and general operational and culture change advisory services to the City of Burlington since November, 2015. The engagement with the City has been strategically and deliberately broad/flexible, including advice on the City’s proposed new official plan, various transit – oriented development considerations, and more general city planning, urban design, communications, cultural, and capacity – building aspirations. The most specific and “deep” example of TUW’s consulting services to the City has been in the creation of a new Transportation Plan, the subject of this RL.
The following is what Toderian wrote in his “reporting letter”
Intended transportation plan, nature and structure:
Informed by extensive discussions with city staff, the intention for the Transportation Plan work program is to prepare a plan document organized around a new central transportation vision, eight powerful “new directions,” and a series of new implementing policies and actions under each new direction. Actions will include, among other things, new work programs that will extend from the transportation plan, and be guided by it.
The intention is NOT to make any detailed transportation alignment or design decisions as part of the Transportation Plan that would require processes such as environmental assessment – these would come later. Before any such detailed work is undertaken, and indeed before it CAN be properly undertaken, it is critically important for the City to consider and decide on a significant new direction for the city’s transportation.
Our working title for the Transportation Plan, which should have a dynamic and engaging brand, is
“GO BOLD in a City Growing Up: City of Burlington Transportation Plan.”
This working title reflects the critical relationship between the Transportation Plan and the Official Plan, which has already been branded “GROW BOLD.”
How we got here:
The City of Burlington is at a turning point. We would say that we’ve reached a “fork in the road,” but frankly that is left – over language from a car – first transportation era.
Building on decades of evolution in transportation thinking over many plans, policies & initiatives, two
significant recent events have sparked a game – changing new conversation about mobility in Burlington.
The first is the April 11, 2016 Council adoption of Burlington’s Strategic Plan 2015–2040. The bold new Strategic Plan contains unprecedented aspiration and commitments regarding both “A City That Grows” and “A City That Moves” — and to be more specific, a city that will move in a fundamentally different way in the future than it has in the past, as it grows in a different way than it has in the past.
 Alton Village was a prime example of urban sprawl – the type of construction the city wants to see less of – the last of the new development in Alton is currently underway at the intersection of Walkers Line and Dundas. The second is the significant declaration by Mayor Goldring and City Council in 2015 that Burlington is the first Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) municipality to “stop urban sprawl” and become a city that is “growing up rather than out.” City leaders realize that for such a transformation to be successful, with resulting greater livability, quality of life, sustainability, equity, & healthy living, our city’s mobility and accessibility will need to be fundamentally rethought and rebuilt. The way we’ve been visioning, planning and designing our transportation networks as the city has grown outward has fundamentally focused on moving cars to such an extent that other mobility options are either not present, or at best are not practical.
This approach will not succeed if we are to be a city growing upward and inward.
Following these two big events, Council made two related critical decisions on July 7th of this year:
1. Council supported a new urban structure for the City with growth focused in downtown.
 The city created four mobility hubs. Aldershot once appeared to be the one the city planned on starting with – that idea may have changed. The hub at the Burlington GO station linked to the hub in the downtown core may become the first to be developed. Burlington, at our GO Stations (Mobility Hubs), and along the connecting corridors of Brant Street (between hubs) and the Plains Fairview Corridor (connecting all three GO hubs).
This smart, strategic land use facilitates, and is facilitated by, a different approach to mobility than Burlington has focused on in the past.
2. Council approved strategic and unprecedented funding for the detailed planning and implementation of growth in the planned Mobility Hubs. To further facilitate this turning point, and to begin the process of creating a new Transportation Plan for the City, we have prepared a DRAFT vision statement for Burlington’s new era of transportation. This Draft Vision draws from, and is inspired and directed by, existing policy, the new Strategic Plan, and recent community conversations about the future of our city. This Draft is not intended to be finished, but rather to start a conversation about what an ultimate new vision should include.
Since beginning this work, the City has released a new communications strategy relative to the preparation to a new Official Plan and Transportation Plan for Burlington. The key message in this strategy is the need for us to “Grow Bold.”
This message – this NEED – is in keeping with and is further inspiring our changing thinking around transportation. We will indeed need to grow bold in our thinking and building, and we will need to GO BOLDLY toward a better, more successful city as we grow.
 Citizens meting with planners and developers to talk about how they want to see development taking place. The two meetings were held by ward 2 Councillor Marie Anne Med Ward. Her final report has yet to be released. The meetings were classic public engagement. A plan with almost perfect vision, aspiration and policy can still fail in the “buy-in,” implementation and follow through. Indeed, disconnects between vision and implementation are the most common reason for failure of plan achievement. Failure can occur when plans aren’t given significant weight and value by Council, staff, and/or the community, and thus “sit on a shelf collecting dust.” Plans also often frequently fail when there are disconnects between plan vision/aspiration and actual budget decisions.
The goal of this Direction is to dedicate significant corporate energy and attention to ensuring that every level of follow-through, from culture change and capacity – building, to detailed levels of implementation & budgeting; is considered, and has been strategically positioned for success. This Plan will be a powerful catalyst for real change, and will not sit on a shelf collecting dust.
Next steps.
After the Council Workshop in September, the intention is to share this draft vision and 8 draft new directions with the public as a public “launch” for the new Transportation Plan. City transportation staff have coordinated closely with staff from other departments so that public engagement opportunities and efforts between the new transportation plan and the new official plan can be “piggy-backed” as much as possible.
 Citizens talking amongst themselves about the kind of development they would like to see take place in their ward. It continues to be TUW’s advice to the city that all opportunities for less formal/”traditional” engagement contact with the public should be taken advantage of. The bedrock of this way of thinking is to “go where the people already are, rather than expecting the public to come to you.” Shopping centres, schools, events, fairs & festivals, markets, “pop-up” street installations and churches should all be considered to ensure that engagement reaches the broadest possible community, including those who would not normally engage with city participation processes.
In addition to face-to -face connections, TUW recommends that individual transportation plan – related social media accounts be created (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc) ASAP , bolstered by the existing citywide accounts, to help create a new brand and specialized on – line conversation for the Transportation Plan.
These will continue to be an asset after the Plan is approved, over years of implementation and review.
Our intention is to take a very proactive approach to explaining to the public the “origin story” of this draft Vision and these 8 draft New Directions. In particular, it needs to be clearly explained how they seek to “make real” the commitments in the already Council – approved Strategic Plan. In that sense, it is not our intention to ask the public for comment on whether we are generally “on the right general track.” The truth is that Council’s existing approvals have already put us on that general track. We would be honest and transparent about that.
 Can the city learn how real citizen engagement is done – or will they continue with the practice of showing the citizens what they plan to do and asking for approval? Having said that, we WOULD be communicating to the public that the draft text is considered far from finished, and for that matter far from perfect, and thus we invite comment on whether we’ve taken the right approaches & have the right language, with the intention of using such input to produce a final version of the Vision and eight New Directions. Based on this input , New Directions may be added, removed, revised or consolidated. Further, and very importantly, we would be inviting the public to comment on/recommend specific policies, actions or changes that the city should undertake in order to realize this vision and facilitate these New Directions.
Conclusions.
We eagerly await our opportunity to workshop these challenging and dynamic New Directions for Burlington transportation. They are inspired by, and hope to further inspire, the ambitious and bold thinking that Council has already been showing.
This is a critical and significant step for the city. While city hall feels it has done a good job of explaining its Strategic Plan to the population – we would be hard pressed to find more than 2 out of every 100 people in the city who knows what the document says and what its implications really are.
That inability to communicate is not just the fault of the city – communication is a two way street – speakers and listeners – most of Burlington hasn’t been listening – and the city doesn’t really know how to communicate with its citizens. Many suggest that the majority of this city council don’t want to communicate – they just want to decide what should be done and then go ahead and do it.
 There is a construction crew working diligently on the south side of Lakeshore Road pouring concrete at an incredible rate to put up a 22 storey condominium along with a seven storey condominium and an eight story hotel. Getting that project to the point where there is a hole in the ground began back in 1985. It was approved when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor of the city.
One wonders if such a project would be approved today.
 By Pepper Parr
September 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 The following is a summary of the “New Directions” city council debated last week. The document in front of them was a draft that was received and filed. It will come back to city council in November, once the team putting the new transportation plan together has had a chance to absorb what council had to say during the three hour meeting.
We have added comments to each of the following eight new directions.
1 – Align Land Use & Transportation
Land – use decisions including density, mix of uses and quality of urban design contribute to a fabric that supports walking, biking and public transit. Fully integrate land – use and transportation decision-making at every level including policy-making and budgeting to ensure that future decisions facilitate a transportation network that supports intensification.
Two issues with this direction: wasn’t transportation considered when land use decisions were being made? This city council assumes the citizens have bought into the decision to intensify – don’t think that is the case.
 2 – Rethink Streets
Abandon the “old” way of thinking, replace the term “road” with “street” and recognize that streets do more than just move automobiles, they are “people places” and have the potential to be key assets in the civic life of our city.
Very true – we are stuck in some old way thinking but changing road to street is not going to do it. If Road is out of tune with the times what are Lines – Guelph Line, Walkers Line – they are part of the city’s genealogy.
Streets are people places but there has to be a reason for people to be on the street
3 – Reprioritize Mobility Choices
Reprioritize decision – making in order to support intensification and allow active and sustainable mobility choices to “catch – up” to the auto and reach an ambitious level of attractiveness in order to realize a true multi-modal city.
This council has committed itself to upgrading its infrastructure and had a ten year + plan to do just that – it will be like pulling teeth from a hen to get the majority to change.
 The image was lifted from a presentation given to city council last week 4 – No New Car Capacity
Intensification with further car – oriented design will only result in continued auto-dependency, expensive infrastructure and an overall failure. Confirm that through the intensification strategy, mobility will be facilitated not through increased auto capacity, but by allocating existing space and budget for walking, biking and public transit. Strategic reallocation of existing car capacity for active and sustainable mobility choices.
This is what city council did back in the days when the Orchard was being developed. Not much was made in the way of allowances for parking because people were not going to use cars – there would be a realistic transit system. Council now spends hours discussing with irate citizens whether and where they should be able to park their cars – all three or four of them.
There is a large housing development being built on the North West corner of Walkers Line and Dundas – is anyone suggesting that there be no car capacity in that community? No at the price point they are asking for a single detached home.
5 – Make Walking Delightful
Change the culture, decision-making, policy and budget to make the city rapidly more walkable – achieve the strategic goal of becoming a leader in walkability.
A city council doesn’t have the right to change the culture of a city unless they have a mandate to do so. The culture change is something that is being sprung on people with little of any input from the public so far. There are plans for public input in November – nothing concrete yet.
 Brent Toderian, planning consultant hired by the city to guide the planning and transportation departments on new directions. He told Council they were going in the right direction. 6 – Make Biking Delightful
Move in a timely way to create a minimum network of safe, connected bike infrastructure with continued network expansion over time. Emphasis on initiatives to build an urban biking culture and achieve the “Gold Standard” for cycling.
Good luck on this one – cycling to work is something a few will do regularly. I suspect cycling is a recreational event for most people in Burlington.
7 – Make Transit Delightful
Support significant and strategic improvement of transit coverage, service and experience in order improve the branding of public transit as an attractive mobility option.
Develop policy to support levels of density that will translate to increased ridership.
There are literally hundreds that would settle for a decent transit schedule – they would scoff at the idea of rising a bus as being delightful.
8 – “Walk the Talk”
Dedicate energy and attention to ensuring that the plan is followed – through. Strategically position the city for successful implementation of the Plan and align budget allocations to the new mode hierarchy.
Great idea – just make sure that there is real public input – not a plan that is put out with the public expected to accept something that has already been decided.
Genuine public education and genuine public involvement.
There is a lot more public discussion needed on this subject – my colleague Joan Little suggests there won’t be a single safe seat on city council if this goes much further. It is going to go a lot further – the city manager and the planner are intellectually committed to this. Council – wait until they get a sense of what the backlash is likely to be before deciding on what they will do.
In the past they have changed bus routes when as little as three people complained.
Related article
Spectator columnist suggests every council seat could be at risk with some of these ideas.
By Joan Little
September 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The following piece was lifted from the Hamilton Spectator where my colleague Joan Little writes a semi-weekly column.
If Burlington doesn’t handle this file very, very carefully, there won’t be a safe seat on council in 2018.
Spectator columnist Joan Little argues that every seat on council is at risk if the transportation file is mismanaged. Is it possible to lose all of them in one fell swoop? The issue is transportation planning. Sounds like a nothing issue, but if it isn’t carefully presented, look for a wholesale change in the 2018 election.
On Tuesday, Brent Toderian, a Vancouver urban planner, presented his “New Directions” transportation plan recommendations. The committee voted to receive and file the report. He will edit it for more clarity in preparation for public consultation in January.
The report stated that as Burlington intensifies, growing up instead of out, it has to de-emphasize vehicle use, and stress other modes of travel to “Grow Bold.”
Discussion centred mainly on modes of transportation. Toderian’s report emphasized walking and biking, followed by public transit, then car-sharing. Said he, “Burlington can be the first city to grow up successfully,” stressing the high dollar cost, time and congestion of continuing as we are.
One recommendation was to stop providing new street capacity for cars, and to make walking, biking and public transit delightful. Mayor Rick Goldring agreed that we don’t want the Region dictating Burlington arterial road widenings, and we need a strong local policy. Rick Craven pointed out that we did not need Waterdown Road widened. It is necessitated by Waterdown’s high growth.
Toderian said the aim is to use cars less frequently. Few will dispose of them. Throughout his presentation he repeatedly warned councillors to expect strong public push-back. Funny, I thought councils were supposed to listen to public feedback.
John Taylor asked about the transition from today to full implementation, because it will take decades to get there, and was told the actual plan would address that. He was skeptical about big spending on transit, noting that in spite of investments, ridership has been static for 20 years.
 Councillor Meed Ward argued that people drive because they gave to. The most astute comments came from Marianne Meed Ward. She said the big issue is why people drive. One reason is to get to work. Many commute to Toronto and elsewhere where Go Transit isn’t handy. And how could a Ford worker get to Ford without a car?
She recalled a transit group’s challenge to councillors to take transit for a week, and noted that her 15-minute drive to the Region took over two hours by transit, and required two transfers (not to mention the cost). We need more jobs where people live.
She said people drive kids to school because they don’t want them biking, and school busing is often inconvenient. Shopping? Downtown, there are probably 20 spas, but only one grocery store, and if she needed a hammer, her nearest store is Canadian Tire.
Our planning is wrong, she said. Why, for instance is a huge store like Walmart allowed to build one-storey stores? Immediately adjacent on Fairview are the six multi-storey Paradigm condos. Wouldn’t it be better to allow one above Walmart? She also commented that a supermarket could not go downtown because of zoning.
During the session, councillors commented on the outrage they are fielding about the “road diet” pilot project for bike lanes on New Street, eliminating a driving lane. Few cyclists use them, but Toderian explained that until bike lanes form part of a network, they won’t. He stated that when Vancouver’s first lanes appeared, few used them, but now that there’s a network, they’re popular. (Vancouver doesn’t have winter!) Jack Dennison cycled along New, thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt safe. City manager James Ridge said a network would have to be planned shortly.
Craven claimed this idea isn’t new. The revamped Plains Road has bike lanes, intercity transit, and is pedestrian-friendly. Further, he said, underground parking costs developers about $40,000 per space, which buyers pay for.
There were budgetary questions, to which Toderian responded that you have to prioritize spending.
It sounds logical, but show me the timing, costs and public acceptance of this big change.
With Burlington having such high incomes and per capita car ownership, expect questions.
 Joan Little is a member of the Niagara Escarpment Commission. Previous to her current appointment she was a commissioner from 1986 to 1993, and chair from 1993 to1996. She was a member of Burlington Council and Halton Regional Council between 1974 and 1988, and an active board member of Conservation Halton from 1976 to 1995. Following her council retirement she served on the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital Board, which she left in 1993 to assume the Chair of the NEC. She is a regular freelance columnist on Burlington/Halton issues in the Hamilton Spectator.
By Greg Woodruff
September 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Having run for the office of Regional Chair in the last municipal election I’ll tell you the best part of an election campaign is talking to people. You get a really good idea of who is engaging with the municipal government and what they are on about. For the purpose of understanding the points of view here I’m going to grotesquely lump people into two camps; the “car” faction and the “bike” faction.
The car faction focuses on the incredible cost of housing, property tax and commute time they expend every day to live in Burlington. Commute time is adding to already full schedules and placing all sorts of pressure on them and their family. The commute time is stealing time with their kids, spouses, exercise, cooking dinner or just time to relax (if any exists) every day. Since the same problem afflicts half of the people in Burlington, would you not expect government at all levels should be primarily focused on cutting down this complete waste of time and resources? They believe in essence that the focus of government is to solve the problems of the citizens.
 SLUG: ph-cyclists DATE: April 15, 2010 NEG NUMBER: 213218 LOCATION: Constitution Avenue, NW at New Jersey and 6th streets intersections. PHOTOGRAPHER: GERALD MARTINEAU, for TWP CAPTION: We photograph morning rush hour bicycle commuters amidst traffic on Constitution Avenue, NW. Photo shot at Constutution Ave, NW. and 6th Street. StaffPhoto imported to Merlin on Thu Apr 15 11:19:04 2010 Then there is the bike faction. Currently the amount of resources being used on the planet per year would require 1.6 earths of space to sustain this level of resource use indefinitely. If you could catapult every human to the standard of living of a Canadian then you would need 4.7 earths. If you don’t bring the level of resource consumption to one, then it’s some sort of displacement mixed with brutal starvation for a large numbers of people somewhere on the planet. They believe in essence that the focus of the government should be to limit resource consumption.
Enter car vs bike. The car faction is trying to get around as quickly as possible in a city that was never designed for anything else. The bike faction is trying to get everyone to bike, because it’s got a favourable energy profile compared to cars. Enter the New Street “road diet” where you take lanes of traffic away. After the one year of study the outcome will be – drum roll – some increase in the number of people biking and some increase in the time it takes to drive down New Street.
The car faction will declare the whole thing as idiotic as minimizing travel time is their priority. How can it possibly make sense to delay thousands of people for a handful of bikers? The bike faction will declare the whole thing as a success, because no matter how minimal the increase in biking – it’s an increase. A part of the second faction will even like the creation of snarled traffic – this more extreme position seeks to reduce car use by making it as unpleasant as possible.
So how to get out of this mess? In my opinion goal number one is; don’t set these groups against each other. If you do the municipal government just endlessly swings from one camp to the other trying to seek some sort of peace. When traffic becomes hopelessly snarled beyond human endurance – then large numbers of people will descend on city hall and something will be done about it. Lanes of traffic will be added, though now awkwardly. When it’s manageable all sorts of groups bombard council with low cost utopian ideas of how to get people off the roads.
 Proposed bike lanes being shown at a public meeting – the city went for a lane on either side of New Street from Walkers Line to Guelph Line for a one year trial period. For biking my preferred plan is still a 10 foot wide “roller path” with two oncoming 5 foot lanes for bike travel separated from the road. The best part of this plan is users get to live. Bikes on the pavement with cars exposes bikers to unnecessary risk. Spending money on such a path makes no financial sense as a method of transportation, but it’s an asset to the community. Even if you have no ability or inclination to bike, you still want best in class bike lanes because it splits the second faction in two. You will separate out the people who just want better bike access from the people who want the road system generally degraded. Right now the two groups are aligned.
I see nothing in the current direction of Burlington that will not increase car dependency in the future. The distances in Burlington are impractical for walking, buses get snarled in traffic and the Official Plan puts localized mass transit densities off the table. Our new habit of knocking down most commercial space in the southern part of the city for condos and building large commercial blocks in the north cements car use like never before. We are not moving away from the “subdivision”. We have just invented a high density/parkless/treeless version of it. New developments are not designed to make a nice place to live, just warehouse people as cheaply as possible.
What I am completely against is the government engineering a place where you are free to have a car, but the government tries to make it practically impossible to use it. At the core, that is what most of these new schemes are about. I’m all for best in class bike lanes and giving people that want to bike a safe place to do so. However, if it’s impractical, impossible or just unpleasant for people to bike and they decide to drive it’s the government’s job to accommodate them as well.
 Greg Woodruff, on the right, in conversation with the Minister of Transit. Greg Woodruff is a resident of Aldershot who works in the information technology industry. He ran for the office of Regional Chair in the 2014 election and is a frequent commentator on local public affairs.
By Staff
September 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Premier Kathleen Wynne did something early in her term of office that had not been done before – she let the public know what the marching orders were for each of her Ministers. Those marching orders were updated today. Here is what Burlington’s MPP, Eleanor McMahon who is the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for the province. is expected to do. she is going to be a busy lady.
September 23, 2016
The Honourable Eleanor McMahon
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
900 Bay Street
9th Floor, Hearst Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2E1
Dear Minister McMahon:
Welcome to your role as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. As we mark the mid-point of our mandate, we have a strong and new Cabinet, and are poised to redouble our efforts to deliver on our top priority — creating jobs and growth. Guided by our balanced plan to build Ontario up for everyone, we will continue to work together to deliver real benefits and more inclusive growth that will help people in their everyday lives.
 MPP Eleanor McMahon at her first public even after being made a member of the Wynne cabinet. We embark on this important part of our mandate knowing that our four-part economic plan is working — we are making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, making postsecondary education more affordable and accessible, leading the transition to a low-carbon economy and the fight against climate change, and building retirement security for workers.
Building on our ambitious and activist agenda, and with a focus on implementing our economic plan, we will continue to forge partnerships with businesses, educators, labour, communities, the not-for-profit sector and with all Ontarians to foster economic growth and to make a genuine, positive difference in people’s lives. Collaboration and active listening remain at the heart of the work we undertake on behalf of the people of Ontario — these are values that ensure a common purpose, stimulate positive change and help achieve desired outcomes. With this in mind, I ask that you work closely with your Cabinet colleagues to deliver positive results on initiatives that cut across several ministries, such as our Climate Change Action Plan, Business Growth Initiative, and the Highly Skilled Workforce Strategy. I also ask you to collaborate with the Minister Responsible for Digital Government to drive digital transformation across government and modernize public service delivery.
We have made tangible progress and we have achieved the following key results:
Delivered the largest, most successful Pan Am/Parapan Am Games ever, leaving a legacy of best in class infrastructure initiatives, inspiring civic engagement and boosting Ontario’s real GDP by up to $3.7 billion between 2009 and 2017.
Building on the success of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, the province released Game ON – the Ontario government’s Sport Plan.
Launched Ontario’s first Culture Strategy to guide the government’s support for culture over the next five years. The strategy aims to promote participation in arts and culture, build on the sector’s economic impact in communities across the province and help Ontarians tell their stories and express themselves.
Supported 200 festivals and events across the province through the 2016 Celebrate Ontario program, drawing tourists, creating jobs and growing local economies.
In 2016-17 the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund will support 129 projects, allowing participation in community sport, recreation and physical activity.
Established a permanent Ontario Music Fund with a $15 million annual investment to increase music production activity in the province.
Enhanced the Community Aboriginal Recreation Activator program from 20 to 27 communities, to support physical activity, sport and recreation in Indigenous communities.
Launched the Ontario Libraries Capacity Fund to improve Information Technology resources at libraries.
Renewed the Ontario Games program, with an increase in hosting grants for municipalities, and supported the successful delivery of the 2016 Ontario Summer Games and 2016 Ontario 55+ Games.
 Even before being made a Minister MPP McMahon was working closely with the Art Gallery of Burlington. Your mandate is to work on delivering top tourism and recreation experiences to Ontarians and visitors, and promoting the tourism sector to drive economic growth. Your specific priorities include:
Supporting Arts and Culture in Ontario to Bring Us Together and Make Our Communities and Economy Stronger
Implementing the Ontario Culture Strategy and work with partners and communities, including Indigenous partners, to:
Promote cultural engagement and inclusion.
Strengthen culture in communities.
Fuel the creative economy.
Promote the value of the arts throughout the government.
During winter 2016-17, develop the Arts Policy Framework as a key action under the Culture Strategy, to promote the contributions of artists and the broader arts sector throughout the Ontario government.
Building on the best year on record for film and TV, market our talented film crews, world-class facilities, and stable tax credit infrastructure to the world.
Celebrating 150 years of Ontario and the Federation
Co-ordinating cross-government efforts and work with community organizations to celebrate Ontario 150, our sesquicentennial in 2017, as well as the 150th anniversary of Canada. This celebratory year will create a strong economic, social and cultural legacy for Ontarians, with a particular focus on youth.
Preserving Our History and Stories and Support the Climate Change Action Plan
Working in 2017 with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to establish a program under the Climate Change Action Plan to fund energy retrofits of heritage buildings. The program should showcase the benefits of reducing energy consumption and preserving these important and historic buildings for the enjoyment of future generations.
Supporting a Dynamic Tourism Industry
Developing and releasing in fall 2016 the Strategic Framework for Tourism as a tool for industry and government to maximize the growth and competitiveness of Ontario’s tourism sector. The framework will build on enhanced partnerships to drive greater investment, workforce development, marketing activities and product development, and include the implementation of commitments outlined in the June 2016 Action Plan for Tourism.
Fulfilling the Vision for a Revitalized Ontario Place
Creating economic opportunities for tourism and investment through the revitalization of Ontario Place into a year-round, vibrant, waterfront destination while building on the site’s legacy of innovation, fun and live music.
Completing the construction and opening of the new Urban Park and William G. Davis Waterfront Trail to the public in 2017.
Continuing to transform Ontario Place through key public and private sector partners and deliver on a plan that integrates the West Island as a cultural hub and transforms the East Island as a celebration common. The process for selecting partners for this transformation should start this year and the results should be announced in 2017.
Supporting Opportunities for All Ontarians to be Physically Active in Sport and Recreation
Implementing Game ON – the Ontario government’s Sport Plan and enhance opportunities for Ontarians to participate in sport, recreation and physical activity, with a special emphasis on advancing opportunities for women and girls.
Supporting the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee as it develops recommendations to prevent and mitigate head injuries in sports and to create awareness about head injuries in sports by fall 2017.
Implementing the refreshed Ontario Trails Strategy and Supporting Ontario Trails Act to manage and promote the use of trails in Ontario, and develop a world-class system of diversified trails.
Working with the Minister of Transportation and others, support cycling and walking as part of a healthy, active lifestyle, including supporting work across government to make commuter cycling easier and safer. As well, develop cycling as a tourism and environmental heritage draw in Ontario communities.
Strengthening Agencies and Enhancing Accountability
Continuing to support agency initiatives that enhance their sustainability and maximize their economic contributions to the province.
Continuing to work with agencies to provide oversight and support their efforts to meet best practices for good governance, fiscal management and public accountability.
Building Partnerships and Engaging with Indigenous Communities
Collaborating across government and with industry partners to identify opportunities and advance Indigenous tourism in Ontario, including support of the next phase of the Aboriginal Tourism 2020 strategy.
As part of Ontario’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission launching, in 2017, the Indigenous Cultural Revitalization Fund. The fund will support cultural activities with the goals of revitalizing cultural practices, raising awareness of the vitality of Indigenous cultures in Ontario and promoting reconciliation.
Supporting the successful hosting of the North American Indigenous Games in summer 2017.
In addition to the priority activities above, I ask that you also deliver results for Ontarians by driving progress in the following areas:
Work with the Minister of Children and Youth Services on Ontario’s Youth Action Plan to expand youth development programs, and focus government funding on those youth and communities most in need of support.
Work with the Minister of Education on Ontario’s Well Being Strategy to enhance mental and physical health of students and contribute to healthy child development today to ensure a strong future tomorrow.
Continue to develop opportunities for Indigenous community recreation.
As you know, taking action on the recommendations contained in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report is a priority for our government. That is why we released The Journey Together, a document that serves as a blueprint for making our government’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples a reality. As we move forward with the implementation of the report, I ask you and your fellow Cabinet members to work together, in co-operation with our Indigenous partners, to help achieve real and measurable change for Indigenous communities.
Having made significant progress over the past year in implementing our community hubs strategy, I encourage you and your Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Premier’s Special Advisor on Community Hubs and the Community Hubs Secretariat, at the Ministry of Infrastructure, are given the support they need to continue their vital cross-government work aimed at making better use of public properties, encouraging multi-use spaces and helping communities create financially sustainable hub models.
Responsible fiscal management remains an overarching priority for our government — a priority echoed strongly in our 2016 Budget. Thanks to our disciplined approach to the province’s finances over the past two years, we are on track to balance the budget next year, in 2017–18, which will also lower the province’s debt-to-GDP ratio. Yet this is not the moment to rest on our past accomplishments: it is essential that we work collaboratively across every sector of government to support evidence-based decision-making to ensure programs and services are effective, efficient and sustainable, in order to balance the budget by 2017–18, maintain balance in 2018–19, and position the province for longer-term fiscal sustainability.
 McMahon is a bicycle rider who understands how to manage her energy – she will have to manage her energy and her time to meet the mandate she has been given. Marathon runners will tell you that an event’s halfway mark is an opportunity to reflect on progress made — but they will also tell you that it is the ideal moment to concentrate more intently and to move decisively forward. At this halfway mark of this government’s mandate, I encourage you to build on the momentum that we have successfully achieved over the past two years, to work in tandem with your fellow ministers to advance our economic plan and to ensure that Ontario remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.
I look forward to working together with you to build opportunity and prosperity for all Ontarians.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Wynne
Premier
Updated: September 23, 2016
Giving each minister of a government a mandate letter is an accepted practice – making then public is something new. After reading this one – can one wonder if this is a new twist to telling the public what you think they want to hear. Not a word about the challenges involved for Ms McMahon nor is there any assurance given that the funds she needs to pull all this off are going to be available.
The upside is – we now have a yardstick with which to measure just how well the Minister and the Member of the Legislature for Burlington does on delivering.
 By Pepper Parr
September 8, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
City council will return to meeting in the council camber – and in the very near future – they will begin to look at the budgets they have to put in place for the 2016/17 fiscal year.
The numbers available at this point in time don’t look very encouraging.
Human Resources costs are up 2.8% primarily due to increases to union and non‐union compensation.
Operating/Minor Capital Equip. The 0.6% increase is primarily due to higher electricity rates and increased costs for parts and equipment. These increases are partially offset by lower expenses on general office equipment.
Purchased Services Decrease of 0.9% is attributable to lower external service requirements. These savings are partially offset by higher computer, software and vendor hosted solutions as well as increased snow removal expenses.
Corp. Expenditures/Provisions Increase of 6.7% is mostly due to the infrastructure renewal levy and debt charges incurred for the accelerated renewal program. Additionally debt charges for the Joseph Brant Hospital are offset from the reserve fund (offset by recovery in General Revenues & Recoveries).
Controllable Revenues are down 0.6% due to realignment of Transit Fare revenue to be in line with actual receipts, which is is partially offset by improved revenues in other services.
General Revenues & Recoveries The increase of 4.2% in General Revenues & Recoveries is mostly due to increase in Hydro dividend and Federal Grants, in addition to a recovery for debt charges from Joseph Brant Hospital reserve fund.
Business Cases The 2016 Proposed Budget includes 16 City business cases totaling $438K. They include proposals to address climate change (stormwater water drainage), enhanced bylaw enforcement, community investment and reduced seniors’ transit fare.
Additionally there are two business cases proposed by the Burlington Performing Arts Centre totaling $188K for community engagement and enhanced customer service.
A graphic of the spending shows where the city feels they need to spend your dollars.
 Infrastructure, salaries & wages and tucking money into the reserve funds are where additional funds are needed. Increases in the 4% plus range are hard to swallow when inflation is running at less than 2%
There are going to be some interesting discussions around the council table in the months ahead.
The steps staff and council will take to get a budget passed is as follows:
- Capital Budget Overview November 21, 2016
- Capital Council Information Session November 24, 2016
- Public Engagement July – November 2016
- Capital Budget Review December 8, 2016
- Operating Budget Overview December 8, 2016
- Operating Council Information Session December 15, 2016
- Council Capital Budget Approval December 19, 2016
- Operating Budget Review January 19, 2017
- Council Operating Budget Approval January 23, 2017
 By Staff
September 7, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Green Environmental Association sent us the following:
As the world directs its attention to the challenges of climate change, BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association has developed a user-friendly on-line quiz to help Burlington citizens, including youth, discover their environmental footprint and how they can take action locally.
Sponsored by Burlington Hydro, the “What’s Your Eco-Score?” quiz consists of a series of questions about transportation, home energy use, food choices, waste reduction, and water use. No utility bills are required to complete the quiz! Users receive an ‘eco-score’, along with helpful locally focused green living tips along the way.
BurlingtonGreen suggests that transportation, home energy use, and food choices are ‘the big 3’ that people need to pay extra attention to, in terms of lowering their carbon footprint. Driving less, switching to an electric vehicle and ‘thinking outside the car’ by walking, cycling and using public transit will all help. Conserving energy at home, avoiding ON-peak hours electricity use, and installing a heat pump and solar panels provide additional opportunities to reduce one’s footprint as will consuming less meat and eating local and organic food whenever possible.
After spending some time taking action to reduce their impact, quiz participants are encouraged to take the quiz again to see their score improve. Fantastic prizes are available to be won just for participating ( Halton residents only) including a bike courtesy of MEC, Presto passes from Burlington Transit, a gift card from Whole Foods Market and more!
All levels of government are taking action to address climate change. Canada will release its climate change action plan in the fall of 2016. However, government action alone isn’t going to solve this tremendous challenge. It’s up to all citizens to do their part.
The Eco-Score quiz is right HERE
 By Pepper Parr
September 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Well – it was nice while it lasted.
The Region advised us to expect extreme heat and humidity on Tuesday – which is the day most of us return to our desks and ready ourselves for a fall season of doing the city’s business.
These weather announcements are made when forecast temperatures are expected to reach at least 31 degrees Celsius with overnight temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius for two days, or when a humidex of 40 or higher is expected for two days.
Normally Mayor Goldring would drive west along New Street and watch for the number of people cycling in those new bike lanes but this Tuesday he will be heading north east for the Regional office where he and the other members of city council will do their work as Regional Councillors.
They buckle down to work on city matters the week of the 12th.
On that agenda are some significant items – the budget being the most important. Fresh numbers will be available soon – hopefully the treasurer will have climbed down from the 3.5% plus increase that had been floated.
 Several properties at the Ghent – Brant intersection are being readied for future development. Intensification will get more attention – sometime in September one of the major developers in the city will announce a possible four structure development at the intersection of Brant and Ghent.
The growth of Brant street is working its way south from Fairview where the Molinaro’s are doing just fine with their five structure Paradigm development. The three 19 storey structures on the north side are approach the fifth floor level.
The ADI group plans for the intersection of Martha and Lakeshore Road are at the ‘talking it over” stage with the planning department before it all goes back to the Ontario Municipal Board in October.
Storm water needs some public attention – there are solutions but the public hasn’t been given much to look at and consider. The HAAP program is underway assessing the vulnerability of 4,000 Burlington-area homes to flood damage.
The program will make recommendations to help homeowners avoid costly damage from extreme weather and at the same time collect the data needed to inform potential expansion of the program to communities across the province.
Burlington got chosen for the program – our 2014 flood disaster made us the most eligible.
The transit people are in bed with the Economic Development people looking for ways to provide decent transit service for parts of the city where large employers would like to see something better for their employees.
 Burlington Square on the west side of Brant at Ghent is going to get a major upgrade with additional density on the south end. Mobility hubs are getting looked at very closely – at one point during the Strategic Plan deliberations it looked as if Aldershot was going to be the first such hub. That seems to have shifted due in part to the nature of the working relationship with a developer and the city.
The Paradigm development next to the GO station and the impending announcement of a large development at Brant and Ghent where Burlington Square is getting significant upgrades with the units south of the high rise becoming four storey units makes this a significant increase in housing units that will do a lot to get us to the intensification target.
The question anyone with an eye for planning is – what does the city do with the properties to the east of the GO station where there are several car dealership and a horticultural outlet with a couple of restaurants.
 Automotive dealerships, a horticulture operation and a number of restaurants dot the north side of Fairview between the GO station and Guelph Line – The time may be coming when this land can be put to much better use. The area becomes prime commercial property – and when linked to the downtown core certainly has the makings of a transportation.
Elizabeth’s on the corner of Brant and James is reported to have been sold – the furniture operation is being moved to Fairview – that whole block is then in play – someone has something planned.
The Paradigm and the yet to be announced development at Ghent and Brant are going to being upwards of 3500 people into that community. THAT is growth – which is what this council wants – but there is a hard core of people west of Brant who don’t want quite that much development.
 Ward 2 residents look at plans a developer has put forward during a workshop held by the ward Councillor. Ward 2 city councillor Marianne Meed Ward held a series of public meeting at which people in her ward got to comment on what they wanted to see in the way of development. To her credit Meed Ward has kept herself open to ideas and has been consistent in her willingness to listen to her constituents.
Her report on what she learned from the three meetings is due sometime later in the fall.
The content of that report just might serve as the frame that sets out the issues at which point the public can decide what the appropriate lenses should be to look at what is proposed and then shape decisions that fit into the intensification requirements and the Strategic Plan.
We mustn’t forget the Official Plan review that is now getting the attention it needs – that task got put on hold until the Strategic Plan was in place.
The city is apparently working with Vince Rossi on the site plan he is required to submit – once there is a document in hand the city can then refine its contents and perhaps get to the point where there is something done with the hundreds of tonnes of landfill that was dumped on the property.
In the past four to six months conversations have taken place with interested parties who see the potential for the air park and have the necessary executive capacity to make something acceptable happen. No one is going to do anything until the site plan matter is worked out.
How many of this significant seven will decide to run for office in 2018 – and which office will they run for? This city council is at the halfway point of its term – this is the point when municipal politicians began thinking about getting themselves re-elected.
The rules they will have to work within as candidates in 2018 are going to be a lot different than they were last time around.
Look for a lot of self-serving statement in the next 26 months.
By Denis Gibbons
September 1, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Beautiful green spaces like the Royal Botanical Gardens, LaSalle Park and Burlington Golf and Country Club once made Aldershot the prime place to live in Burlington.
The stretch of Plains Road from King Road west to the border of Hamilton actually is part of the historic Lakeshore Highway, which was the main route between Montreal and Windsor before the QEW and Hwy. 401 were built. The highway attracted a lot of holiday and Sunday afternoon drivers.
 Planters along Plains Road have given what used to be a provincial highway a much more suburban look. Hasn’t slowed traffic down enough for most people – except for those who drive through the community. You’d never know it today with the high rate of development and traffic jams on Plains Road. Some residents are even having second thoughts about staying in the area.
An Aldershot resident, who requested anonymity, said she believes the City is allowing too many multi-level dwellings along Plains Road and has decided to move to Niagara Falls.
“I don’t want to live on the Danforth like in downtown Toronto,” she said. “We don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate it.
“I think we really have to be careful what we’re doing to the lifestyle of the people of Aldershot.”
She said she has exactly 14 seconds to get into the collector lane and make a lefthand turn into her building at 396 Plains Rd. E. and traffic is often backed up in the eastbound lanes.
“The cars are all going 60 and a lot of drivers get mad,” she said.
 Close to half a dozen residential developments similar to this one, Jazz on Plains Road are being developed. Lou Battiston, who lives on Easterbrook Ave., said he is opposed to all the new apartment buildings going up on Plains Road.
“Adding stores to the bottom of these things without adequate parking is absolutely ridiculous,” he said.
However, he said the increased traffic on Plains Road is not an issue for him.
“I come from Toronto,” he said. “Burlington is still a great place to live.”
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven could not be reached for comment by The Bay Observer’s press time, but he has said in the past that whenever new condos are built along the Plains Road corridor senior citizens living in bungalows in Aldershot love to downsize to them.
At the same time, he said, the vacated bungalows are ideal starter homes for young families and this rejuvenates the population.
In July a committee of Burlington city council approved policy directions as guidelines on how the city will grow over the next quarter-century. Under the provincial government’s Places To Grow strategy guidelines, introduced in 2006, Burlington must boost its level of infilling to 40 per cent.
One of the main reasons is to provide adequate accommodation for an increase of immigrants.
Intensification in the portion south of the QEW is the key, since there is not much room left for residential development in north Burlington.
Two of the key areas for intensification are in Aldershot – along Plains Road, which is a major transit route, and close to the Aldershot GO station.
In addition, increased mixed use development is planned near all GO stations as GO bus and train service is extended.
Currently workers are carrying out major improvements to Plains Road East. The work includes paving, as well as new curbs, bike lanes and sidewalks in some parts of the stretch between the QEW and Shadeland Boulevard.
 An early architects rendering of the ADI Station West 300 plus development in Aldershot ADI Development Group is proposing construction of over 300 new townhouses near the corner of Waterdown Road and Masonry Court. The project called ‘Station West’ is adjacent to Burlington’s Aldershot GO Station”
Also in the works are the Breeze condos at the corner of Plains Road and Cooke Boulevard and the Affinity Condominiums at the corner of Plains Road and Filmandale Boulevard.
This article first appeared in the Bay Observer.
The Gazette has had a troubling relationship with Councillor Craven. There was a time when we met with him frequently on a confidential basis over lunches at Plucker’s on Plains Road.
There was an occasion at a Conservation Authority meeting when Craven told us that running for Mayor was not out of the question for him – that was before the 2014 election
 More candidate than Craven could manage? Sandra Pupatello on a trip through town during the xxx Liberal leadership race. At the time Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven was prepared to let the party romance him. The publisher of the Gazette had some in depth conversations on the idea of his seeking the Liberal nomination for the Burlington seat at Queen’s Park. We convinced him at attend a meeting where he met one of the woman seeking the leadership of the party at that time. Watching Councillor Craven meeting Sandra Pupatello was something to observe.
The Gazette has always described Councillor Craven as the most effective Standing committee chair this city has; he also runs very tight meetings. He understands the Procedural manual better than any other member of council, perhaps even better than the City Clerk.
But a people person he ain’t. Thinnest skin we’ve seen
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