 By Pepper Parr
November 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 “Let’s just ban them completely” It was well into the meeting when Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman said he wanted to amend the motion that was on the floor related to the use of fireworks in the city.
“Let’s just ban them completely” he said.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward scurried to get a different message out – pleading with any media that might have tuned into the web cast to not say that the city was thinking of banning fireworks.
 With the survey response as split as it was the Mayor had to make sure that she wasn’t offside by too much. Little wonder that she took that position.
In a Staff report from the Fire department reference was made to a survey done by corporate communications that was said to be limited, we learned that fireworks was a big deal for a lot of people.
More than 50,000 people logged into the Get Involved portal to take part in a survey.
The City’s Corporate Communications and clerks, used the online engagement portal (Get Involved Burlington) to gauge public interest related to fireworks and more specifically around permitted discharge dates for family fireworks.
The poll options were:
 Gathered on the Promenade in Spencer Smith Park hundreds watch the display – and that’s the way the city wants to keep it. a. Victoria Day and Canada Day (currently permitted as per By-law 125-1992)
b. No family fireworks
c. Canada Day only, and
d. Victoria Day, Canada Day, Diwali, Chinese New Year and any other day for which a permit has been issued by the Fire Department.
It was clear early on, that the public’s interest level was high. The level of engagement exceeded staff expectations (over 50,000 visits to the site and approximately 46,000 votes).
• Victoria Day and Canada Day (904 votes or 2.0%)
• No family fireworks (23,838 votes or 52.5%)
• Canada Day only (109 votes or 0.2%), and
• Victoria Day, Canada Day, Diwali, Chinese New Year and any other day for which a permit has been issued by the FD (20,585 votes or 45.3%)
The poll indicated that individuals either enjoy fireworks and wouldn’t mind additional discharge dates (45.3%) or they disliked them and would prefer they weren’t allowed at all (52.5%). While the poll is not being used as a deciding factor for the recommendation provided, staff have a better understanding of the amount of interest around the subject of fireworks in the community.
The city had a hot one on its hands and none of the Councilors, with the exception of Paul Sharman, wanted to ruffle feathers.
They settled on permitting family fireworks on Canada Day and Victoria Day.
 Councillor Kearns pointed out that Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy and that Queen Victoria’s birthday should be recognized – she got her way. Councillor Kearns argued that Canada was a constitutional monarchy and that Victoria Day matters. The Good Queen got to remain on the list of occasions when you could set off fireworks in a family setting.
Staff had recommended that family fireworks only be allowed during Canada Day celebrations.
This Council didn’t have much in the way of an appetite for fireworks but they could read the data.
They did want to take a hard look at the sale of fireworks – the current bylaws allow them to ban the sale.
In addition, the Fire Chief is authorized to immediately grant exceptions to the discharge dates listed in the fireworks bylaw on a case-by-case basis, which was done specifically for the “festival of lights” (Diwali) on October 29, 2019.
The review of by-laws included the following:
• 125-1992 – Regulating the Sale and Use of Fireworks (Fire)
• 49-2008 – Nuisance and Noise Control (Building/By-law)
• 42-2008 – Business Licensing (Building/By-Law)
All that came out of the Standing Committee was a recommendation – it all goes to City Council on the 23rd.
By Staff
November 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington’s revamped loose-leaf collection program started today – Monday, November 9th.
 Clearing the leaves along New Street. Residents are encouraged to check the leaf collection schedule and rake leaves to the curb or edge of pavement if there are no curbs before their pickup date.
Each collection zone will have only one pick-up.
 Leaf collection zones for 2020 Residents planning on using the service are reminded that this program is weather dependent. Freezing rain or snow can cause delays or even cancel the program. Always be prepared to bag your leaves for Halton Region’s Yard Waste Pick-up or mulch them to help your lawns and gardens grow.
New for this year is the Leaf Collection Hotline. As of October 15th, residents can call 905-335-7600, ext. 6129 for updates. If the collection is delayed or cancelled, the hotline will be updated and messages will be posted on burlington.ca/leafcollection as well as the City’s social media channels.
To ensure the safety of collection crews and avoid damaging equipment, please keep the loose-leaf piles free of debris and sticks. Leaves mixed with debris and waste will not be collected. Please help prevent flooding by keeping catch basins and ditches clear of leaves.
To ensure a successful pick-up, residents can:
• Rake leaves to the edge of the curb or roadway in a loose pile
• Remove basketball nets, cars and other obstructions from the road during pick-up dates
• Clear leaves from sidewalks and walkways
• Avoid placing garbage bags, bins, blue boxes or green carts on top of loose-leaf piles
• Give crews room to remove the leaves when driving
After the collection program is complete, any remaining leaves should be placed in yard-waste bags for curbside collection by Halton Region.
As a greener alternative, residents can mulch their leaves with their lawnmower to help feed the soil for the spring.
 Mary Battaglia, Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry Mary Battaglia, Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry explains that: “This year’s collection program is a little different. We’re hoping that by starting the collection one week later, that more leaves will have fallen and by ending one week earlier, we’ll avoid winter weather. We can’t control the weather so if we get an early storm or if the trees hold onto their leaves, residents should be prepared to bag or mulch their leaves.”
 By Pepper Parr
November 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We wrote last week asking where have all the good delegators gone – those men and women who pay attention to what is taking place at city council and then make the time to put their thoughts and observations on paper and speak to Council.
We wondered aloud if the issue was the limitations put in place by Covid19 or was there something else?
The something else is a change in the way the Clerk’s office handles requests for delegations.
You have to let the Clerk know that you wish to delegate – which isn’t unreasonable; the Clerk has to know how many delegations there are going to be in order to get a sense as to just how long a meeting might last.
What is new is the requirement that a delegate submit a copy of the delegation before they are told they can actually delegate.
The Chair of the meeting explains that this is done so that members of Council can think about what they are going to hear and be able to ask questions of the delegation.
On those occasions when there are no questions from council, the Chair of the meeting will tell the delegate that there point was so clear there was no reason for any questions.
 Jim Young That is so slick as to be just a little sickening.
It is the open sharing of ideas and the willingness to not only listen but to hear what is being said that keep a society stable.
Jim Young, a frequent delegator in the past, put it so well when he told council during a delegation: “the power they have was given to them by the electorate “in trust” and that they were expected to use the power they were given wisely.”
Council seems to have tired of listening to the people that elected them.
Related article.
When was the last time …
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
November 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Where have all the good ones gone?
Where are the dozen or so people who could be relied upon to delegate responsibly, to keep the members of Council on their toes?
Where is Gary Scobie, where is Tom Muir, where is Greg Woodruff, Blair Smith, Jim Young, Roland Tanner and Hunter Lawson?
 Jim Young  Roland Tanner  Gary Scobie  Lawson Hunter Dee Dee Davies always spoke in a measured deliberate tone abd had that ability to pause when she felt she wasn’t being listened to.
These are the people who did their homework and had the courage of their convictions to stand before council and speak on behalf of their communities.
Some say that people are going through burn-out.
Some say that the people who were always available to speak no longer believe that they were heard, worse they don’t believe they are being heard now.
Is the awkwardness of delegating under the conditions that the pandemic imposes what is keeping them away from Cit Hall?
Do delegators find they don’t feel there is any real connection with the members of council when they are speaking ?
 There is more than enough room for the members of Council to attend in person. Staff would have to take part virtually. Could this council find a way to have at least some of the Councillors in the Council Chamber? There is more than enough room in the Chamber for at least half of the Council members be in place with the delegator at the podium.
The Halton District School Board has 4 trustees in the room.
What we aren’t seeing is any effort to make the process of citizens speaking to the elected
When a delegator has finished there is, frequently, all too frequently, a statement read by the Chair that there were no questions because the delegator made their point very clear.
Balderdash – the Chair just blew the delegator off.
What City Council is doing now is not healthy for the democracy we are all so proud of – it actually stinks.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Andrew Walker
November 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Casino games are becoming increasingly popular in Canada – especially during the corona-crisis. They promise pure excitement and entertainment. For this reason it is no wonder that there are numerous casino streamers on the World Wide Web. The Casino Streamer Guide explains and shows all important information about casino streaming.
After all, live casino streaming requires more than just a camera that is held on the screen or on the slot. Successful casino streaming means above all that it is about good entertainment. Successful casino streamers are ultimately real entertainers.
 A Guide explains and shows all important information about casino streaming. How Casino Streaming works
The idea of casino streaming is to broadcast your gaming activities live on the Internet. Which game is shown here depends on the respective streamer. Mainly slot games are played. But there are also some streamers, which stream roulette and blackjack.
Above all, however, the focus here is on the slot machines, because these games in particular are very fast and furious.
Table and card games are a bit different. Especially in Blackjack it is important to proceed with strategy and sophistication. For this reason, the losses are often pre-programmed when streaming at the same time. It is almost impossible to concentrate on your own game and at the same time entertain the audience on the Internet.
 Poker and Roulette – two very different games The casino streamers on the one hand show the image on the screen and on the other hand you can see them yourself while they explain the game. Of course, you can also experience the emotions live. The casino streamers are becoming more and more popular in Canada because the viewer can simply sit back and relax. Here it has tension, play, thrill and fun, and everything also only a cent to invest itself. This means that the casino streamers provide the perfect entertainment and you do not have to invest anything yourself.
Exciting events provide a lot of variety
It is certainly not boring to watch other players playing. Here the spectator is immediately seized by the game fever. Good casino streamers usually provide a lot of variety, for example via the “bonus hunt”. Here the slots are only played until the free play mode is reached. After that the streamer immediately changes the game. Then it tries to trigger the special rounds at another slot.
Later the free games are taken at all machines one after the other. Often this procedure results in huge winnings.
Especially in the free rounds the top profits are thrown out, that is well known. Often even additional bonus rounds are activated. This often results in an unbelievable winning run.
For the passive spectator this causes great enthusiasm.
Are there only live broadcasts of slot games?
As already mentioned, slots are predominant in the casino live streaming world. This is mainly because here profits and losses are very close together. How popular the online slots are, can also be seen in the views. Thousands of users follow the live streamings. The situation is different with the classics, where there is only a small fan community. Nevertheless, fans of roulette, poker or blackjack will also find a suitable streaming on YouTube or Twitch.
What equipment is necessary for live broadcasts?
For casino streamers the required equipment is not very special. What is needed here is the hardware, the PC. But it should already be a newer model. Above all, the PC should have a modern graphics card. Just as important is a fast Internet connection, otherwise it can come to breaks during the transfer.
Also the camera plays an important role, so that the casino streamer can interact with the audience. Casino streamers that are able to moderate a game with wit and good humor can be sure to soon have a large fan base.
These platforms are used for the casino streams
The number one in the World Wide Web in terms of streaming platforms is Twitch. This live streaming portal is specialized in video games. Twitch has been available since 2011. Over time, new features have been added. In the meantime it is possible to profit from the sales of the portal operator via the advertising. Twitch can be used without registration to try out the platform first. But if you want to stream yourself, you have to register first.
In order to benefit from the official affiliate program as a casino streamer at Twitch, there are a few requirements to be met:
● You must have a total of at least 500 broadcasted minutes in the last 30 days
● In addition, at least seven individual broadcast days in the last 30 days are required
● You must have an average of three simultaneous viewers or more in the last 30 days
● You must have at least 50 followers
 By Staff
November 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Heather Rath. Ligonier Valley Writers began in 1986 as the Friends of Ligonier, who were searching for a way to enhance residents’ lives and generate income for local businesses. One of their first projects was a writers’ conference. It was so successful that the Friends became the Ligonier Valley Writers.
The Flash Fiction Contest began in 2005. Winning stories are performed at Halloween events, so the subjects are always scary. The first year called for ghost stories, the next year vampire stories, and later stories about everything from witches to dragons to haunted objects. Dozens of entries come in from all over the United States and Europe.
The first prize winner this year was Burlington resident Heather Rath.
This is the story she wrote.
I love reptiles.
My parents hate them.
They warned me—repeatedly—no snakes, frogs, or other reptiles in this house … ever!
If I brought one home, I’m sure my parents would kill me.
I’m allergic to fur. As a developing artist at 15, I need to study—and draw—real, live animals and people. Only it’s hard to find people to pose. They don’t like sitting or standing still for a long time.
Was hanging around a pet shop in our neighborhood. I spy this sign speaking directly to me: “Allergic to fur? We have the right pet for you!”
Donning my facemask against germs, I enter. Masked salesman quickly approaches. Toady- looking guy with a croaky throat. Waves me over to a small section of the shop by the fish.
Points out a large aquarium. Home to various scaly, creepy-looking creatures doing nothing much but hanging out on a hot rock.
Salamanders, bug-eyed red toads, fancy-bearded dragon, leopard gecko, veiled chameleon, Bahaman anole, Pacman frog, long-tailed lizard.
And then, this beauty. In an aquarium all by himself. Caught my eye with just the slightest move. A green iguana from some tropical forest.
Depending on where you looked, his green skin changed different shades. Awesome. You’d never find any magnificent creature like this in Ohio.
Fell in love immediately. Called him Drako. Stunning. With his long tail, he easily measured three feet. Flicked his tongue while I looked him over carefully.
“What’s he eat?” I ask the toady guy.
“He’s a vegetarian, kid. Likes to nibble on lettuce, grapes, even houseplant leaves … easy to feed him. Jist gotta watch he won’t escape. Fast like lightning.” He pauses. “Thinkin’ of getting’ him?”
“Ah, man, love to. Gotta check my finances first. Only have a part-time job at Food Basics.
Need an aquarium, too?”
“Yep. And them’s expensive, kid. Gotta get one large enough for the critter. And a hot rock, too. These fellas need heat. Specially here up north.”
I nod. “Expect to sell him fast?”
“Ya never know these days. What with this virus and all, people are doin’ strange things. We can’t keep puppies in stock. Gone as soon’s we get ‘em. But this here iguana? Somehow don’t think too many folks are lookin’ for this green guy. Can’t cuddle him. But he’s neat to watch.”
“And he’s beautiful,” I add. “Look at the different colours of green on his skin.” “Uh-huh,” says Toady-man. Not convinced, I can tell.
How much?”
“One hundred dollars. Plus his aquarium.”
“Look, man, I’ve been lookin’ all over for a pet like this. I can afford him. Take good care of him, too.”
“Ya want I should mark him sold?” “Uh-huh.” I nod.
Jog home. My two bros are on screens. Dad not home yet. Mom in kitchen. I’ll work on her first.
“Just found this neatest pet. A mini-dragon.”
No reaction. She’s watching the small countertop TV. Looking at ingredients for a Mexican recipe. Eating South of the Border for some reason lately.
“Hmmmm?” she says, pulling her head in my direction. Cigarette hangs out of her red lipstick mouth.
“Found a non-consequential pet for me. No trouble for you. He’s even vegetarian.” “Sounds good to me, Rory-kins. He big?” She turns back to the mini-TV.
“No. He fits in an aquarium, and I’ll clean it.” “Can’t be too big, then.”
“He’s not.”
“Uh-huh.” Still concentrating on the TV recipe.
I go through a similar conversation with my dad. When he comes home, he’s tired of wearing a mask all day, mixes a cocktail of some kind, sinks in a stupor into his favorite living room chair.
“What’s your mom say?” He squints through his glasses at his smartphone as he half listens to me.
“As long as I clean the aquarium, she says no problem.” “Okay, then. What is it? A fish?”
Just then his smartphone rings. I disappear.
Jog back to the pet shop. Tell Toadman. “Help me choose the right aquarium for him.”
That night I hop with excitement in my bedroom. Find a suitable place atop my desk and sit there thinking … wow! Tomorrow! Finally! A pet! Of my own choosing! Sooo excited.
Next day everyone’s busy doing whatever it is they do each day. No one’s paying attention to me. This time bike to the pet shop with my backpack and a carrier. Bike home again with the goods.
Haul the extra-large aquarium with the hot rock and the Drako container to my bedroom. Set up the tank. Plug in the hot rock. Close my bedroom door.
Carefully carry the Drako box to the tank. Coax him gently into the aquarium. Watch him flick his tongue. Explore.
Am ecstatic. He fascinates.
Sometime later, I decide to slowly remove the aquarium top. Touch his cool skin and marvel.
Like lightning, Drako leaps from the hot rock to the log in the aquarium to the top of the tank. He’s out!
I know he’s arboreal, so I look up.
Scan top of the curtained windows. He’s there! Thinks he’s hiding but his long tail hangs down. Already I love his personality.
He scurries along the wooden curtain rod. Sudden steps on the stairs. Panic!
Mom enters my room.
“Rory … what the hell?” she raises her voice. Sees the aquarium. Looks up. Sees Drako.
Screams.
Mom still screaming. Dad rushes in. “What the ….?”
Looks up. Spies Drako. Mouth opens wide. Grabs my baseball bat in the corner. Raises his arm and takes aim.
“No!” I yell.
He swings the bat with great force. Misses Drako. Hits me bull’s-eye on the head. More screaming.
Told you my parents would kill me.
Author Bio: An award-winning writer, Heather Rath edited a weekly newspaper and monthly business magazine before heading communications at a multinational company.
By Pepper Parr
October 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health wrote media earlier this week setting out and explaining why she asked the public to trim how they send their time and the places where they gather with other people.
“I appreciate the inquiries from the media and working together to ensure the public is informed in a timely manner. Through this statement, I am hoping to address your questions and provide a consistent message to you and the public.”
She is in an awkward situation.
 Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health She urged residents to “take additional steps to stop the spread, including limiting close contact to those within their household and limiting non-essential activities. I also recommended that team sports be limited to training only, that all indoor fitness classes be suspended, and that indoor dining take place only with those from the same household.”
But there was no word on restaurants – is it safe to have lunch at the places we like to dine?
The damage done to the hospitality sector is severe. They are hurting and that is very unfortunate. The city set up a grant program to help cover the additional costs of PPE. $2500.00 was available but there wasn’t enough money to give everyone that asked that amount. $2500 doesn’t go very far.
The relaxation of restrictions and individual attention to public health measures over the summer has led to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, creating a concerning upward trend this fall. Although daily COVID-19 case counts fluctuate in Halton and elsewhere, the overall trends in Halton remain concerning.
The numbers province-wide are discouraging and if the current direction of the trend line holds winter is going to be very dark.
The development of a vaccine is being advanced – despite what that nut case south of us is saying the best date that is being published from reliable sources is maybe May of 2021.
“Public Health Units across the province have been working 24/7 to keep people safe and stop COVID-19 and we will continue that important work. Public Health Units will also continue to provide information to the Province daily on trends.
“Every individual action matters and can make a difference. Thank you to everyone for staying in this together, taking this seriously and above all for being kind and respectful of one another.”
The kid glove words from the MoH, who has been doing a very good job, fall a little short of the mark.
The Regional Public Health organizations now have very sophisticated tracking software. What the public would like to see is:
Where are people getting infected?
 GO train coaches get a scrub down at the end of each trip – mask wearing is not an option At work?
While using public transit?
In restaurants?
At supermarkets?
The Public Health people know who has been infected. The number of those infected based on a percentage of those tested is climbing – and that is not a good sign.
That 1042 number last Sunday was a shocker. It has hovered in the 800 level since then yet the Mayors from the four municipalities in the Regions wrote the Premier and the Provincial Medial Officer of Health pleading not to be moved back into a Stage 2.
Would they prefer another solid lock down?
Everything we have seen and heard of Dr. Meghani backs up the reputation as a very proficient professional with a kind heart.
A little sternness in her voice could be used right now.
Hopefully she is working on the message she is probably going to have to give for the Christmas season.
 By Staff
October 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Human trafficking is a heinous crime that robs victims of the fundamental right to live free of violence and fear.
 There are times when we are unable to publish a fulsome media release regarding a human trafficking investigation because doing so would pose a personal risk to the victim. In these instances, the Halton Regional Police Service will publish a de-identified media release that outlines the arrest(s) made as a result of the investigation. No names. No residence details. We will, however, disclose the charges laid.
Each media release will also include key messaging that:
i) reinforces that trafficking is a violation of human rights and a criminal offence in Canada;
ii) encourages victims, and those who have reason to believe someone they know might be a victim of trafficking, to contact the Halton Regional Police Service; and
iii) provides a comprehensive list of community resources for those affected.
Our goals are two-fold: i) create an opportunity to connect those who are at-risk, or who may already be victims of human trafficking, with the resources and support they need and deserve; and ii) heighten the awareness of the general public that trafficking is not a ‘far away’ problem in the developing world, but rather, one that is happening right here in our region.
Male Arrested for Human Trafficking Offences
Earlier this month, the Halton Regional Police Service – Human Trafficking Unit became aware of a young (adult) female who had been the victim of human trafficking dating back to 2017. The trafficking took place across the Greater Toronto Area. As a result of the ensuing investigation, police were able to locate and arrest a male in his thirties. The male was charged with the following offences:
• Material Benefit from Sexual Services
• Procuring to Provide Sexual Services
• Procuring by Exercise Control
• Advertising Sexual Services
The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Upon arrest of the accused, the victim was referred by the Halton Regional Police Service to our Victim Services Unit, and to support agencies in the community.
For the protection of the victim, no additional details (including the name of the accused) will be provided to the media.
The Halton Regional Police Service firmly believes that every person has the right to feel safe in our community.
Victims of violence and/or sexual assault and witnesses are encouraged to contact the Halton Regional Police Service. The following is a list of valuable support services and resources in our region for victims of violence and/or sexual assault:
• Halton Regional Police Service Victim Services Unit 905-825-4777 ext. 5239 or by email at VictimServices@haltonpolice.ca
• Nina’s Place Sexual Assault and Domestic Assault Care Centre 905-336-4116 or 905-681-4880
• Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS) 905-875-1555 (24-hour crisis line)
• Radius Child & Youth Services 905-825-3242 (Oakville) or 1-855-744-9001
• Kid’s Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 (24-hour crisis line)
• THRIVE Counselling 905-845-3811 or 905-637-5256
Signs / Indicators of Human Trafficking
• Not being allowed to speak for themselves;
• Not having control of their own money or cellphone;
• Suddenly having a new or second cell phone with a secret number;
• Being controlled by others and escorted at all times;
• Not being allowed to contact family or friends;
• Withdrawing from family and friends;
• Providing rehearsed answers to casual questions;
• Being secretive about their activities;
• Showing signs of abuse, such as bruising, cigarette burns, fractures, etc.
• Having a new boyfriend, girlfriend or friend who they won’t introduce to friends/family; and
• Having new items (clothing, jewelry etc.) outside their financial means.
What Should I Do if I Think Someone is a Victim of Trafficking
If there is immediate danger or if you suspect someone is being trafficked, call 9-1-1.
You may also call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010.
The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a confidential, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public. The hotline uses a victim-centered approach when connecting human trafficking victims and survivors with local emergency, transition, and/or long-term supports and services across the country, as well as connecting callers to law enforcement where appropriate.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
 By Pepper Parr
October 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 First we lost Emmas and now it looks as if Joe Dogs might bite the dust –literally.
Last night the public got to see the drawings for the proposed 26 storey development on Brant immediately south of the No Frills Plaza
The southern edge of the development snuggles right up against the build Joe Dogs is in.
 Joe Dogs on a winter day It would hardly be possible for the Joe Dogs operation to continue during the construction phase which is at least four years under the best of conditions.
 One of the owners of Joe Dogs “What’s going to happen to me” asked one of the owners of Joe Dogs.” What is your plan for me? We have been in business for 23 years in this location and we don’t plan to move.
David Faletta said there had to be a construction management plan put in place which would set out what had to be done about the interests of neighbouring commercial operations.
COVID-19 took out Emma’s; construction dust just might make it impossible for Joe Dogs to operate in the same place.
Maybe Joe Dogs could move into the now vacant Emma’s building?
 By April Smith
October 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The impact the coronavirus has had on global markets has been significant and sudden. Global and local economies are on the long road to recovery.
The stock market, for instance, experienced a dramatic crash in February which lasted until April. Investors’ immediate reaction to the pandemic was to sell their assets out of fear they would lose value. This of course resulted in prices plummeting. Amidst global panic, investors flocked to what’s long been considered a safe haven: gold.
Why gold is attractive
 Gold is regarded as a safe haven because of its inherent value. Among all the precious metals, gold remains the most traded with the biggest market. It is regarded as a safe haven because of its inherent value that comes with it being a shiny, durable, and rare commodity. Throughout history gold has been used as a standard of value and even used as a medium of exchange. Although countries no longer negotiate using gold, the metal is still highly coveted around the world.
For those reasons, gold is an attractive asset to own in times of economic uncertainty. The value of gold tends to rally in the midst of financial turmoil which is illustrated by its record-setting prices in recent months. Uncertainty from the coronavirus is, of course, the main reason for the surge in gold prices. Other factors that influence the price of gold are supply and demand, economic and geopolitical stability, and investor sentiment. But compared to other securities that perform when a nation is at its best, gold typically has an inverse relationship with stability.
The basics of investing in gold
There’s more than one way of investing in gold but the most direct is to own it. In fact, Canada has experienced a surge in gold jewelry sales not so long ago because of the positive sentiment towards the metal amidst financial hardship. The prices are more competitive and older people who still owned jewelry were able to take advantage of this by trading it. You can also consider purchasing bullion or gold coins to diversify your investment portfolio.
However, owning physical gold is challenging because you will have to authenticate it and find a way to store it securely. That’s why people turn to gold receipts, which are backed by actual gold and can be redeemed later on, or other assets backed by gold such as derivatives. These are investment instruments that allow investors to speculate, invest and trade in the market without owning the underlying asset. The other option is to own shares of assets backed by gold such as with an exchange traded fund or ETF. With gold ETF, you own assets or derivatives that are backed by the metal. Gold mining shares and gold futures are examples of what can be in a gold ETF which can give you the opportunity to profit from the performance of gold without owning it.
When to invest in gold
Experts state that there is no right time to buy gold — every investor should have some in their portfolio. It’s best, though, to buy gold when it’s still inexpensive. Gold prices have been declining recently as the US, which has the most active gold market, rebounds. Now might be a good time to purchase gold or gold-backed assets and store it for the long-term while it rides out many highs and lows.
By Pepper Parr
October 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Is it time for a painful reality check?
Are we paying attention to the COVID-19 numbers?
1042 new cases identified in Ontario – highest number ever and the colder weather that will keep us inside more often has yet to really start.
 We are in the beginning of a second wave – it was expected. How long will it last? Burlington MPP Jane McKenna penned a letter to the Chief Medical Officer for the province urging him not to put Halton back into Stage 2. York, Peel and Toronto were moved into Stage 2 earlier in the month when their numbers kept climbing.
With Peel in Stage 2 there are reports of people from those communities driving into Halton for dinner at our local restaurants.
A tough question: Are restaurants essential?
More than 15 schools in Halton have reported infections – not huge numbers but infections nevertheless.
A Burlington MacDonald’s reported an infection; a very popular Oakville supermarket reported an infection.
Is it time to think in terms of mothballing the hospitality sector?
These are tough decisions that have to be made.
McKenna has asked the Provincial Medical Officer to hold off – isn’t that a decision that is made by the Halton Medical Officer of Health? In her letter McKenna said: “In June, when we began to emerge from the lockdown, the advice given by our medical experts was to wait two weeks (the incubation period), before lifting any restrictions. When taken together with our decreasing case counts, there is no evidence to suggest that moving Halton to a modified Phase 2 will have any meaningful impact on reducing case counts. One thing that is certain, is that many people and businesses can not financially withstand another shutdown.”
Noteworthy is the fact that neither Oakville Mayor Rob Burton nor Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette signed the letter – perhaps they were unavailable?
Burlington is spending very large sums of money to protect the people who work at city hall. The majority are still working from their homes and for the most part doing a good job.
The economy is vitally important – is a healthy population not just as important?
Do we really have to get out for a beer and mix with people? Can we not buckle down, find within us the personal discipline and do what is in our best interests and see ourselves through what is a crisis that has the potential to rip us apart as a society?
What will we do if a third of the schools are shut down for a couple of weeks at a time? What happens when the number of classroom teachers who become infected are in the hundreds?
Is this being alarmist?
That 1042 number of infections reported on Sunday by the province was a fact.
The Premier will be sweating this one out when it is the public that needs to do the sweating. The people from Toronto and Mississauga who travel to Burlington and Oakville for an evening out have to learn to stay within their own communities and spend time with the people who are in their immediate circle.
This virus may be very hard to beat and we may have to wait until there is a vaccine – but in the meantime we can limit its growth by limiting what we do.
Do your best to not pick up the infection from someone else and do your best to not pass it along if you do get it.
In the meantime we wait for the numbers from the province Monday morning and wait to hear what the Halton Regional Medical Officer of Health has to say.
Her job just got a lot harder.
By Pepper Parr
October 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has a regular television show on the Cogeco cable network.
Cogeco provides the free time as one of the conditions attached to their license.
Late in September the Mayor and Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan took part in a virtual conversation with Curt Benson, the Regional planner about the Nelson Aggregate application for new licenses to continue open pit mining for aggregate needed for the concrete used in construction for everything from high rise towers to sidewalks in the city.
 Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Rory Nisan (lower right) and Regional Planner Curt Benson on the Cogeco cablecast. There is considerable opposition to the license applications from people who live in the rural part of the city.
The process and level of public involvement is complex and involves five levels of government and agencies.
The Mayor had Benson take her through the process that would be used. It is complex and time consuming and will take at least two years before they are anywhere near a decision. A municipal election will have taken place before the issue is ready for a decision.
Burlington’s city council is one of the bodies that makes a decision but it is the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) that has the clout. If they decide the granting of licenses is not in the public interest and does not meet with the NEC mandate there will be no license.
The provincial Ministry is the body that will actually issue the license.
At this point in time the focus is ongoing through the thousands of pages of documents that were submitted with the application. It will take a couple of years for this to be completed.
 There are a lot of hoops for the application to get through before this gets to a decision point. During the half hour broadcast Meed Ward and Nisan talked about community involvement, protection of the environment and the interests of the citizens – especially those who live in rural Burlington. Ward 3 covers the North West part of the city and while the population is not all that large – they certainly have clout.
Meed Ward and Nisan want to be able to say that they have done their best to save rural Burlington. They are half way through their first term of office and can be expected to shift the shape of the way they see things and move into election mode.
As elected officials they are not in place to focus on just the immediate and short term interests but the longer term interests of the city.
And that is where Meed Ward and Nisan failed miserably.
Neither made any mention of the offer to turn the mined out properties over to the city to be used as a public park.
Meed Ward did say that the area did have a park – she was referring to the Cedar Springs Golf Club – private and expensive.
Much mention was made of the community group that is opposed to future development of the open pit mines – little mention of the citizen’s group that would like to see a park created out of the land once the aggregate is mined out.
Spencer Smith Park and the Beachway are packed on the weekends when the weather is good.
The Conservation Authority is now charging a fee to enter their parks and limiting the amount of time you can spend there.
Lowville Park, a destination for large family gatherings, now meters the number of vehicles that can be in the park and limits the amount of time people can stay – which puts a real damper on family groups that often spend the best part of a day in what is a very nice park.
If there are limits now on where people can enjoy the outdoors what will Burlington do when they have added 15,000 to 20,000 people to its population by the time the quarry is ready to be closed?
The long range look is part of a city Councillor’s job – a Mayor is expected to take a long term view and to prepare the public for what is coming and to make the best of an opportunity.
The public didn’t see much of that when the Mayor dragged the Regional Planner into the fray.
Benson was pretty good at keeping his distance by being the professional he is – he was not about to be co-opted by a Mayor.
Nelson Aggregates may be talking to the wrong level of government. The Conservation Authority operates the Mt Nemo property which is a couple of football field lengths away from the quarry. They would be more suited to operating any park that might be developed in the future.
More on this in the weeks ahead.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
Related new stories:
Citizens organize to oppose quarry expansion
Nelson Aggregates releases plan to turn quarry into parkland
 By Gord Pinard
October 22, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There are two things we would like to share with you today.
The first is this: we raised $8140 with our Pumpkin Fundraiser! We are absolutely floored by this number. Never in our most optimistic moments did we imagine that we could raise that much money from the sale of pumpkins. Thank you so very much to all of you who donated in varying amounts to this fundraiser. We are feeling encouraged in the truest sense of the word: your generosity has given us courage to continue this fight to protect our beautiful escarpment from the permanent environmental destruction that will arise if Nelson Aggregate’s application for two more open-pit mines is approved.
 The existing quarry has a number of years left. Community resident want this to be the end of open pit mines on the Escarpment. Which brings us to the second thing: CORE Burlington consists of thirteen of your neighbours who have been working our hearts out for a year now, trying in every way we know how to stop this application from succeeding. We’re researching, reading dry reports on subjects that are new to us; we’re communicating to the public via our website, social media and email, in order to educate and update; we’re calling for critical emails-to-officials as required throughout the application process—which is complicated and involves approval from five different agencies!
 The shaded areas to the left and at the bottom are where Nelson Aggregates wants to expand But mostly, lately, we’ve been fundraising. Unquestionably the best shot we have at beating Nelson is to counter the case put forth in the review process by their lawyers and experts, with the case put forward by ours. We’ve raised just over $50,000 thus far, which we think is incredible. But we need to raise another $50K over the next few months and additional funding in 2021/22 in order to continue funding the expert help that has already begun.
Our fundraising team needs more worker-bees. We need help with planning and doing and donating and delivering. We also need some place to store the ‘in-kind’ donations we’ve been accumulating. Our next project is likely to be a pre-order gift basket sale for Christmas. We’d like to do an online silent auction as well, since we’ve had several wonderful silent auction items donated in the past while.
Is there anything you can do to help? Are you willing and able to join the CORE Burlington fundraising team? We’ve been doing our work via phone-calls, zoom meetings, emails and outdoor, distanced meetings. It’s been challenging to do this work during a pandemic, but we’re pretty pleased with our fundraising results so far. And we’re (honestly) having fun. Doing this sort of work is not such a bad way to find light and inspiration in these darkening COVID days.
Related news story:
The CORE argument
Gord Pinard is the spokesperson for Conserving our Rural Ecosystems
By Pepper Parr
October 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was one heck of a meeting, delivered in a workshop format
Angelo Bentivegna got to serve as chair; Jamie Tellier, currently the Interim Director of Community Planning, set out all the work the Planning Department has ahead of it. Councillor Stolte learned why zoning bylaw reports are numbered the way they are and city manager assured council that the 22 people that have to be added to the planning department staff will not all be taken on in one year – building the staff compliment will take about five years.
 Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna is in the Chair Tellier has a delivery style that is a delight to hear – he laughs at the few mistakes he makes and chuckles frequently when he is explaining something. He is the kind of person who really puts the J in Joy. He used a number of slides to get his message across.
 The numbers startled several of the Councillors – there was more to come. Tellier started out by telling Councillor that with the Scoped Review of the Downtown portion of the Official Plan completed and the Interim Control Bylaw in place until all the appeals at that level are completed, the planners now get on with the real job of growing the planning department so that it can cope with the work that is ahead of it.
Tellier set out the organizational structure that is in place with three different working groups set out in the graphic below.
Council has always believed that development should pay for the work the planning department has to do. A consultant has been hired to do a Planning Application Fee Review; that report is due sometime in November.
Once full cost recovery is in place the planners will be able to bring in the staff they will need.
Tellier didn’t even try to hide his excitement over just how big a deal the passing of the Official Plan earlier in October was. “It was the end of a very long journey,” he said.
The next phase of that journey will take place at the Region on Wednesday (today) where the matter of the Urban Growth Boundary will be reviewed as well as the boundaries for what used to be called transportation hubs. They are now described as Major Transit Service Areas. (MTSA)
 Urban Growth and transportation – residential housing locations will be debated at the Region on Wednesday. The John Street bus terminal that was once called an MTSA has been deemed to be just a bus terminal – which is not defined in the the Planning Act and therefore not a concern.
At the Regional Council meeting Mayor Meed Ward expects to be vindicated for her long held position that the John Street bus terminal designation be removed.
There were those in Burlington who said this would never happen. They were wrong.
Burlington will have three MTSAs: Burlington GO station; Aldershot Go Station and the Appleby GO station. Boundaries have been established for all three but have yet to be made final. These MTSA’s are where the growth in residential housing is to take place.
The Gazette will report on what takes place at the Regional Council meeting in detail.
A draft version of the Regional review of the Burlington Official Plan is expected early in November. Council will go over that document – send its comments back to the Region after which the city will have an Official Plan that will be appeal-able at LPAT.
While all this is taking place there is a Land Use Study being done by Dillon that the city expects to see in November.
The Region is also doing a phased Municipal Comprehensive Review as part of its Official Plan Review. The MTSA and UGC questions are part of that process.
Tellier took some delight in pointing out that the fist change to an Official Plan that is yet to be fully Official is on its way. He added that all this is very complex and can be confusing.
The work being done on what were originally known as Transportation hubs, now called MTSAs, will be referred to as Area Specific Plans. That work was started in 2017 and paused in 2019 and has now become part of the work plan for which the city is going to have to hire as many as 22 additional staff.
Tellier and City manager Tim Commisso stressed that these jobs would not be filled in the immediate future and that when they are filled the work they do will be paid for by the fees collected from the developers. The developers will of course add those fees to the cost of the housing they build.
The Planning Department and the Office of the City Solicitor have both submitted their budget requests.
Tellier spent most of the two hours explaining the work the Planning department now had to take on.
There is to be a community housing strategy.
There is to be a review of heritage sites in the downtown core.
 There are Guidelines for everything now. There is the Urban Design thinking, which Tellier described as “the glue” that keeps everything together.
There is a Pre-building permit process that is being put in place – this was intended for individuals who want to build a deck or install a swimming pool who don’t have the experience or skills to work their way through the way city hall works. The intention is to have a single person point of reference. This is covered by the Service Review Study that has taken place.
COVID has forced the city to find a better way of getting documents filed. Developers would come in with boxes and boxes of reports; now everything comes digitally.
 Jamie Tellier explains what is going to be built where on the Joseph Brant Hospital campus. Tellier explained that Planning has had to lean heavily on Information Services for both direction and support.
The Core Commitment is due for a serious review as well.
Tellier gave some insight into the complexity of the work to be done. Much of it involves liaising with legal, roads, transit, transportation and community planning.
In summing up, Tellier cheerfully said: That’s it!
Following all this is going to be a challenge.
 By Ray Rivers
October 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
COVID 19 is helping to reshape our political world. Nowhere was that better seen than in the re-election of New Zealand’s young prime minister, who has led her country and shown the world how to deal with the coronavirus. She was rewarded by the voters with a landslide victory and a first ever parliamentary majority since New Zealand adopted proportional government back in the 1990’s.
By contrast there is the US presidential race and if Trump loses, which appears likely, it will be because of his mishandling of the pandemic. Americans are constantly reminded of the quarter million folks who have died under his watch, despite his assurances that the virus was just a flu and would be gone by last May.
 Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern is a very talented leader who built a coalition with the Green Party on the left and the NZ First on the right and ably governed to the respect of New Zealanders during the devastating global pandemic. But unlike Canada, New Zealand was prepared for the pandemic and it acted swiftly to contain and eliminate the virus months ago.
There have been the inevitable outbreaks since then, a consequence of allowing returning nationals into the country, but they have been contained by contact tracing and mandatory quarantine. Like Canada, New Zealand closed its borders, but it did so much earlier and avoided much of the initial spread we allowed.
Being a unitary state it was easier, no doubt, to effect a consistent national health care policy. That was also true for the early lock down rules which kept people from spreading the virus. New Zealand is an Island but the virus arrived there as it did here – by airline passengers, so that is no excuse for Canada’s much poorer performance.
 New Zealanders are now able to attend sports events and concerts – the Covid19 virus New Zealand’s success can be attributed to its viable and consistent plan which was followed and enforced until the virus was gone in addition to a compliant population who followed the rules and a strong and visionary leader, of course. Today there are only a few active cases remaining – all of which are contained and under quarantine. Meanwhile the rest of the country has gone back to normal. The shops and businesses have re-opened and even crowded sporting events are back.
Masks are no longer required, even on public transport.
The New Zealand economy has taken a hit, along with just about every nation on the planet. International tourism makes up a large portion of the country’s economy. And since the airports are mostly closed to non-citizens, domestic tourism is being promoted to help keep that business sector going.
New Zealand should be a model for how other nations deal with the epidemic and protect their populations. But it is not the only model. Uruguay, another small nation, bordered by Brazil and Argentina, both of which have significant contagions, has done remarkably well. Taiwan with a population five times that of New Zealand has suffered only 7 deaths. And both Uruguay and Taiwan have come through without a lock down so far.
And then there is China, where the virus originated, but which managed to virtually eliminate it in short order and has dealt effectively with the inevitable periodic outbreaks related to foreign travel. But unlike most other nations China’s economy is showing a marked rebound and life is mostly going back to normal.
 Day after day Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario goes before the TV cameras to explain the most recent decision on combating Covid19 So what about Canada? Canada’s focus has always been on ‘Flattening’ rather than ‘Eliminating’ the curve. So when the provincial lock downs had been successful in flattening the infection curve we got carried away with our success, declaring victory and opening up the economy so people could mingle and spread the disease again. We did ask people to wear masks and distance, but the messages were mixed and the test/tracing practices unsuccessful. As sure as night follows day the contagion got a second wind.
Bringing the infection rate down will be much harder this time. Schools are open, cold weather has pushed people inside where the virus is where it wants to be, and we’re COVID fatigued, tired of it all. We’re sick and tired of the restrictions, and the steady stream of bad statistics, and the daily media briefings, and the mixed messages from our politicians, and the economic malaise, and the ever-rising debt we’ll have to reconcile one day.
So perhaps next time our leaders will take a lesson from nations, like new Zealand, which have been successful in overcoming this contagion the first time. And if they do perhaps political rewards, like one kind Jacinda Ardern has just been given, will be in their future as well.
Background links:
Jacinda – New Zealand Gets IT– China Gets It –
 Ray Rivers, born in Ontario earned an economics degree at the University of Western Ontario and a Master’s degree in economics at the University of Ottawa. His 25 year stint with the federal government included time with Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, Agriculture and the Post office. Rivers is active in his community,
October 19th, 2020
 Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health To the Halton community:
Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Halton and without a doubt we are firmly in a second wave of the pandemic. I know that we have asked a lot of you over the past several months and COVID-19 fatigue is very real.
We cannot let our guards down. The time to take collective action is now in order to prevent a much worse scenario and stricter measures in the future. COVID-19 has no borders and we need to work together to stop the spread. It is out of concern for our community that I am strongly recommending that all residents take the following steps immediately:
Limit close contact to people within your household. This means minimizing interactions with people who don’t live in your house, including dining at restaurants and other social gatherings.
Limit non-essential activities. This means trying to stick to essential activities as much as possible such as going to school or work (if you work outside of your home) and using online delivery services for errands when possible.
As always, when you are in public keep a physical distance of two metres (six feet) from those outside of your household, wear a mask when physical distancing is a challenge or when required, wash and sanitize your hands frequently and please stay home if you are sick, even if you have mild cold-like symptoms.
We have learned that many cases are linked to private social gatherings and group activities. We know there is a greater risk of transmitting COVID-19 in particular situations and settings where individuals have close contact with one another, often without a mask and for prolonged periods of time. While Public Health values physical activity and participation in sport, we must take a balanced approach to reduce transmission. To control the spread of the virus, I am also recommending:
Limit all team sports to training only, with proper physical distancing between players and no scrimmages or games.
Suspend all indoor fitness classes.I know this may be difficult to adjust to as fitness and sports are an important part of our routines and help us stay positive through these challenging times.
Please consider other ways to stay active such as online fitness classes for all ages, runs, walks or hikes, or play an outdoor game with people in your household.
Dine at restaurants with people in your household only. I also encourage residents to order take-out or use meal delivery services to continue to support local businesses.
These recommendations are not provincial orders and will not be enforced. While I am strongly recommending residents take these steps, I understand that these may take time to adopt and may not happen overnight. It is my hope that everyone follows these recommendations to the extent possible to protect one another and stop cases from rising in our community. We all have a choice to make right now –between what we want to do and what we need to do.
We still have time to reduce the severity of this second wave, but we need your help to achieve this. We did it before and we can do it again. Thank you to everyone for staying in this together, taking this seriously and above all for being kind to one another. Please continue to visit halton.ca/COVID19for the latest information on cases and public health guidance.
Yours in health,
Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health
By Pepper Parr
October 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
At some point we will learn that the endorsed version of the most recent Official Plan that Council has spent a year and a reported million dollars on has been delivered to the Region.
The Region will review the plan and ensure that it complies with the Regional Official Plan at which point they will send it back to the city where it will again be presented to city council who will give it their stamp of approval (not a rubber stamp, notes the Mayor).
The document has to sit in political purgatory for a short period of time during which people can object to the document and file an appeal to the (LPAT) Local Planning Act Tribunal. That this will happen is almost something you can bet the mortgage payment on.
At some point there will be an official plan in place.
How it got to being the document the city has needed for some time is an interesting story in itself – with more than one story to tell.
Two issues concern us:
The way the Councillor votes were cast at the Standing Committee and the way the votes were cast at the council meeting.
 Councillor Sharman  Councillor Bentiovegna  Councillor Galbraith At the Standing Committee meeting three of the seven members of Council – Galbraith, Sharman and Bentivegna voted against the nine amendments that were introduced.
Councillor Sharman asked Executive Director Heather MacDonald, who is also the Director of Planning, if she supported the amendments – she did not.
Councillors Galbraith and Bentivegna took the same position – without the support of the Chief Planner the validity and integrity of the amendments is suspect from a pure planning perspective.
 Mayor Meed Ward took a moral and ethical stand in introducing amendments to an Official Plan revision that was more than a year in the works. Mayor Meed Ward was correct when she said Council had the right to add amendments, she saw it as the moral and ethical thing to do – even though three of the seven members of council did not support her.
That is a sticky wicket no matter which way you look at it.
It challenges the best advice of the planners and presents less than a united front from the council table.
This is not a strong hand with which to approach the LPAT card table.
The three members of Council who voted against the amendments at Standing Committee and then say at the Council meeting where the vote that counts takes place, that this has gone on long enough and it is time to move on, forget that there are consequences to the decisions they make.
The Gazette fears that this could come back to bite us very hard where it hurts.
Mayor Meed Ward is quick to say that this council has delivered on the election promise and to a considerable degree she has.
She may also have blown it badly with those amendments.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Staff
October 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Residents in southern Burlington – south of the QEW, are reported to be getting a little sloppy about locking their cars at night.
The younger criminal set are finding they can steal small change and at times electronic equipment from unlocked cars.
Halton Police are reminding residents to Lock it or Lose it: there has been a recent increase in overnight thefts in the city, especially south of the QEW.
Over the past few weeks, a significant rise in theft incidents from vehicles has been reported to police. The reported incidents have occurred during the overnight hours and involve thieves entering unlocked vehicles to steal loose change and other valuables from inside.
The latest rash of incidents has occurred across the City, but thieves have been primarily targeting Burlington’s south end, south of the Q.E.W.
As police continue to investigate these crimes, we would like to remind and are urging Burlington residents to remain vigilant by keeping watch for suspicious vehicles and or persons in their neighbourhoods and to report it immediately to police.
Police are reminding the public of the following prevention tips:
• Ensure your unattended vehicle(s) are kept locked/secure
• Never leave personal identification or valuables in your vehicle
• Park in well-lit and attended areas whenever possible
• Never leave spare keys in your vehicle
• If you have to leave valuables in your vehicle, lock them in your trunk. Don’t tempt thieves by leaving packages or purses in plain view or on the seat.
• Remove garage door openers, G.P.S. navigation, cell phone devices and power cords from your vehicle if possible or at the least, removed from view
• Consider installing C.C.T.V. / Surveillance cameras which can capture the crime and aid in suspect identification
• Ensure residences and garages are locked when absent from the home or turning in for the night
• REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO POLICE IMMEDIATELY
Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext. 2316. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
For additional information about community concerns in Burlington, follow us on Twitter @HRPSBurl. Additionally, for the latest crime data, crime prevention tips, news releases and general information – visit the Service’s website www.haltonpolice.ca.
By Pepper Parr
October 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Just what DID Heather say during both the September 30th Standing Committee and the October 7th Council meeting?
Heather, being Executive Director Heather MacDonald who is also the Chief Planner for the city, was asked on multiple occasions if she supported the amendments made to the Official Plan late in the process of revisions being made to the OP that have been ongoing for more than a year.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, standing in the Council Chamber during the singing of the national anthem. The amendment came out of the minds of the Mayor and ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns.
Each of the amendments was strenuously debated at the Standing Committee and done as a recorded vote at the Council meeting.
Specifics on those changes brought forward, and eventually passed at council, will be covered in a separate story – they are a little on the complex side.
 Councillor Sharman – a very deliberate questioner Councillor Sharman led the putting of the question to MacDonald on each item. “Do you support the amendment?”
 Heather MacDonald, on the right with Alison Enns at a public meeting. During the first two amendments MacDonald was a little hesitant – not with her answer but in the way she expressed it. By the third amendment she had her answers formed in her mind and said consistently: “we gave council our best planning advice and are comfortable with what we did”.
She added later that she could not professionally support the amendments. While the consultant the city hired to advise, at a cost of $600,000 plus on a sole sourced contract, was not taking part in the meeting, Sharman asked if he was supportive and MacDonald said he was not.
MacDonald was put in a very awkward position. She and her staff had done a gargantuan job of ensuring that the recommendations put forward were solidly researched and based on defensible planning practices. The numerous studies done were there to support the decisions made.
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns. Then the Mayor and Councillor Lisa Kearns, come forward with major changes – mostly to the east side of Brant Street. There was nothing inherently wrong with the changes – why didn’t they come from the planners?
Councillor Sharman concluded that when (he made a point of not saying if, but when) the plan is appealed to the Local Planning Act Tribunal (LPAT) the city will have to hire new planners because ours, Heather MacDonald, has already said she could not support the amendments.
Councillor Nisan took exception to the mention of hiring lawyers and added that this had already been covered; something that would have been done in one of the now infamous Closed Council Sessions.
This is high stakes stuff at a very professional level – it is the kind of thing one stakes their reputation on. One has to wonder if there was a meeting between MacDonald, city manager Tim Commisso and the Mayor at which MacDonald may have said that she could not support the amendments and would resign before they were passed by Council.
That would have put the fat in the fire.
The planners at every level did some fine work. The amendments took the bloom off the rose; they could have been discussed in detail before it got to the point where the Mayor was challenging the planners.
Meed Ward did say that she understood the position the planners had taken and added that the planners are in place to give council their best thinking.
She also said that Council has a moral and ethical responsibility to do what they believe is best for the city saying “this council is not a rubber stamp”.
There is now a state of tension between Council and the planning department that should not exist.
 Councillor Sharman  Councilor Bentivegna Councillor Galbraith The recorded votes, with one exception, were 4-3: Councillors Sharman, Bentivegna and Galbraith voted against the Mayor’s amendments and the other three siding with the Mayor.
Council Sharman pointed at that there are at least 23 appeals before LPAT – arguing those appeals are going to be a boondoggle for the planning and legal professions.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Staff
October 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
When the lock down was put in place Tammy Fox knew she had a problem – she just didn’t know how big a problem it was going to be.
Today – she knows.
 Tammy Fox, Executive Director Burlington Performing Arts Centre Tammy is the Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre.
The two theatres in the building – one, the Main Theatre, holds 720 people; the other, the Community Studio Theatre, holds 165 people – have been empty for months.
The building needed some attention during the lock-down – while minimal, the costs were nevertheless real.
A very interesting production has been announced that will give young people who have a deep interest in theatre a chance to get some solid experience and mentoring.
Rebuilding the audience is going to take time. The immediate future is iffy at best. The province has limited the number of people who can attend events. “I can’t put much more than 50 people in the Main theatre – close to impossible to pull in the revenue needed to support the operations” said Fox.
“COVID social distancing cuts into what we can earn from the bar.”
On the upside, the Performing Arts Centre has a solid core of patrons who have stayed with us.
Our volunteers have been great – we had them in for a run-through on what it means to manage and direct people when they are entering the theatre and explaining the seating arrangements. We held three separate sessions – 90% of the volunteers have returned to usher people.
During the balance of October there will be:
 A fund raising concert that sold out – broadcast as a live stream of the performance featuring Tom Wilson LEGACY – A Tribute to Gord Downie featuring Tom Wilson is sold out.
The Livestream of the fundraising concert and special evening to celebrate the man, the music and his enduring legacy take place on October 15th and 16th.
BENEATH SPRINGHILL: The Maurice Ruddick Story takes place on October 17th and 18th – at 1:00 pm on both days.
This is the dramatic true tale of seven miners trapped beneath a small mining town and the racial tension that surfaced as a result.
 Elise LeGrow; an impressive chanteuse Elise LeGrow will perform on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 4pm and at 7pm in the Community Studio.
Her voice and storytelling abilities are second to none. She has performed at the Performing Art Centre before to solid audiences.
Then there is the ALTdot Comedy Lounge on Friday Oct 30, 2020 at 7pm and again at 9pm
Featuring Sean Cullen, Jackie Pirico with host Ali Hassan! For 24 years, The ALTdot Comedy Lounge has been one of Toronto’s premiere comedy shows.
 Nancy Brewer, Chair Burlington Performing Arts Centre The Performing Arts Centre has a new Chair, Nancy Brewer, a Chartered Professional Accountant in Burlington. Nancy is actively involved in community service having served as Chair of Joseph Brant Hospital and the Halton Learning Foundation.
Fox has put the finishing touches on the budget for next year – it is going to be painful.
Much depends on how long the current audience limitations are in place – assuming that we don’t slide back into a second lock down – and the arrival of a vaccine that proves to halt the spread of the virus.
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