 By Staff
March 18th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Decisions are being made in the community that give us some sense as to what we might be in for as we struggle to deal with COVID19.
 Most of the “ribbers” may decide to just give up on this season due to COVID19 The chief medical officer of health for Ontario has recommending the immediate suspension of all large events and public gatherings due to COVID-19.
The Oakville Family Ribfest was not scheduled until the end of June 2020 – more than 90 days away.
 A crowd like this isn’t going to be permitted this summer. No word yet from the Sound of Music on what their plans are. The Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar, announced today that the event will be postponed until June of 2021
The health and safety of all the families in our community are our top priority. Strong measures are required to manage the transmission of this virus and the timeline required to eliminate the risk of COVID-19 in Ontario will be prolonged so we believe it is prudent to take this preventative action.
There is much that we do not know about this virus – the biggest over-riding concern may well be how much we have to adapt to cope.
No word on the Burlington Ribfest or the Sound of Music.
 By Ray Rivers
March 18, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
By any other name it’s a community mitigation strategy. But really, social distancing sounds something an advertising executive would dream up. Is it one or two or three meters, and does that mean we don’t need to wear a mask, not that there are any on the empty store shelves? How does one practice social distancing at the security check-in at the airport, or the checkout line at Costco, or at the dinner table in the nursing home?
The Chinese have suffered the onslaught of this COVID 19 coronavirus the most so far, shouldering the largest death rates and biggest blow to their economy, the second largest in the world. But their infection numbers have tumbled in recent days and now they claim most of the new cases are from people coming into China from somewhere else.
 This is what they mean by social distance – it works. Was their apparent success in beating the virus into the ground due to social distancing? Well if that means forcing everyone, by law, to wear a mask in public. Or if all the cinemas and restaurants, etc. are to be shuttered. Or if all travel is banned as it was in Wuhan city and Hubei province.
 Those dogs are not being sold as a pets. Wuhan was where the bug first appeared. It is believed to have mutated or skipped from some kind of disgusting piece of wildlife being sold in the ‘wet markets’ of Wuhan to those stupid enough to eat just about anything. It’s that archaic cultural thing. Rhino horn powder to get you excited and bat soup to help you find your way in the dark. But isn’t that what also gave us SARS a little over a decade ago.
The Chinese authorities have now permanently banned the sale of wildlife everywhere and they have expressed outrage that Mr. Trump has decided to name the disease after the place where it originated.
In apparent retaliation, one Chinese official has claimed that the US army had brought the disease to Wuhan. Russian trolls had also been making those claims, but the last time the American military was anywhere near Wuhan had to be just before Mao came to power. That would make it an incredibly long lived dormant virus.
 An example of cultural differences – this one just isn’t all that healthy. Donald Trump has been accused of racism before and he is no stranger to the blame game. But for some reason China has just expelled some US journalists. Chinese authorities do have a nasty habit of hiding the truth so perhaps this is odious, and not just some kind of retaliation. They had muzzled their own scientists and social media during the early days of the outbreak, for example.
But back here in Canada we have finally done what our health experts said we shouldn’t ever do, that it would be counterproductive. We have banned travel, by airplanes anyway, and closed our borders to all but the Americans. Still it is worrisome that the degree of coronavirus infection in the US is not reliably known, and what numbers they do have are likely underestimates. So wait for it.
And now emergency laws are being enacted in each province to shut down any place anyone would want to go. That should keep us at home except for buying groceries and drugs, and maybe going to work. And then there is this social distancing.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Social Distancing Meaning – Travel restrictions –
Trump’s China Virus – China Wet Market –
 By Pepper Parr
March 17th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There is an upside to this COVID-19 business: in its continuing effort to support citizens and slow down the COVID-19 virus, payment is not required for on-street parking or in municipal parking lots until further notice.
Wow !
This is to take away numerous people touching the same parking machines throughout the day.
 Brian Dean and then ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward holding one of the last coin only parking meters in the city Parking enforcement for lack of payment is also suspended. Machines are being put ‘out-of-order’ and covered with stickers to let patrons know that payment is not required.
Parking enforcement is currently limited to safety-related issues such as fire routes, accessible parking, no parking/stopping areas and blocked areas. Time limit restrictions have been relaxed to help those working from home or self-isolating.
For this measure to be successful and deliver its intended relief, it is imperative that parking permit holders in municipal lots continue to park in their assigned lots.
Residents who would like to dispute a ticket, can do so online or via a phone meeting. Because ticket review requests have dropped in volume, parking services is reducing the number of days per week that online and phone requests will be reviewed.
Online and phone ticket reviews will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., until further notice.
The city advises that the best thing residents can do to protect themselves and the community, is stay home.
The Crisis Management Team (CRT) has certainly busy. Earlier in the day the Mayor announced that the city is now at a Level 3, which means the CMT is Full Activation – High – Crisis – Mission Critical – Impacts the ability for the Corporation and/or Department or other service areas to deliver essential services and/or impacts the community on a large scale. A Level 3 activation would mean the activation of the City’s Emergency Control Group (ECG). No definition of just what power the Emergency Control Group has and how it operates.
For further information and updates, the City has launched the webpage Burlington.ca/coronavirus.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is in “complete support of the City’s decision. The COVID-19 situation has created a lot of uncertainty and worry for many residents — paying for parking while ducking out quickly for food or supplies shouldn’t be one of them.
“In addition, relaxing time limit restrictions will help those community members working from home or self-isolating. These are difficult times, but we will get through them, as long as we continue to follow the advice of our medical professionals and employ social distancing. Please remember to check in on family, friends and neighbours via phone, email and social media.”
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns has advised that “At this time, it’s so important as a city to focus on essential services, including parking.
“Keeping visitors and patrons safe while parking in the downtown remains a priority. We recognize our downtown partners require support as many have temporarily closed or modified operations.”
If all the commercial doors are closed – why will people be downtown? Just asking.
 Lisa Kearns – gets a price for the nicest office decor Kearns adds: “I am encouraged that offering this relief is one additional way we can show that we are all in this together.”
Brian Dean, Executive Director, Burlington Downtown Business Association “appreciates the flexibility in parking operations toward our continued growth in this uniquely challenging time.”
There is a lot of sunshine and lollipop banter in some of the dribble coming out of city hall.
By Pepper Parr
March 17th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Province declared a State of Emergency this morning and put a number of requirements in place.
These measures are an attempt to enforce distance between people, a proven way to slow pandemics.
Experts have also been urging people to practice voluntary “social distancing.” The term has been trending on Twitter, with even President Trump endorsing it on Saturday.
Still, people all over the United States have been out in large numbers at restaurants, bars and even sporting events, suggesting more than a little confusion around what social distancing is and who should be practicing it.
 The graphic makes the point – we can stop the spread of the virus – by keeping distance between us. This is deeply worrying, experts said, because even those who become only mildly ill — and maybe even those who never even know they are infected — can propel the exponential movement of the virus through the population.
They emphasized that it’s important for everyone to practice social distancing, not just those considered to be at high risk or who are seriously ill.
“These are not normal times, this is not a drill, we have never been through anything like this before” said the Ontario Medical Officer of Health.
 Six feet – indoors and outdoors. What exactly is social distancing? We asked experts for practical guidance.
What is social distancing?
Put simply, the idea is to maintain a distance between you and other people — in this case, at least six feet.
That also means minimizing contact with people. Avoid public transportation whenever possible, limit nonessential travel, work from home and skip social gatherings — and definitely do not go to crowded bars and sporting arenas.
“Every single reduction in the number of contacts you have per day with relatives, with friends, co-workers, in school, will have a significant impact on the ability of the virus to spread in the population,”
This strategy saved thousands of lives both during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and, more recently, in Mexico City during the 2009 flu pandemic.
I’m young and don’t have any risk factors. Can I continue to socialize?
Please don’t. There is no question that older people and those with underlying health conditions are most vulnerable to the virus, but young people are by no means immune.
And there is a greater public health imperative. Even people who show only mild symptoms may pass the virus to many, many others — particularly in the early course of the infection, before they even realize they are sick.
So you might keep the chain of infection going right to your own older or high-risk relatives. You may also contribute to the number of people infected, causing the pandemic to grow rapidly and overwhelm the health care system.
 Meetings will be different – and will take some getting used to. If you ignore the guidance on social distancing, you will essentially put yourself and everyone else at much higher risk.
Experts acknowledge that social distancing is tough, especially for young people who are used to gathering in groups. But even cutting down the number of gatherings, and the number of people in any group, will help.
Can I leave my house?
Absolutely. The experts were unanimous in their answer to this question.
When you do leave your home, wipe down any surfaces you come into contact with, disinfect your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer and avoid touching your face. Above all, frequently wash your hands — especially whenever you come in from outside, before you eat or before you’re in contact with the very old or very young.
Can I go to the supermarket?
Yes. But buy as much as you can at a time in order to minimize the number of trips, and pick a time when the store is least likely to be crowded.
When you do go, be aware that any surface inside the store may be contaminated. Use a disinfecting wipe to clean the handle of the grocery cart, for example. Experts did not recommend wearing gloves, but if you do use them, make sure you don’t touch your face until you have removed the gloves.
Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, recommends stowing your cellphone in an inaccessible place so that you don’t absent-mindedly reach for it while shopping. “That could be a transmission opportunity,” she said.
If it’s a long shopping trip, you may want to bring hand sanitizer with you and disinfect your hands in between. And when you get home, wash your hands right away.
Those at high risk may want to avoid even these outings if they can help it, especially if they live in densely populated areas.
Dr. Marrazzo said her mother is an “incredibly healthy” 93-year-old who usually drives herself to the store, but she said she has asked her mother not to go out during this time, because “the risks are too great given the age-related mortality we’re seeing.”
 This is what we need to do every time there is a line up – this is what stops the spread of the virus. It’s O.K. to go outdoors for fresh air and exercise — to walk your dog, go for a hike or ride your bicycle, for example. The point is not to remain indoors, but to avoid being in close contact with people.
You may also need to leave the house for medicines or other essential resources. But there are things you can do to keep yourself and others safe during and after these excursions.
When you do leave your home, wipe down any surfaces you come into contact with, disinfect your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer and avoid touching your face. Above all, frequently wash your hands — especially whenever you come in from outside, before you eat or before you’re in contact with the very old or very young.
Can family come to visit?
That depends on who is in your family and how healthy they are.
“Certainly, sick family should not visit,” said Dr. Marrazzo. “If you have vulnerable people in your family, or who are very old, then limit in-person contact.”
But if everyone in the family is young and healthy, then some careful interaction in small groups is probably OK. “The smaller the gathering, the healthier the people are to start with, the lower the risk of the situation is going to be,” she said.
At the same time, you don’t want family members to feel isolated or not have the support of loved ones, so check in with them by phone or plan activities to do with them on video.
Can I take my kids to the playground?
That depends. If your children have any illness, even if it’s not related to the coronavirus, keep them at home.
If they seem healthy and desperately need to burn energy, outdoor activities such as bike rides are generally OK. But “people, especially in higher-risk areas, may want to think twice about trips to high-traffic public areas like the playground,” said Dr. Neha Chaudhary, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School.
Kids also tend to touch their mouths, noses and faces constantly, so parks or playgrounds with few kids and few contaminated surfaces are ideal. Take hand sanitizer with you and clean any surfaces with disinfecting wipes before they play.
Serious illness from this virus in kids is rare, so the kids themselves might be safe. “That doesn’t mean they can’t come home and give it to Grandma,” said Dr. Marazzo.
So kids should wash their hands often, especially before they come into contact with older or high-risk family members.
 I’m scared to feel alone. Is there anything I can do to make this easier?
It’s a scary and uncertain time. Staying in touch with family and friends is more important than ever, because we are biologically hard-wired to seek each other out when we are stressed, said Dr. Jonathan Kanter, director for the Center for Science of Social connection at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Dr. Kanter said he was particularly worried about the long-term impact of social isolation on both the sick and the healthy. The absence of physical touch can have a profound impact on our stress levels, he said, and make us feel under threat.
He said even imagining a warm embrace from a loved one can calm the body’s fight-or-flight response.
In the meantime, we are lucky enough to have technologies at hand that can maintain social connections. “It’s important to note that social distancing does not mean social isolation,” Dr. Chaudhary said.
She suggested people stay connected via social media, chat and video. Be creative: Schedule dinners with friends over FaceTime, participate in online game nights, plan to watch television shows at the same time, enroll in remote learning classes. It’s especially important to reach out to those who are sick or to high-risk people who are self-isolating. “A phone call with a voice is better than text, and a video chat is better than a telephone call,” Dr. Kanter said.
 It is a very simple rule – follow it. How long will we need to practice social distancing?
That is a big unknown, experts said. A lot will depend on how well the social distancing measures in place work and how much we can slow the pandemic down. But prepare to hunker down for at least a month, and possibly much longer.
In British Columbia, the recommendations on social distancing have continued to escalate with the number of infections and deaths, and as the health system has become increasingly strained.
“For now, it’s probably indefinite,” Dr. Marrazzo said. “We’re in uncharted territory.”
By Staff
March 17, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Today, the Government of Ontario announced that it is declaring an emergency under the the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
In doing so, Ontario is using every power possible to continue to protect the health and safety of all individuals and families.
 Premier Doug Ford with members of his Cabinet declaring a State of Emergency “We are facing an unprecedented time in our history,” said Premier Ford. “This is a decision that was not made lightly. COVID-19 constitutes a danger of major proportions. We are taking this extraordinary measure because we must offer our full support and every power possible to help our health care sector fight the spread of COVID-19. The health and well being of every Ontarian must be our number one priority.”
As a result of this declaration and its associated orders, the following establishments are legally required to close immediately:
 Groups of 50 are the limit and only in specific circumstances • All facilities providing indoor recreational programs;
• All public libraries;
• All private schools as defined in the Education Act;
• All licensed child care centres;
• All bars and restaurants, except to the extent that such facilities provide takeout food and delivery;
• All theatres including those offering live performances of music, dance, and other art forms, as well as cinemas that show movies; and
• Concert venues.
Further, all organized public events of over fifty people are also prohibited, including parades and events and communal services within places of worship. These orders were approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and will remain in place until March 31, 2020, at which point they will be reassessed and considered for extension, unless this order is terminated earlier.
“We are acting on the best advice of our Chief Medical Officer of Health and other leading public health officials across the province,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We know these measures will affect people’s every day lives, but they are necessary to ensure that we can slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our people.
We’re working with all partners across the system, from public health to hospitals and community care, to do everything we can to contain this virus and ensure that the system is prepared to respond to any scenario.”
“Our government is taking an important step to protect Ontarians by declaring a provincial emergency through the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, establishing Ontario’s ability to quickly implement and enforce orders in the public interest,” said Solicitor General Jones. “Our government will continue to respond to this outbreak by limiting the exposure of individuals to COVID-19 and ensure the health and well-being of all Ontarians.”
Ontario is also investing up to $304 million to enhance the province’s response to COVID-19 by providing the following:
• $100 million for increased capacity in hospitals to assist with the effective treatment of COVID-19 patients both in critical care and medicine beds.
• $50 million for more testing and screening through public health, including additional funding to support extraordinary costs incurred to monitor, detect and contain COVID-19 in the province. This includes contact tracing, increased laboratory testing capacity and home testing.
• $50 million to further protect frontline workers, first responders and patients by increasing the supply of personal protective equipment and other critical supplies and equipment to protect them.
• $25 million to support frontline workers working in COVID-19 assessment centres, including the creation of a new fund to provide respite care, child care services and other supports as they are needed.
• $50 million for long-term care homes&nb sp;to support 24/7 screening, additional staffing to support infection control and additional supplies.
 Providing for those moat at risk. • $20 million for residential facilities in developmental services, gender-based services and protective care for children and youth to support additional staffing, respite for caregivers impacted by school closures, personal protective equipment and supplies and transportation costs to minimize client exposure and to support social distancing, as well as additional cleaning costs.
• $5 million to protect seniors in retirement homes through increased infection control and active screening procedures.
• $4 million for Indigenous communities to support transportation costs for health care professionals and the distribution of critical supplies.
 By Staff
March 17th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Premier of Ontario declared a State of emergency this morning.
Effective immediately and up until March 31 the following have been ordered closed by the province
Churches – worship services – not more than 50 people
Day care – closed immediately
Indoor recreation closed
Private schools –closed
Bars and restaurants – closed – the exception is tale out service.
Theatres – closed
A more detailed report is expected from the province within the hour.
Related news story:
All the details on the State of Emergency in Ontario
 By Pepper Parr
March 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
To protect the public and City staff and to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 virus, all City facilities including City Hall continue to be closed to public until Monday, April 6. City operations, services and responses are focused on protecting the community from COVID-19 and urgent matters.
While Mayor Meed Ward has not yet declared an official emergency on COVID-19, the City of Burlington activated its Crisis Management Team (CMT) on Friday, March 13 to coordinate City efforts to protect public and staff from the spread of COVID-19, while maintaining essential City services to the community.
The activation of the CMT is a phased approach as part of the City’s Emergency Management Program. The City of Burlington has four (4) levels of emergency activation, which mirrors that of Halton Region and the Province.
Alert Level – Very Low – Manageable – has no immediate impact on service operations or resources.
Level 1 – Enhanced Monitoring – Low – Disruptive Impacts a small subset of essential services or a broad range of essential services for a short period of time or has no immediate impact but impacts will grow if not addressed in a timely manner.
Level 2 Partial Activation – Medium – Issue/Crisis Management and/or Disaster Management. An event, procedure, practice or action that may trigger a crisis community centric (public facing) and / or a corporate /department impact disaster that occurs (internal facing with service line impact(s).
Level 3 Full Activation – High – Crisis – Mission Critical – Impacts the ability for the Corporation and/or Department or other service areas to deliver essential services and/or impacts the community on a large scale.
Currently, the City is at Level 2.
A Level 3 activation would mean the activation of the City’s Emergency Control Group (ECG).
During the onset of this pandemic, the City started tracking outbreaks geographically. As the numbers of the infected population started to spread, we increased our level to an enhanced monitoring state and proactively pulled together our Rapid Response Team which was comprised of executive representatives across the corporation to collaborate and strategize means of preventing the spread of COVID-19 across our corporation and in the community. Upon receiving information of infected residents of Burlington and monitoring staff returning from declared countries in self-isolation, the City of Burlington decided to activate its Crisis Management Team under a Level 2 – Partial Emergency Activation.
In alignment with the approach from the federal government, the best thing residents can do to protect themselves and the community is stay home, except for essential trips.
 City buildings closed to general public access effective March 16 include:
NEW – Burlington Performing Arts Centre
NEW – Provincial Offences Courtrooms will be closed from March 16 through April 3; however the Courthouse remains open for business.
City Hall – phone/online/drop box still available
Roads, Parks and Forestry
Burlington Transit – Transit Operations Centre
Animal Shelter
City offices in SIMs Square office building – 390 Brant St.
414 Locust St. offices
Burlington Fire Headquarters and all stations
In addition to all Parks and Recreation services and programs being cancelled and facilities being closed, residents are asked to avoid using City playgrounds until further notice.
Essential services including Burlington Fire, Burlington Transit including Handi-Van, Halton Court Services, Traffic Services, Roads, Parks and Forestry Operations and Animal Control Services will continue to operate as needed to support urgent needs in our community.
Burlington Transit continues to have its buses sprayed with disinfectant to sanitize all buses.
Service Burlington will continue to operate via phone 905-335-7600 and email city@burlington.ca and we encourage residents to reach out if they have questions about COVID-19. Residents can also access services using the City of Burlington mobile app. A drop box outside of City Hall is available to drop off documents. Residents are encouraged to delay any non-essential business.
All Burlington Citizen Advisory Committee meetings have been cancelled until April 5, 2020. It is possible that meetings scheduled later into April may also be cancelled or delayed as needed.
The following meetings are cancelled:
March 18 – Agricultural and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee
March 18 – Sustainable Development Advisory Committee
March 23 – Seniors Advisory Committee
March 23 – Committee of Adjustment
March 23 – Integrated Transportation Advisory Committee
March 27 – Inclusivity Advisory Committee
March 31 – Council Workshop
March 31 – Cycling Advisory Committee
April 1 – Mayor’s Millennial Committee
April 1 – Mundialization Committee
This situation is evolving every hour and we are continually monitoring. The City of Burlington will continue to keep you informed.
For further information and updates, the City has launched the webpage Burlington.ca/coronavirus.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said today that:
 Marianne Meed Ward – Mayor “COVID-19 is a very real threat to our city and the world, and we know it is understandably causing a great deal of fear and anxiety. The City has activated our emergency planning at a level 2, which allows us to respond appropriately right now.
However, we are monitoring the situation hourly and prepared to escalate if needed, working closely with our federal, provincial, regional and municipal partners. We at the City of Burlington are focused on the health and well-being of our residents as our number one priority. I encourage everyone to stay engaged with our communications to ensure you are updated and informed.
Similar to the announcement made today by Toronto’s Medical Office of Health, I would also encourage Burlington’s bars and restaurants to close to seated patrons.
Businesses offering takeout food options could remain open to offer that option to the public. As our public health officials have maintained, these steps help to flatten the growth curve of COVID-19.
We will also be watching for announcements from the federal government later this week regarding supports for business and individuals whose livelihood has been impacted by this crisis.”
By Staff
March 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Dr. David Williams, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health and Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region confirmed the fourth case of COVID-19 in Halton region earlier today.
Halton’s fourth case, a male resident from Burlington in his 30s, returned to Toronto from Miami on March 10 (Flight AC1645; Air Canada).
He became symptomatic on March 10, and presented himself for testing at Joseph Brant Hospital on March 14.
As per established infection prevention and control protocols, the hospital took all precautions, including testing in an isolated environment with all necessary personal protective equipment. Halton Region Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management. The case is self-isolating at home.
“While we continue to see more cases, I want to reassure residents that most individuals who do contract COVID-19 with mild symptoms will recover on their own,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “Please continue to follow the advice provided by health care professionals, self-monitor or self-isolate as appropriate and simply stay at home if you are feeling unwell.”
“The individual was tested at Joseph Brant Hospital in an isolated environment. Our care team continues to follow all necessary infection prevention protocols and procedures,” said Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer at Joseph Brant Hospital. “We are taking all necessary precautions as we screen and care for residents of Halton, and keep our patients, our visitors, our physicians and staff safe.”
Halton Region Public Health is focusing on those most at risk of COVID-19.
Our current priority is to hear from:
• health care providers who are seeking or reporting information;
• residents who have travelled to Hubei province (China), Iran or Italy; and
• residents who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Not everyone requires testing. Most people with mild symptoms will recover on their own at home. Get rest, drink fluids, eat well and stay home. You do not need to contact Public Health.
If you are high-risk, please call 311. If you have SEVERE symptoms, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
Moving forward, in lieu of issuing media releases for each new case, Halton Region will report all new confirmed cases of COVID-19 at halton.ca/COVID19.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed by regularly reviewing credible information sources. For more information on COVID-19 including symptoms, risk and when to contact Halton Region Public Health, please visit halton.ca/COVID19. To get the latest information on cases in Ontario and to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19, please visit ontario.ca/coronavirus.
 By Pepper Parr
March 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Is it www. burlington.ca/coronavirus on the city’s web site that you go to for information or is it the Get Involved – the city’s portal where the answers to every question are supposed to reside, that citizens should go to for information on the COVID19 pandemic?
 Nothing on the Get Involved portal about COVID19 There is nothing on the Get Involved site.
And what there is on the coronavirus section of the city web site won’t help very much.
Is the City Manager calling the shots? He should be – his job is to run the city. If the elected members of council want him to do things differently, all it takes is a meeting of city council and the issuance of a Staff Direction.
And what’s with the Mayor possibly declaring a State of emergency – and what would that mean?
City Manager Commisso tells us that the Crisis Management Team (CMT) is now at Level 2.
What did Level 1 mean; what is the difference between level 1 and level 2 and how many levels are there ? Could the city not release just what the differences between the various levels are?
Might sound like a silly question – but could we be assured that the Mayor is Part of the Crisis Management Team?
A Rapid Response Team has been created at the City that includes staff from across the organization. The Team’s purpose is to review the latest information received from provincial, regional and public health sources and advise on appropriate actions needed related to City activities. Could the public be given a better sense as to just what that team has done?
During times of crisis one voice; one source of information and the Mayor standing there beside the city manager is what citizens need to see.
A photo of the Crisis Management Team seated around a conference table would help.
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
March 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Provincial public parks will be open but not to large groups of people – large is defined as 250 people.
Today, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued the following statement related to Ontario Parks operations in response to COVID-19:
 One of he province’s provincial parks. “Public safety and the well-being of our visitors and staff in Ontario’s provincial parks is our top priority. In response to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health’s recommendation to immediately suspend large events and public gatherings of over 250 people, Ontario Parks has cancelled all planned events until further notice. All public Ontario Parks buildings, such as visitor centres, will be closed as well.
“Outdoor recreational opportunities including camping and day use will still be available at operating parks.
“Appropriate cleaning measures continue to be undertaken to reduce risk to staff and visitors within buildings. Ontario Parks will also enhance cleaning of public areas that remain open, including washrooms.
“Individuals or groups wishing to cancel their current reservations for arrivals up to April 30, 2020 will be provided a full refund or the opportunity to change their reservation depending on availability, with no penalty.”
Ontario Parks will monitor developments and reassess on April 1, 2020 and April 15, 2020.”
By Staff
March 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In a letter to parents and guardians of Halton District school board students, the Director of Education Stuart Miller said:
 Halton District Public School Board Director of Education Stuart Miller. As communicated yesterday evening, the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health announced that all publicly-funded schools in Ontario will be closed for two weeks following March Break in response to the emergence of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) in the province.
As a result, all schools and Board offices in the Halton District School Board will be closed from Saturday, March 14 – Sunday, April 5, 2020. At this time, schools are scheduled to re-open on Monday, April 6.
We recognize the significant impact this will have on students, families, staff and communities. This precautionary measure is being taken to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and help keep our communities safe.
We are committed to supporting families and providing you with accurate information and resources. We are compiling a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) which will be posted on the HDSB website in the following week.
The purpose of this closure is to slow the spread of the virus by reducing the amount of personal contact. This extraordinary measure, taken in the interests of public health, and the safety of our students and staff, can only be effective if we all minimize our exposure, and maximize our diligence, during this period.
We encourage all HDSB families and staff to follow the advice of public health authorities and the federal government. Today, the Government of Canada announced that Canadians should avoid all non-essential travel outside of the country effective immediately.
As a Board, we want to ensure we use the two-week closure period to reduce the risk of contagion when schools re-open. We therefore ask that during this time, you follow the advice of public health authorities and avoid public gatherings and travel outside Canada, and self-isolate as required, so that when schools re-open we can be confident that we have all done our part to keep students and staff safe.
Child care, EarlyON Centres, March Break camps, school rentals
As HDSB schools will be closed from March 14 – April 5, all child care centres, March Break camps and EarlyOn programs operating in school facilities will not be running. We have cancelled all community use rentals and bookings for the duration of the shut-down.
Online Learning Resources
The Ministry of Education is exploring online learning resources for students during the two-week period following March Break. We will communicate with families once we receive further information.
Status of the School Year
At this time, we have no information to share about whether the school year will be extended. That decision will be communicated as soon as we have that information.
Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through SchoolMessenger, www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
By Staff
March 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In light of recent developments in the region with respect to COVID-19, the Halton Regional Police Service is revising their call taking procedures.
Effective immediately, if you are calling our Service through either the non-emergency number, or via 9-1-1, you will be asked a series of strategic screening questions so that we can better assess the risk of potential exposure to COVID-19.
 911 operator at information console These screening questions, informed and guided by Public Health, will ensure that our officers are donning the appropriate personal protective equipment (incl. gloves and masks). This is for the protection of our frontline officers, as well as the protection of those we serve.
We urge members of our community to continue to use our non-emergency line and 9-1-1 line appropriately. Additionally, we wish to remind residents that for general information regarding programs and services offered by the Region of Halton, they may call 3-1-1.
By Staff
March 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
After first deciding to keep the doors open the Burlington Performing Arts Centre will be following the guidelines recommended by our provincial, municipal, and cultural partners to suspend all Main Theatre events and regular box office hours of operation until Monday, April 6th.
 Main Theater closed – Community Theater will be open. Ontario’s chief medical officer of health is recommending the immediate suspension of all large events and public gatherings of over 250 people due to COVID-19. The Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA) is encouraging venues to temporarily suspend ‘final ticket sale’ policies and asking patrons who may be feeling ill to stay home. Our partners at the City of Burlington have elected to close facilities and cancel services for a 3-week period.
In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, BPAC will be suspending all events in the Main Theatre for the remainder of our 19/20 Presents season, and all rental events in the Main Theatre, as well as regular box office operations, until Monday, April 6th. The box office will continue to operate through phone and email communication.
The following upcoming events have been cancelled:
• Bay City Rollers – TUE MAR 17
• May The Force Be With You – THU APR 2
• The Dreamboats – FRI APR 3
• Burlington Teen Tour Band – SUN APR 5
• Cirque Eloize: Hotel – FRI APR 10 & SAT APR 11
Tickets purchased online for these events will receive automatic refunds online. Tickets purchased by visiting the BPAC Box Office in person or over the phone will be refunded by Box Office staff.
Performances in our 160-seat Community Studio Theatre will go ahead as scheduled as we continue to assess the situation on a daily basis. The Box Office and Lobby will be open 1-hour prior to the following events:
• Old Man Flanagan’s Ghost – TUE MAR 17, 7:30pm
• Kevin Fox: Songs for Cello & Voice – SAT MAR 21, 7:30pm
• Elise LeGrow – SUN MAR 22, 7pm
If you have recently traveled or if you feel any symptoms of a cold or flu, we ask that you do not attend. Please stay at home and contact the Box Office for a full refund.
The safety and comfort of our patrons, volunteers, artists, and staff are of utmost importance. We are making sure that our staff and volunteers are well aware of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, we are installing hand sanitizing stations at our entrances, and focusing on keeping our venue clean and sanitary. Even so, we assure all patrons that nobody will be expected to attend these events if you are not comfortable to do so, and a full refund will be issued to you.
Box Office Information
Phone: 905.681.6000
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
440 Locust Street,
Burlington, ON, L7S 1T7
By Staff
March 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton has made the difficult but necessary decision to close a number of their park operations.
Conservation Halton Administration’s Office will be closed to the public but will continue to operate through phone and email communications. We will also continue to receive deliveries and accept well water samples.
Mountsberg will be closed and Maple Town, as a result, will also be closed for the remainder of the season.
 The walkway will be closed at Crawford lake. Crawford Lake will be open, with trail access, but the Longhouse Village will be closed for the immediate future and Sweet Water Season will be closed for the remainder of the season.
 You will be able to walk the trail Rattlesnake Point, Hilton Falls, Mount Nemo and Robert Edmondson will remain open, with trail access, but facilities, such as visitor centres, indoor washrooms, gift shops and food services, will be closed for the immediate future, so visitors are encouraged to plan ahead.
Glen Eden will be closed for the remainder of the season.
“We understand the importance of access to nature for community health and wellness, so we have worked to keep as many of the trails as possible open for public access,” said Hassaan Basit, Chief Administrative Officer. “With so many of our industry partners closing to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we feel it is our responsibility to support these efforts.”
“Conservation Halton will look to reassess park operations on April 6.”
You can find more information and updates on park closures at conservationhalton.ca
By Pepper Parr
March 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
BREAKING NEWS: At noon: 20 more cases confirmed in Ontario, taking the provincial total to 79.
The Pandemic, something we have not seen in more than 100 years, is upon us.
The biggest tool we have going for us is our own individual behavior.
 Individual protective measures are the strongest tool we have at this point. Take care of yourself. Our different levels of government have the job of keeping us informed.
This is a manageable situation. Letting any sense of panic prevail is the worst thing we can do. There is plenty of toilet paper inventory.
Watch for and pay attention to the latest health, safety, and cleanliness protocols to protect yourself.
The evidence seems to suggest that the more vulnerable are at the highest risk. Older people with existing health problems are going to need extra help. Determine who those people are in your life and make time for them.
At this point our biggest problem for many households is what they are going to do with the kids with schools closed for the next three weeks.
And at the same time – taking care of yourselves.
Limit the time you spend with large groups. Ontario’s chief medical officer Dr. David Williams says to “avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada” and the “immediate suspension” of all gatherings over 250 people because of the risks of coronavirus.
Wash your hands – often!
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. …
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. …
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
By Pepper Parr
March 12th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The oncologist, who works at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton and lives in Burlington, was tested as having COVID19 virus symptoms and is at home self-isolating for a period of 14 days.
Her spouse, who is a surgeon at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, also treated an unknown number of patients at the Charlton Avenue hospital before he too went into self-isolation at their Burlington home Tuesday night.
The Gazette has a question: Do the parents have children and have those children been sent to school?
 Dr Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Heath. Burlington finally got to hear from Dr. Hamidah Meghani, the Halton Medical Officer of Health (MoH) who said “Our case was not symptomatic on her flight, on her journey home, so we should not be worried about that situation,” said Meghani. “At this time the risk is associated with symptoms.”
 Dr. Barry Lumb at a media event. Hamilton Health Sciences physician-in-chief Dr. Barry Lumb said the oncologist “did not have respiratory symptoms” such as coughing, sneezing or fever.”
Dr. Meghani said she had “some mild respiratory symptoms.”
Which was it?
The news conference was cut off after less than 30 minutes and it wasn’t until the city held a second media availability in Hamilton at 3 p.m. that reporters were able to have all of their questions heard.
This is not the time to fumble the flow of information to the public.
Related news stories:
MoH was MIA
First COVID19 case in Halton
 By Pepper Parr
March 11th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The citizens of the city got an opportunity to have their say on how Climate Change was going to be managed. More than seventeen delegated at city hall earlier this week.
We are looking at a 30 year challenge during which everyone is going to have to change the way they do some things.
 52,000 homes will need to be retrofitted in the next ten years; 100% of new vehicles purchase in ten years to be electric; 50% of all vehicles to be electric. Is this actually possible? The City Action Plan has seven sections – with three getting the immediate focus.
 The red bars are the immediate thrust. The seven are:
1.Low Carbon New Buildings
2.Deep Energy Retrofit Program (existing buildings)
3.Renewable Energy Co-operative
4.Integrated Mobility Initiatives
5.Electric Mobility & equipment
6.Waste Reduction
7.Industry
The very lengthy report in which the challenge and the plan was set has the feel of something written by lawyers with numerous provisos.
This analysis has been undertaken to identify a low carbon energy pathway for the community of Burlington.
Reasonable skill, care and diligence have been exercised to assess the information acquired during the preparation of this analysis, but no guarantees or warranties are made regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information. This document, the information it contains, the information and basis on which it relies, and factors associated with implementation of the pathway are subject to changes that are beyond the control of the authors.
The information provided by others is believed to be accurate, but has not been verified.
The population and employment projections that inform the analysis are based on information from the June 26, 2015 Region Official Plan Consolidation to 2031 at the time the document was published, and further projections from 2031 to 2050 are an estimate for the purpose of the Burlington Climate Action Plan, and were developed by the authors of this report for this exercise, and do not constitute projections for the purposes of land use planning.
This analysis includes high level estimates of costs and revenues that should not be relied upon for design or other purposes without verification.
 BAU is Business as Usual; LC is low carbon, The challenge is in the graph. Of the seven parts to the Plan, three are the focus at this point in time
1.Low Carbon NewBuildings
2.Deep Energy RetrofitProgram (existingbuildings)
3.Renewable Energy Co-operative
The bigger picture will be supported by a lot of community engagement. The work that has to be done cannot be done by staff at city hall alone.
This is an all hands on deck exercise
While it is a world-wide problem it comes down to what each household does. The role of the city of Burlington is to be the Organizer –capacity builder, Collaborator, Community engagement –education & awareness champion, Leading by example, processing permits & approvals, advocacy –senior levels of government, programs, incentives, regulator & funder
How this will all come together:
City Staff will lead; there will be a Stakeholder Advisory Committee, three Task Teams: Energy Retrofits; Renewable Energy and Electric Mobility & Equipment.
Partnerships will include Bay Area Climate Change Office/Council–Halton Climate Collective–Clean Air Partnership & Council–QUEST–The Atmospheric Fund Implementation Structure
 Lynn Robichaud The objective is to make Burlington a carbon neutral community
Lynn Robichaud, serves as the Senior Sustainability Coordinator
By Pepper Parr
March 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Last week Judy Pryde, Executive Director of Community Living Burlington, wrote to Parents, Guardians and members of the Community about novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
She was writing to provide an update on the virus and report that to date there have been no confirmed cases in the Halton Region.
The province reports that there have been 31 confirmed cases in the province. In its report they provided a lot of detail that came from the Toronto Medical Officer of Health (MoH), Dr. David Williams, who confirmed two more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Ontario to 31. Of these, four cases in the province are all resolved, with each of those patients having two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
A female in her 60s returned from France on March 2, 2020 and presented herself to Scarborough Health Network – General Site’s emergency department, in Toronto, on March 7. A male in his 60s returned from Washington, D.C. on March 3, 2020 and presented himself to North York General Hospital’s emergency department, also in Toronto, on March 7.
Dr. Williams reported that: “In both cases, the hospital took all necessary precautions and followed standard operating procedures, including testing and assessment. The patients have been discharged home where they remain in self-isolation. Toronto Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management.
He added that: “As a result of the coordinated efforts of our health care and public health system, all individuals who have tested positive have been quickly assessed and isolated.
“At this time, the virus is not circulating locally. However, given the global circumstances, Ontario is actively working with city and health partners to plan for the potential of local spread. The province continues to carefully monitor this situation and encourage residents to stay informed by regularly reviewing credible information sources.”
 Halton Medical Officer of Health (MoH) Dr. Hamidah Meghani The province is taking the socially responsible action of informing and advising the public. That appears to be much more than Halton’s MoH Dr. Hamidah Meghani is prepared to do; there hasn’t been a word from the Region to local media. Missing in Action (MIA) would appear to be an appropriate term.
Judy Pryde at Community Living Burlington said” We are keeping the employees of our agency up to date on this virus and we are re-emphasizing the need for caution and understanding around COVID-19.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infection that includes fevers, cough or breathing difficulty. At this point in time, there is no treatment for this infection and no vaccine.
Travel Health Advisory:
As of February 27, 2020, seven countries have been identified to be at higher risk for COVID-19, namely China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.
Community Living Burlington is asking all staff and families who travel to COVID-19 impacted countries need to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days upon return. If symptoms develop, please immediately self-isolate and call Halton Region Public Health at 311, 905-825-6000 or toll free at 1-866-442-5866. To date, all employees have been working cooperatively with these regulations.
How to Prevent the Spread of Respiratory Viruses
The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses including COVID-19 is to:
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; if no tissue is available, then sneeze or cough into the sleeve or arm;
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly; and
• Stay home if ill until your symptoms resolve.
 Judy Pryde, Executive Director Community Living Burlington “We will continue to send out information to our parents and guardians as things progress around this virus. The health and well-being of our employees and your family members is of upmost importance.
Kudos to Ms Pryde for doing the job Halton taxpayers hired the MoH to do. The mission of Community Living Burlington is to enrich the quality of life and to promote full and meaningful inclusion in our community of individuals who have a developmental disability.
By Pepper Parr
March 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It is still coming out in dribs and drabs but at least the people who are going to have to pick up the tab for the legal challenges to the January 30th council decision unanimously approving the revised recommendations from the findings of the Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) Land-Use Study, including the approval of the proposed Official Plan (OPA) and Zoning Bylaw (ZBA) amendments resulting from that study, now know a little bit more.
The Council decision was made before the one-year ICBL deadline of March 5, 2020.
In remarks in the Mayor’s March Newsletter we learn that:
“The recommended OPA and ZBA are the result of an extensive technical review by third-party consultants and City planning staff, public input (including written and oral submissions from the development industry), and Council deliberation.
 Mayor uses March Newsletter to dribble out a little bit more information on the legal challenges to the recent flood of appeals to LPAT. “Our current Official Plan (OP) is in full legal compliance with all applicable provincial documents, as are its approved updates, after the province’s Places to Grow Act and the density targets that were established and embedded into our OP. This latest update dealt with better defining the Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) that to this point had never been defined.
“Since Council’s decision on Jan. 30, the City’s OPA and ZBA have been appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). These appeals will extend the ICBL’s development freeze on the downtown and Burlington GO area until they are resolved. It’s important to note, the appeals to the City’s ZBA are what caused the freeze to continue — the OPA appeals would not have.
“The bulk of the number of appeals dealt only with the OPA. If the remaining appeals are resolved quickly, the development freeze would be lifted. It is typical and expected that the most likely course of action may be a grouping of these appeals to LPAT, where they address similar issues. That remains to be seen.
“Official plans are constantly changing. Burlington’s OP has changed 119 times (since 1997). Some of those changes the City initiated, others were developer initiated (those who had applied for OPAs and ZBAs). Plans never stay the same and we have a legal obligation to update our OP every 5 years. Those updates can be through minor tweaks or complete overhauls — Burlington has done both in its history.
“Changing an OP is normal practice, as is the number of appeals and reaction when a significant change to an OP is made.
“In the past, the City of Burlington has found itself in a difficult situation when staff’s and Council’s positions related to our OP differed — that is not the case now. Our City also found itself in a difficult situation when it gave away height and depth to development applications that far exceeded what was in our plans out of fear of being taken to the LPAT. Not only was that precedent-setting, but it sent the message that our City would make significant exceptions at the mere threat of an appeal.
 Mayor Meed Ward: Stay the course — your Council and City staff will be doing just that. “We’re not doing that anymore. We are now making decisions that are founded on sound planning principles based on evidence and a one-year independent consultant study. That is what residents expect us to do. The City of Burlington did not elect me to surrender. We will defend the policies we created — and were unanimously-approved by Council — vigorously.
“These policies also reflect the vision of staff, council and our residents for the future of our city and we will remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the right development in the right place at the right scale.
“I recently received a note from a resident that said they knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but to stay the course — your Council and City staff will be doing just that.”
It is now clear that the Mayor, the senior planning people, the city’s solicitor and, perhaps, whatever outside counsel the city has hired, have spent a lot of time going over the documents – which the public has yet to see.
Whenever politicians withhold information, or slip it out on a Friday afternoon, you know that the full story is not being told.
A tighter look at the Newsletter content tells us that “the appeals to the City’s ZBA (Zoning Bylaw Amendment) are what caused the freeze to continue — the OPA appeals would not have. Not sure what the relevance of that is – we will talk that over with our planning consultants.
The “bulk of the number of appeals dealt only with the OPA”, which the Mayor tells us can be dealt with very quickly.
 Politicians tell you what they want you to know – seldom do they tell you everything you are entitled to know. We have a Mayor who touts the importance of media but has yet to call a media conference and make herself available for questions. There was a time when you couldn’t keep the woman away from television camera lights.
Meed Ward was once very fond of using the phrase “truth to power”; haven’t heard that one from her lately have we?
By Pepper Parr
March 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Those troubling 31 appeals to the city changes in the Official Plan?
Here is what we know.
On January 30th, the city passed an amendment to the Official Plan and made changes in the zoning for some of the property.
The city had the power to do that. Most of the current council was elected to bring about a change in the Official Plan and the zoning bylaw.
 The Mayor declared at the time that it was an historic day for the city. It may well be historic – but for a different reason.
Anyone who doesn’t like the change in the bylaws, in this case the Official Plan and the existing bylaw regimen, has the right to appeal.
No one expected or was prepared for the 31 appeals that were filed within the 20 day appeal window.
 Heather_MacDonald, Executive Director – Planning. Executive Director Heather MacDonald did say that appeals are not unusual and there were hints from some of the planners and legal counsel that were delegating to city council that appeals might be forthcoming.
But 31 of the things? That is astounding and troubling on several levels.
We do not yet know just what the appeal documents say. We do know, or suspect, that they are appeals against the change in the Official Plan and the change to the zoning bylaw. Even that is speculation – the public has not seen the documents. The Mayor has, the Executive Director of Planning Heather MacDonald has, as has Nancy Shea Nicol, the Executive Director – legal.
We know that the members of Council have been briefed – to what degree is not certain. They have all lost their tongues.
The 31 appeals that were filed were delivered to the City Clerk. The Clerk has 15 days to send the appeal documents along to Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ( LPAT), the body that hears the appeals. That 15 days is reported to end on March 12th.
The members of LPAT are appointed by the province who, recently, appointed additional hearing officers and, troubling, decided not to re-appoint some hearing officers who had the reputation of being concerned about the environment but appointing several that come from within the development industry.
 Marianne |Meed Ward: A Mayor with a vision and an agenda that has run into some heavy waves. The Mayor has said she would make the appeals public but has yet to do so.
At some point the specifics of each appeal will become public.
In the meantime people in Burlington who pay attention to these things are concerned about:
1) What is it going to cost the city to fight 31 different appeals?
2) What if the city loses at the LPAT level – going to Cabinet with a request to overrule LPAT isn’t viable with the current government.
3) Will losing the appeal mean that all the work done on a new official plan for the city is now all for naught?
4) And what if, adding insult to injury, the city is stuck with the costs of the appellant?
It is the uncertainty that bothers the people the Gazette is hearing from: “Can’t the Mayor say something” is the phrase we are hearing most often – and not from just a handful of people. Scores is a better unit of measure.
Was the Mayor in over her head with the approach she took?
Did she ask the hard but appropriate questions to staff – like what could go wrong?
Risk is now a hot topic for the bureaucrats at city hall: was the risk on the approach taken by the city fully considered?
These are not polite questions but the answers are critical.
 Meed Ward was superb in the TVO debate – well prepared and new when to pounce. The city isn’t seeing that same person during the troubles with the Official Plan amendment appeals. Marianne Meed Ward talks frequently about the need for media that serves the wider community and makes mention of her experience as a journalist. She was never a journalist – she has been an editor and did write a column for the Toronto Sun. She is very effective on television panel discussion programs. She was stunning on the TVO election debate.
Developers looked at the rules that were put in place when the Urban Growth Centre was accepted back in 2006. The city didn’t have to accept what the province handed out – Oakville didn’t. They negotiated different boundaries for the UGC.
The Mayor has hinted strongly that she intends to approach the province for a shift in the UGC boundary to something that begins at about Caroline Street rather than the current Lakeshore as the southern boundary.
 Nick Carnacelli, centre, listening in on a conversation between Mark Bales on the left and Rosa Bustamente a city Planner. Bales is a senior vice president with the Carnacelli real estate interests. The appeal situation is troubling – we don’t believe anyone expected the volume. The development community is making this their stand on what the current Mayor, and most of her council, want for the city.
The odds at this point are not on the side of the city.
Is the Mayor fiddling while the city burns?
She does use social media to get her story out but has yet to hold a media event where direct questions can be asked. Social media is, unfortunately, a one way tool – the writer says what they want to say and while you can comment there is really no give and take. The politicians love it that way – but it isn’t healthy for a democratic society.
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.
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