“Taxpayer money should never be used for partisan purposes….If politicians want to self-promote, go out and raise money. Don’t use money that could otherwise be spent improving hospitals or fixing bridges to tell voters how awesome you are.”
Christine Van Geyn, Canadian Taxpayers Foundation.
 By Ray Rivers
August 3rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Just this week Ontario’s new Conservative government kicked off its own news channel hidden in the tax-payer funded Caucus Services mine-field of bureaucracy. That allows the Ford crowd to skirt disclosure and advertising rules introduced by the McGuinty government, a decade and a half ago, specifically to prevent government from engaging in this kind of partisan advertising.
McGuinty’s regulation had been an election promise at the time to prohibit whatever political party was in power from using tax-payer money to produce, what is for them essentially, free political advertising – something the previous Harris/Eves government had been doing with gay abandon.
 They probably thought it was a good idea at the time. Ontario News Now is a page out of former Conservative PM Harper’s attempt to control the sound bites which ultimately end up on social media, including Google, where so many people now get their information of what is going on. Except Harper, who apparently dreaded showing up before reporters, didn’t actually bill his 24/Seven YouTube show as news, but rather just another vehicle to get his political message out.
Still it was prepared by Harper’s staff at public expense and its purpose was to avoid Harper having to attend regular media briefings and answer reporters’ questions. The entire program was scrapped soon after Justin Trudeau took over as PM.
This latest attempt by Ford to control the message is, for him, a natural follow-through after the apparent success of Ford Nation Live. That election gimmick enabled him to get his message out to social mediawithout having to defend his positions.
Critical questioning is the time honoured procedure of holding politicians’ feet to the fire when they make claims and brag about their accomplishments, and especially when they are avoiding any mention of the downsides of their efforts.
And Ford used his North Korea styled broadcast to brag about a number of events he had attended in his brief time as premier, and the promises he has met. But he should have lost us all when he bragged about having already reduced gasoline pump prices by ten cents. We all know that is a baseless fib at best, easily verified by a quick glance at the pixel boards of any service station. So it may be a new news channel but it’s also got fake news content – those alternate facts.
His first audience was estimated to be in the thousands and delivered to all kinds of social media including twitter, the outlet of choice for the US president. Still @OntarioNewsNow had a following of over two thousand early into its first week of operations.
As expected much of the traditional media have panned this effort. They don’t like somebody else doing their jobs for them – or at least the easy part. And so references to Ford as our ‘Dear Leader’ are just starting to appear in the legitimate news media, and one Globe and Mail writer boldly summed it up as…” Hiding behind home videos and canned applause this early in his mandate suggests insecurity and fear, as if the Premier doesn’t actually have the courage of his convictions.”
 Sadly, not all of our traditional media have yet woken up to what’s happening. Mr. Ford’s cheerleading journals, the Toronto Sun and the National Post must have hidden and/or buried the news of the unveiling of this Ford government initiative. But perhaps it’s just that these are early days. And besides, Ontario News Now isn’t really news, is it? It’s just another blatant attempt at political propaganda.
But taking the production of news away from our traditional news outlets, socializing and nationalizing the business of news is a dangerous step for a society committed to openness and democracy. After all, once we lose our independent media outlets can our other freedoms be far behind? And at what price do we take these freedoms for granted.
As a friend of mine once remarked… “It is amazing, in looking at the sweep of history, how much effort, blood and money has been devoted to liberating states from autocratic rule to democracies and how easily some of us who have enjoyed the benefits that our ancestors struggled to achieve are so willing to throw it away.”
 Doug Ford with an admirer – his wife. Said to be a Hamilton girl. Perhaps Ford was not actually trying to undercut and further diminish the role of our traditional media as honest brokers of the news. And perhaps he genuinely wanted his own TV show so Ontario taxpayers would see where their money is being spent.
But given Ontario’s massive debt load and Ford’s promise to cut waste and unnecessary spending, the creation of a provincially operated so-called news channel is an insult to all of the public and those folks who voted for him in particular. Or do they really believe this is how the new government for all the people puts your hard earned tax-dollars to work for you?
 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. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links: Korea Comes to Queens Park – Ford Undermines Democracy –
Ford’s Insecurity – Tweet Away –
 By Staff
July 30th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
This is just too good not to share.
It is an opinion piece from the Washington Post on our beloved Premier Doug Ford.
His brother, the late Rob Ford had to get really silly before the Americans recognized him.
Big brother Doug got recognized before he had served a full month as Premier.
Read on – the opinion was written by David Moscrop, s a Canadian political commentator.
To look at him, you would not think that Ontario Premier Doug Ford was a warrior. He always seems to have a smile on this face. Or at least a grin. He seems to be pointing all the time — as though he sees you. On first glance, he disarms you. He comes off more Augustus Gloop than Caesar Augustus.
But then he speaks. A casual “folks … ” heralds the arrival of the culture warrior, with his weapons of plain-spokenness, ad hoc social conservatism and “common sense” prepared and drawn for battle. The moralizer with a morally questionable past is there to fight for what is right and just and decent and true.
 Premier Doug Ford at Queen’s Park For Ontarians who are used to a mellower, traditional right-wing touch, Ford appears as a 40-cents-on-the-dollar version of Donald Trump. And ahead of his election win in June, rough and ready comparisons of the leader of the Progressive Conservatives to the U.S. president were in oversupply, as were ripostes lambasting the characterization as an overreaction. But what each side missed then, and what was more clearly revealed in the first weeks of the new government, is that what Ford’s brand of governance shares with Trump is a right-wing model of decades-old vintage.
In America in the 1960s and ’70s, as those who were on the outside started to make their way inside. The Rules, which had held a subtle social authoritarianism and sense of order — backed by religious, class, gender and racial oppression — began to be torn up. For a brief time, the liberal political consensus coexisted with an emerging social and cultural space dedicated to inclusion and liberation. But as progressivism grew in America, so did a counter-movement, something you could awkwardly but accurately label a counter-counter-movement. Force and reaction. And overreaction.
The Republican Richard M. Nixon would be the last right-wing liberal president. After him, conservative culture warriors began their work in earnest. William F. Buckley, founder of National Review and conservative stalwart, who had shaped American conservatism for years, found his influence waning as a new brand of populist, sometimes folksy cultural politics replaced his elitist libertarianism. It was as though he was being poisoned by his own children.
Along came the reincarnated New Right and Ronald Reagan, Terry Dolan, Phyllis Schlafly, Pat Buchanan, Robert Novak, William Bennett and eventually a mutant pastiche generation of George W. Bush, Ann Coulter, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and their acolytes. From the 1970s through to Trump, right-left polarization in America grew, the religious right rose, politics turned to city vs. country, and policy was a clash of values designed to leverage anger and frustration for political ends. Where you stood on race, drugs, abortion, school prayer, textbooks, guns, gay rights, immigration and political correctness would reveal not only who you were on the political spectrum but also whether you were good or evil.
Wittingly or otherwise, Ford has declared a culture war in Ontario. During the campaign, he launched predictable volleys. He opposed supervised injection sites for heroin addicts. He railed against elites. He praised police services and vowed to restore law and order.
After his victory, he spent his first days covering considerable symbolic and substantive terrain by moving fast and breaking things. At his swearing-in ceremony, he offered only a Christian prayer and skipped the emerging (but already widespread) norm of making an Indigenous land acknowledgement. He made a point of playing the now-unofficial version of the national anthem, “O Canada,” singing “In all thy sons command” instead of the new and inclusive “In all of us command.”
On the legislative and policy front, he moved immediately to remove environmental protections, proposing to scrap green programs and the province’s cap-and-trade scheme designed to tackle carbon emissions. Immediately after this, his minister for children, community and social services stood in front of a lectern adorned by the seal of the province and announced that Ontario was done cooperating with the federal government on resettling asylum seekers, just as the number of claimants crossing between ports of entry into Canada has risen in light of Trump’s election and fears about how they would be treated in the United States.
Next was sex education. The Ford government looked back to the good ol’ days of 1998, restoring a curriculum designed before same-sex marriage was legal in Canada and consent was not considered an issue worth discussing. Later, after a recent spike in violence in Toronto linked to concerns about mental health, the premier signaled his intent to send some of the province’s mental-health funds to the police.
Marinated in plain-spoken, folksy “common sense,” and drawing on an American playbook, Ford has brought a dangerous populist politics of cultural resentment and revenge to Ontario. We can expect outrage and self-righteousness. Regression and oppression. A slip back to an imagined never-time of cultural rigidity and economic retrenchment. And this at the moment when inclusiveness, environmental responsibility and a commitment to decent deliberative politics are needed to advance a just and pluralist democracy.
 By Staff
June 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday June 4, 2018 and Tuesday June 5, 2018, the Halton Regional Police Service investigated two false reports of threatening incidents in the City of Burlington.
Both incidents involved the Dr. Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School and the Haber Recreation Centre. Both of these facilities are attached in the same building complex located at 3040 Tim Dobbie Drive, Burlington, Ontario.
 Hayden Recreational Centre On Monday June 4, 2018, some unsubstantiated rumours began to be put forward that there was a threat of someone attending the school with a gun the following day. The school received calls from concerned parents as the rumours were apparently on a social media site. A citizen contacted a media outlet about these rumours.
School officials investigated the rumours in conjunction with the Halton Regional Police Service. The rumours involved a specific named person and the investigation concluded that this information was false and vexatious. The school sent a message out to parents, guardians and students advising them of the investigation and providing them information that there was no evidence of any kind of an actual threat was made. School activities were not impacted due to these rumours.
On Tuesday June 5, 2018, at approximately 8:00 pm, staff at the Haber Recreation Centre received an anonymous telephone call. The caller eluded that about an hour later there was going to be a bomb threat at the centre. The recreation centre is comprised of a library and a hall and staff elected to have the premise evacuated under an abundance of caution.
The Halton Regional Police Service attended and conducted a thorough search of the centre and found no threat or cause for any concern. The recreation centre was closed to the public for about 2.5 hours and then reopened for public use.
 Frank J. Hayden Secondary School when it was under construction In both investigated incidents the vague threats were deemed to be false and vexatious in nature, clearly intended to cause alarm to members of the public. At this time it is not clear if one or more persons are responsible for both of these incidents.
School officials and the police want to reiterate to students, parents and guardians that there is no cause for any concern for students attending school on Wednesday June 6, 2018.
Anyone with information on these crimes is encouraged to contact the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2316.
Tips can also be submitted 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 Staff
May 28th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Sound of Music Festival will be donating $5 from every Kick Off ticket sold between May 26 to June 1, 2018, to support British Columbia and New Brunswick Flood Appeal via Canadian Red Cross.
With flood levels in areas of British Columbia at their highest level in 70 years and no sign of receding, and the record-setting flood in New Brunswick impacting thousands of people, Sound of Music Festival has made a commitment to help the Canadian Red Cross deliver immediate and long-lasting relief for those affected.
 Bands are packing up their gear and heading for Burlington. The Kick Off program is as follows:
Kick Off weekend will be held on Saturday, June 9th and Sunday, June 10th with gates opening at 1:00 pm on both days, show ending at 11:00 pm on Saturday and 9:30 pm on Sunday.
General Admission Kick Off weekend tickets are on sale NOW!
Saturday, June 9th
Sublime With Rome
Simple Plan
The All-American Rejects
Everclear
& Eve 6…
Sunday, June 10th
Kip Moore
Lee Brice
Chad Brownlee
Emerson Drive
Madeline Merlo
Cold Creek County
& Leaving Thomas
Tickets for Saturday are $65, tickets for Sunday are $55 and the 2 Day Pass is $110 + fees/tax. Prices will go up June 1st.
Tickers available via https://www.ticketfly.com/org/6337
 The entrance to the Sound of Music events – what it looked like before the pier was completed. The free Father’s Day weekend concert lineup takes to the stages June 14 – 17.
 By Pepper Parr
May 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Heidi Rand has two children.
She gave birth to one on Hwy 407.
She is one of two women who formed a support group for new mothers in Burlington.
Is there a connection between the two – certainly is Heide Rand is a going concern and appears to be one of those people that makes things happen.
 The first of what she calls West end Moms took place earlier this week. Heidi lived overseas in England where she raised her first child, Jackson, for his first two years. Moving back to Canada she noticed a huge difference in the mother culture here- mothers have less access to social groups for new moms and children to bond and socialize or to just get out of the house and meet other mothers going through the same struggles and milestones.
Heidi worked closely with her friend, Laura Kennedy. Together they started the group together. As a new and first time mom, Laura also felt the need for a stronger social network of moms in Burlington. Together we hope to bring mommy’s together, give them a platform to connect and provide exciting and stimulating events for little ones.
Heidi seems to be one of those natural news makers. A teacher by profession she was bombing down Hwy. 407 just after midnight with her husband Joe on her way to the Credit Valley hospital. The Burlington mother-to-be felt her water break and a head appear just two contractions later.
 An anxious situation had just become harrowing. Joe was torn between focusing on the road and worrying about his wife and child; Heidi delivered her own baby girl in what felt like an eternity but in reality lasted less than two minutes.
Born in the wee hours of the morning near the Bronte Rd. exit in Oakville, seven-pound, eight-ounce Mila was healthy and in the care of Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.
“It felt so incredibly surreal,” Heidi said. “My head was in two places. One, I’m thinking, ‘Is this really happening in my car?’ But then, your instincts kick in and you’re literally doing everything you can to keep your baby safe.
 The mothers gathered around tables in the coffee shop while children scrambled after their toys. Heidi Rand is seated on the left. It was a miracle . . . she’s safe, healthy and happy.”
Joe, the husband was much more than a spectator.
After gathering all the clothing he could find to keep Mila warm — including the shirt off his back — he used his shoelace to tie off the umbilical cord, following advice from a Halton paramedic who coached him over the phone.
 Contacts social media suggested the child be named Shoelace or Lacey. This is the couple’s second baby, joining 20-month-old Jackson, whose delivery — by stark contrast — lasted roughly 36 hours.
Several of the Mothers were out with their child for the first time since the child was born; “just being able to get out and chat with other mother’s and relax is something I really appreciate” said one of the group.
There were Mothers from the east side of Oakville in the room as well as a Mother who was walking by and saw the sign on the sidewalk outside the Lakeshore Coffee Shop.
The West End Moms social media pages arebelow:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/437033276703185
https://www.instagram.com/westendmoms
 By Pepper Parr
May 14th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
We do politics differently in Burlington.
Somewhere along the way the Tory’s in Burlington came to the conclusion that the Gazette was a Liberal newspaper and decided that they would not keep us aware of their events.
We are frequently able to dig up some of what they are doing. We hear from the other political parties.
This “shyness” on the part of some of those elected to office is disturbing.
The politicians seem to feel that we are supposed to write nice thing about them – and on many occasions a piece of reporting does put the politician in a positive light.
At the municipal level we used to meet for lunch on occasion with several of the members of council. We have done tours of a ward with Council members. When the news is critical or points out a short-coming – the lip curls.
The Mayor decided some time ago that the Gazette is biased and unfair. We didn’t hear that from Rick Goldring during his first term of office. His 59 second comment on how good a job the Gazette was doing was a little embarrassing. The comments were made during Goldring’s first term. He had a change of mind during his second term. In the world of politics the relationship with media is often fractious. Rather than invite media into their office and talk through the concern – in Burlington they decide that you’re biased.
The politicians and many of the civil servants don’t understand media and the role it plays. Behind that is the lack of an understanding of what their own role really is – they are there to serve. It is an honourable profession – many – not all, fail to honour the work they do and they diminish themselves in the process.
We are all accountable.
The Gazette gets it in the ear from readers and we publish what they say. We are members of the National NewsMedia Council – we pay an annual fee to that organization – it amounts to more than my monthly rent – and when someone takes a complaint to the Council we are required to respond and if the Council comes to the conclusion we made a mistake and were wrong we have to publish that finding. They are in the archives.
When Mike Wallace was the Member of Parliament he got very upset with the articles we wrote when he was mismanaging the flow of information at a parliamentary committee. Politics is the art of the possible between competing interests. The role of the politician is to listen, and ensure that the interests of the public are heard, understood and acted upon.
Recently we have heard politicians say that they are not hearing from the “majority” – they seem to feel that if they don’t hear from half the population then those who do speak up are just cranks who don’t like the idea of change – the nimby’s.
 The Mayor wasn’t comfortable enough with the Chain of Office to wear i outside th Council Chamber during his first term. He wore it for a TV interview in his second term. Early in his first term of office we recall a conversation with the Mayor and how people interacted with him in a supermarket or on the street – he was surprised that they saw him as someone special. A Mayor is the Chief Magistrate – what people are responding to is the office of the Mayor and the role a Mayor plays. The fact that it is Rick Golding is not the issue.
The public expects their Mayor to lead and to be seen as a leader.
 The tension between Councillors Meed Ward and Craven is close to measurable, Neither has ever been a fan of the other. We have heard members of the current city council squabble like children over whether or not the Councillor for ward 2 can involve herself in anything that takes place in ward 1. Every member of the Burlington city council is also a member of Regional council where they represent the city – not just a ward.
During the working through the 2010 Strategic Plan I was approached by a member of council – no need to embarrass the member at this point, who said “You should do something about Meed Ward”. I was stunned – did this member really think the role of media was to go gunning for a member of council?
The job is to report on what city council does and to hold them accountable and to put what they say and do in context and to remind them what they had said previously.
The Gazette also provides a forum for anyone to make a comment on a specific news story. Some of the comments don’t get published – I am constantly surprised at how nasty some people choose to be. Our experience has been that the really nasty ones come from an email address that cannot be verified.
 Jim Young  Gary Scobie We have been very proud to have been able to publish the delegations made by Jim Young and Gary Scobie and Dee Dee Davies; less proud when we were required to publish situations where we were wrong.
Saying we are exceptionally under-resourced may be true but I isn’t an excuse.
Many of the politicians in this city seem to feel that media is in place to publish what they write and not ask any questions. Who taught them that?
City Council talks about transparency and accountability and seem to feel that if they say they are accountable and transparent – then they are. When more than 30 people delegate on an issue that argument gets shot full of holes and the wind is taken out of the sails.
While the provincial election is taking up most of the oxygen and attention it is worth noting that there are now four new candidates under 40 and a fifth expected later this week.
Two of the incumbents have chosen to retire.
There is a change in the air – new blood and fresh faces.
Salt with Pepper is a column of opinion, reflection, observation and musings of the Gazette Publisher.
 By Staff
April 14th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
We received the following from Ben and Tam Smith.
“Grave injustice done.
Who should i contact to right a wrong or inquire how to solve a potential corrupt scam. The parking lot at the No Frills on Brant St is ridiculously strict. I used the Pharmasve business in the plaza and then walked off premise to go to dinner. I planned to return and do more shopping after dinner. My car was towed 15 minutes after I walked off the lot. It seems a huge scam as the tow truck driver said he takes 50 cars out of there a day. At $300 a pop that seems criminal. That adds up to over 5 million in revenue a year. A $20 warning ticket would have sufficed. I would have learned my lesson. I parked under a sign that clearly said NO OVERNIGHT PARKING. I didn’t look for any other signage thinking that it would be fine to go off premises and then come back to complete my shopping. I certainly wasn’t staying overnight. Once I came back and couldn’t find my car I obviously saw the other signs that cars will get towed. In their defence it is clearly marked by signage but it seems that they are clearly taking it too far. I have never experienced such ridiculousness. I will not frequent the businesses there ever again. Is there anything that can be done? Some investigation into how the towing company and the plaza owner are potentially preying on customers. It just seems so corrupt. I now know that you guys wrote an article on this very problem. We are new to the area and obviously wish we had read your article before going downtown for our welcome to Burlington dinner.”
While the Gazette does commiserate with Smith’s, they did see the sign and were aware that they did not have the right to park in that space. And, the public parking lot that’s free can be seen from the plaza parking lot.
And, there are notices on the entrance doors to the restaurants along that part of Brant street alerting people to what the towing companies are doing.
The towing company doesn’t have the authority to issue warning tickets – only the city can do that and they don’t issue tickets for parking offfences on private property.
What we find my disturbing is the language used by Ben and Tam is reference to a “grave injustice”.
It’s a “corrupt scam” or that they are “clearly taking it too far”, is a little excessive and quite a bit ‘over the top’.
Expecting the owners of the property to put warning notices on cars – who would pay for the staff that would watch vehicles coming in and immediately put a notice under their windshield wiper?
 Tow truck sits at the entrance – watches and waits. A $300 fee to get your car back hurts and perhaps the property owners (and it is the owners of the property, which is not No Frills) that have hired Classic towing to remove cars from the lot. The tow truck sits parked next to the entrance – watches the vehicles that come in and when they see the driver of the vehicle leave the lot they drive over and put their hook on the vehicle and take it to the pound.
That parking spot is reserved for the tow truck.
Nice business if you can get it – and Classic has been doing this for some time.
Don’t take it out on the merchants who are merely tenants.
By Pepper Parr
April 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton District school board Director of Education Stuart Miller told board trustees Wednesday evening that he was pulling his report on a new administration building from the agenda.
He has moved to a plan B – and he isn’t at all certain what that plan will be.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller telling the Halton District trustees that he is pulling his administration building report from the agenda. Miller has explained to the trustees he is accountable to the trustees and has a duty to advise them on what is needed to deliver the program to students. A new administration building is one of the things he needs and for the most part the 11 trustees agree with him. What they don’t seem to be able to agree on is where that building should be located.
Trustees Danielli, Amos, Harvey Hope and Collard were prepared to ask that debate on a new building be deferred until there was more information available.
Harvey Hope talked of the traffic challenges in getting to the Board offices in Burlington. Others pointed out that the bulk of the student population is no longer in Burlington; it is north east of the city. They seemed to feel that the administration offices should be closer to the bulk of the student population.
Miller doesn’t disagree with that position but points to the hard realities he has to deal with. The Board owns the land the current site is located on along with a large piece of land immediately south of the current structure and east of M.M. Robinson high school.
 Intersection of Upper Middle Road and Guelph Line – a suggested location for a new administration building. Land is owned by the school board. Buying land for a new building would be prohibitively expensive and the board doesn’t’ have anywhere near enough in its reserve funds to buy new land and construct a new building.
In his initial report to the trustees Miller pointed out to them that a report from a real estate company made it clear that there really wasn’t anything available in the way of the kind of land needed anywhere in the Region.
The trustees have told Miller to look harder.
It is hard to imagine a real estate company passing up a chance to find an appropriate piece of property and then negotiate the purchase of the land. If it was out there – would they not have found it?
Miller is up against a second reality. The building the Board administration is in now has to be made AODA compliant by 2025 – and that will be very expensive. Added to that – the cost of making the space on New Street AODA compliant adds to his woes.
Miller points out that this issue has been before the trustees since 2005. More than 13 years. He told the trustees on Wednesday that a “non-decision is not an option” and added that at some point the board has to make a decision.
Miller said that he would bring the report back sometime in 2019 – in January or February. Milton trustee Danielli noted that Miller might be dealing with a significantly different board after the October municipal election.
Perhaps those trustees who have been sitting on their hands since 2005 and done nothing about this problem will choose to end their careers as trustees or have the public bring those careers to an end.
One of the critical jobs these trustees have is to be financially prudent; there is enough money in the reserve fund to pay for the construction of a new administration building on and the board owns in Burlington.
Miller also added that it will take three to five years to get all the permissions and permits in place before construction could begin and that AODA date of 2025 is not that far off.
 A new board administration building could be located at the north west intersection of Upper Middle and Guelph Line. Miller has said that he will “explore some other geographical areas, and be back at the Board probably early in the New Year and they will have to decide if they want a new building or renovating this one.”
Miller also pointed out that the public needs to know what the board of education is up against.
Time for the trustees to get on with the job they were elected to do.
By Staff
April 2, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Take that! said the Premier of the province.
New York State passed a “Buy American” law and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was having none of it. In a statement released earlier today she said:
“I have consistently supported open and competitive procurement because it helps create good jobs on both sides of the border, but it has to be a two-way street. When Ontario workers and businesses are threatened by protectionist U.S. actions I have no choice but to respond. I will not let New York, or any other state, tilt the field in their favour without taking appropriate action.
 Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne shows off a pair of boxing gloves. Ready to take on the State of New York and Texas if she has to – part of the warm up for the battle with Doug Ford? Last month Ontario passed the Fairness in Procurement Act, 2018, so that the province would have the ability to respond to unfair “Buy American” practices by U.S. states, including those which took effect in New York State yesterday. And yesterday, Ontario created a new regulation under the Act to respond proportionately, just as we said we would do if New York refused to back down.
New York’s “Buy American” legislation gives American workers and businesses an unfair advantage by requiring the use of American-made iron in certain government surface road and bridge construction projects.
In response, effective April 1, 2018, Ontario is restricting its government entities from entering into certain procurement contracts with suppliers from New York State, including provisions that restrict suppliers’ use of structural iron from New York State.
 Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne: Does anyone really want to go up against this lady? “We are levelling the playing field. But it remains my hope” said the Premier, “that New York and other jurisdictions that might consider “Buy American” laws will abandon their protectionist approach. The best outcome is open procurement on both sides of the border. Should New York agree to repeal its “Buy American” restrictions against Ontario, we would immediately repeal our regulations against New York as well.”
The Premier added: “Ontario and the U.S. both benefit from a strong, balanced economic relationship, which has historically included open procurement. That’s what makes us more competitive and creates the greatest number of opportunities for people on both sides of the border. It is why we worked so hard to prevent New York State from going down this protectionist path, and why we were very clear with them that if they did not treat Ontario businesses fairly, there would be consequences.
“In Texas, Ontario’s advocacy efforts are ongoing and we are hopeful for a positive outcome. Ontario has not yet created a regulation in response to the Texas “Buy American” legislation because we are of the position that the Texas rules do not apply to Canada. A review of this position is being pursued and Ontario will not respond further until that review is complete.
“At this time of economic uncertainty, Ontario workers and businesses need to know that I am their number-one advocate. Through successful engagement with U.S. states, I am reinforcing our existing partnerships and forging new ones to create more opportunities for people on both sides of the border. I will continue to strongly advocate for fair, open and balanced procurement practices, but my top priority remains defending Ontario workers and businesses. In the face of unfair U.S. actions, I will stand up for the people of Ontario in every way possible — every time.”
The Premier is taking on Texas and the state of New York – when the writ is issued making the provincial election official – she will take on Doug Ford too.
Should be quite a battle.
By Staff
March 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Joseph Brant Hospital will be getting $11.2 million in new provincial government funding that will be added to Joseph Brant Hospital’s budget for 2018/19.
 Burlington MP Eleanor McMahon is also the chair of the Treasury Board. Members of the provincial legislature have been fanning out across the province making funding announcements on increases in funding for hospitals. Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon was at Joseph Brant Hospital yesterday to outline how this major increase in hospital funding will provide better access to care, reduce wait times, address capacity issues and better meet the needs of Burlington’s changing population.
This overall increase of 4.6 per cent across the province is on top of the 3.2 per cent provided last year — allowing hospitals to invest with more precision in the care and supports that address the specific needs of their patients and community.
McMahon said “Patients and families across Ontario will also directly benefit from this increased funding with the expansion of essential services to reduce wait times and priority procedures such as cardiac care, critical care, chemotherapy, treatment for strokes, hip and knee replacements, and medical imaging.”
McMahon added in her media release that the is responding to rapid economic change by bringing in a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25, and 65 or over, through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.
By Staff
March 13, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The number of Ontario workers contacting the Minister of Labour’s Employment Standards hotline to ask about the minimum wage has doubled since the rate was increased to $14 an hour on January 1, 2018.
 Data from the Ministry of Labour shows the total number of calls specifically about the minimum wage more than doubled in January 2018 — after the new minimum wage took effect — compared to January of last year.
In January 2018, the Employment Standards Contact Centre answered to a total of 26,704 calls, a 60% increase from the previous month, December 2017, when 16,742 calls were received.
The number of calls in January 2018 was 26,704, an increase of 29% over the 20,633 January 2017 calls.
In a media release the Ministry of Labour said: “The increase in calls to the Employment Standards line demonstrates that the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act is having its intended effect and that there is a need for government to stand up for workers who are not receiving the fair treatment now mandated by law under Bill 148.
That legislation became law in November and brought in improvements for workers including:
 Employment Standards in Ontario A plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour on January 1, 2019
Up to 17 weeks leave after a worker or their child has survived domestic or sexual violence, with the first five days being paid days of leave
Ten days of personal emergency leave per calendar year for all workers, including two paid days
A required three weeks annual paid vacation for all workers who have been with the same employer for five or more years
Equal pay for part-time workers who do the same job as full-time workers.
 By Staff
March 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
In an opinion piece published in the Saturday Hamilton Spectator, Mayor Rick Goldring said:
“The City of Burlington has had many Official Plans, but none have received as much attention as our current draft Plan that council is set to adopt in April.”
The Spectator has very limited circulation in Burlington. The Mayor has yet to post the opinion to his blog
The opinion piece set out below:
 Mayor Goldring speaking to media during the 2014 flood. It was the first time we saw the Mayor wear his Chain of Office outside the Council Chamber, “City building is constantly evolving, and we all want our city to grow thoughtfully and carefully” said the Mayor who went on to say that “ City Council is no different.”
“As mayor, I certainly want what is best for the entire community. I hear from residents that they want a more vibrant downtown and are supportive of the protection of our rural lands and those who are concerned about the future of our city.
 The high rise was approved by city council on a 5-2 with the Mayor and Councillor Meed Ward voting against the project. “This was most apparent when late last year City Council approved a 23-storey building across from City Hall at 421 Brant St. I voted against this development for three reasons; it is the wrong location for a 23-storey building, where the adjacent roads are narrow, this approval would lead to similar requests for similar height, and from a policy perspective, this was inconsistent with the proposed 17-storey limit identified in the City’s earlier draft Downtown Precinct Plan.
“While residents are trying to digest this decision, we were recently informed of the decision by the Ontario Municipal Board to approve the ADI development at Lakeshore Road and Martha Street. The board sided with the proponent on a proposed 26-storey high-rise plan. Again, in my opinion, this is the wrong location for the height of the building, and I am very disappointed that the OMB did not prefer a height that was comparable or lower to those in this area.
“It is more important than ever that we approve our new Official Plan. The city’s current Official Plan is out of date and doesn’t conform to provincial policy which is one of the significant reasons why the OMB did not agree with the city’s opposition to ADI’s 26-storey proposal. Clearly, our current Official Plan is unacceptable in planning for an Urban Growth Centre.
 409 Brant is on the south side of James street – across from city hall. They have tucked two “historical” properties on the south end – next to what will become the Downtown mobility hub to give the application some credibility. “With two tall buildings recently approved in the downtown, I understand why residents feel anxious about what is going to happen in the future. I disagree with the decisions to allow the 23 and 26-storey downtown buildings. However, I am supportive of well-planned and justified intensification in appropriately targeted areas of our city.
“Burlington is not an island unto itself. We are part of the Greater Hamilton Toronto Area that currently has 7 million people and will grow to 10 million within 23 years primarily because 40 to 50 per cent of newcomers to Canada want to live in this area. We must accommodate our share of growth.
“We also need to be realistic and acknowledge that Burlington is a highly desirable place to live with an amazing waterfront and rural areas that includes the Niagara Escarpment, great neighbourhoods, wonderful festivals and events that contribute to the creation of an inclusive and caring community. In addition, interest rates are low, undeveloped land supply is depleted, and single family house prices are high. This has made condominium apartments an attractive housing form to all demographics for different reasons.
“It is simply not true that we will have tall buildings at every corner of our downtown. It would be wonderful to protect our downtown and limit growth to exclusively low-rise buildings, but this approach is simply not realistic. By only allowing low-rise buildings, we are making downtown very exclusive to those that have significant wealth.”
“After listening and considering input from residents, Burlington City council made many important amendments to the proposed new Official Plan. We reduced permitted heights and increased building separations, and heritage building preservation is addressed.
“Once the high-level vision of our new Official Plan is approved, we can get to work completing the details to be included in area specific plans. City staff is currently working on new transportation, transit, cycling and parking plans. We will dramatically improve our transit system to provide reliable and frequent service along our key areas, including our GO stations.
 The photograph was provided by the Office of the Mayor – it was used for his 2015 Christmas card. “I am confident that Burlington will successfully evolve to meet our growing population and economic needs. We will be champions for great design and continue to give careful attention to all the important city building details that have made Burlington the city we are so proud of. We need to plan for our children and grandchildren so that Burlington is an inclusive, environmentally and fiscally sustainable city for generations to come.”
Related articles:
Meed Ward on why the draft Official Plan needs more time before it is approved.
Jack Dennison on why he is going to vote for the draft – with some changes.
By Stephen White
January 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an interesting news story – the former Director of Planning doing a sit down interview with Colleen Podesta, a real estate agent. What could have looked like a fluff type interview by someone with a vested interest in the decisions the Director of Planning makes turned out to be something quite a bit different. Mary Lou Tanner, who is now the Deputy city manager explained that “granny flats” were possible in Burlington.
 Colleen DePodesta, a Re/Max Escarpment real estate agent with Deputy city manager Mary Lou Tanner during an interview in the Atrium at city hall The full interview can be seen at: Click here.
Stephen White didn’t see the interview that way.
He sent the Gazette some very pointed comments which were significant enough to be upgraded to an Opinion piece.
Here is what White had to say:
First question: since when were “granny flats” under consideration as an affordable housing option in Burlington?
Second question: since when do municipal public servants express public policy that, at least as far as I know, hasn’t been officially endorsed or sanctioned by Council?
Third question: why are local real estate agents interviewing municipal public servants for a promotional video that will be hosted on Ms. DePodestga’s website to advertise and promote the services of her business?
Fourth question: if a municipal public servant is supposed to maintain an arm’s length relationship with developers, real estate agents, etc., while ensuring a high degree of impartiality and objectivity in the process, why is she appearing in a featured interview? If she were being interviewed at a convention or broader public forum by a news agency that is one thing, but appearing in an exclusive interview for one business creates the impression of endorsement.
Fifth question: As per the City of Burlington’s policy on Media Relations, dated Wednesday December 24, 2014, Corp. Comm. -3-05, it states:
 Donna Kell, Manager Public Affairs. “The City of Burlington will designate corporate media spokespersons based on their accountability and responsibility. Corporate media relations spokespersons will function as the primary contacts with the media”.
Why wasn’t the Communications Manager the spokesperson on this issue.
Aside from the messaging the optics of this really stinks!
Ouch!
Resolutions!
A New Year’s resolution is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life.
This tradition has many other religious parallels. During Judaism’s New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays and culminating in Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), one is to reflect upon one’s wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness.
People can act similarly during the Christian liturgical season of Lent, although the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. In fact, the Methodist practice of New Year’s resolutions came, in part, from the Lenten sacrifices. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.
Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible.
Improve physical well-being: eat healthy food, lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, stop biting nails, get rid of old bad habits
Improve mental well-being: think positive, laugh more often, enjoy life
Improve finances: get out of debt, save money, make small investments
Improve career: perform better at current job, get a better job, establish own business
Improve education: improve grades, get a better education, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music), study often, read more books, improve talents
Improve self: become more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time, be more independent, perhaps watch less television, play fewer sitting-down video games
Take a trip
Volunteer to help others, practice life skills, use civic virtue, give to charity, volunteer to work part-time in a charity organization
Get along better with people, improve social skills, enhance social intelligence
Make new friends
Spend quality time with family members
Settle down, get engaged/get married, have kids
Pray more, be more spiritual
Be more involved in sports or different activities
Spend less time on social media
Success rate
The most common reason for participants failing their New Years’ Resolutions was setting themselves unrealistic goals (35%), while 33% didn’t keep track of their progress and a further 23% forgot about it. About one in 10 respondents claimed they made too many resolutions.
A 2007 study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
What will Canadians get done in 2018?
What will Ontarians get done in the year?
What will Burlingtonians choose to do?
What will you decide to do?
Something to think about.
 By Staff
December 22nd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
On Thursday, December 21, 2017, just before 10:30pm, a traffic stop was initiated at Longmoor Drive and New Street in Burlington. As a result of an investigation, Owen Brown (31) of Burlington was charged with driving over 80mgs.
On Thursday, December 21, 2017, just after 10:50pm, a traffic stop was initiated at Mainway and Appleby Line in Burlington. As a result of an investigation, Erblin Shehu (29) of Stoney Creek was charged with driving over 80mgs.
On Thursday, December 21, 2017, just after 11:20pm, a traffic stop was initiated at Walkers Line and Mainway in Burlington. As a result of an investigation, Panayiotis Diakoloukas (40) of Burlington was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and driving over 80mgs.
What will it take to end news items like this?. There are a couple in Burlington every day.
The Police Service reminds the public that driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is a crime in progress and to call 9-1-1 immediately to report a suspected impaired driver.
By Pepper Parr
December 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Every media document the city sends out and many of the reports that come out of city hall have the tag line:
Burlington is one of Canada’s best and most livable cities,
a place where people, nature and business thrive.
It’s the kind of thing George Orwell wrote about in “1984” – the rule seems to be that if you say it often enough it becomes true. Did the person at city hall who wrote the line believe it? It was probably done by a committee with the final version being signed off on by the city manager.
For those who rely on public transit there must be a very cruel irony –there will be no transit service on either Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
The holiday transit schedule is set out below.
Salt with Pepper are the opinions of the Publisher of the Burlington Gazette.
By Pepper Parr
December 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
In the world of politics – timing is everything – where more can happen in a week than takes a year in most sectors of endeavour.
The Gazette received a media release from the Region earlier today announcing that they will receive more than $1.8 million in funding for new bike lanes, multi-use trails and other cycling infrastructure improvements from the provincial government’s Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling (OMCC) fund. The City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills and the Town of Oakville were also among 120 municipalities that received the funding.
 Hopefully not as much as a dime of this new cycling funding will get spent on New Street. The Region were the people that dug the road up to put in new water-mains. Whew, said the editorial team at the Gazette – imagine if that funding announcement had arrives two weeks ago – the New Street Road Diet might have survived.
The Region will use this funding to expand the Region’s cycling infrastructure. These investments will help improve cyclist safety and make cycle commuting a more appealing option for Halton residents. Accessible cycling infrastructure will also help reduce the reliance on motor vehicles and contribute to cleaner air across Ontario.
 There are still a lot of cars on the roads but cyclists are claiming some of that space – and the push is on to make more room for those who want to use their bikes in a safe environment. “Through Halton’s Active Transportation Master Plan, we have already built approximately 190 kilometers of on-road exclusive bike lanes and paved shoulders along Regional roads for residents to safely bike on,” said Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr. “With this funding from the OMCC, we will be able to build on our successes and continue to offer cyclists a safe, convenient way to get around Halton Region.”
Given that it is the Region that got the funding – there isn’t much hope of their passing any of it along to the municipalities. Hopefully the Region will decide to spend some of the money on widening the shoulders of Walkers Line so that cyclists can use the road and not be in any danger from those driving vehicles.
 Guelph Line just north of the Lowville Bistro – can this part of the road be widened for cyclists? Spending some of those dollars on Guelph Line – at least up to Collard Road where the trucks turn west to get to the quarry – it is really tough to share the road with an 18 wheeler,
 Walkers Line where it intersects with the 1st side Road. There are no shoulders on this road for cyclists This investment from the province is part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan and is funded by the province’s cap on pollution and carbon market. Translated that is the increased prices at the gas pumps.
The Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program builds on Ontario’s Cycling Tourism Plan: Tour by Bike and the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program.
By Pepper Parr
November 20th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was direct and to the point – the New Street Road Diet was to come to an end with instructions to the Director of Transportation that will be debated at city council November 27th.
Direct the Director of Transportation Services to convert the existing bike lane pilot project (New Street from Guelph Line to Walkers Line) to the original four-lane cross section.
Assuming city council members vote to approve the staff recommendation that will bring to an end a project that was poorly designed and poorly communicated to the public.
The idea of a Road Diet was about as divisive as they get. It was so bad that the Mayor found himself being challenged at the Y when he was getting in some exercise.
New Street was having new pipes put in which meant digging up the road in stages and then re-surfacing it all. Why not use the occasion to test the idea of a road diet – which is a re-configuring of the lanes to make room for dedicated bike lanes on both sides of the road.
The cyclists loved the idea. Those who drive their cars on New Street wanted everyone to believe that the world was about to come to an end.
And that was where the issue stuck in the craw of many – they didn’t feel safe sharing a roadway with vehicles.
Many pointed out that there was an excellent trail system yards to the south.
 The trail runs parallel to New Street from Rossmore in the east to Martha in the West. The completion of the Elgin Street promenade will allow cyclists to get to the canal and on into Hamilton. Neither the Transportation department nor most of city council could tap into the public concern.
The issues wasn’t about people riding their bikes – it was where they were going to ride their bikes and how safe they would be.
The cycling lobby, and there most certainly is a cycling lobby, wanted those lanes on New Street. Those people feel safe on their bikes in almost all forms of road traffic – they would feel save on the QEW if there were a HOT bike lane.
But for the average citizen who is Ok with the idea of hoping on their bike to run a short errand or visit with a neighbour – they just didn’t want to put themselves at risk.
The Cycling Lobby didn’t take the time to fully listen to the average citizen who understands the issues – they just don’t want to put their lives on the line to support a good idea.
The report goes to a Council Committee on November 27, 2017 and then to city council for approval on December 11, 2017
This city council needs a win badly on this one.
The Staff report sets out much of the detail and data collected during the Pilot Program.
 Vito Tolone, Director of Transportation had to stick handle an awkward file – he was in a no-win situation. The transportation people convinced themselves that providing cycling facilities, particularly throughout key transportation corridors, such as New Street, served to provide more mobility choice to the residents of Burlington, and ensures that all road users, including cyclists, have access to safe facilities.
The purpose of the pilot project was to provide an opportunity to evaluate the impacts and benefits of on-road cycling
The outcomes of the pilot project were to be used to help inform the development of future cycling projects and the Cycling Master Plan Update which is currently underway.
This all started in July of 2016 when City Council approved transportation services department report with the following direction:
Direct the Executive Director of Capital Works and Director of Transportation Services to report back on the performance of the pilot project prior to the top layer of asphalt being placed on the section of New Street between Guelph Line and Cumberland Avenue;
Following Council approval, staff converted New Street (between Guelph Line and Walkers Line) from a four-lane cross section to a three-lane cross section consisting of two through lanes and a centre two-way left-turn lane. The revised three-lane cross section included buffered on-road bike lanes. The pilot officially “launched” on August 23rd, 2016.
New Street is a minor east-west arterial that runs parallel to the QEW and Fairview Street, providing key connections to the major north-south arterial road system.
New Street accommodates both residential and commuter traffic and provides access to adjacent residential, commercial and institutional developments as well as the surrounding established neighbourhoods.
 City hall went to great lengths to explain the project to the public – few people attended the information session at Bateman high school where there was a lot of detailed information. 24-hour traffic volumes along New Street range between 15,000 and 20,000 vehicles per day. Prior to installation of on-road bike lanes, an average of 60 cyclists per day used New Street.
Prior to the pilot project, this section of New Street consisted of a four-lane cross- section (two travel lanes per direction) within an overall roadway width of 14.0 metres.
The posted maximum speed limit throughout the corridor is 60 km/h exclusive of school zones.
The Pilot Project Design called for a reallocation of the existing roadway through the removal of two through vehicle lanes and introduction of a centre two-way left-turn lane. The preferred design achieved dedicated cycling facilities and reprioritized the function of the street in order to better accommodate bikes.
 Lane configuration prior to the bike lane installation (left graphic) and lane configuration during the pilot project (right graphic) 3. Community Feedback
New Street has been identified as a key commuter cycling corridor given its continuous length, topography, and proximity to GO Stations. Under the previous lane configuration, New Street averaged 60 cyclists a day (June, 2016).
Installation of the pilot has increased cycling use to an average of 80 cyclists per day. Cycling volume data was obtained from a traffic camera situated at the intersection of New Street and Cumberland Avenue.
Based on feedback received from bike lane users, the pilot project has increased levels of comfort, safety and enjoyment of this mode of travel. Users also noted that extending the buffered bike lanes to Burloak Drive and connect to cycling infrastructure in Oakville should be pursued.
Vehicle volumes were collected using automatic traffic recorders used to measure the volume, direction of traffic flow, traffic speed and vehicle classification.
Recognizing that a reduction in lane capacity on New Street had potential to result in diversion, traffic data was collected to substantiate the impact of the pilot project to nearby neighbourhood streets.
 The most notable change in traffic volumes (net increase) was recorded along Woodward Avenue where the daily traffic volumes rose by 16% and while the volume is within acceptable limits of the roadways classification it is an increase nonetheless. The pilot project resulted in negligible impacts to the other surrounding roadways.
Vehicle travel times were recorded before and during the pilot project in order to quantify the increase in travel times as a result of reducing lane capacity and introduction of on-road bike lanes. Bluetooth technology was utilized as a means to collect a large data sample of vehicles (30,000 vehicle sample) traveling through a predetermined section of the corridor.
Vehicle travel times were recorded before and during the installation of the pilot project and excluded the period during which watermain and other sewer work was actively under way and disruptive to traffic flow.
 Data collected under stabilized conditions (post watermain work) indicates that the travel times have increased on average by approximately one and a half minutes during the evening peak hour in the westbound direction.
Collision experience was also examined as part of the evaluation of the pilot project. Before and after analysis appears to indicate a downward trend, however, with less than one year of collision data available under unimpeded road pilot conditions, staff are not comfortable drawing conclusions as it relates to the overall safety of New Street.
Staff received over 1100 comments and suggestions via e-mail, telephone, social media and in person. Feedback predominantly showed a lack of support for the on-street bike lane installation. Increase to travel time, increased traffic congestion and lack of use by cyclists were recurring themes in opposition to the pilot project.
 It was all hands on deck – the city was promoting the use of bicycles – that got Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward on her bike – not something seen very often, Positive feedback cited sense of improved traffic and safety conditions for those residents who reside on New Street. Cyclists who utilized the on-road bike lanes noted that they experienced greater comfort and convenience and felt they promoted safer cycling.
Cycling Master Plan Update
The 2009 Council approved Cycling Master Plan is currently being updated to determine the next critical steps in the evolution of the city’s cycling infrastructure. The focus of this study, which is being undertaken by Alta Planning and Design and led by Transportation Services staff, is to provide guidance and expert opinion on facility types and locations and to recommend a minimum network for cycling in the City of Burlington.
Within the scope of this study, New Street was examined to confirm its suitability as an east-west cycling spine and evaluate the most appropriate type of cycling for the corridor. The existing buffered on road bike lanes were not identified to be problematic and are an appropriate facility type, however, based on a preliminary review, a continuous higher order cycling facility on New Street would provide an important east- west connection for the City and is more likely to generate new cyclists to the corridor.
Transit Network
In recent months, Transit, Planning and Transportation staff have been working together towards developing a frequent transit network for the City of Burlington. The lane configuration on New Street was to play a prominent role in providing the necessary road infrastructure to accommodate high frequency transit service. From a transit perspective, a four-lane cross section best serves the needs of passengers when being dropped off at the curb without blocking bicycle traffic and having to merge back into traffic flow.
While cycling numbers have increased by 20 per day along the New Street corridor, it is not apparent that it can be attributed solely to the on-road bike lanes. Vehicle travel times have risen somewhat and traffic diversion to parallel routes has also increased.
Before and after collision data does not provide any conclusive evidence of any safety improvement at this time. Future frequent transit service along New Street is better served by a four-lane cross section.
An increase in cycling volume is not the only measurable considered however, with no clear indication that cycling volumes have increased as a result of the pilot coupled with the negative impacts to travel times, diversion and future transit, staff do not recommend carrying on with the pilot project or extending it to Burloak Drive.
New Street provides an opportunity to create a critical spine for a cycling network in the City of Burlington. The length, location and cross section can accommodate a number of alternative cycling facility types. The test of any selected facility is its ability to attract more regular everyday “commuter” type users if we are to achieve the goal within our strategic plan of a higher cycling modal share.
After considering which facility best fits our goal to increase the cycling mode share, staff have concluded that dedicated, off road paved cycle tracks provide the greatest advantage.
The cycle track option was presented in transportation services department report TS- 10-16 in July 2016 with some preliminary assessment completed to determine cost implications. Recognizing the considerable cost of such a facility, staff recommend pursuing senior government funding which has been available in the past for cycling related infrastructure.
Next Steps – New Street Resurfacing:
Resurfacing of New Street from Cumberland Avenue to Walkers Line was included in the 2017 Capital Budget and was deferred to provide for full test of the New Street pilot project. With Council approval of this report the lane configuration for New Street will be confirmed and the resurfacing of New Street from Guelph Line to Walkers Line can be completed. The total cost including, inspection, testing, net HST and contingency is $650,000.
 The dedicated cycling lanes were not fully tested – road re-surfacing, sewer main replacement and repairs got in the way of a full fledged test. Storm Sewer Repairs
During completion of the asphalt rehabilitation on New Street, east of Guelph Line a significant storm sewer failure occurred. Upon detailed investigation, it was determined that full replacement of 340 metres storm sewer and 3 maintenance holes was warranted. To ensure motorist safety and have the work completed as soon as possible to allow the road lanes impacted to be reopened; King completed much of this work in 2017, with a small section of sewer work still to be completed. The additional cost to complete the storm sewer replacement is estimated to be $335,000. The total cost including, inspection, testing, HST and contingency is $392,000.
Public Engagement Matters:
In the Staff report that will go to the Standing Committee on the 27th, they say: City staff created a project website (www.burlington.ca/newstreetpilot ) where all the information was posted and where residents were able to provide their input.
Based on the emails, letters, social media posts and telephone conversations, staff produced a summary of comments received in favour and opposition of the pilot project. As part of public engagement, staff also received a petition that contained over 2,700 signatures of Burlington residents who are in opposition to the pilot project.
Conclusion:
The evaluation and subsequent analysis indicates that desired increase in cycling activity has not materialized based on the data collected before and after the pilot project. It is difficult to confidently attribute the increase in bicycle volume of 20 per day solely on the buffered bike lanes. However, there is also a recognition that the cycling volume may have been negatively impacted by the limited length and lack of connectivity to a larger east-west cycling network.
Travel time, during the evening peak hour has increased and while not excessive, does add time to motorists evening commute. There has been some nominal traffic diversion to Spruce and Woodward Avenues and while considered to be within the volume threshold of both roadways classification, it is not the function of a collector roadway to facilitate what is essentially “through” volume.
New Street is expected to play an important role in supporting a frequent transit network that is currently being evaluated. The preferred lane configuration for higher frequency transit operation on New Street is a four-lane cross section.
Cycle tracks, provide the greatest level of protection and encourages more people to use cycling as a commuting mode of transportation. Increasing the cycling mode share is aligned with the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan and upcoming Transportation Plan.
The implementation of cycle tracks on New Street presents funding challenges, however, senior levels of government are continuing to invest in cycling infrastructure and New Street is an ideal candidate for consideration. Staff will consider for inclusion, the implementation of cycle tracks in the capital budget and forecast in future years and will continue to pursue funding opportunities from both the provincial and federal governments.
This is a Staff recommendation that Council will take to – Councillor Jack Dennison will remonstrate over the missed opportunity to get more people out on bikes – the two women who brought in several thousand signatures on a petition will sleep well when city council kills the idea on December 11th.
By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Fire Department is recognizing Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 8 to 14, 2017 with a contest for residents who connect with them through social media.
Residents are asked to look for Fire Prevention Week transit shelter ads around Burlington, take a photo clearly showing the safety message– selfie optional – and tag @BurlingtonFire on Twitter or @BurlingtonFireDept on Facebook to be entered into a draw to win a Fire Prevention Week gift pack.
The contest runs from Oct. 2 to 29, 2017.
Fire Prevention week is a province-wide initiative held each year in October. This year’s theme of Fire
Prevention Week is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”
In a fire, you may have just seconds to safely escape your home. Be prepared in advance with these simple steps for home fire escape planning:
 Fire and smoke move faster than you can. Plan and practice fire escape exercises. Consider the needs of everyone in your home
Identify anyone who needs help to get out of the home safely, such as small children or older adults.
Make sure that you have working smoke alarms on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas
Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm.
Identify all possible exits (doors and windows) and make sure they work
Know two ways out of all areas, if possible.
Everyone must know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds
Name someone to take care of those who need help.
Identify a safe meeting place outside.
Call the fire department from outside the home – from a neighbour’s home or a cell phone.
Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year
Have everyone take part.
Make changes to your plan if necessary.
Burlington Fire Chief Dave Lazenby tells people that “Fire and smoke move faster than you. There’s no time to figure out how to escape your home after a fire starts. Practice an escape plan before there’s a fire so you can get out safely.”
 By Staff
September 9th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Guelph Royals chose to drop out of the playing schedule during the regular season in June – at that time they had not won just a single game.
 Pitching just wasn’t what it needed to be. There was no reason given for the abrupt decision to cease operations.
 It was a team that at one point was the IBL Champions on nine occasions. The InterCounty Baseball League (IBL) announced on Friday that they would hold a media event in Guelph on Monday during which they would confirm that new ownership has been found for the Guelph Royals and outline plans for the future direction for the team.
The IBL has worked with former team owner Jim Rooney in the search for new ownership. They appear to have succeeded.
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