By Pepper Parr
December 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
There was a time when Burlington had a healthy number of local community organizations, built around education and recreation issues.
Burlington was a bustling place – parents were involved, and life was safe, easy, with no major issues taking up everyone’s time.
That began to change as we got into the 1980’s and into the 90’s
The city hummed along when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor; never any tax increases, and not nearly enough spent on infrastructure – leaving the city with a several million dollar gap that now requires a 2% tax levy that will go on for at least two decades.
In 2018 a community organization was created to get the vote out.
Then Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward with Mayor Rick Goldring.
Rick Goldring was Mayor. Marianne Meed Ward, then a Councillor for Ward 2, had decided she wanted to be Mayor. She won the seat with the promise that there would be no towers in the downtown core.
She eventually got the Urban Growth boundary moved north of the downtown core and committed herself to building high-rise towers around the three GO stations, which became known as MTSA’s
The community organization Engaged Citizens of Burlington held all candidate meetings in every city ward during the lead-up to the 2018 election did a superb job. The only thing one could complain about is that ECoB never did release a financial statement.
ECoB used the money raised to pay for the debates and one event held at the Burlington Performing Art Centre ( A Tale of 2 Cities). We arranged for a meeting prior to the election at Tansley Woods Community Centre to try to inform potential candidates on how to run an election campaign and what the job entailed.
They had to pay for the use of the venues for some of the debates. They decided to have a videographer film the debates so that residents who could not physically come to the Ward Debate could watch them on YouTube. We had to pay for people to operate the sound systems at the debates themselves.
They had to pay to incorporate as a not-for-profit and buy directors’ insurance. We paid for advertising. (The Gazette carried some of the ECoB advertizing.) In the end there was nothing left.
There wasn’t much in the way of standing room at the ward 2 all-candidates meet held at the New Street Baptist Church in 2018
ECoB was never able to get any traction after the election. The turnout at the all candidate meetings was very high – but it didn’t result in people signing up to continue the good work.
ECoB used the money raised to pay for the debates and one event held at the Burlington Performing Art Centre ( A Tale of 2 Cities). We arranged for a meeting prior to the election at Tansley Woods Community Centre to try to inform potential candidates on how to run an election campaign and what the job entailed.
We had to pay for the use of the venues for some of the debates. We decided to have a videographer film the debates so that residents who could not physically come to the Ward Debate could watch them on UTube. We had to pay for people to operate the sound systems at the debates themselves.
We had to pay to incorporate as a not for profit and buy director’s insurance. We paid for advertising. etc. – there was nothing left.
ECoB folded. An organization call BRAG – Burlington Residents’ Action Group got off the ground – which was as far as they got.
The group wasn’t able to find a common cause; leadership issues resulted in its dissolution.
BRAG was replaced by Focus Burlington, which dedicates itself to going over the budgets with a fine-tooth comb.
Focus has about a dozen, maybe a few more, men and women who share different sections of the Budget Book, with each person focusing on a different part.
They badger city hall for data; they complain – rightly so -about the paucity of data.
They communicate via email. Except for one person, the members know each other.
The difference with Focus Burlington is fundamental – other than the two founding members, no names are released.
Of those doing the hard work – and it is hard work – some fear repercussions and don’t need the hassle of getting on the wrong side of City Hall Staff.
People aren’t interested in sharing their names and BIOs, which might make people easier to identify.
BRAG founders Eric Stern (above) and Stephen White
Focus Burlington’s board members are Eric Stern and Stephen White.
Stern provided the Gazette with the following:
“Burlington residents and taxpayers with an interest in the city’s budget are welcome to join the Focus Burlington Budget Group. We are a group of professionals who are not looking for recognition, but are focused on ensuring good governance of the city administration by elected officials. Our membership includes retired CEOs, auditors, HR experts, enterprise risk and performance improvement specialists, engineers, and media experts.”
“Focus Burlington does not publish the names of their helpers. Most don’t want to be known, fearing retribution from either Council or city administrative staff.
“They communicate primarily through email, and they rarely meet in person. One member of our group has not shared their name and communicates only through an unidentifiable email address.”
Stern and the group members believe that some members of council have abdicated their responsibility to review the budget in a robust fashion and look to the Citizens for input.
These people turned out for a meeting on how to get involved in the process of getting elected.
On balance, Focus Burlington is doing a good job at keeping the idea that citizens have the right to participate in the affairs of the city alive – and that this amounts to more than just responding to city surveys.
Future political leaders come out of ward-based organizations. Without these groups there is little in the way of candidates to choose from when an election takes place.
When every member of Council is returned to office one does not have a council that is responsive – you get what we have now.
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ECoB worked tirelessly to get residents out to vote. If I remember correctly 39% of Burlington cast their ballot. While this is still very low it was much better than previous elections.
Residents seem to get involved after they see something taking place in their ward that they do not like. In 2018 over development was the impetus that made people get involved.
As stated in the article we had full and over capacity crowds attending the debates. When the decision was made to do this we had no idea if the residents would embrace this and we were extremely happy to see that they did.
After an election most people simply go on with their lives. They tend not to want to continue being involved in Municipal politics. ECoB tried to do this by having 6 ward committees which would be available to listen to resident’s issues and perhaps do some community events. The new ward councillors decided to do this as well. There is just so much time that residents can devote to going to these meetings.
One of these events ECoB sponsored was “A Tale of Two Cities”. This was held at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre and it was meant to show the differences between Burlington and Oakville and the different paths they took towards development.
This time around it will be interesting to see if any one issue contributes to making residents get involved. Perhaps the “strong mayor” issue?
I certainly hope so.