 By Staff
February 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
With their child sitters on duty and their cell phones almost on silent, comedic artists, best friends and supermoms Lisa and Shoshana are ready to party like it’s 1999.
Prepare to get totally out of control, but only until just past 10pm, the sitters have to be taken home.
Each cabaret will feature a Surprise Special Guest, specializing in musical theatre, stand-up, or drag – as well as Surprise Local Guests. So let’s take a deep breath, let our pelvic floors drop and Feel The Burl.
“Few people can make me pee my pants laughing like Shoshana Sperling.” – NOW Magazine
Hosts
 Shoshana Sperling and Lisa Brooke – headliners Shoshana and Lisa Brooke is an alumnus of the legendary Toronto and Chicago Second City and has worked in Canadian television for almost twenty years, but she’s really not as old as that sounds. Most recently Lisa was the show writer on CBC’s national daytime series ‘The Goods.’
Shoshana Sperling is a writer, voice talent, and JUNO-nominated musician who has opened for Jann Arden. She is a contributing writer for Today’s Parent and Chatelaine magazines. Her work as composer and lead singer of ‘The Monkey Bunch’ was rewarded with a JUNO nomination for Best Children’s Album.
Together Lisa and Shoshana have written on Just For Laughs, CBC’s Comics!, Jonovision, Smashalot (digital), and the Canadian Screen Award-nominated Just Like Mom And Dad which was taped in front of a live audience right here in Burlington.
Special Guests:
 Sandra Battaglini Sandra Battaglini is an award-winning stand-up comic, actor and writer. She is the 2013 Canadian Comedy Award winner for her solo show, Classy Lady, directed by Phil Luzi, that premiered in Toronto in 2012 and most recently was voted ‘Best Female Standup’ by NOW Magazine.
She was a semi-finalist in the She Devil Comedy Competition in NYC and has performed at Just for Laughs in Montreal and premiered her 7th solo show Baby Jeez and other Abreevs at in Toronto, directed by Phil Luzi. She spearheaded a grassroots movement to have stand-up comedy recognized as an art form and started The Canadian Association of Stand-up Comedians that lobbies for comedian’s rights.
 Heidi Lange Heidi Lange
Heidi is a Toronto-based singer, teacher, writer and actor. She has been teaching voice, piano and musical theatre to students of all ages for over 16 years. Born and raised in Burlington, Heidi studied musical theatre at the University of Windsor before returning home and graduating from the Mohawk College Applied Music program. She performs regularly in and around the GTA. Favourite musical theatre credits include: Ragtime (Sarah), The Last Five Years (Cathy), Rent (Joanne), and The Life (Queen). Heidi is very excited about the recent release of her second album, Let Your Honesty Shine, a collection of songs from the catalogue of Paul Simon.
 Selena Vyle Selena Vyle
Selena is a storyteller, comedian, singer and dancer, who is known for her political performances and social commentary. A Canadian Comedy Award winner for co-writing and co-starring in A Sketch Comedy Extravaganza Eleganza, she has headlined comedy festivals Just For Laughs (Montreal), We’re Funny That Way, and Toronto Sketchfest. She is a member of House of Lix, with whom she co-hosts the podcast Squirrel Talk. This Latinx/Arab drag queen is the producer of “Queens Of The World”, celebrating diversity in Toronto’s drag scene. A Top 4 finalist in Crews & Tangos Drag Race 2018, she brings you the unexpected, from emotional mixes to hilarious puppetry and she’s one of Toronto’s most well known musical improvisers. She’s So Vyle.
 Michelle Wagman Michelle Wagman
Michelle is a Burlington based singer, actor and educator. She is a proud graduate of Sheridan’s prestigious Music Theatre Performance Program, and has been performed on stages across the country. Michelle most recently appeared as Elle Woods in Drury Lane’s production of “Legally Blonde”. She also spent years as “best friends” with many beloved princesses! Matt is also a Burlington based singer/actor and married to Michelle! He will be appearing next in Drury Lane’s production of “The Last Resort”.
Musical Director
 Bryce Kulak Bryce Kulak
Bryce is a Toronto-based composer, pianist, singer, and actor. Award-winning projects include the musical Nami Namersson, the short musical La Casati, and the movie-musical The Man That Got Away, in which Bryce also starred.
Bryce co-created and tours with Tom Allen’s chamber-musicals Bohemians in Brooklyn, The Judgment of Paris, From Weimar to Vaudeville, and The Missing Pages. His albums Welcome, Tin Can Telephone, and The Man That Got Away are on iTunes.
Dates & Times
Friday FEB 28, 2020 – 7:30pm
Venue: Community Studio Theatre
Ticket Prices
Regular: $39.00 (All in)
Member: $34.00 (All in)
 By Staff
February 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Parking screening office – located on ground floor The Parking Screening Office will be closed on
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This means you don’t get a chance to tell your story.
The office is scheduled to re-open on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020
To pay a parking ticket online, visit www.burlington.ca/parking go to the Service Burlington counter, first floor, City Hall 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
 By Staff
Feb 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There was an item in a recent Regional Council agenda.
It was the passing of a bylaw that would let finance staff negotiate a $17 million plus debenture which was to meet some of the financial needs of the four municipalities in the Region.
Of the $17,100,000 debenture $10 million of the proceeds goes to Burlington.
 The graphic was a bit of a stunner for Burlingtonians.
In the comments included in the report that went to Regional Council was the following:
Consistent with the current growth environment, measures of inflation are expected to remain around 2 percent. With interest rates presently at low levels and current market conditions favourable the Regional Chair and Commissioner of Finance and Regional Treasurer were authorized to engage the services of CIBC World Markets Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., BMO Nesbit Burns Inc., and/or Scotia Capital Inc. as fiscal agents and enter into all agreements and ancillary documents necessary to secure the terms and issuance of a market debenture issue for all or part of the $17,100,000.
We learned as well that the Region has maintained its bond rating. Regional Chair Carr takes great pride is telling people that the Region has a better bond rating than the American government.
 By Staff
February 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It is billed as the Report of the Volunteer Members of the Citizen Advisory Committee Review Team.
It is a lengthy report that, in the words of the authors: “Our recommendations are based, wherever possible, on the feedback received from the public, advisory committee members and staff collected during 2019.
 Jim Young  Roland Tanner The Review Team is comprised of volunteer residents of Burlington: Michael Budd, Perla Lopez, Jason Manayathu, Roland Tanner and Jim Young
As far as possible, they have only made recommendations where there was either a clearly expressed desire for a solution or a clearly identified problem that existed for which a solution needed to be identified.
“The engagement data we had available, however, did not include any evidence on several key elements on which we were tasked by council to provide recommendations. In those cases, we have inevitably provided our own conclusions on the best route forward based on our own knowledge of the city, advisory committees and background research we conducted.
“The report and its recommendations represent the fourth occasion on which citizens have been asked to provide advice to council on Advisory Committee reform, beginning in 1997.
 “On each occasion, while the recommendations have differed since 1997, the initial conclusions were similar. Advisory committees far too often did not work as intended and were not properly integrated into the decision-making process.
Poor structure, poor terms of reference, misunderstandings, lack of relevant training, and selection methods open to influence all worked to undermine the role advisory committees should have in establishing citizen voices with appropriate input at the centre of City Hall.”
That is from the first page of content. We will report in detail on what comes out of the Workshop.
Much of what was learned was set out in the Shape Burlington report.
By Staff
February 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
What will you do when you look at the rear view mirror and spot the police cruiser with a satellite dish mounted on top behind you?
Pull over.
The cruiser is part of a Public Safety Broadcast Network that the Halton Regional Police were leaders in getting off the ground.
More on just what is involved and the difference this is going to make.
 That satellite dish is the working end of the Public Safety Broadcasting Network that the Halton Regional Police were leaders in getting off the ground.
 By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
At a Standing Committee earlier in the month we thought we heard Mayor Marianne Meed Ward say that she was taking a course on governance. It was a passing comment.
We follow up with a note to the Mayors communications aide and asked where she was taking the course and who was paying for the course – they aren’t cheap.
 The Mayor is studying for the designation of Chartered Director. Monday evening the Mayor said that she was studying for a Chartered Director designation. She made no other comment.
The Mayor’s communications aide told the Gazette earlier this month that: “This is being paid for privately and will have zero impact on the taxpayers of Burlington.”
Who is privately? If the Mayor is receiving a benefit for something directly related to her work the public has a right to know where the money for the benefit is coming from.
This is not to suggest that there is anything untoward going on.
Our view is that first: Congratulations to the Mayor for deciding to take the course – it is not an easy course – there are a lot of people who register, attend the classes but find that they haven’t don’t the work needed to be able to pass the examination.
Before being accepted into the course an assessment based on five key areas which are central to organizational direction and governance.
- Vision, Purpose, Values and Ethics
- Strategic Thinking and Stakeholder Management
- Delegation to Management
- Discharging your Duties as a Director and as a Competent Member of a Collective and Responsible Body
- Exercising Effective and Accountable Leadership
This is not an easy undertaking.
The Mayor may have been given a scholarship, who gave it to her?
Burlington is going to be better off with a Mayor who has the designation.
It would have been better for the city to have paid the fees. Sure a lot of people would have howled. Meed Ward will be a much better Mayor – she already is – due to what she has learned.
This is all a little awkward – being a public person means you are always in the public eye – usually because that is what successful politicians do for a living.
For the time being the public is going to have to accept that the Mayor is getting some valuable training that will benefit all of us which is paid for by – we don’t know who.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
February 24th 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather certainly co-operated.
There was some really good snow which helped make the December, January and February, 30/60 Winter Play Challenge the success the city believes it was
Residents were challenged to participate in the 30/60 Winter Play Challenge where individuals, families or groups had to complete 30 activities in 60 days. The team that completed the most activities and had the most points won a grand prize.
The challenge encouraged the community to get outside and play.
 That is an impressive snow fort – word on who the family is or what part of the city they are located in. Kudos to them for participating. There were 101 activities that teams could complete. Activities included things like building a snowman, hiking, making an indoor fort and making a meal together. One team completed all 101 activities. In total 34, teams of 2-6 members participated.
One of the activities was “write City Hall”. One family took them up on it.
“Firstly, we would love to thank you for the opportunity to enjoy such a fun game. We are truly blessed to live in such a great city.”
“I love the variety of things that I’ve done during this challenge that never would have occurred to me to do! I also really love that it kept me thinking “what can I do today” every day which really helps to stay active in the winter months.”
 That looks like a conga line – before the heavy snow hit the ground. “You have also inspired us to explore further! We got a map of Burlington which shares all the parks and our goal for 2020 is to visit and explore each one at least once!”
Terry Milewski, Supervisor of Marketing and Sponsorship said: “This was our first year running this program in the winter and we are overwhelmed with the success of it. We even had to add more activities because the participants loved it so much, they breezed through all 30 original activities. We’re so happy people found this such a worthwhile and fun event. We are looking forward to starting up another challenge this summer.”
Overwhelmed with just 34 teams is a bit of a stretch but it is a good start and certainly worth building upon.
 By Pepper Parr
February 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometime during Mayor Goldring’s second term he said that the intensification that was going to take place would not change the character of the city.
Guess what – intensification is smacking Burlington where it hurts – in the middle of those upper middle income communities that have made Burlington the city it is.
Residents of the Millcroft community learned this week that the owners of the property are going to apply for permission to add as many as 100 homes to the community by re-arranging the golf course that was the reason for the creation of the community in the first place – back in the mid 1980’s.
A meeting took place recently – it was “private” only for invited Millcroft home owners affected by the changes. The developer is Argo.
 The alphabet letters indicate where the developments would be located. A Millcroft resident reports that “The letter sent to us was cryptic and the meeting scripted.”
Every household in Millcroft got a hand delivered letter inviting them to the meeting.
“When we got there we were met by security guards” which resident Louise Taylor, a retired nurse said she and her neighbours found “kind of scary”. “Our names were checked off on a list.”
“After a presentation, that really didn’t say very much, we were broken up into five groups – each group was one of the areas that were going to be developed.
“During the presentation we were told that safety was an issue and then shown a graphic showing how many window complaints there had been. One woman stood up and asked the people in the room if anyone had had a window damaged by a golf ball. No one stood up.
 The red dots indicate where the operators of the golf course maintain there were complaints of golf ball damage. “When the group presentations were done there wasn’t an opportunity to gather as a large group again and ask questions.”
The audience was told that the ward Councillor was “on side”. Councillor Angelo Bentivegna has said he had not formed an opinion on the development. The Gazette has reached out to him for comment.
Bentivegna won the ward seat by a slim 41 votes in 2018. The challenge for him will be to shore up his support for the people in Millcroft.
We could find nothing on either the Bentivegna Facebook page or his Twitter account.
 Councillor Bentivegna was asked if he had any comment. We could find nothing on either his Facebook page or his Twitter account on the development. The Gazette is hearing that “There are a lot of very angry residents”, angry over the “butchering of our beautiful neighbourhood. We paid a premium for our home to back onto a golf course – and we won’t even be on the course if this plan goes through.”
 An aerial rendition of where 33 homes are planned. This is block A “Hole number 6 and 7 are getting wiped off the map (behind Country Club, Hadfield and Parklane) .
The feeling in the community is that the “value of our houses lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in one night.”
Residents believe this “this has all been couched as a safety issue by the course owners when it is truly a plan to jam many more homes into green space area with huge profits for the company – all on the backs of all of the present homeowners.”
There is talk about forming a homeowners association to work together to stop this plan.
 An aerial rendition of Block B – where 42 homes are planned.  A rendition of Block B where the 42 homes would be located. The community meeting takes place March 23rd at the Burlington Convention Centre on Burloak. We assume the Mayor has been invited to this one.
The development was done by Monarch Group in the mid 80’s; they who were bought by the Mattamy Group in 2015.
The Mattamy interests were apparently sold to Argo who are 50% partners with the people who own the golf club – which we assume means the golf course itself. It is golf course land that is being used for the development of the the 100 additional homes.
That creates some serious hurdles for the developer. Land that is zoned for recreation doesn’t just get changed to land that is zoned for housing without approval from city council.
Burlington is currently working with an Official Plan that is more than a decade old while they complete the revision of an Official Plan that was approved but not adopted by the previous city council.
This development proposal looks as if it will have to get cleared by the Conservation Halton authority as well.
Related news story:
Integrity of the Millcroft community threatened.
 By Pepper Parr
February 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan finally got to meet the people doing the pre-development work for the proposed enlargement of the Nelson Aggregate quarry on Guelph Line.
 Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan Councillor Nisan had been quite studious and deliberate in making a point of not communicating with the promoters of the project that would, in a couple of decades, have the quarry rehabilitated and turned over to the city and developed into a very large park.
Nisan had said he didn’t want to be influenced by the promoters of the project.
The pre-development application meeting took place at the Cedar Springs Golf Club, which is on the western side of the existing quarry and will eventually, if the application is approved, become part of the current quarry operation.
Nelson Aggregates acquired some property to the south of the existing quarry that will be mined and also be turned over to the public.
That south side of the existing quarry land has a large portion of the property set aside for the at risk Jefferson Salamander.
The development application process is complex and will involve the City of Burlington, the Region of Halton, the Niagara Escarpment Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources that will meet as a Joint Tribunal Review team
The next step is for Nelson Aggregate to complete their application and present it to all four levels of government. At that point the Region will form the Joint Tribunal, figure out who will represent who on the Tribunal team and the hearings, which will be public, will take place.
None of this is going to move all that fast.
 Councillors Bentivegna and Nisan – both share the norther part of the city. What the community did see at the Pre-Consult meeting on Tuesday was Mayor Marianne Meed Ward along with Councillors Nisan and Bentivegna in the room. The quarry is in Nisan’s ward 3.
There was a city planner in the room who didn’t want to make any comment on the time line that would emerge. Most of the people working on this at this point will probably be retired well before there is a public park in place.
This development is a classic case of long term development. The time line will stretch out for 30 years, perhaps more.
At this point there isn’t a lot of support for the idea of additional quarry development north of Dundas. The people in that part of the city like what they have; they don’t want to see changes.
 A computer generated drawing of what Brant Street could look like at some point in the future. Aggregate from the Nelson quarry would be used when it comes time to build. The development industry needs aggregate for the high rise structures that are going to be built in Burlington. There will be some development south of Caroline in the downtown core but there will be many more high rise towers built around the GO stations.
Burlington’s population is going to grow – that is a given – even if there were to be a change in government.
The growth in population will put some pressure on Spencer Smith Park – there has been no recent word on when the public is going to see anything in the way of a public park in the Beachway. At this point all the Region is doing is picking off the properties that are left one by one.
What the public appears to be missing with the Nelson situation is the time, effort and energy that is put into listening to what the public has to say.
Nelson Aggregate has held 36 hours of public meetings and tours in an effort to keep the public informed. Up to this point the quarry people have been very open and transparent.
The development plans:
 Once the existing quarry has been mined out- it will be flooded and turned into a park. The above is a rendering of what the park might look like.  The light grey area is the existing quarry. The dark grey on the left is the golf club property that will be quarried and then turned into a park. The dark grey at the bottom is on the south side of the Second Line. It will be quarried and then turned into a lake. The land to the right if the southern piece is home to the Jefferson Salamander and is to be left in its natural state.
 This is an enlargement of the land on the south side of Second Line. The grey area is where the man made lake will be. The area to the right is Jefferson Salamander territory and will be left in its natural state.
 This drawing shows the full extent of the quarry property. The blue is the existing quarry that is reaching the end of its life cycle as a quarry. The green borders are property Nelson Aggregates either owns or is in the process of acquiring. The red ii where new quarrying will take place once all the applications have been approved.
 Rehabilitation has already started on that portion of the main quarry that is mined out. That dark brown area in the top centre is where fill has been poured over the side of the quarry so that grass can be grown. .
 By Staff
February 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Community Development Halton is holding an introductory workshop to basic human rights principles as it relates to volunteers in the Nonprofit Voluntary Sector.
 Key learnings:
1) Introduction to basic human rights principles
2) Human rights as it relates to volunteers in the workplace
3) Harassment/ Sexual Harassment – avoiding the pitfalls
4) Duty to Accommodation and Duty to Investigate
 Wade Poziomka, Partner at Ross & McBride LLP is a Partner at Ross & McBride LLP, representing both employees and employers in human rights matters. Wade currently sits as one of three Applicant-side representatives to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario’s Practice Advisory Committee, is the Vice-Chair of ARCH Disability Centre’s Board of Directors and is the Past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Section Executive.
Wade’s law degrees are from the University of Toronto (J.D.) and Cornell University Law School (LL.M.). Wade speaks regularly at major conferences on human rights and has been recognized for his commitment to human rights, having been recognized by Best Lawyers Canada in 2020 for Employment and Labour Law and been awarded the Top 40 Under 40 Achievement Award.
Registration: cdhalton.ca/events
Fee: $75 Community Associate (CDH member)
$95 Non Community Associate (non-member)
Contact for more information: 1-855-395-8807 or Rose Marie at office@cdhalton.ca
Tuesday
March 24, 2020
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Check-in starts at 8:30 am
Community Development Halton 3350 South Service Road
Burlington, ON
By Pepper Parr
February 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
This morning, at around 10:00 am, the Mayor and a councillor issued a joint statement related to some development on the Millcroft Golf course property. Within minutes of the statement from city hall there was a media release from the public relations people working for the golf course owners.
There is an interesting situation developing. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Councillor Angelo Bentivegna jointly said:
 Councillor Bentivegna joined the Mayor in issuing a statement on the development plans at the Millcroft Golf Course. “Some residents in the immediate vicinity of Burlington’s Millcroft Golf Club have received a notice from property owner Millcroft Greens Corporation outlining an intent to redesign parts of the golf course and develop small parcels of land for residential uses.
“Millcroft Greens is a joint partnership between the Millcroft Golf Club and Argo Development Corporation. The partnership was created with a mandate to continue to operate an 18-hole golf course while introducing select parcels of land for new development.
“The property owner has noted for reasons related to safety and the length of the course, it would like to reduce the size of the playing area.
 The Mayor was not invited. “It is our understanding that Millcroft Greens met with selected residents earlier this week and that this meeting was an introductory conversation about their preliminary plans with the community. This was an invite-only meeting that I and Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna did not attend.
“Separately, Millcroft Greens met with me and Councillor Bentivegna, along with city staff, to provide an overview of its preliminary concept.
“The City of Burlington has not received a development application from Millcroft Greens for this property and has not even held a per-consultation meeting to discuss a proposal.
“A second neighbourhood meeting with the community will be required by the City before any applications are submitted. At this second meeting, City staff will be able to provide details about application requirements and conditions, and Millcroft Greens will collect feedback that can be used to inform any future development applications. This meeting will be taking place on Monday, March 23.
“Once a development application is submitted to the City, it will trigger a formal process that includes additional public engagement prior to any Council decision.
 A well designed community that was started in the mod 80’s “Any property owner has the legal right to submit an application and the City has a legal obligation to process any applications submitted. City staff review and make recommendations to Council to either approve, modify or deny the development proposal.
“Input from the public is always welcomed and considered throughout the application process.
“We will continue to update the community throughout this process, including once details for a general public meeting are finalized. Formal notice of that meeting will be mailed out to all homeowners in the vicinity of the golf course.”
Minutes later the public relations agency for the land got its side of the story out. KG&A, a corporation the Mayor will certainly know something about, sent the following.
“Representatives from Millcroft Greens, a new 50:50 joint venture between Millcroft Golf Club and Argo Development Corporation, are pleased to announce their intention to redesign and develop select portions of the Millcroft Golf Club. The golf course will continue to operate and offer a new challenging, executive 18-hole experience for golfers.
 The development has a golf course mixed in with the housing. “Millcroft Golf Club has enthusiastically served golfers in the Burlington community and beyond for approximately 30 years,” says Ed Liptay, owner, Millcroft Golf Club. “However, throughout our history, the property owners surrounding the course have faced numerous challenges including damages directly related to stray golf balls.”
“This new partnership gives us an opportunity to address longstanding issues with the golf course, while introducing a few parcels of residential development that respect the existing fabric and residents of this community,” says Gord Buck, Principal, Millcroft Greens.
“To mitigate property damages experienced by community members for decades, the redesign of the golf course by Millcroft Greens will include complete hole redesigns, changes to course length, repositioning of tee boxes, strategic removal and replacement of bunkers, and additional tree planting, while maintaining an 18-hole course. Based on these golf course improvements, five select areas have been earmarked for residential development, focusing on new, high-quality, single family homes to extend and elevate the existing community.
 The aerial view of the proposed redesign and development of Millcroft Golf Club, which will improve the course and introduce new, single family detached homes keeping in character with the community .
“Located between Upper Middle Road and Dundas Street, Millcroft Community is a premium neighbourhood in the city of Burlington. With nearby schools, retail businesses, parks and recreation, and calming natural landscapes, the Millcroft community is connected, convenient, and an attractive option for couples, families with children, and empty nesters.
“The redesign of Millcroft Golf Club is still in the conceptual stage; Millcroft Greens will be formally consulting and then making an application to the City of Burlington in the coming weeks.”
“Millcroft Greens is eager to collaborate and cooperate with the City of Burlington, Halton Region and residents. A public open house will be held on March 23rd at the Burlington Convention Centre.”
Noses are out of joint at city hall for not being invited to those early meetings; the owners of the golf course see an opportunity to do something about the safety issues, and you can never go wrong talking about safety in Burlington, and at the same time put up some very tony and high priced homes in a very desirable community. These will be million dollar plus homes that will sell very, very quickly.
The corporate web site for the golf course is: www.millcroftgreens.com
Some background:
Launched together with the Millcroft Golf Club course in 1986, the Millcroft project in Burlington was a Monarch Development flagship community for more than a decade.
The 650-acre community already includes more than 2,400 single-family houses and townhouses, which wind their way around the rolling greens of the golf course. And as the community moves toward the 20-year milestone, Monarch launched the final phase of executive, single-family homes in the community, called Classic Greens.
They comprised of 166 houses on large lots. Some will back on to the 18-hole, semi-private golf course, and others will have basement walkouts. Homes will range from 2,051 to 3,778 square feet, and lots will be 50 and 60 feet wide.
 A large, safe community with a golf course built into it and now has a superb community centre, high school and library on the northern border. Bungalows on 50-foot lots start at $422,900 while two-storey homes on 50-foot lots are priced from $427,900. The prices of houses on 60-foot lots range from $475,900 to about $585,900.
Millcroft residents will be able enjoy attractive natural surroundings, and be conveniently close to schools and shops. In addition to golfing, residents will have access to a 32-acre community park, which includes tennis courts, baseball diamonds and soccer fields. A short distance away is the Tansley Woods Recreation Centre.
Square footage: from 2,051 to 3,778
Price: houses on 50-foot lots from $422,900; on 60-foot lots from $475,900
Prices like those haven’t been seen in Burlington for some time.
The Monarch Homes Corporation was purchased by Mattamy in 2015
 By Staff
February 19th, 2020
BURLINGTON, 0N
Here is how it went.
A van was stolen in Toronto.
 The driver gassed up in Burlington and then drove off without paying. The garage attendant call the police – that was at 1:00 pm
The driver parked the van in a parking lot at Guelph and Upper Middle Road where the police spotted the vehicle. That was at 1:25 pm.
The police report tells the rest of the story.
On February 18, 2020 shortly after 1:00 pm police were contacted by a gas station to report a fuel theft. The vehicle involved in the theft was stolen from Toronto.
Halton officers located the stolen van inside a parking lot at the intersection of Guelph Line and Upper Middle Road in Burlington at approx. 1:25 pm and parked behind it to initiate an arrest of the occupants.
The van attempted to flee the scene and intentionally struck the police cruiser and other surrounding civilian vehicles. With the help of one off-duty (Halton) officer who happened to be in the lot, police were able to arrest all three suspects without injury.
Arrested and Charged:
Gurdip Singh (27) of No Fixed Address
• Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
• Theft Under $5000
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Flight from Police
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (x2)
• Breach of Undertaking
Gursimranpreet Singh (20) of Brampton
• Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
• Theft Under $5000
Amarpal Singh (30) of Brampton
• Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
• Theft Under $5000
• Fail to Comply with Probation
All three accused were held for bail pending a court appearance in Milton.
The thieves had no idea just how much technology police have at their fingertips.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Candido Moniz at 905-825-4747 ext. 2316 of the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau.
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 Thomas Blake
February 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is a fabulous city to spend time in, as any who lives there will know. Found in the Canadian province of Ontario, it is a vibrant place with much to recommend it. What those who are not familiar with this Canadian city might not know, however, is just how close it is to New York City in North America! Only a few hundred miles sit between these two cities and they both have a proud heritage to speak of. Rather than heading to NYC like everyone else does, for your next trip away why not give Burlington a try instead?
 Relaxing at the edge of the lake – Burlington – an easy going life style. The great thing about this Canadian destination is that it as easy to get to as NYC but has a number of unique features that its American neighbour does not. This means you will get a totally different experience to bring home and something much more interesting than another Empire State Building photo to show friends! But what specific features make Burlington stand out when compared to its neighbours in New York?
Opportunity to play fun casino games online
One major difference is how playing casino games online is treated between the two. The state gambling laws in New York are complex to say the least, despite recent changes to federal law around sports betting and online gambling in the US. It is fair to say that NY laws fall on the restrictive side in general and New York as a state has not yet legalized online gambling officially within its borders. Burlington, on the other hand, benefits from a more relaxed approach to online casino play, which makes the city more attractive for many to visit.
As long as you use an online casino that is not registered within Canadian borders, you will be free to play slots, roulette, poker or any other online game, at your leisure. Canadian Casino sites like Casinos.co are the ideal place to find the best online operator to try out when in Burlington.
More relaxed way of life
There is no doubt that New York is a frantic place, with around 8 million citizens squeezed into its borders. This can make it an overwhelming place for many to visit, with crowds of people rushing about everywhere and plenty of noise. Burlington is not like this at all and benefits from a much more relaxed feel.
 Sound of Music – one of the largest free concerts in the country. With around 200,000 residents, it has a more laid-back atmosphere and feels much calmer to spend time in. This is perfect for any holiday as you can fully unwind without the frantic pace of life that a busier place like New York maintains. You will also find the locals friendlier in Burlington – while New Yorkers are usually too busy to say hello, you will find Burlington residents only too happy to chat.
Low crime rates
While New York has seen a drop in crime rates relative to its population in recent years, many fear the figure is starting to climb once more. This could make finding a safer alternative to NYC a good choice. Burlington is known for having historically low crime rates and this has actually seen it voted as one of the best cities to live in, across Canada, in the past. As noted above, this is a friendly city that offers visitors a safe environment. This is certainly true when you compare it against New York and the rising crime rate there.
Stunning outdoor action
 Mt Nemo and access to the Bruce Trail are all parts of Burlington Although New York City has Central Park, it simply cannot compare with Burlington in terms of outdoor trails, spaces or activities. The wide-open appeal of Burlington and its surrounding landscape gives it a unique edge over its American cousin. The Niagara Escarpment is the main draw here and is classed as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve site.
You can only access the wonderful Bruce Trail, which stretches for almost 900 kilometres through awesome scenery, in Burlington. Burlington also has the Mount Nemo Conservation Area, which New York does not – this is a great pace to hike or try out rock climbing. If you add in the world-famous Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, it is easy to see what it has to offer to stand out as different.
Burlington has so much to offer
 Chow down time – this was finger ‘lickin’ food at the Rib Fest When you also consider the many cultural events that are unique to Burlington, such as the Ribfest or Burlington’s Sound of Music festival, then it gets even clearer why more people are travelling there. While NYC does have its own charm, a trip to this Canadian city offers an experience that you simply cannot get in New York.
 By Staff
February 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Beside the issue of buildings that too many people thought were just too high – the issue of the boundaries for the Urban Growth Centre and the bus terminal on John Street were what irked people.
 There was once a proposal to close the terminal and tear it down. Had that happened would the Nautique have ever gotten OMB approval? Who drew those boundaries and who in their right mind would describe the bus terminal as an MTSA (Major Transportation Service Area)?
A number of well-informed people delegated to city council urging that swift action be taken on both issues.
In a report to her constituents the Mayor recently said:
 Mayor Meed Ward: “Our decision, and one I stand by, was to let evidence and independent study inform our discussions.” “Council recognized from the beginning of our review of the downtown the need, and the desire in the community, to review the MTSA and UGC designations which have been used to justify overdevelopment. The question was when to initiate that review.
“Our decision, and one I stand by, was to let evidence and independent study inform our discussions.
“To let the community know our process, council passed a staff direction last May to review the appropriateness of downtown’s Major Transit Station Area and Urban Growth Centre designations at the end of the Interim Control Bylaw/Official Plan review studies. The OP review study will be complete after new policies are considered in April, and after that we will be in a position to initiate the review of the MTSA/UGC designations sometime this spring.
 “Those designations are set by provincial and regional governments, and only those levels of government can make any changes. The two consultant reports position us with solid independent planning rationale for these conversations with Halton Region and the Province.
“ We have kept Halton Region planning staff and our local Member of Provincial Parliament Jane McKenna apprised of our studies, timelines and process and all have been involved in and supportive of our work.”
The questions that derive from a very solid position is: So the John Street terminal loses its MTSA status – which would suggest that a developer could no longer rely on that status to justify a high rise development – and there are a few very close to that station which are in the pipe line – they appear to be parked at LPAT hearings.
The Urban Growth Centre boundary was set by the province. They didn’t “impose” it on the city. They set the boundary and the council at the time went along with it. Oakville didn’t go along with the boundary they were given and managed to have theirs changed.
At this point a lot of commercial and development investing has been done based on the boundary – does the city have a hope in ‘hades’ of getting it changed – at this point in time with the current provincial government?
It will be interesting to see how that initiative works out.
 By Staff
February 19th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mush Hole, a heart-breaking piece by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre that moves through Canada’s residential school history with hope and empathy, will perform on March 5, 2020 in the Performing Arts Centre Main Theatre.
The Mush Hole pays respect to the many Survivors, acknowledging the lives and spirits of generations of Survivors who “served time” at the school. The storyline follows two generations of Survivors demonstrating the intergenerational effects. The performance at BPAC will include a post show Talk Back and Q&A.
 Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is an Onkwehon:we organization and one of Turtle Islands’ foremost performing arts companies. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre (KDT) is an Onkwehon:we organization and one of Turtle Islands’ foremost performing arts companies, acclaimed nationally and around the globe for exquisitely produced, powerful, poetic and resonant performances. Founded by Six Nations based Artistic Director Santee Smith, Kaha:wi (Ga-HA-Wee) means “to carry” in Kahnyen’kehàka (Mohawk). Exploring the intersection of Indigenous and new performance through resurgent process and practice KDT’s works are interdisciplinary, multi-voiced, intergenerational and inter-cultural. Drawing inspiration from research and collaboration, their performances question, re-story and transform while adhering to Indigenous process, connection to land, story and spirit of place. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is Indigenous presence and narrative.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre: The Mush Hole
Thursday, March 5, 2020 @ 7:30pm
Main Theatre
440 Locust Street, Burlington, Ontario
Tickets can be purchased by telephone, online or in person:
905-681-6000, https://burlingtonpac.ca/events/the-mush-hole/
Tickets: $49.50 (All in), Youth: $39.50 (All in)
By Staff
February 19, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The true believer running crowd will be out on the roads March 1st for the Chilly Half Marathon, March 1, 2020 The event is supporting cancer care at Joseph Brant Hospital.
Road Closures
6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Brant Street from Maria Street to Elgin Street
• Ontario Street from Brant Street to Locust Street
• James Street from John Street to Brant Street
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
• Lakeshore Road from Brant Street to Maple Avenue
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Brant Street, Lakeshore Road to Elgin Street (access to Bunton’s Wharf via Locust Street)
9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Lakeshore Road from Brant Street to Burloak Drive
• Burloak Drive from Lakeshore Road to Spruce Avenue for turnaround (Access to Old Lakeshore Road from the west maintained with delays)
9:55 to 10:45 a.m.
• The streets along the route west of Brant Street will experience intermittent road closures
Resident Access Residents on Lakeshore Road or on side streets impacted by the road closure have the following options:
• Residents on the north side of Lakeshore Road are able to use the westbound lane, but expect delays
• Residents on the south side of Lakeshore Road will have restricted access and are encouraged to make alternate arrangements
• If your residence is within the road closure and you have to access your vehicle during the race, please park on side streets north of Lakeshore Road
Supervision Police will be at major intersections and traffic islands. Event marshals will be available at minor intersections and major multi-resident driveways to inform drivers of event details and road closures. Race notices were delivered to all residents, religious centres and businesses along the race route.
 By Staff
February 19th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Milton MP Adam van Koeverden in a former occupation. Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport,) is the Member of Parliament for Milton, which includes a large part of northern Burlington.
He spoke yesterday in the Emergency Debate related to the Indigenous community protests taking place.
He said:
Madam Speaker, I sat in relative awe of a lot of people today listening to a variety of statements and perspectives. Like a lot of things, that is what makes the House great: a lot of different perspectives and opinions.
However, there is a degree to which this issue and the people involved in the project are being co-opted to reinforce multiple political narratives. One thing that is clear is that this issue severely lacks consensus. I have heard tonight conflicting reports of support from locals as disparate as the opinions in the House.
 Protests across the country have impacted commercial operations and put in stark relief what the country is going to have to do to recognize and respect the rights of the Indigenous community. We can certainly all agree, I hope, that a peaceful process and a resolution that results in no violence is in everyone’s best interests. However, the language that we have heard from the Leader of the Opposition is anything but peaceful, as he suggested that indigenous people “check their privilege”. The Leader of the Opposition doubled down on that statement today when he urged haste and force.
I am grateful that my colleagues on this side are able to learn from history and not repeat the mistakes of the past.
My question for my colleague refers to his prior role as parliamentary secretary and his important work on the Indigenous Languages Act. Could he elaborate on the value of listening, even to a small minority, to reach common ground, sometimes in the absence of consensus?
By Staff
February 19th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington adults, aged 19+ and 55+, will be able to register for Spring/Summer Live and Play programs on Feb. 22 at 9 a.m.
 There are a lot of competitive events as well as lap swimming and swimming lessons. Registrations are accepted online at wwwliveandplay.burlington.ca or in-person on Saturday at the Burlington Seniors’ Centre, City Hall, Brant Hills Community Centre and Tansley Woods Community Centre.
Following Saturday’s launch, in-person registration can be done at any City facility during regular customer service hours. burlington.ca/servicehours.
 It’s going to be a couple of months before these lawns are used – but you can register now. The City of Burlington’s Spring/Summer 2020 Live and Play Guide, featuring listings for recreation, sport and culture programs, was originally distributed in January and can now be found in City facilities including recreation centres, Burlington Public Library branches and City Hall, as well as online at burlington.ca/play.
Non-residents aged 19+ and 55+ can register for Spring/Summer Live and Play programs on Friday, Feb. 28 at 9 a.m.
• To receive future copies of the online guide by email, subscribe to the Live and Play e-newsletter at www.burlington.ca/enews.
• For details on how to register for fall/winter programs and events, see page three of the guide or visit www.burlington.ca/play.
The Parks and Recreation department announced earlier this month that the Guide would no longer be published in print form going forward.
By Pepper Parr
February 19th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
During the very difficult meeting at which the Audit Committee discussed the report the auditor had prepared on what wasn’t working with the CRM system the city had decided to install, Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns said she asked staff what she had to do to be a good city councillor.
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns. Wanted to be a good Councillor – staff didn’t help. This was very shortly after she had been sworn in.
Kearns reported that the senior people she spoke with told her she should trust staff and work with them.
Staff mislead the new Councillor; whether knowingly is for them to determine.
What Staff should have said to the new city Councillor was:
Hold us accountable.
That began to happen Wednesday of last week when Lisa Kearns and Paul Sharman asked some very hard and pointed questions about what had gone wrong with the Customer Relations Management system.
By Pepper Parr
February 18th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The word risk is creeping into sentences in documents and conversations around city hall.
City Manager Tim Commisso is a big believer in knowing what the risks are and then being as ready as you can for what might be coming your way.
While it isn’t all that clear to many on just what the CRM system is going to do for the public once it is up and running – one of the things it will do is alert staff to risk. When a complaint comes in from a citizen, under the CRM system, it goes into the Knowledge Bank. If there are enough complaints about something that concern could/might work its way into the budget deliberations.
 Flooding wasn’t seen as a really serious risk before 2014 – that changed when several hundred homes were flooded as the result of a flash series of rain storms Someone can ask: Does this concern we are hearing about mean anything?
An example (totally hypothetical) is the jet fuel line that runs through the downtown core of the city. It is at the top of the parking lot between John and Elizabeth. A number of people who appear to be very knowledgeable on the subject of fuel lines have delegated on this particular line. Is it an issue? How often has it been mentioned? Did Staff catch the concern?
 Leah Bisutti maintains the Risk Registry – now a critical management document. As part of the risk management approach to running the city that City manager Tim Commisso brings to the table there is now a “risk registry” that is maintained by a member of his office staff.
When the Registry was being discussed at the Audit Committee meeting there were no questions from council – they had bigger fish to fry.
The document that Leah Bisutti maintains is important – the number of items tagged as high risks is a little on the alarming side.
The creation of the list was quite detailed. In addition to interviewing all members of council as requested by Audit Committee, there were also 30-minute confidential interviews with members of Burlington Leadership Team and a risk workshop to come to a consensus on the top ten risks. Time was also spent to identify probability, impact, and present and future mitigation.
 Identifying risk and attempting to manage that risk are new city foci.
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