 By Pepper Parr
February 4th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
One would think that with the two biggest developments in the city to manage Paul Paletta would be a very busy man.
 Stretching from King Road on the east to the Aldershot GO station in the west and lined by Hwy 404 on the North and the rail line on the south, it is one of the biggest undeveloped pieces of property in the city. The 1200 King Road development is going to take a year or so before it is under active development with announcements about partnerships expected this year. The site is massive and will, when fully developed, have at least one educational partner, sports facilities, office capacity and housing. It might well be the first full community on a site in both Burlington and the Region.
At the same time, the Bronte Creek Meadows development is close to ready to get shovels into the ground. Zoning and Official plans have been cleared on this project.
 On Wednesday January 28th, 2026 Alinea announced the acquisition of Coldterra and the creation of Universal Cold under Alinea Capital Holdings.
A ribbon cutting ceremony took place in August of 2022 in honour of their new state-of-the-art facility. The 65-million-dollar complex is located in Hamilton. The 65-foot-tall expansion boasts nearly 163,000 sq ft. of storage space and over 42,000 positions bringing the facility’s grand total to 339,000 sq ft.
There were a number of corporations involved in the development of what is now a wholly owned Alinea operation. Sierra Supply Chain Services, Sierra Cold, TiCold and Penta Properties.
Paul Paletta describes Universal Cold as “an investment rooted in our belief in strong, behind-the-scenes infrastructure that people rely on every day. Cold storage plays a critical role in keeping food safe and moving through the supply chain, and Universal Cold continues to be an essential part of that system.
“This transition reflects the values that guide all our work: thinking ahead and supporting essential infrastructure for the long term, working collaboratively with the team already in place, being transparent about ownership and accountability, and practicing responsible stewardship. These four pillars shape how Alinea approaches every investment and our role in the communities we serve.
 Paul Paletta “What hasn’t changed is just as important. The people, operations, and compliance standards remain the same. Our role is to support the team doing the work and ensure the foundation behind the business is steady, reliable, and built to last.”
With Universal Cold settled Paul Paletta and his team are focused on getting things going at the 1200 King Road site and shovels in the ground at Bronte Creek Meadows.
 By Gazette Staff
February 4th 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The groundhogs seem to have agreed that Spring is just six weeks away.
That warm weather will mean no more morning views like this with the sun glancing off the snow-laden trees.
 Imagine looking out the window and seeing something as magnificent as this?
 By Gazette Staff
February 4th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Heart to Heart: A Variety Show Celebrating Passions
Thursday, February 12th + Friday, February 13th : 7:30pm
Heart to Heart is a community variety show with a twist! With a dynamic mix of 18 local performers showcasing their talents through music, dance and comedy. This production explores the passions that connect us, whether it’s the spark of romance, the joy of a beloved hobby, or the comfort of family and friends.
BOX OFFICE
 By Gazette Staff
February 4th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Family Day, the occasion when the province focuses on its families.
 They’ve been doing it for 20 years – the kids love them. The Performing Arts Centrre has put Splash,N Boots on the Main Stage an hour of children’s music.
Monday, February 16th | 1pm
Get the kids out of the house this winter!
Treat the family to an afternoon of family-friendly music with Splash’N Boots! This beloved Canadian children’s music duo has been spreading joy through their infectious music for over 20 years.
Ticket prices are reasonable, just $25 each
BOX OFFICE:
By Gazette Staff
February 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has appointed Deputy Fire Chief Drew Boys as its next Fire Chief, effective February 9, 2026, following the upcoming retirement of Fire Chief Karen Roche.
Deputy Chief Boys brings more than 20 years of experience in the fire sector, including senior leadership roles with Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, Oakville Fire, and, most recently, Burlington Fire, where he currently serves as Deputy Fire Chief.
 Drew Boys – new Fire Chief for Burlington In his current role, Deputy Chief Boys has worked closely on projects such as Simultaneous Notification, Next Generation 9-1-1, the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), and the modernization of Burlington’s primary and backup 9-1-1 Fire Communications Centres. All of these projects contribute to improving efficiencies and modernizing fire services.
Deputy Chief Boys serves as the sponsor of the City’s Enterprise Asset Management System (EAMS), contributing to technology projects that support data-driven decision-making and service delivery. He also participates in regional, provincial, and national committees, including the Joint Emergency Services Operational Advisory Group (JESOAG), the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), and the Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN) Innovation Alliance.
 By Ray Rivers
February 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
In many ways, there has been too much discussion about Canada’s EV mandate, introduced during the Trudeau years as a climate change initiative. It is one of the few remaining vestiges of climate policy that we associate with former PM Justin Trudeau.
 Gaz guzzlers: Advertising taught us to love them. An EV mandate has long been opposed by the big three US automakers since it would ultimately mean the end of the gas guzzler. They are opposed to essentially scrapping their outdated internal combustion infrastructure. A second reason has to do with the symbiotic relationship of these large corporations and those in the petroleum sector.
The mandate included a 20% interim 2026 target for EVs. When PM Carney, realized, among other factors, that the 20% target would not be attainable this year he paused the interim requirement. That pausing raised the hopes of the conventional auto industry that the entire mandate was also on its way out the door.
EV sales in North America have fallen off a cliff since Mr. Trump put a curse on them after returning to office. And the father of the modern EV, Elon Musk, almost killed the Tesla as buyers penalized him for all he did during his disastrous stint at the White House.. That is the USA, but too many of us Canadians tend to follow America’s lead – so Canadian EV sales here have also crashed.
Built into the federal EV mandate is an option for a kind of EV trading scheme. The mandate allows credits to be created by those overachieving the mandated levels and allowing them to sell credits to those who don’t. This is a bizarre provision which complicates the mandate and creates potentially unintended consequences.
 50,000 of these Electric Vehicles will arrive in Canada – what will the take up be? The domestic makers complain that imported Chinese EVs will be able to earn credits. And selling those credits would hypothetically put an estimated billion dollars into Mr. Xi’s Beijing bank account. That should be enough to kill the mandate, they say.
As for the so-called Big Three, nobody serious about the environment should ever take their advice. GM and Ford were heavily complicit in masking and hiding how their products would hasten the advent of climate change. For over 50 years ago they have hidden this truth from the public. They can’t be trusted with our future.
Those American based auto makers are on their way out anyway, being called home by Mr. Trump. The number of vehicles the big three produce in Canada and the number of people they employ to make them have dramatically tumbled over the last decade. Honda and Toyota have replaced them and they also build better cars, according to most reviews. So Canadians need to say good riddance as the last factory built US car plant in Canada eventually closes.
The EV mandate, notwithstanding disappointing sales of those vehicles this past year, has probably already been a success in signalling to the industry and consumers that it is time to change up their ride. The history of subsidies for EV purchases has been moderately successful, particularly when there had been a significant price differential.
What is lacking is adoption of a standardized universal auto charging system and a national highway of reliable, easy to use EV chargers from sea to sea to sea. That is currently one of the biggest drawbacks to broader EV adoption. Otherwise EVs should sell themselves. They are faster, quieter, less costly to operate and virtually maintenance free – with or without an EV mandate.
There is a place for mandates and prohibitions. A federal appeal court has just ruled that plastic is a toxic substance allowing the continued banning of unnecessary plastic products like shopping bags and drink straws. Surely no reasonable person would argue that car exhaust is any less toxic.
 Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Auto Complaints – GM/Ford complicity – Big Three on Their Way Out – Plastic Toxicity –
By Gazette Staff
February 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
With all that nice white fluffy snow – how do you keep the kids off the slopes?
McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) reports some very serious accidents. Doesn’t have to be that way.
 Fun – but not recommended. “In January, we had multiple incidents of children sledding into trees resulting in significant trauma,” says Dr. April Kam, division head of pediatric emergency medicine at MCH. “The hospital’s trauma team treats these incidents in the same manner as children involved in motor vehicle collisions.”
Dr. Kam led a study that found head injuries are the most common sledding injury seen in the MCH emergency department. Head injuries are especially concerning because in rare cases, they can cause lasting brain damage or cognitive difficulties.
“Children and teens routinely wear helmets when skiing and snowboarding, where they can control their speed, yet not when sledding where they often have no control over how fast they go,” says Kam, who is calling for a cultural shift, where helmets are also the norm on toboggan hills.
 This way, you get to go home with your parents and not in an ambulance. As well as confirming that head injuries were the most commonly-treated injury, Kam’s study found that younger kids were more likely to hurt their heads while older children more often had abdominal injuries. Most injuries happened when children fell or crashed into objects, typically involving the head, broken bones, or scrapes and bruises.
Kam’s study also found that most injured children were between six and 10 years old, with an average age of about nine, and just over half were boys.
Kam launched the study during the COVID-19 pandemic, after noticing more children arriving at the MCH ED with sledding injuries during lockdowns, when other winter activities like skating, hockey, ringette and skiing were cancelled to prevent the illness from spreading. She wanted to investigate whether her observations were supported by data.
 By Gazette Staff
February 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
This year’s theme, 30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries, commemorates three decades of Black History Month in Canada by recognizing the lasting contributions of Black Canadians. This theme acknowledges the legacy and ongoing impact of those who help shape Canada’s social, cultural and political landscape, while also celebrating the emerging leaders and changemakers shaping the future of this country.
Throughout the month of February, students across the HDSB will explore and celebrate Black Excellence through a variety of engaging activities, including:
- A steelpan drumming group led by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton.
- A drumming session using the djembe, a traditional drum from West Africa.
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 Djembe, a traditional drum from West Africa. on the left a Congal drum on the right. A Black Excellence Forum where students will hear from keynote speaker Curtis Ennis, Director of Education, and engage in breakout sessions to meet and engage with Black professionals from a variety of fields, learning firsthand about their careers, experiences and the ways they are shaping their communities.
- A Black Excellence Assembly, featuring presentations and performances created by students from classes and extracurricular groups, highlighting the contributions and achievements of Black Canadians across history and today.
- More than 30 elementary schools will host Exploring Us: Black History Month presentations for Grade 6 to 8 students, providing an introduction to the HDSB’s Graduation Coach Program and offering resources, guidance and support to help students plan their academic journey.
- Secondary students will have the opportunity to hear from Ontario Poet Laureate Matthew-Ray “Testament” Jones, through his virtual presentation Footprints: It’s All About the Journey. The presentation commemorates Black excellence and joy, while connecting historical legacy to present-day responsibility.
- Grade 6–8 students and their families in Milton are invited to a moderated discussion with Lawrence Hill, award-winning, bestselling author of The Book of Negroes. Hill will share insights into his creative process and his passion for writing stories rooted in Canada’s history.
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 Guyanese-born, Bajan-heritage author Yolanda Marshall. The HDSB, in collaboration with the Black Opportunity Fund, will host Brilliant Black Futures: A Celebration in Honour of Black History Month. The event will feature a screening of Black Life: Untold Stories, a CBC documentary series exploring 400 years of the Black experience in Canada, as well as student exhibitions, community resource tables and information on programs supporting Black students and families, including the HDSB Graduation Coach Program and Black Student Union. Early learners can enjoy a reading circle led by Guyanese-born, Bajan-heritage author Yolanda Marshall.
 Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Black History Month provides an opportunity for HDSB students, staff and families to truly honour the lives, stories and lasting contributions of Black Canadians who have shaped the richness of our country,” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “It is a time to reflect on the past and recognize and celebrate the incredible contributions of Black people today, and to ensure these voices and experiences are meaningfully reflected in learning throughout the year. As we honour history and celebrate the present, we lead with kindness and care, creating school communities rooted in humanity, joy and connection, and continue to strive to provide learning environments where all students can be successful and feel a sense of belonging.”
 By Tom Parkin
February 3rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Foreign currency exchange rates are complex. A deep understanding is vital for any organization buying or selling products and services. Values and profits can vanish in a second because of a change in an exchange rate.
Canadian dollar down against Krona, Peso, Euro and Pound
Change in exchange rate value, Jan 1, 2025 to Jan 30, 2026
The constant chaos of Donald Trump has pushed the United States dollar down against all major currencies including six per cent against the Canadian dollar since January 1, 2025, according to Bank of Canada data.
From C$1.44 on January 1, 2025, the U.S. dollar dropped from C$1.38 to C$1.36 — 2.52 cents — against the Canadian loonie since just January 21, 2026 when Trump gave his bizarre, meandering and overtime speech in Davos amid threats to invade Greenland and counter-threats from European Union countries, the UK and Canada to aid the defence of the Denmark territory.
Mexican peso, Swedish krona strong against loonie
 Currency used by Sweden But the Canadian loonie is only looking strong compared to the falling US dollar. The Swedish krona is up over 18 per cent against the Canadian dollar and the Mexican peso is up over 12 per cent. The euro and pound are also more expensive for Canadians than a year ago.
Despite the krona’s strong appreciation, which pushes up the cost of imported goods, Sweden has very low inflation, just 0.3 per cent in December. The Nordic nation has keep it’s bank interest rate at 1.75 per cent, helping GDP growth, which was tepid in 2025 but expected to hit 2.6 per cent in 2026. Sweden joined the European Union in 1995 but did not adopt the Euro and the European Central Bank.
 The rate at which the Canadian dollar trades against the American dollar will impact the price of just about everything we buy. Canada’s bank rate remains at 2.25 per cent with inflation at 2.4 per cent in December and a 2026 economic growth forecast of 1.3 per cent.
Mexico’s 1.2 per cent growth outlook for 2026 is similar to Canada. But inflation is running hotter. At 3.69 per cent in December, inflation is above its target of 3.00 per cent and Mexico’s central bank is still holding interest rates at 7.00 per cent. That high interest rate is attractive for investors outside Mexico, boosting foreign exchange into the peso.
Global mistrust driving US dollar downward spiral
Sentiment about global politics has increasingly moved toward pessimism. In times of uncertainty the U.S. dollar has often been a “safe haven” for investment, pushing up the dollar. But in this situation, it is the United States — its president, specifically — that is the cause of uncertainty.
There has been a growing lack of currency trust as Trump threatens war against a fellow NATO county, throws out tariff threats on a nearly daily basis and moves to load cronies onto the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets U.S. interest rates.
The result is a U.S. dollar down more than 10 per cent against the Euro, which makes stock returns from even the most profitable United States companies less appetizing to Europeans managing capital pools. For an investor operating in euros, a 10 per cent stock return in 2025 was reduced to zero by dollar depreciation. That, in turn, drives a spiral of further dollar depreciation as foreign exchange into dollars to make investments drops, amplifying the mistrust of the U.S. dollar under Trump.
The European Union’s annual GDP of about $20 trillion represents a significant global base of wealth and European mistrust for the Trump currency can inflict damage. The EU’s GDP combined with that of the UK, at almost $5 trillion, and Canada, at $2 trillion, nearly matches the US economy at $28 trillion.
 By Gazette Staff
February 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Frailty has been described as one of the most problematic expressions of population ageing. However, frailty screening isn’t done as part of standard medical care.
A new made-in-Hamilton app is helping health-care providers identify the risk of frailty and age-related loss of muscle mass and strength in less than 15 minutes. The Fit-Frailty App – developed at the Geras Centre for Aging Research, a Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) research centre funded by HHS and affiliated with McMaster University – is the only comprehensive frailty assessment app of its kind.
The Geras team worked with the HHS Centre for Data Science and Digital Health (CREATE) team who works with hospital clinicians to develop new ideas and create digital solutions that fundamentally reimagine how health care is delivered.
 Dr. Courtney Kennedy, a Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster researcher and an occupational therapist. “The Fit-Frailty app is a more holistic measure as it looks at several different aspects that contribute to a patient’s frailty level including physical, cognitive and mental health,” says Dr. Courtney Kennedy, a Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster researcher and an occupational therapist who led the development of the Fit-Frailty app. “Understanding not only how frail someone is but also identifying areas where intervention is needed can help doctors and other clinicians better assess a patient’s level of frailty and develop individualized care plans.”
Currently, the app has been piloted in clinical practice at Hamilton Health Sciences and with the McMaster Division of Rheumatology led by Dr. Arthur Lau and Dr. Jonathan (Rick) Adachi. It is also being used in three large CIHR-funded clinical trials led by GERAS and the McMaster Division of Rheumatology.
There have been approximately 500 research participants thus far and the team plans to provide further launch and knowledge translation in the future.
The study testing the Fit-Frailty App has recently been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) at https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/12/e098892.full.
“We were able to demonstrate that slow-paced rehabilitation at Hamilton Health Sciences is an effective program for reducing frailty and improving function,” says Kennedy. “One of the most novel elements of this App is that we were able to show that it could be used to measure intervention change for pre- and post-rehabilitation.”
 By Gazette Staff
February 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The content below comes from the people who provide us with the security we use to protect the Gazette content. The service has been exceptional so far
WhatsApp is going through a rough patch. Some users would argue it has been ever since Meta acquired the once widely trusted messaging platform. User sentiment has shifted from “trusted default messenger” to a grudgingly necessary Meta product.
 Privacy-aware users still see WhatsApp as one of the more secure mass-market messaging platforms if you lock down its settings. Even then, many remain uneasy about Meta’s broader ecosystem, and wish all their contacts wouldswitch to a more secure platform.
Back to current affairs, which will only reinforce that sentiment.
Google’s Project Zero has just disclosed a WhatsApp vulnerability where a malicious media file, sent into a newly created group chat, can be automatically downloaded and used as an attack vector.
The bug affects WhatsApp on Android and involves zero‑click media downloads in group chats. You can be attacked simply by being added to a group and having a malicious file sent to you.
According to Project Zero, the attack is most likely to be used in targeted campaigns, since the attacker needs to know or guess at least one contact. While focused, it is relatively easy to repeat once an attacker has a likely target list.
And to put a cherry on top for WhatsApp’s competitors, a potentially even more serious concern for the popular messaging platform, an international group of plaintiffs sued Meta Platforms, alleging the WhatsApp owner can store, analyze, and access virtually all of users’ private communications, despite WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption claims.
How to secure WhatsApp
Reportedly, Meta pushed a server change on November 11, 2025, but Google says that only partially resolved the issue. So, Meta is working on a comprehensive fix.
Google’s advice is to disable Automatic Download or enable WhatsApp’s Advanced Privacy Mode so that media is not automatically downloaded to your phone.
And you’ll need to keep WhatsApp updated to get the latest patches, which is true for any app and for Android itself.
Goal: ensure that no photos, videos, audio, or documents are pulled to the device without an explicit decision.
- Open WhatsApp on your Android device.
- Tap the three‑dot menu in the top‑right corner, then tap Settings.
- Go to Storage and data (sometimes labeled Data and storage usage).
- Under Media auto-download, you will see When using mobile data, when connected on Wi‑Fi. and when roaming.
- For each of these three entries, tap it and uncheck all media types: Photos, Audio, Videos, Documents. Then tap OK.
- Confirm that each category now shows something like “No media” under it.
Doing this directly implements Project Zero’s guidance to “disable Automatic Download” so that malicious media can’t silently land on your storage as soon as you are dropped into a hostile group.
Even if WhatsApp still downloads some content, you can stop it from leaking into shared storage where other apps and system components see it.
- In Settings, go to Chats.
- Turn off Media visibility (or similar option such as Show media in gallery). For particularly sensitive chats, open the chat, tap the contact or group name, find Media visibility, and set it to No for that thread.
WhatsApp is a sandbox, and should contain the threat. Which means, keeping media inside WhatsApp makes it harder for a malicious file to be processed by other, possibly more vulnerable components.
Lock down who can add you to groups
The attack chain requires the attacker to add you and one of your contacts to a new group. Reducing who can do that lowers risk.
- In Settings, tap Privacy.
- Tap Groups.
- Change from Everyone to My contacts or ideally My contacts except… and exclude any numbers you do not fully trust.
- If you use WhatsApp for work, consider keeping group membership strictly to known contacts and approved admins.
Set up two-step verification on your WhatsApp account
Read this guide for Android and iOS to learn how to do that.
We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it
Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.
By Gazette Staff
February 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The Go service web site is advising the public that traffic is not moving through Union Station due to some equipment failures.
This means that GO trains are not going into or out of Union Station until the problem is solved.
 Union Station tracks have undergone significant upgrades during the past five years plus. The cold weather appears to be the problem.
Update 2 – Union Station – Disabled train
There is a disabled train near Union Station. Repair personnel are working on the issue, but there may be delays of up to two hours. There may be trip cancellations and modifications until the issue is fixed.
To allow time for the repair personnel to work on the issue, trains will not be able to move through the area until the issue is resolved.
Trains will travel as far as possible and hold at stations.
If you are traveling into Union Station, please take TTC as an alternate travel option.
More details when they are available.
By Pepper Parr
February 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan, the man who resides in Ward 2, has put forward a Motion asking that the City stop using x.com as a platform with which to communicate with its citizens.
 Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan Nisan is asking that the:
Director of Corporate Communications and Engagement to report back to the April 13, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting on the consequences and mitigation
strategy of leaving the X social media platform.
Reason:
X is not Twitter. The platform, which now has Grok AI, is a platform for racism and anti-semitism as exemplified by its owner. The AI has recently been used to “undress”
women’s photos.
We don’t need X to engage our constituents. Engagement has been low for a long time.
Recent city posts regularly receive a single “like”.
Outcome Sought:
That staff provide an analysis of engagement with our City of Burlington community on X, and propose mitigation strategies for any loss of engagement, particularly with media
which is still on the platform to an extent.
Implications:
Moving off X should have minimal implications on the city’s ability to connect with its constituents.
Strategic Alignment
Designing and delivering complete communities
Providing the best services and experiences
Protecting and improving the natural environment and taking action on climate change
Driving organizational performance
 Councillor Nisan: “We don’t need X to engage our constituents.” Some comment and perspective on this Motion, particularly the Nisan observation that “We don’t need X to engage our constituents. Engagement has been low for a long time.
Engagement with the city has been low because City Council, and to some degree the City Communications people, see communication as a one-way street – THEM to Us – not that much US to THEM
This is one to keep an eye on.
By Pepper Parr
February 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A bit of an update on what is going to replace the former Sound of Music Festival next June.
Council will hear a report from MRG Live on what is being phrased as the Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival
It will be a two-day outdoor music festival at Spencer Smith Park on June 20 & 21 2026 – that will celebrate Canadian music, local arts & culture, and help solidify Burlington’s waterfront as a premier tourism and cultural destination. The event is envisioned as a vibrant, multi-stage festival that brings together nationally recognized Canadian artists, emerging performers, local and Indigenous talent, and family-friendly programming, while generating meaningful cultural and economic benefits for Burlington’s downtown and waterfront.
At the heart of the festival, the Main Stage at Spencer Smith Park will showcase a diverse lineup of Canadian musicians across genres such as indie, pop, rock, folk, and country, with each evening culminating in a notable Canadian headliner. Professional production, accessible viewing areas, LED screens, and a premium VIP viewing area will ensure a high-quality and inclusive concert experience.
Complementing the main stage programming, the Community Stage, will focus on family-friendly and youth-oriented programming, including music, dance, and storytelling, fostering arts engagement and inspiring the next generation of performers.
 Will Civic Square be used during the June Music Festival? All we know at this point is that Brant Street will be temporarily pedestrianized, The Brant Street Stage, part of the street festival, will offer a more intimate community-focused setting featuring Burlington-based artists, emerging performers, Indigenous musicians, and small ensembles, encouraging close interaction and celebrating local creativity.
Beyond music, the festival planning includes a significant activation of Burlington’s downtown core, creating a downtown marketplace that will be part of the street festival portion of Lakeshore M&A Festival. Temporary pedestrianization of Brant Street, with potential extensions to Elgin and Pine Streets, will create a lively, walkable corridor for approximately 150 artisan and business vendors, strengthening local entrepreneurship and increasing economic activity.
Additional on-site experiences will include a curated food truck zone offering diverse cuisine options and family-friendly beverage gardens operating under AGCO permitting, thoughtfully designed to blend with the park’s natural environment while ensuring safe, accessible, and welcoming social spaces.
To further enhance the visitor experience, a ticketed VIP option is planned, featuring premium site lines, exclusive beverage offerings, lounge seating, merchandise, and optional artist meet-and-greet experiences. The planning process also includes exploring the potential continuation of midway rides and games. Plans for the Kids Zone include face painting, balloon twisting, bounce houses, interactive activities based around art and music.
Overall, the festival planning is centered on celebrating Canadian talent, strengthening community connections, supporting local businesses, and positioning Burlington’s waterfront and downtown as a dynamic and inclusive cultural destination.
What the public hasn’t been given much information on is how much is the city is committed to in terms of dollars, and are there services being provided that the new festival will not have to be paid for?
No mention of where the Community Stage is going to be located.
Nothing specific on where the Brant Stage will be located
 Will the Performing Arts stages be used during the festival in June? No mention of whether the Performing Arts Centre stages will be part of the event.
The event doesn’t have a name that is unique to the city: Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival isn’t going to cut it.
All the conversations at this point are between city staff and MRG Live.
The absolutely astounding part of this agenda item is that it is placed as a Consent item and will not be discussed unless someone asks to speak to this matter.
Expect Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns to look for more in the way of public participation on how this event is grown.
By Ray Rivers
January 31st, 2926
BURLINGTON, ON
One day Canadians may actually be thanking Donald Trump for slamming Canada with tariffs and shaking us into standing up for Canada. CUSMA re-negotiations won’t be completed this year, but it is unlikely it’ll be anything like previous ‘free trade’ deals. And this past year has been one of economic uncertainty which we’d all like to move past.
The South Korean automotive giant Hyundai had once made cars in Canada. But with the implementation of the 1989 Canada/US free trade agreement, unlike Japanese car makers Toyota and Honda, it left only to set up operations in the USA.
So, just last week the Carney government released information that signifies the potential return of Hyundai. The details have yet to be released of a memorandum (MoU) with the South Korean government, but it sounds like Hyundai and other South Korean industrial giants are expected to bring their operations over here. In the mix are other potential manufacturing opportunities including Canada’s new submarines, EV batteries and vehicles, satellites, AI and nuclear technology.
 Algoma Steel has begun to use “arc” based technology in its steel plant in Sault St. Marie. This announcement comes on the heels of a partnership agreement between Sudbury’s Algoma steel and the Hanwha Ocean submarine maker for a quarter billion dollar investment in Algoma and a long term term profit-sharing agreement. Algoma had recently been forced to close down some of its older operations and lay off staff, in part because of the 50% Trump tariffs on steel products from Canada.
This agreement, should it pan out as expected, embodies the kind of message that Mr. Carney had previewed with his well received Davos address. Middle nations finding their own way to economic welfare and security out from the control of their powerful and more autocratic neighbours.
 The intention is for the Canadian Navy to have a fleet of12 submarines. Ending free trade with America may well be the best thing Canadians will have done for their economic future. One door opens when another shuts.
Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Video – MoU – Korea Agreement – More Agreement – Algoma –
By Pepper Parr
January 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A feature report in the Globe and Mail this morning put Burlington at 18th in a list of 100 cities.
In the top ten for the following categories:
Young Professionals, Raising Kids, Midlife transitions, Retirement, Newcomers and Entrepreneurs: Burlington didn’t make the cut in any of them.
This is the third listing the Globe and Mail has done.
 By David Barker
January 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The following is a comment David Barker made on the Focus Burlington website; they have given us permission to reprint the opinion.
I understand Gary’s frustration with the way the delegation process works. But I would suggest unless the delegate can show that his/her position is supported by more than just himself/herself It is unlikely that Council will take much note of it. And why would it? Let’s say you get up and delegate a certain position on a matter and then I get up and delegate the complete opposite position. Who should they listen to? Who should they act upon? I suggest one needs to be able to show that one’s delegation is for and on behalf of a large and representative grouping. An exception to this might be when a delegation is made by a particular individual of repute, knowledge and expertise.
 David Barker delegating at a City Council meeting. Having said that, as I understand it, one can only delegate to council in regards to a matter on its agenda. If that is so I would suggest it is a little bit stupid. I believe a resident should be able to delegate to council on any matter at any time.
So I would suggest that a separate day or maybe two half days each month be set aside for delegations to be made to council in regard to any matter affecting the city. I suggest one would still have to register in advance the intention to delegate in order to allow Council and staff to manage time effectively.
This, in my opinion, would truly expand the democratic process.
The same issues that I have highlighted above will still exist.
But miracles might happen, and maybe a delegate will bring to council’s attention an issue and make a suggestion as to how to deal with the issue and a light will go on in each of the council members’ heads and they will take up that idea.
 David Barker One may make a delegation, but again the delegation is on behalf of the single person making it unless it can be shown otherwise.
People might say that residents can bring up any item they like through their ward Councillor. Theoretically, that is true. In practice, it is not. Ward Councillors act as filters.
Personally, I am not a fan of providing information about what I wish to delegate upon and give advance notice to council members. I think that allows them to turn off and not really listen to the delegation. I think they need to be taken by surprise so to speak. Maybe that would encourage more questioning from the council members.
So to reiterate my main suggestion is – let’s have a delegation day or days when anybody can make a delegation about any matter they wish to bring to council’s attention.
 David Barker is a Burlington resident, a retired insurance executive. He lives in a historical home on Lakeshore Road for which he has been given grants to upgrade the home.
By Gazette Staff
January 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Between January 2-019 and August 2025, the number of people (beneficiaries) (1) receiving Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) in Halton Region who were experiencing homelessness steadily increased, revealing a growing gap between income supports and the cost of housing. The number rose from109 (January 2019) to 483 (July 2025), a 343% increase (Figure 1)
The new data obtained by Maytree Foundation through a Freedom of Information request provides a clear picture of how Ontario’s social assistance system is driving rising levels of homelessness. (2) The data includes OW and ODSP beneficiaries who reported no fixed address, were transient, or were living in emergency shelters. What the trend shows is not a short-term fluctuation, but a structural problem that has worsened over time. What the trend tells us:
Before the pandemic (2019):
Early pandemic period (2020-2021):
-
Number dipped briefly, coinciding with emergency income supports and eviction moratoria, However, this decline was temporary.
Post-pandemic surge (2022 onward):
Ontario Works accounts for most of this increase, reflecting the growing vulnerability of people relying on very low, time-limited income supports in a high-cost housing market. ODSP numbers have also risen steadily, underscoring how people with disabilities face profound barriers to securing and maintaining housing.
Income assistance falling behind.
While homelessness among OW and ODSP recipients in Halton rose sharply between 2019 and 2025, income assistance rates did not keep pace with the cost of living, particularly for people on Ontario Works.
For OW, maximum monthly rates were effectively frozen over this period. A single person received $733 per month (maximum shelter allowance of $390 and basic needs allowance of $343) in January 2019, and that amount remained unchanged by August 2025. If the rent is $300, the person receives $300 for shelter; if the rent is $500, he/she still receives the maximum of $390. If the person cannot provide proof of housing cost, he/she may only receive $343 basic needs portion.
Couples faced the same reality, with the maximum benefit holding steady at $1,136 per month. In real terms, these amounts lost significant purchasing power as rents, food, and utilities increased.
ODSP rates increased modestly but still fell far short of covering basic housing cost. A single ODSP recipient saw monthly benefits rise from $1,169 in 2019 to $1,408 in 2025, while couples’ benefits increased from $12,750 to $2,107. Even with these increases, ODSP incomes remain well below what is needed to secure market rental housing in Halton.
Duration of homelessness among OW and ODSP recipients (Ontario)
Ontario-wide data show clear differences and growing similarities in how long OW and ODSP recipients experience homelessness.
In January 2019, homelessness among OW recipients was more often short-term: 41% had been homeless for 0-4 months, while 30% had experienced homelessness for more than 12 months (including 14% for more than 24 moths) as shown in Figure 2.
In contrast, homelessness among ODSP recipients was already overwhelmingly long-term: 75% homeless for more than 12 months, 62% for more than 24 months (Figure 3), highlighting long-standing barriers to housing stability for people with disabilities.
In August 2025, the duration profile had shifted markedly. Among OW recipients, long-term homelessness increased substantially, with 39% homeless for more than 12 months (including 19% for more than 24 months), indicating that homelessness is becoming harder to exit.
For ODSP recipients, chronic homelessness remained the norm: 73% were homeless for more than 12 months, and 58% for more than 24 months, like 2019 despite significant growth in absolute numbers.
While comparable duration date is not available at the Halton level, these Ontario-wide patterns provide an important reference point for interpreting local counts and underscore how inadequate income supports and the lack of deeply affordable, accessible housing are driving longer and more entrenched homelessness across the province.
This is not an individual failure – it is a policy failure
Maytree’s report (3), Designed to Fail, argues that Ontario’s income security system is structurally incapable of preventing homelessness. OW and ODSP rates fall far below the cost of rent, let alone other necessities. When housing is unaffordable by design, homelessness becomes a predictable outcome – not an exception.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) (4) projected homelessness in Ontario to continue increasing through the next ten years (2035). In 2025, an estimated 85,000 people experienced homelessness in Ontario. Under steady conditions, known homelessness is projected to reach approximately 177,000 people province-wide by 2035. Under an economic downturn scenario, projected homelessness exceeds 297,000 people.
(1) The number of beneficiaries refers to the total number of single individuals and heads of family units on social assistance plus all their dependents (i.e., spouses, dependent children and dependent adults).
By Gazette Staff
January 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
This is the time of year when a good winter coat really matters.
There are far too many people who don’t have a coat that is up to what the current weather is doing to us.
Good news: Thanks to the generosity of many, the Knights of Columbus in Ontario have exceeded their goal in terms of new winter coats distributed to youth and veterans.
Bad news: more and more Ontarians need new winter coats.
Knights of Columbus in Ontario donated a record-breaking 20,736 new winter coats to children in need this year through its Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids® program. The Ontario chapter of the organization surpassed its target thanks to the tireless work of its members and insurance agents who collected funds at countless events held throughout the year at its more than 450 councils across the province.
“Providing coats for kids and veterans is the perfect example of the work we do day in and day out,” says David Gelinas, State Deputy for the Knights of Columbus in Ontario. “Charity drives us to meet needs in our community and areas where people are suffering. We’re men who care about others because we care about our shared faith.”
 Winter coats ready for pick up. The main recipients of coats included school boards and organizations like McGregor Community Centre in Toronto, Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and Veteran House in Ottawa. These organizations worked with families to identify children and veterans in need and delivered the coats discreetly.
 Sonny Sangemino, with Knights of Columbus “We’re thrilled by the results, but at the same time, we’re concerned about the growing need we see in our communities and families,” says Sonny Sangemino, General Agent with Knights of Columbus Insurance, who has been contributing to the program for over a decade. “This year’s campaign is another stark reminder that many Canadians are experiencing financial struggles and need the help of a community.”
The more than 57,000 Knights in Ontario — 200,000 in Canada — have now started a new season of gathering funds for the 2026-2027 winter coats program. The organization, along with its insurance agents across the country, invite all persons of goodwill to consider supporting its local fundraisers, which are generally organized through Catholic parishes across Canada.
The Canadian Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids® program started in Ontario in 2016 with 2,676 coats donated. Since then, the program has grown to nearly 2 million coats distributed in Canada and the United States. Last year alone, the Knights in Canada donated 40,000 coats with a total of 18,000 in Ontario.
About the Knights of Columbus
In 1882, Blessed Michael McGivney, a young parish priest in New Haven, Connecticut, founded the Knights of Columbus to serve the needs of a largely immigrant Catholic community. What began as a small fraternal benefit society has since grown into the world’s premier lay Catholic men’s organization, with more than 2.2 million members in over 16,800 local councils. As members of one of the world’s leading charitable organizations, Knights donated more than 48 million service hours and over $197 million for worthy causes in their communities in 2024. The Knights of Columbus also offers a range of life insurance products to members and their families. Knights of Columbus Insurance has more than $124 billion* of life insurance in force. In addition, the organization offers investment services in accord with Catholic social teaching through its wholly owned subsidiary, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, which holds more than $30 billion** in assets under management. Guided by the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, the Knights of Columbus is committed to strengthening Catholic families and parishes, by enabling men to grow in their faith and put that faith into action through service to all in need.
By Gazette Staff
January 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
For the first time in years, renters in several major markets are seeing some breathing room.
The “new year’s special” advertising a two-bedroom unit at a midtown Toronto highrise might be what draws you in when searching for your next home — an offer for up to three months of free rent, plus a $500 “move-in bonus.”
Or perhaps a year of complementary internet, on top of two months’ free rent, sweetens the deal for those interested in a rental promoted in central Vancouver.
 Landlords across Canada are increasingly dangling such incentives, along with other common perks like free parking, waived pet fees and moving allowances, to compete for new tenants. After a post-pandemic surge in rental costs, real estate watchers say the scales have tipped back in favour of renters amid falling prices, higher vacancy rates, and uncertainty in the housing market overall.
“It’s a race to the bottom,” said Marco Pedri, a Toronto-based broker with Shoreline Realty who specializes in leasing transactions.
“We talk about the inventory of all these new buildings. These landlords are competing with one another, driving the prices down.”
That trend seems poised to continue for much of this year, especially after 2025 marked the second consecutive year of record rental housing starts in Canada. Experts say more apartment completions are also expected this year as projects wrap up, giving renters additional choice.
“The math works better for rentals than for large home ownership projects right now,” said Mathieu Laberge, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s chief economist.
But with so many new listings and prices falling, the question is whether demand from renters will follow in 2026.
Some real estate agents believe that’s already begun.
 Tom Storey of Royal LePage Signature Realty Tom Storey of Royal LePage Signature Realty said 2025 was one of his team’s biggest years for leasing transactions. He said demand for rentals gained steam as fewer clients were willing to step off the sidelines in the sales market.
“What was clear to me is that the need for real estate hasn’t changed, but in 2025, how people chose to access it was a lot more on the leasing side than the purchase side,” said Storey, adding that declining sales prices and lower interest rates have also prompted buyers to hold off as they wait for the market to “bottom out.”
“That seems to me one of the many reasons why people chose to rent for the short-term, because rental prices had dropped as well. Starting rents in 2025 were lower than they were in 2024 and 2023.”
December 2025 marked the 15th consecutive month that average asking rents fell nationally year-over-year, according to analysis from Rentals.ca and Urbanation based on listings data from the former’s network.
They say average asking rents in Canada fell 3.1 per cent overall in 2025 and are down 5.4 per cent from two years ago. In December, asking rents fell around eight per cent in Vancouver, five per cent in Toronto and Calgary, two per cent in Montreal and 0.5 per cent in Ottawa on an annual basis.
But affordability concerns linger.
At $2,060, the overall average asking rent in Canada last month was down 2.3 per cent from a year ago. But that’s still nearly three per cent higher than the national average asking rent of three years earlier, according to the report.
Asking rents are also still around 14 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels of December 2019.
 Giacomo Ladas said property managers are now coping with a double whammy — lots of new supply available, plus a relatively shallow pool of renters. Rentals.ca spokesman Giacomo Ladas said property managers are now coping with a double whammy — lots of new supply available, plus a relatively shallow pool of renters.
While some tenants are still feeling priced out of the market, movement has also slowed after the federal government introduced an immigration cap, which has stunted population growth. Demand also typically cools in the winter months, he said, resulting in both lower asking prices and incentive offers aplenty.
“What’s important to note as well is that we are still expecting a lot more supply coming into the market,” said Ladas, noting about 180,000 units are currently under construction across Canada.
“Based on the end of last year, we were seeing negative population growth, so we don’t expect demand really to pick up any time soon, but more supply is on its way. Because of that, we see vacancy rates increase.”
Meanwhile, the rental market wasn’t immune to last year’s widespread economic uncertainty linked to trade concerns, which clouded Canada’s real estate outlook.
Some local real estate boards say the trade dispute led to fewer resale transactions than initially forecasted. Many potential first-time buyers took a wait-and-see approach that still lingers, holding onto their rentals instead of moving forward with plans to own.
Similarly, renters were less inclined to pay premium prices, said Ladas, even though developers pushed ahead with purpose-built rental projects, having borrowed money to build them before tariffs went into effect.
“People were staying in their rental apartments longer and we weren’t seeing turnover rates increase,” he said.
The average two-bedroom turnover unit rent declined in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax last year, according to CMHC data.
The national housing agency said the vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments sat at 3.1 per cent in the fall, up from 2.2 per cent at the same point in 2024 and above the national 10-year average.
Laberge said the agency believes 2026 will be another renter-friendly year in most Canadian markets. With additional supply expected from other ongoing projects, he said it will give incomes time to catch up to rent growth of previous years.
“When the turnover rents start going down, there’s more fluidity in the market,” he said.
For now, the dynamic has allowed clients more freedom to pick and choose where they live, said Pedri.
A more affordable environment means they can prioritize factors such as location or amenities when moving, instead of having to settle. Pedri said many are also opting to lock into rent-controlled units while prices are lower.
 “I truly don’t see landlords jacking up rent by an absurd amount (this year),” “I truly don’t see landlords jacking up rent by an absurd amount (this year),” he said.
“At the end of the day … I see more landlords caring about the relationship with the tenants than caring about trying to squeeze every nickel and penny out of them.”
After several years of tight conditions, Canada’s purpose-built rental market is beginning to show signs of normalization.
That’s the picture painted by Yardi’s latest Canadian National Multifamily Report, which recaps Q4 2025 and shows a market that remains broadly resilient — but increasingly balanced — as new supply comes online, vacancy rises, and rent growth cools across major metros.
That shift is being driven in part by new supply, with Canada’s largest metros adding more than 94,600 rental units through November 2025, per CMHC and Common Sense Economics. It’s one of the strongest stretches of purpose-built rental delivery in years, and the impact is now showing up in pricing and availability.
While several large markets — including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa–Gatineau, and Calgary — recorded year-over-year declines in deliveries, Vancouver and Edmonton saw significant increases, underscoring how uneven the supply story remains across the country.
National new-lease rent growth slowed to just 0.7% in Q4 2025, down sharply from 2.4% in Q3 and 6.4% a year earlier. Several Ontario markets tipped into negative territory, including Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (-2.7%), Toronto (-1.0%), and Hamilton (-0.2%), reflecting softer demand tied to outmigration, a pullback in non-permanent residents, and growing competition from condominium units being rented after failing to sell.
In-place rents are also losing momentum. The national average increased just $9 in Q4 to $1,746 — the smallest quarterly increase in more than four years — bringing annual growth down to 3.2%. Halifax, Montreal, and Ottawa–Gatineau posted the strongest year-over-year gains, while Calgary was the only major market to record a decline.
Vacancy continues to climb. Canada’s national apartment vacancy rate rose to 4.5% in Q4 2025, the highest level since Yardi began tracking in 2020. Vacancy rates were highest in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Saskatoon, and Hamilton, and increased year-over-year in most major CMAs, including Toronto and Vancouver. Population growth has slowed sharply, with Statistics Canada estimating just 81,000 net new residents in 2025, the smallest year-over-year increase in decades, driven in part by reduced targets for non-permanent residents and record-high outflows as temporary permits expire.
 Housing supply remains structurally constrained, Despite the softening, Yardi stresses that the market isn’t breaking. Housing supply remains structurally constrained, meaning occupancy should hold up outside of specific segments such as bachelor units. Operating costs, however, remain elevated, averaging $8,004 per unit annually in 2025, with the highest expenses recorded in Ontario and Alberta.
“Canada’s rental market is entering a new chapter,” said Peter Altobelli, Vice President and General Manager of Yardi Canada. “We haven’t seen this level of new purpose-built rental supply in a long time, and it’s already shifting market conditions.”
The takeaway heading into 2026 is a familiar one: fundamentals are still intact, but the balance of power is shifting. And for the first time in years, renters in several major markets are seeing some breathing room.
Portions of this article were first published by Canadian Press
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