Earlier today, the Province held its Housing Affordability Summit with mayors and regional chairs from Ontario’s local municipalities to discuss the housing affordability crisis we are all facing. We had the opportunity to share best practices amongst our municipalities and identify opportunities for collaboration. I thought the Summit was a very positive, productive and honest …
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on the Ontario Housing Affordability Summit Read More »
My office has recently been getting some questions around the No Frills Plaza on Brant Street and whether or not there is any development happening here. At this time, the City of Burlington has not received any notice of a pre-application meeting or received notice of interest to redevelop through an application for an Official …
This has been another difficult budget year due to COVID-19, reduced revenue and rising costs. After three days of deliberations, Council shaved off nearly 1% from the initial proposed tax rate, while still protecting city services and infrastructure investments that matter most to our community. We’re investing more in roads, parks, free transit for seniors, …
Burlington’s 2022 Budget Invests in our Community While Managing Impacts of COVID-19 Read More »
Yesterday, Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell read the Throne Speech outlining the provincial government’s legislative objectives for the remainder of its mandate. The provincial government is seeking to deliver on ongoing and new priority actions, particularly in the health and long-term care sectors. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has summarized the priorities of interest to municipal governments, …
Today serves as the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is meant to be a day about listening, learning and working collectively towards healing. It is a day of reflection, to truly understand the history of the land we now know as Canada and the issues that still face Indigenous peoples from coast-to-coast. …
In keeping with our commitment to working towards reconciliation and supporting Indigenous people, Burlington City Council and Halton Regional Council have both passed resolutions recognizing Sept. 30 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day is also marked as ‘Orange Shirt Day’, to help increase awareness of the residential school experience; witness and honour …
At our Halton Regional Council meeting on Sept. 15, we carried a resolution advocating to the Province that schools should be the last to close in any pandemic response efforts. The motion was moved by Ward 6 Oakville Regional Councillor Tom Adams and seconded Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. Please see the full resolution below: WHEREAS schools …
At our Halton Regional Council meeting on Sept. 15, we carried a resolution endorsing the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) priorities in the upcoming 2021 federal election. The motion was moved by Ward 3 Burlington Councillor Rory Nisan and seconded by Wards 1 & 2 Halton Hills Regional Councillor Clark Somerville. All of Halton’s municipalities share …
MY TAKE: I completely support this recommendation from our Halton Medical Officer of Health to provide consistency across our Region and certainty for our local businesses. The City of Burlington has also recently announced that we are working on a staff vaccination policy and will be discussing a policy for the public for voluntary City …
Halton Medical Officer of Health Recommending COVID-19 Workplace Vaccination Policies Read More »
MY TAKE: The City of Burlington is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and the names we choose for our municipal properties must reflect that commitment – both going forward, and in retrospect. As part of that commitment, City Council recently unanimously endorsed the Halton Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Charter. We have also recently updated …
The annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference is an opportunity for our City to meet with the Province’s ministers and speak to them about the issues particular to our municipality and seek assistance from the provincial government wherever possible. While for the second time the conference went virtual (running from Monday, Aug. 16-Wednesday, …
AMO 2021 Virtual Conference: City of Burlington Delegation Meets with Ministers Read More »
A major part of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) annual conference is getting the chance to meet with the Province’s ministers and speak to them about the issues particular to your municipality and seek assistance from the provincial government wherever possible. Even though this year the conference went virtual for a second time, …
AMO 2021 Virtual Conference: Halton Region Delegation Meets with Ministers Read More »
At this year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) virtual annual conference, Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) had a separate delegation to meet with the Province’s ministers and speak to them about the issues affecting Ontario’s larger municipalities and seek assistance from the provincial government wherever possible. OBCM, formerly the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of …
AMO 2021 Virtual Conference: Ontario’s Big City Mayors Delegation Meets with Ministers Read More »
Yesterday afternoon, at the Royal Botanical Garden’s (RBG) Rock Garden, the federal government announced funding for the RBG’s Wetland Rehabilitation Program and the City of Burlington’s Grindstone Creek Erosion Control Planning. RBG will be receiving $425,000 for their program, while the City will be receiving $154,000 under the Great Lakes Action Plan V – Great …
At a special meeting on Aug. 10, Burlington City Council voted unanimously to have the City enter into a municipal access agreement with Internet Access Solutions to help more residents in rural Burlington get access to Internet services. In the summer of 2021, Internet Access Solutions was awarded the Universal Broadband Fund project in the …
At our Council meeting on July 13, we directed our City Clerk to bring forward an option for a modest election finance rebate program by Q4 2021. As well, we asked staff to seek feedback from our advisory committees on that option and use any other opportunities to engage the public. The option(s) could focus …
During our virtual regular Council meeting yesterday (July 13), we unanimously approved a motion I brought forward at committee to start the process to rename Ryerson Park in our city — I want to thank my Council colleagues for their unanimous support. I also want to thank the delegations that came out to speak to …
Burlington Council Unanimously Approves Renaming City’s Ryerson Park Read More »
Burlington City Council and Committee meetings are officially on summer hiatus for the month of August and will be returning with committee and council meetings in September 2021. Today at our last Council meeting before the break, we unanimously approved a staff direction motion to: Direct the City Clerk to initiate the planning and implementation …
Last night, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce held its 2021 Business Excellence Awards Gala virtually to celebrate our resilient local businesses. Thank you to Carla Nell, President and CEO, and the team at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce for providing a way for us to celebrate again this year. Last year was so well done …