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Hamilton Spectator
24-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington city staff given 2026 budget target
Burlington staff will draft a 2026 municipal budget aiming to cap the total property tax increase at 4.5 per cent. According to a city council motion passed July 15, councillors endorsed a mayoral decision that targets a 3.0 per cent increase in the city's portion of the tax bill, which also includes Halton Region and school board taxes, and a city budget increase of 5.8 per cent or less. Council also endorsed a second mayoral decision that removes the mayor's veto period, provided under provincial strong-mayor powers. The decision states Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will 'not exercise the power to veto' the 2026 budget, granted by Ontario's Municipal Act. Councillors also received for information staff's updated financial forecast outlining economic pressures and service needs that will shape next year's budget. Projections were updated based on a forecasted 4.6 per cent increase to Halton Region's share of property taxes, resulting in an overall tax increase of 4.49 per cent for Burlington property taxpayers. In a statement issued by the city's communications staff, Meed Ward said affordability is the top priority as the city begins shaping the 2026 budget. 'Every investment will be reviewed through that lens — finding savings where possible while protecting the services and quality of life residents rely on today and in the future,' Meed Ward said. Community consultation on the city's 2026 budget begins on Aug. 25 with an online survey on the city's Get Involved Burlington website's budget page . A Food for Feedback event is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. on Sept. 13 at Central Park ( 2331 New St. ) A total of six in-person town halls, one in each ward, will be held between Sept. 18 and Oct. 2. A telephone town hall is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. on Nov. 5. A proposed 2026 budget is expected to be released Oct. 24, ahead of its first presentation at the Nov. 3 committee of the whole meeting. City departments are scheduled to present to the city's budget committee on Nov. 13. The budget committee will review the proposed budget and any amendments from councillors on Nov. 24 and 25. Final review and approval of the budget by city council is scheduled Dec. 2. More information on the 2026 budget process, and feedback opportunities, is available at the Get Involved Burlington website . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Mayor Meed Ward Spearheads National Call to End Harassment in Politics
On June 18, a group of elected representatives from all three levels of government in Ontario held a press conference to announce a new initiative called 'Elect Respect.' Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward took the podium first and introduced all of the politicians who were present. 'What you see here in front of you is a testament to what this pledge is all about,' Meed Ward said. 'It is nonpartisan, we have members from two of the major political parties represented here, and all levels of government, from trustees, all the way to provincial, federal, regional, and city council members, because this issue affects all of us.' Meed Ward described Elect Respect as 'a campaign to protect and preserve democracy and an initiative to combat a toxic political culture.' 'This is about restoring civility, safety, and inclusion to our political discourse and in our decision making,' Meed Ward said. The idea for Elect Respect took root at a Halton Elected Representatives (HER) meeting, where attendees shared stories about their experiences of harassment and threats as women in politics. 'The stories were heartbreaking, tragic, and scary, and this moved well beyond any legitimate debate about policy or different perspectives on the issues that we face,' Meed Ward said. 'This was threats of physical violence and worse. So we, as women, said, 'What can we do about this?'' 'After we got finished commiserating, shedding some tears and feeling frankly scared for our democracy, we got into action and said, 'One thing we can do is lead by example,'' Meed Ward continued. This resulted in a HER pledge, which was picked up by the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians and signed by everyone in attendance at the press conference, along with several MPs and senators from the last federal Parliament. The group of women decided that they wanted various groups and demographics to be involved with the movement, including male politicians and members of the public, and thus, Elect Respect was born. The diverse group of politicians in attendance at the announcement for the initiative reflected that decision. The recent assassination of a state representative in Minnesota is a stark example of toxic and dangerous politics south of the border, Meed Ward noted. An example closer to home is the fact that 800 municipal councillors in Quebec, or 10% of people elected to local office in 2021, have since quit, with toxic democracy being a repeatedly-cited reason for leaving their positions. Meed Ward encouraged respect not only for those with whom you agree politically, but also for those with whom you may not see eye to eye. '[We need to] speak up when we witness harassment or abuse,' Meed Ward said. 'Call on appropriate authorities and agencies to intervene and take action when threats escalate.' Prior to the press conference, Halton Regional Council unanimously endorsed a resolution committing to the pledge outlined by Elect Respect. Meed Ward then passed the mic over to Pam Damoff, former MP for Oakville-North Burlington, who decided not to seek reelection this year due to threats and harassment towards her and her staff. 'She's not somebody that just sits back, she takes action,' Damoff said of Meed Ward. 'It's actually scary the way that politicians are treating each other and the way the public is treating politicians.' Damoff called out law enforcement to take threats towards politicians more seriously. 'I can't tell you the number of times I reached out to the police with threats, and most of the time the comment I got back was, 'What would you like us to do about it,'' Damoff said. 'Well, I don't know. You're the police. [They would say] 'Do you want us to call this individual?' Well, yeah, actually I do. He's threatened me or my staff, who also were subject to horrific abuse.' Zee Hamid, MPP for Milton, spoke next and echoed Meed Ward's comments about respecting those with whom we disagree. 'I realize that one of the things we do wrong as politicians is often when someone's attacked within our own party, we'll stand up for them, but across the party line, we don't as much,' Hamid said. 'And that's something that those of us who are in partisan politics need to fix.' 'It's not as bad as it is in the U.S., but it's getting there,' Hamid added, warning that Canada is slowly importing the ' dehumanization of politicians' from the United States. Meed Ward said that she felt that there was a noticeable shift in civility during the COVID-19 pandemic and shared a story of her own where a member of the public threatened to set her on fire if she attended a public meeting on a development application. After that threat was made, Meed Ward was accompanied by a security guard for almost two months, which she believes made people more hesitant to approach her, something she said further corrodes democracy. Brenda Agnew, HCDSB trustee for Burlington Wards 4 and 5, spoke about threats she faced due to her support for flying the Pride flag at HCDSB schools. 'That should never evoke threats to our family, that should never be met with [threats of] places in hell being kept for us, and we should not need to call the police or change security measures because we are voting on whether or not we are going to fly a Pride flag at our schools,' Agnew said. To sign Elect Respect's pledge and learn more about their mission, visit . The initiative invites all Canadians, not just politicians, to take a stand for respectful and inclusive public discourse. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
17-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Tree debris removed at Burlington Millcroft Greens site as investigations continue
Removal of tree debris at Millcroft Greens began June 11 as an investigation into last month's tree cutting on the Burlington property continues. City forestry staff are supervising the removal work. Both the City of Burlington and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) are investigating the tree cutting on parts of Millcroft Golf Club. The tree cutting took place May 1, in preparation for future construction of 90 homes, but the city apparently issued a stop work order shortly after the cutting began and opened an investigation under its private tree bylaw. Details of the planned development can be found at the city's project website . The city issued a permit allowing the developer's contractors to access or cross city property in order to remove tree debris from the golf course. The golf club currently operates just nine of its 18 holes. Due to the ongoing investigation, the city is releasing limited information. An ECCC spokesperson told the Burlington Post on May 2 the federal department had launched an investigation to determine whether the tree cutting contravened the Migratory Birds Convention Act. That law 'prohibits the disturbance or destruction of migratory birds, their nests, and eggs.' Spokesperson Cecelia Parsons stated in a June 11 email ECCC publishes enforcement notifications or news releases that relate to convictions and when it is in the public interest, may, in some cases, share information about investigations or charges that are before the court. 'Otherwise, to protect the integrity of enforcement processes, the department does not share specific details relating to its inspections or ongoing investigations,' Parsons said. According to a joint statement issued by ward 6 city councillor Angelo Bentivegna and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, the permit issued earlier this month allows the landowner to remove fallen trees and branches but prohibits any further removal of living trees or stumps. The stop work order remains in place — limiting any work on site to the permitted removal of tree debris. According to a previous update issued by Meed Ward, the city and Millcroft Greens had a pre-servicing agreement that set out conditions to be met before tree removals could begin. 'Millcroft Greens began removing trees before all conditions were satisfied,' Meed Ward's statement continued in her June newsletter. 'As a result, the City issued a cease-work order on May 1, 2025.' Representatives of Millcroft Greens did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. A statement on the Millcroft Greens website acknowledges 'many in the community are disappointed to see the removal of trees' but calls the work 'a necessary step in the creation of new homes.' 'As part of our approved development application, we have preserved 425 existing trees and are planting over 2,600 new trees in the developed blocks,' the Millcroft Greens statement continues. 'We also want to assure the community that all work that has been conducted on site was undertaken only after the necessary approvals were obtained.' The Millcroft Greens website states an ecologist ensured no active migratory bird nests were disturbed and some trees within a designated buffer zone were preserved. Sonia Robinson, of the group Millcroft Against Bad Development , said large machines rolled into the neighbourhood at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11 to begin the removal of tree debris. 'The noise level was unbearable yet they continued to wood chip the felled trees for over 10 hours,' Robinson said. 'This heavy machinery was less than 50 feet from some of the homeowners' backyards.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
11-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington calls on province to address Skyway lane closures
Ministry of Transportation staff said enhanced communication will help inform the public of several weekend lane closures on the Burlington Skyway bridge, expected this summer. But the ministry did not say by deadline if any action will be taken on requests from Burlington's mayor to address local traffic impacts stemming from those closures. 'We've added portable message signs on the medians and additional overhead signs,' ministry spokesperson Tanya Blazina said. 'We have also installed additional ground-mounted signs and detour-route signs to guide travellers to use East Port Drive as an alternate route.' Blazina said an alert banner will be added on the Ontario 511 website and closures will be communicated on the ministry's social media accounts . Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward wrote a letter to Ontario transportation minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria , dated May 28, about local impacts of lane closures on the Niagara bound QEW for upgrades to the Skyway Bridge. 'The closure over Mother's Day weekend impacted Burlington significantly,' Meed Ward's letter states. 'The city experienced severe congestion. Residential streets were blocked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Many of the major corridors were at a standstill. City staff carefully reviewed the traffic over this weekend and concluded that the sole explanation was the Skyway Bridge two-lane closure.' Meed Ward's letter states the ministry provided city staff with a list of proposed upcoming two-lane closures on the Skyway Bridge 'with six weekend closures planned between (May 28) and Labour Day.' The mayor states she appreciates ministry efforts to improve communications, with notices and alerts on overhead highway signage, warning those affected. 'However, my concerns remain about the significant impact these closures will have on Burlington,' Meed Ward states, adding the city anticipates severe local congestion during upcoming lane closures. The mayor requested the ministry: According to Meed Ward's letter, making public the list of planned lane closures will help Burlington residents understand the impact of the closures, and reason for traffic jams on local streets. 'We understand these dates are weather dependent and subject to change. Nevertheless, I ask you to post this list publicly and communicate in advance when there are changes,' Meed Ward states. 'The current communication channels through private correspondence between staff is not transparent and does not promote accountability. Residents are not fully informed, cannot plan their summer strategically and do not understand the root cause of congestion on our roads.' Ministry staff did not respond to questions about the mayor's specific requests by deadline, but noted additional signs warning drivers and directing them to detours. According to ministry staff, ongoing rehabilitation of QEW Niagara bound lanes on the Burlington Skyway bridge includes asphalt and waterproofing removal and replacement, and concrete repairs. Staff said the work is required to extend the bridge's lifespan and improve both pavement condition and lighting. They said two lanes will remain open during closures. Ministry staff did not provide any specific dates for upcoming lane closures. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration returns to Burlington park June 21
Burlington's National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration returns to Spencer Smith Park for the third straight year on Saturday, June 21. The free event takes place from 9 a.m. to noon at the west end of Spencer Smith Park , and features live performances by Indigenous artists and activities designed to both celebrate, and learn more about, Indigenous culture and knowledge. Meanwhile, a dedicated Indigenous ceremonial circle with fire pit is nearing completion in Sweetgrass Park at 565 Woodview Rd. A $122,900 contract was awarded in January to All The Best Paving Limited, of Hamilton. Construction was scheduled to start in April and finish before the end of June . Work includes a contemplative area and 23 sweetgrass plants. The Sweetgrass Park improvements will provide a permanent location for Indigenous ceremonies, but city staff could not confirm by deadline whether future National Indigenous Day celebrations will relocate there, or remain at Spencer Smith Park after this year. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said National Indigenous Peoples Day falls on the longest day of the year and is a vibrant celebration of the strength, artistry, and traditions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. 'This special day is an opportunity for all of us to come together to honour the richness and diversity of cultures that have shaped our land for generations,' Meed Ward stated in a city press release. 'I encourage everyone to join us at Spencer Smith Park to experience the live music, performances, stories, and shared joy that make this day so meaningful.'
