Whats in this issue......

Dear Friends and Neighbours

Ward 6 News

Traffic Calming Review Results

City News

Council finalizes 2024 Budget

The City is Ready for Winter 2023/2024

Council Intends to Allow Four Residential Units per Lot

Burlington Housing Pipeline to Permit

Bateman Naming Update

Embrace Winter with Outdoor Fun and Activities

New Adult Fitness Station

Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts 

Five Things to do to Deter Coyotes

Halton Region News

Yard Waste Collection

Homelessness and Encampments in Burlington

Notice of Public Information Centre #1: Water, Wastewater and Transportation Integrated Master Plan

Community Events & Programs

The Gift of Giving Back Food Drive

BPAC Festival of Trees

Senior Centre Christmas Dinner & Dance

The Festival of Inner Lights

Habitat for Humanity

City Calendar of Meetings & Events

Service Burlington is Ready to Help!

Pre-Building Approval Process Online Tool

Quick Links - City of Burlington, Halton Region, other Gov't Agencies

As your elected Ward Six, City and Regional Councillor, I thank everyone for their support and collaboration in striving to build a stronger and better community for current and future generations.  

I appreciate the many residents who have attended my drop-in sessions throughout the year and hearing their valuable input and respectful discussions.

I wish you and your families a safe and Happy Festive Season and hope the New Year brings you happiness, prosperity, and much needed peace around the world.

Warmest regards,

Angelo

Traffic Calming Review Results

City Transportation staff have completed several traffic calming warrant reviews for the potential installation of traffic calming measures on several residential streets in Ward 6. These reviews were initiated in response to concerns related to vehicle speeds and aggressive driving in neighbourhoods.

The streets that were reviewed were Berkshire Lane, Dalecroft Cres, Newport St., Oakridge Cres, Boros Rd. and Greenway Terrace.

Vehicle speeds and traffic volumes for 24 hours a day, over a 7 day period were collected using an automated traffic recorder. The results of the study were applied to the Council approved Traffic Calming Policy technical warrant criteria. As per the Policy, a minimum 3 of the 6 technical warrant criteria needs to be met to allow the creation of a traffic calming plan.

Based on the results, all streets reviewed do not warrant the installation of traffic calming measures at this time. Letters with details of the technical warrant criteria have been sent to residents of the respective streets.

Notwithstanding these results, the City of Burlington in partnership with the Halton Regional Police Service offers other programs to help address speeding and aggressive driving concerns.

Information on these programs can be found on the City of Burlington’s website at www.burlington.ca/speeding.

Council finalizes 2024 Budget

At a Special Council Meeting on November 28, Council finalized the 2024 Budget. Next year’s budget is focused on essentials, front line services and preparing for growth.

The City’s portion of the overall tax increase is 4.99%. When blended with Halton Region’s forecasted increase and no change to the Boards of Education, this results in an overall tax increase of 6.68%. This translates to $57.53 increase per $100,000 of urban residential assessment.

The property tax bill is made up of three portions, the City of Burlington (50.5%), Halton Region (32.8%), and the Boards of Education (16.7%).

The 2024 budget has been broken down into three categories:

1. Essentials – This area covers projects and items the City of Burlington must address and/or have already committed to, such as cost of inflation, necessary capital projects and infrastructure renewal.
2. Frontline Service – This area covers enhanced services that directly improves the quality of life of Burlington residents.
3. Planning for Growth – This area plans for and prepares for the expected increase in population, our Community Investment Plan, and allow us to catch up and prepare for the future.

This was the first budget under the new provincially legislated Strong Mayor Powers. The Mayor proposed the budget for 2024. The budget was based on the 2024 Financial Needs and Multi-Year Forecast Reference Document prepared by staff earlier this year.

Council brought 62 changes through amendment motions to modify the budget. Of those amendments, 27 were adopted into the budget. These were presented at Committee meetings on Nov. 21 and 23 and the Special Council Meeting on Nov. 28.

Key investments

• Enhancing frontline service delivery with additional transit operators, firefighters, by-law licensing clerks and customer experience staff to respond to your concerns
• Funding for 3 new community facilities – Skyway Community Centre, the newly renovated Mountainside pool and the former Robert Bateman High School
• $88.6 million of capital investment in 2024 to keep our infrastructure assets like buildings, roads and parks in a state of good repair
• Funding dedicated to future land and facility needs for our growing and changing community
• Free all-day transit for Seniors
• Support for our Community Planning Housing Initiative
• Support to bring the city’s Information Technology (IT) infrastructure into the 21^st century

For more information on the 2024 budget, visit burlington.ca/budget or getinvolvedburlington.ca/2024-budget.

The City is Ready for Winter 2023/2024

With winter around the corner, the City is reminding residents about its snow clearing service levels as well as tips for staying informed about the City’s response during a snow storm.

Snow Events

Salting of primary and secondary roads is initiated at the start of every snowfall event and plowing will occur when an accumulation of 5 cm is reached. When accumulation reaches 7.5 cm, the City will declare a “Snow Event” in order to advise that local residential road plowing will occur and to announce the prohibition of all on-street parking. During a snow event, road clearing updates will be sent to Snow Control Update subscribers at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. To receive Snow Control Updates by email, visit burlington.ca/subscribe to subscribe to receive these updates.

Snow Clearing Service Levels

• Residential roads are not maintained to bare pavement but are sanded as required at intersections, hills and sharp curves to enhance traction.
• All sidewalks are plowed after 5 cm of accumulation and salted or sanded as required.
• Roads will generally be cleared 24-hours after the snowfall has ended. Heavy snowfalls or successive storms can sometimes extend this period longer than 24 hours. Please be patient as our crews work to clear the busiest streets first.
• The City is not responsible for clearing windrows left on driveways when the plow passes. If you think you will need help clearing the windrow, please make arrangements such as speaking with your neighbours, family members or hire a contractor.

Road and Sidewalk Plow Tracker

Residents can visit burlington.focus511.com to see which streets have been plowed. New this year, the City has added sidewalk snow clearing operations to it’s tracking system as well. The tracker provides close to real-time snow clearing updates using GPS technology to track the progress of City’s plows as they clear roads during a Snow Event. When plows pass over a road, the colour of the road on the map changes to indicate a plow is operating in the area. As the clean-up continues, roads throughout the city will change colour until all plowing is complete.

Parking During the Winter

When and where residents park in the winter can have a big impact on clearing streets and sidewalks. Vehicles parked on the street during a snowfall make it challenging for plows to maneuver and clear the snow effectively. Additionally, vehicles hanging out of a driveway or parked on the sidewalk during a weather event can create obstacles that prevent crews from clearing the sidewalks properly.

Parking off the street might feel like an inconvenience, but it plays a significant role in our community's safety. That’s why, as part of the City’s Parking Bylaw, all vehicles must be parked off the street when a Snow Event is declared.

When a snow event is declared, there is no parking on any city streets until after the snow event has been declared over. The City thanks residents for their cooperation to move their vehicles off city streets to help with snow clearing operations. Residents who park their cars on streets blocking snow removal could be faced with a $120 parking ticket or be towed. The declaration of a snow event means that we expect a large volume of snow that will require clearing. Residents may still be subject to a ticket for parking which impedes road operations despite the actual snow volume.

All existing parking exemptions are invalid during snow events.

Snow events and parking restrictions are announced through the City’s social media as well as through Snow Control Updates which can be found at burlington.ca/snow. Snow Control Updates can also be emailed to any resident who subscribes.

Residents are encouraged to review parking alternatives in advance of snow events in order to avoid the risk of a parking ticket.

What Residents Can Do

During the winter season, the City of Burlington maintains 1,900 lane kilometres of roads and 850 kilometres of sidewalks.

Residents can help with the removal of snow from streets and sidewalks by following road safety and parking rules:

• Please wait until 24-hours after the snowfall has ended before calling or emailing your road concerns and 48 hours for sidewalk enquiries. It takes time to clean up after a storm; please give us 24-hours after the snow has ended to do this work. Your patience is appreciated.
• Do not park vehicles on the street during a snowfall or declared Snow Event. Also, please do not leave vehicles over the sidewalk while in your driveway as this can prevent the sidewalk plow from completing its work.
• Do not shovel, plow or blow snow from residential or commercial properties onto the road or across the road. This poses a hazard to motorists and is prohibited by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and City bylaw.
• Snowplows need room to clear the snow. Please stay back 20 meters as sand and salt may be dropping from the trucks. This also gives you room to stop safely.
• Do not pile snow in the bike lanes in front of your residence or business.
• Give snowplows plenty of space at intersections. The snowplow may need two or more lanes to turn or to get through the intersection. If a snowplow is waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not pull up and stop underneath or in front of the wing plow (the plow attached to the right side of the truck). Your vehicle could be struck by the plow when the truck pulls forward.

Potential City facility closures – Stay Informed

When weather events such as snow or freezing rain become more extreme and safe travel becomes more challenging, the City may decide to close some or all City facilities such as community centres, pools, arenas and City Hall. 

It is important for people to know that a declared snow event does not automatically mean all City facilities are closed or programs are cancelled. 

When City facilities are closed due to weather, residents can stay informed by subscribing to Facility, Sports Field and Pool Closure updates at burlington.ca/subscribe. Residents can also check our website at burlington.ca/facilityclosures. The recorded message at 905-335-7738 will also be updated when recreation facilities are closed due to inclement weather.

On occasion, a recreation program may be cancelled when City facilities remain open. If a program is cancelled when the facility remains open, City staff will make all efforts to contact the participants in advance.

Burlington’s first Integrated Mobility Plan

The City has created its first Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP) to guide how people and goods move in and through our community for the next 30 years. The Integrated Mobility Plan Final Report was presented and approved by Burlington City Council on Nov. 14 and approved unanimously.

Several delegations spoke at the Community Planning, Regulation & Mobility (CPRM) Committee in support of the IMP on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

The Integrated Mobility Plan

The IMP is a balance of innovative policies, active programs and capital projects that will guide how Burlington builds and operates a sustainable transportation system city-wide. Together, these initiatives will make getting around Burlington safe, accessible, sustainable, balanced and liveable.

The plan has three key areas for action:

1. Implement transportation network improvements through capital planning and budget,
2. Guide future studies, plans and capital projects to meet the goals of the IMP and
3. Enhance and develop innovative programs to support the implementation of the plan.

Key elements of the integrated network approach include:

• Only widening streets if it improves walking, cycling, transit or safety.
• Giving the right-of-way to pedestrians, cyclists, transit users or for safety.
• Focusing multi-modal corridors, like sidewalks, bike lanes and cut throughs, in growth areas.
• Developing transit infrastructure to improve bus service and reduce transit delays.
• Developing high-quality cycling lanes and pathways for cyclists of all ages and abilities.
• Improving walkability in employment, future growth and rural areas.
• Create new connections for pedestrians and cyclists across the QEW and rail lines.

The IMP provides the vision for the City’s future transportation network and outlines the policy, programs and capital projects needed to meet long-term mobility goals for the next three decades. Council will set and manage how the plan is implemented through the City’s annual capital and operating budgets, and as part of the Multi-year Community Investment Plan (MCIP).

The IMP will be reviewed and refreshed on a 5-year cycle, incorporating updated population and employment forecasts, refining the strategic transportation demand model, and reporting on actual mode share usage and refining targets, where necessary. The IMP provides valuable guidance and input into the 5-year Transit Business Plan and will complement the transit planning.

Burlington City Council has recognized that relying on a car-centric plan where streets are widened to add more room for cars is not the solution to solve traffic congestion. This creates a transportation network that does not offer other ways to get around, does not support the City’s growth strategy and has negative impacts on the environment and climate by adding to greenhouse gas levels.

For more information about Burlington’s Integrated Mobility Plan, please visit burlington.ca/IMP.

Council Intends to Allow Four Residential Units per Lot

To help with more housing options and supply throughout the City of Burlington, City Council approved a motion to declare its intention to allow four residential units per lot. This direction supports the City’s Housing Strategy to:

• help with a healthy supply of rental units and
• increase housing options.

This direction also builds on the City’s recent update to its Additional Residential Unit policies which now allow up to three residential units per urban residential lot. There will be community engagement on property criteria for ARUs and before more changes are made to the City’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw to allow up to four units.

What are Additional Residential Units (ARUs)?

Additional Residential Units are self-contained living units with their own kitchen, bathroom and sleeping areas. They are on the same property as a primary home, including single detached homes, semi-detached homes and townhouses. They can be inside or attached to a primary home, or in a separate accessory building like a detached garage. Examples of ARUs are basement apartments, attached suites, tiny homes and coach houses. The Additional Residential Units page provides details about how to apply for an ARU on your property.

Residents will be invited to join staff in their work to change policies and regulations to allow four units per lot. Staff will also consult with the public in their review of the existing standards in the City’s current zoning bylaw for ARUs. This may include what might be allowed for the height of accessory buildings with ARUs, such as detached garages, or parking space requirements.

Updates and opportunities to get involved in 2024 will be posted on the Housing Strategy Get Involved page.

Burlington Housing Pipeline to Permit

On March 21, 2023, City Council accepted the Province of Ontario’s housing pledge for 29,000 units to be built in Burlington by 2031 and below is a chart illustrating developments in the pipeline as of October.

Appealed to OLT - developments that are pending a decision from the Ontario Land Tribunal

Waiting for Site Plan Application - developments that have received zoning approval, but haven't yet applied for site plan approval

Approved - developments that have received all planning approvals and are ready to apply for a building permit

Under Review - development applications received by the city for consideration

Pre-application - developer consultations with the city prior to making a planning application

The plan is to design and deliver complete communities in Burlington that:

• are safe, inclusive, diverse and connected;
• are environmentally-sustainable;
• have housing choice and affordability;
• offer services, shops, community amenities, jobs and parks within walking distance; and
• are easy to get around with multiple transportation options.

Council also approved a new Pipeline to Permit Standing Committee to focus on tracking growth, issues, and continuous improvement opportunities for the development approval process within the City. The committee will also make recommendations to Council to ensure the timely and efficient issuance of development approvals and building permits.

For more information, visit burlington.ca/committees.

Bateman Naming Update

With the support of the Robert Bateman Naming Shortlist committee, the City is recommending to the Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee (EICS) on Dec. 7 the name of Burlington’s newest community centre be “Robert Bateman Community Centre.”

Thank you to everyone who provided input through the online survey and at Food for Feedback to find a name for the location. 

When the submission deadline passed, a committee was formed to review the submissions and create a shortlist of names that aligned to the City’s naming policy and represented the community voice. This committee included representatives from the Advisory Committees of Heritage and Inclusion, City Council, the Indigenous Talking Circle, and City staff. 

Survey results

• 221 names were received.
• 44 per cent were for Robert Bateman Community Centre (or a close variation). 
• Pinedale was the second-place name with three per cent of the submissions.

The consensus of the committee was that the community has already overwhelmingly chosen the name Robert Bateman Community Centre and it would be disingenuous to poll the community again or put a short list to a vote. 

Next Steps

Staff will submit a report with the name recommendation and rationale to the Environment, Infrastructure, and Community Services Committee meeting Dec. 7 and to City Council on Dec. 12, 2023.

Embrace Winter with Outdoor Fun and Activities

This winter, get ready to amp up the fun in Burlington. There are many opportunities for everyone to be active.

Disc Golf, Hiking and More at Tyandaga Golf Course

Tyandaga Golf Course (1265 Tyandaga Park Dr.) is open from dawn until dusk for disc golf and hiking during the winter season. Players need to bring their own discs. Tobogganing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also welcome on the course and grounds. Discs, snowshoes and other outdoor winter equipment can be borrowed through the Play Equipment Lending Library.

Cogeco Skating at the Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond

The Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond at the waterfront in downtown Burlington is opening soon. Cogeco Skating at the pond will be open daily but closed on Christmas Day. Registration is not required. For more information, including skating times, visit burlington.ca/pond.

Residents are encouraged to call the ice conditions hotline, 905-335-7738, ext. 8587 before leaving their house, to make sure that the Pond is open.

The free skate lending program at the Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond is available Monday to Friday, 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Sunday, PA days and holiday school breaks, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Holiday ice and gym rentals

Stay active this holiday with family and friends by renting ice or a gym at a special discount. This holiday season, ice and gym rentals are available at a reduced rate for booking dates up to Jan. 7, 2023. Beginning Dec. 1, residents can view facility availability and complete the rental 24-hours in advance through their online Live & Play account.

Learn more about how to rent at burlington.ca/rentals.

Cogeco Neighbourhood Rinks

The Cogeco Neighbourhood Rink program is a collaboration between dedicated resident volunteers and the City of Burlington. Once the weather is cold enough, the rinks will be open to the public and free to use. Located throughout the City, City staff will install boards for the natural ice rinks that will be maintained by neighbourhood volunteer groups. Residents are asked to respect the open/closed signs and stay off the ice when the rink is closed.

For more information on the Cogeco Neighbourhood Rink program, and locations, visit burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink.

Tobogganing

There are six designated areas in the city that are safe for tobogganing. They include:

• Brant Hills Park, southwest of the tennis courts, 2300 Duncaster Dr.
• Central Park on the hill northwest of the community garden, 2299 New St.
• LaSalle Park, east of the parking lot, 50 North Shore Blvd.
• Lowville Park on the hill at the southwest end of park, 6207 Lowville Park Rd.
• Nelson Park on the east side of park, north of the Centennial bike path, 4183 New St.
• Tyandaga Park at hole number four on the west slope, 1265 Tyandaga Park Dr.

To view designated tobogganing sites and tips for safe tobogganing, please visit burlington.ca/tobogganing.

Tim Hortons Free Holiday Skating

Thanks to Tim Hortons, Burlington residents can enjoy another holiday season of free skating from Dec. 23, 2023, to Jan. 6, 2024. A reservation is not needed. Skating is first come, first served until capacity is reached. For dates and locations, visit burlington.ca/timsfreeskate.

Play Equipment Lending Library

If you need some indoor or outdoor play equipment or want to try something new without having to buy it, try the City’s Play Equipment Lending Library located at Central Arena. Items include glow-in-the-dark equipment, disc golf equipment for Tyandaga and more. The last day to borrow the play equipment in 2023 is on Tuesday, Dec. 19 with those items needing to be returned to Haber Community Centre on Jan. 9, 2024. To borrow, visit burlington.ca/playlending.

Subscribe to the latest City updates at www.burlington.ca/subscribe.

New Adult Fitness Station

No gym membership? No problem! Check out the Adult Fitness equipment at Burloak Park and stay active all year long. While there, you can cool down with a stroll at the park while enjoying the waterfront view.

Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts

All City outdoor tennis and pickleball courts have been closed down for the winter season as of December 1. For indoor pickleball options visit the City's Rent a Facility or Park webpage.

Five Things to do to Deter Coyotes

The City is reminding residents about steps they can take to help reduce the risk of potential coyote conflicts.



While naturally wary of humans, coyotes will seek food and shelter in residential neighbourhoods when they are being fed on purpose or by accident.

The Top 5 things residents can do to help deter coyotes include:

1.    Never feed coyotes Feeding coyotes, on purpose or by accident, teaches them to depend on human handouts and can cause them to become too familiar with humans. This familiarization can lead to aggressive behaviour around people and dogs.

2.    Never leave pets unattended Coyotes may see pets as a threat to their territory and may attack, especially when there is a den site nearby. Always keep dogs on a short leash (less than six feet long) when walking outdoors. Make sure your cats and dogs are not left alone outside, even in your fenced backyard.

3.    Keep a tidy property Residential neighbourhoods are an ideal coyote habitat with access to water, shelter and food sources like garbage, pet food, fruit tress and birdfeeders. Make sure your property is tidy and clear of garbage, food, brush, long grass and wood piles which are ideal den sites for coyotes or other wild animals that attract coyotes.

4.    Inspect your property Make sure spaces around and under decks, sheds and similar structures are closed off with wire screening that extends at least 20 centimetres under the ground.

5.    Consistently haze coyotes Discouraging coyotes takes vigilance. Ongoing efforts by the entire community to haze coyotes can help to re-instill their fear of humans and stop unwelcome behaviour.

Use one or more of these hazing techniques every time you see a coyote to help move it out of a residential area:

• Stop. Don’t run.
• Pick up small children and pets.
• Yell loudly;
• Wave your arms and make yourself look as big as possible;
• Use air horns, whistles, bang pots;
• Throw small rocks, large sticks, cans and/or rubber balls near the coyote;
• Spray the coyote with water from a garden hose or a water gun filled with vinegar.
• Back away slowly.

Hand feeding and ground feeding wildlife on private or public property is prohibited by the City’s Lot Maintenance Bylaw (59-2018) and is subject to a $250 fine.

Report coyote sightings, including aggressive, sick or injured coyotes online at www.burlington.ca/coyote. Call 9-1-1- if a coyote poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety.

Yard Waste Collection

Yard waste collection takes place every other week on the same day as garbage in urban areas. Leaves, sticks, twigs and tree trimmings can be placed as yard waste for curbside collection.

Find more waste tips and check your collection schedule: www.halton.ca

Homelessness and Encampments in Burlington

My office and the City have been received calls and emails reporting encampments and individuals who may be homeless, that they have seen in their neighbourhoods and requesting assistance from the City.

Halton Region provides a variety of emergency shelter options, support services and assistance in finding more permanent housing for homeless individuals. Support is always available for those who are willing to accept it.

If you see an individual who may be homeless, call 1-866-442-5866 or email outreach@halton.ca. Halton Housing will make every effort to attend within 24-72 hours and will request the assistance of Halton Police if required.

If shelter is accepted, arrangements are made for the individual. If shelter is rejected, Halton Housing remains connected for support. Outreach often requires rapport building and time to be successful.

Property owners should contact Halton Police (905-825-4777) for assistance with encampments on private property.

More information and resources are available at burlington.ca/homelessness.

Notice of Public Information Centre #1: Water, Wastewater and Transportation Integrated Master Plan

Halton Region has initiated an Integrated Master Plan to complete the next region-wide Water, Wastewater and Multi-Modal Transportation Master Plans. The outcome of this work will be a long-term integrated servicing strategy for Regional infrastructure to accommodate future growth. The Integrated Master Plan will provide the strategies, policies and tools required to meet the future water, wastewater and transportation infrastructure needs.

The study is being carried out in accordance with the requirements of Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA), (October 2000, amended 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2023), which is an approved process under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act.

The Integrated Master Plan will become the basis for, and will be used to support future Schedule C MCEA studies identified in the Master Plan. The Integrated Master Plan will be prepared with the level of investigation, consultation and documentation sufficient to fulfil the requirements for all Schedule B projects within the Master Plan. Anyone with an interest in this study is invited to participate virtually.

Public and review agency consultation is a key element of the Integrated Master Plan process and input will be sought throughout this study, including Public Information Centres. The purpose of the first Public Information Center (PIC) is to explain the Master Plan process, identify problem and opportunities, and for public stakeholders to share their feedback.

Members of the public can visit the Water, Wastewater and Transportation Integrated Master Plan webpage on halton.ca to watch videos about the study and provide input through the online survey. The online PIC will be available from Monday, November 27 to Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

Comments

Please contact any of the project team members listed below or email imp@halton.ca if you have any questions or wish to be added to the Integrated Master Plan mailing list (water, wastewater and transportation). Comments are welcome throughout the duration of the project. Comments received through the course of this study will be considered and documented in the Integrated Master Plans.

Chris Fong, P. Eng.

Project Manager - Mobility Planning

Halton Region

1151 Bronte Road

Oakville, ON L6M 3L1

905-825-6000, ext. 7920

Mark Bajor

Project Manager - Water and Wastewater Planning

Halton Region

1151 Bronte Road

Oakville, ON L6M 3L1

905-825-6000, ext. 7921

Chris Hamel, P. Eng.

Consultant Project Manager

GM BluePlan Engineering Limited

Royal Centre

Suite 402 - 3300 Highway No. 7

Vaughan, ON L4K 4M3

416-703-0667

Cell: 416-577-2500

The Gift of Giving Back Food Drive

Is the largest known community food drive in Canada. The annual Fall community food drive supports, educates, and empowers more than 2,000 young athletes and high school students to give back to our community. We were delighted with this year’s campaign, raising $501,861.57 in food and financial donations – over ½ million dollars of relief for our nine beneficiaries, which include the Burlington Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Food for Life, the Halton Women’s Shelter, the Compassion Society, the Carpenter Hospice, the ROCK, the Halton Learning Foundation, and the Halton Catholic Children’s Fund.

In the process, our young people have embraced community volunteerism with vitality and enthusiasm, coming together in a huge way to show astonishing kindness and empathy for those in our community who are vulnerable or struggling.

We are so thankful to the Burlington Eagles, the Burlington Barracudas, and the staff and students at M. M. Robinson High School for making this event successful. Since 2005, more than 4.5 million lbs of food has been donated to families in the Halton Region.

Visit The Gift of Giving Back webpage for more information.

BPAC Festival of Trees

Burlington Performing Arts Centre is once again hosting its 7th Annual Festival of Trees, and you have the chance to take home one or more of the beautifully decorated trees by entering the silent auction.

Local businesses and organizations have sponsored and generously decorated 28 six-foot, pre-lit artificial trees, which are currently on display in BPAC’s Family Lobby until their silent auction winners take them home for the holidays. 

The silent auction is on until Dec. 17 and trees may be viewed during regular box office hours, which are Tuesday to Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., as well as one hour prior to each live performance.

How the Silent Auction works

Simply view the trees in-person and place your bid. All proceeds support the Burlington Performing Arts Centre – no bid is too generous!

Tree bidding ends on Sunday, December 17 at 8 p.m. and the minimum bid for trees is $50.

Winners will be contacted by email and/or phone and can pick up trees between Monday, Dec. 18 and Friday, Dec. 22, 2023.

More information: Festival of Trees

Senior Centre Christmas Dinner and Dance

To register visit: Christmas Dinner and Dance 19+ (perfectmind.com)

The Festival of Inner Lights

100^th Anniversary of Shri Mataji

Sunday, December 10, 1 – 3 pm

Art Gallery of Burlington, 1333 Lakeshore Rd.

A joyful celebration in our community for the World

Habitat for Humanity

This year you can increase your support of Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin thanks to a generous gift from Emshih Developments who will match every donation up to $20,000. This means that your contribution will have twice the impact, allowing us to reach even more families in need.

For more information visit: Holiday - Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga (habitathm.ca)

For a full lineup of city events, community events and engagement opportunities, visit the city's Calendar of Events. Community organizations are also welcome to submit events to be added to the calendar.

For a list of upcoming Council, standing committee, advisory committee and Committee of Adjustment meetings, visit the Council and Committees Calendar.

Speak to a live City of Burlington staff person weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.by calling (905) 335-7777.

Alternatively send an email with your request for service to city@burlington.ca with your city request.

The MyFiles tool lets applicants check on the status of their pre-building approval application in real time. It allows them to follow along as their application goes through each step in the review process.

While applicants are still welcome to contact staff with questions, they can now login to this new portal to access information they may need about their application, if they prefer. MyFiles can be used by residents who have applied for Pre-Building Approval after April 24, 2023.

Once an account has been created, applicants can check the status of their files for applications related to:

·   decks,

·   accessory building or structure like a shed or gazebo,

·   renovations such as additions or

·   build a new house.

Process Updates

The process has been updated by separating the review of the Zoning Bylaw, Grading and Drainage Bylaw, and Tree Bylaw so that:

·   a Zoning Clearance Certificate is needed before applying for a Building Permit.

·   a Grading and Drainage Clearance Certificate is needed before a Building Permit can be issued.

a Tree Permit is needed before construction can begin. 



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Other local gov't contacts...

Halton Region Police Services

Burlington Hydro - Power Outage

Halton Legal

MPP Effie J. Triantafilopoulos

MPP Natalie Pierre

MP Pam Damoff

MPP Parm Gill

MP Adam Van Koeverden