Volume 1, Issue 11 | April 23, 2021
TOP STORY: Halton Police present to Oakville Council!
Property Crime was way down in 2020

  • Residential break-ins were down 45%
  • Commercial break-ins were down 35%
  • Robberies were down 23%
  • Theft from cars were down 25%

HRPS is working on equity and diversity

“From a performance perspective to a talent acquisition perspective, but really, we know it’s the right thing. It’s the right thing to produce a high-performing environment where people feel accepted, they are open to different ideas, to change management and to all the things we believe equity, diversity and inclusion help embrace." - Superintendant Jeff Sandy

Prevention remains the best strategy

With a focus on education and prevention, Halton police regularly work with organizations to prevent crimes, especially scamming.

Oakville Det. Sgt. Ron Wright says they "follow up on each one of these (reports) with the hopes that it’s actually local; however, a lot of these scams are embedded overseas.” HRPS is continuing to teach and inform to stop crimes before they happen.

In summary? HRPS does an exemplary job

Crime happens - it's true. When something bad happens or crime takes place, it's tempting to feel concerned or unsafe. As tragic and horrible as these events are, they're more shocking when they happen here in Oakville because we have so few of them in the first place.

The occasional unfortunate event makes them stand out, but it doesn’t mean that Oakville is descending into crime; you can rest assured HRPS is doing a terrific job keeping us safe.
Halton Regional Police Service make presentation in a special town council meeting
As the new chair of the Halton Police Board, Councillor Knoll asked Police Chief Steve Tanner to give a presentation to all municipalities in Halton. This past Monday was Oakville's turn, with a special council meeting for residents to learn more about their local police.

The presentation was led by Chief Tanner and District 2 Superintendent Jeff Sandhy, responsible for overseeing Oakville.

Among the key takeaways from the night was just how effective our local force is at preventing and resolving crimes; Halton has one of the highest crime clearance rates in Canada, continuing its record of being among the country's safest regions to live in.

Halton Region, compared to Ontario's "Big 12" police services, also has:
  • the lowest crime severity index
  • has the lowest cost per capita ratio
  • lowest overall crime rate
  • violent crime rate
  • property crime rate
Last Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford gave police units enhanced powers to enforce rules in the active, province-wide shutdown, including stopping people and cars at random.

Did you know that Halton Police Chief Steve Tanner was one of the first chiefs in the province to refuse the offer, saying Halton would not engage in the extreme measure? This bold choice in Halton led to the Premier apologizing and changing his mind on the policy.
Oakville updates Town Services
Last week, the Ontario provincial government made large changes to rules in the provincial shutdown, including new regulations for what is allowed and extending the order for at least another two weeks, now ending May 20th 2021.

As a municipality, the town must abide by the provincial order and had to close a number of outdoor recreational amenities.

The stay-at-home order requires everyone to remain at home except for essential reasons, including getting vaccinated.

In addition to new restrictions that are listed on the right, Oakville announced changes and updates to several things on Tuesday morning:

  • Recreation Services, Amenities, Facilities
  • Parks and Marinas
  • Oakville Public Library
  • Public transit in Town
What are the new, further restrictions?

  • Closing outdoor recreational amenities.
  • Prohibiting all outdoor social gatherings and organized public events, except for with members of the same household or one other person from outside that household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of the household.
  • Reducing capacity limits to 25% in all retail settings with permitted in-store shopping.
  • Limiting the capacity of weddings, funerals, religious services, rites or ceremonies to 10 people (either indoors or outdoors.)
Outdoor parks are open!
Even though it was announced last Friday that playgrounds would be closed, that decision was reversed by Premier Doug Ford earlier this week after public backlash. So long as you remain socially distant from other households, playgrounds are a fun and safe place to be.

There are nearly 200 parks and playgrounds throughout town - click here to see a list of all of the Oakville parks and their addresses.
Access the Halton Community Services Directory
Have you ever heard of the Halton Community Service directory? They're an outstanding resource that connects Halton residents to hundreds of online links for services and programs offered in the Region.

Some of the categories include food, health care, youth and community programs, family services, addictions, disabilities, employment and more!
Councillor Knoll hosting Oscars Trivia Show this weekend!
This Sunday night, April 25th, is the 93rd Academy Awards. Councillor Knoll is co-hosting a live, free, online trivia show with Oakville News arts reporter and film critic Tyler Collins.

It's free to play, fun for all ages and there are prizes for the winners! Online sign up begins at 5:30pm and the live trivia show starts at 6:00pm.

This trivia show is the perfect way to start your family's Oscars night at home. And don't worry - we'll be done the trivia before the full Oscars begin at 8:00pm. You can learn more about the show and how to play online here.
Vaccines now for those 60+!

As of today, anyone in Halton 60 years of age and older and those in several qualifying groups can now book an appointment to receive their COVID-19 vaccine. Here in Halton, we currently administer the Pfizer vaccine.
IMPORTANT VACCINE UPDATES!!!

A large number of groups can now book their COVID-19 vaccination appointments both in Oakville and throughout Halton Region. Here is the full list:

  • Individuals (age 18 and older) with highest-risk and high-risk health conditions and one essential caregiver:
  • highest-risk health conditions include: organ transplant recipients; hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients; and people with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis), haematological malignancy diagnosed within the past year, or kidney disease (eGFR <30): and
  • high-risk health conditions include: obesity (body mass index over 40), or receiving treatments causing immunosuppression (e.g., chemotherapy, immunity-weakening medications), and intellectual or developmental disabilities (e.g., Down syndrome).
  • Essential workers (age 18 and older) who cannot work from home (Group 1 as identified by Province):
  • elementary/secondary school workers (including educators, custodial, school bus drivers, administrative staff);
  • workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, children’s aid society workers, emergency management, and critical infrastructure restoration workers);
  • enforcement, inspection and compliance roles (including by-law enforcement, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspection officers, and labour inspectors/WSIB field workers);
  • all licensees, employees and students on an educational placement who interact directly with children in licensed child care centres and in authorized recreation and skill building programs;
  • licensed home child care and in-home service providers, employees of a home child care agency and students on an educational placement;
  • foster care agency workers (including customary care providers);
  • food manufacturing and distribution workers;
  • agriculture and farm workers; and
  • funeral, crematorium and cemetery workers.
  • Adults 50+ in an identified hotspot area (Adults 50 years of age and older living in the L9E postal code area, in Milton).
  • Remaining health care workers, living or working in Halton and who cannot work from home.
  • All previously eligible groups (including all adults age 60 and older.)

So far, Halton Region has given over 160,000 doses of vaccine!
You can attend councils, police board and library meetings!
Councillor Knoll sits on multiple boards and councils, and they all have meetings open to the public with ways of watching them both electronically (from your home) and live! Repeats of recent meetings can also be viewed at these links. Here are the links for each of them:

OAKVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
Next meeting: Monday April 26th at 6:30pm

HALTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Recent meeting: Wednesday April 21st at 9:00am

HALTON REGIONAL POLICE BOARD
Next meeting: Thursday April 29th at 9:00am

OAKVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
Recent meeting: Thursday April 22nd at 7:00pm
Interested in Developments across Ward 5? Here's the list!

Current Ward 5 Development Applications:

1 - Residential Property at the Northwest corner of Trafalgar Road and Glenashton Drive. A permit is wanted to build a six-storey residential unit. (Learn more about this application here)

2 - Dunpar Homes wants to 75 townhouse units on land from 1020-1042 Sixth Line. Density would be 55 units per hectare. (Learn more about it here)
Current Ward 5 Site Plan Applications:

1 - Silwell Developments wants to build a "12 Storey Mixed Building with 229 residential units and 1,080 square metres of retail space and underground parking." (Learn more here.)

2 - New walkways, a new bus lay-by and added parking space at White Oaks Secondary School.

3 - Di Carlo Homes wants to build 58 four-storey rear lane townhouses which includes 12 visitor parking spaces. (Learn about the application here)

4 - IMH Queens Ltd. is applying to build a ten-storey residential apartment building containing 159 new residential units at 297 Queens Avenue.

5 - Branthaven McCraney Inc. is changing a previous application. The new project is a nine-storey, 219 unit residential building, reduced parking and an elevation change at 1105 McCraney Street. (Learn more here.)

6 - Lastly, the HCDSB wants to add a child care centre and outdoor play area to St. Michael Catholic Elementary School. (Learn more here.)