Ward 1 News from Councillor Kelvin Galbraith
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Greetings from Councillor Galbraith
- Latest COVID-19 Updates from City of Burlington
- Updates from Halton Region
- Updates from Province of Ontario, Federal Government and Other helpful links
- Ward 1 Construction Updates
- Citizens Making a Difference
- News From City Hall
- Community Resources, News & Links
- Local Boards and Community Involvement
- Stay Connected
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Hello Ward 1 friends and neighbours!
I hope everyone is managing to stay healthy and active and have been enjoying some of this summer weather of late. I am not sure if that was one of the longest and coldest springs or have we all just been quarantined for too long! I am a regular gardener and this may have been the first time that I watched my plants grow everyday and felt that they were slower than ever to grow to a recognizable size. In previous years, I would really only have time on weekends to spend in the yard and wouldn’t notice the daily movement of any of our plants and flowers. This year we experimented with seeds from Amazon for our vegetable garden, perennial bulbs and a variety of hydrangea to spice up our outdoor space. Our family has decided to take part in the “GROW A ROW!” program, by adding an extra row to our garden, and then donating the food produced in that row to the Burlington Food Bank. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching everything come to life and may have found my hobby, come retirement life.
As daily announcements from all levels of government from Federal, Provincial, Regional and Municipal include more and more openings of our business community, please remember to consider our local small businesses. Many of them have had to go through some very challenging financial times with COVID-19 rules and closures. We have seen many adapt to curbside pickup and other delivery options, and are proud of how inventive and resilient they have become. Customers are slowly returning to some businesses, though many organizations have no indication of when they may re-open. Many retail and small shop businesses with store fronts are now permitted to be open to public, but all have some form of restrictions and new operational challenges to help prevent further spread of COVID-19.
I would like to congratulate the citizens of Ward 1 and Burlington as a whole as we have worked hard to isolate, resulting in some of the lowest numbers of positive COVID-19 cases in the GTA. This is a positive sign that people are listening to our health experts and direction from all levels of government, even when it was not always convenient or easy to do so. I have been surprised at how many conspiracy theories have emerged during this pandemic with social media being perhaps the most popular vehicle to share information. However, from what I have witnessed, most of our population has respected our government shutdowns and our numbers of cases have proven this. As we slowly and cautiously begin to open up the economy and people will be traveling and working again, we all must act responsibly by respecting social distancing guidelines and not congregating in large crowds. Please invest in a mask and continue to wash your hands as much as possible. We will get through this if we all work together to do our part.
** Because of the shut down of City Hall, I and my staff are working remotely - we are online every weekday and ready to take your questions and concerns. Please email ward1@burlington.ca, noting that staff are focussing on urgent service requests at this time.
There is much information in this newsletter but if you feel that I have missed something or you would like an update on anything else in Ward 1, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at
ward1@burlington.ca
If you would like to
stay up to date on news from both at City Hall and in and around Burlington, be sure to Like our
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As always, you can contact my office with Ward 1 related issues. We'd be happy to help.
Kelvin Galbraith
Ward 1 City and Regional Councillor
City Of Burlington
kelvin.galbraith@burlington.ca
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COVID 19 UPDATES FROM CITY OF BURLINGTON
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Welcome to Stage 2!
Recently, the Province announced that Halton Region will be entering Stage 2 as of June 19, 2020 as part of Ontario’s phased reopening.
As City staff work on the safety procedures and protocols that need to be put into place for City services and facilities, more details will be shared with the public.
Mayor Meed Ward has provided a comprehensive article as to what this will mean for Burlington residents and businesses, which includes the following information:
As of 12:01 a.m. on June 19, the following businesses, services, recreational and outdoor facilities will be allowed to reopen in Halton region with proper safety measures in place:
- Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties;
- Select personal and personal care services with the proper health and safety measures in place, including tattoo parlours, barber shops, hair salons and beauty salons;
- Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only;
- Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries;
- Water recreational facilities such as outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools;
- Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks;
- Camping at private campgrounds;
- Outdoor-only recreational facilities and training for outdoor team sports, with limits to enable physical distancing;
- Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations;
- Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing.
To read the Mayor's informative blog, please visit here:
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City of Burlington Council, Senior Management and Communications are updating the city's COVID-19 webpage multiple times a day. Many answers can be found regarding city services and outside resources. Residents are highly encouraged to visit and subscribe to this page to receive updates:
https://www.burlington.ca/en/your-city/corona-virus.asp
Residents may visit the
Community resource page which provides links to many resources from volunteering, donations, where to get support, applying for grants, mental health supports, and community resource mapping. Rather than repeat all of this information here, we encourage you to visit the page to find links to organizations that can help you:
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Due to the daily updates from the provincial and federal government, information is constantly changing - if you cannot find the answers you are seeking, please contact our office at
ward1@burlington.ca
and we will endeavour to get information for you.
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COVID 19 UPDATES FROM REGION OF HALTON
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Getting tested
As of May 26, 2020 all residents who have at least one COVID-19 symptom, or are concerned that they have been exposed are encouraged to get assessed and tested at an Assessment Centre.
Residents who received testing in Halton region can access their test results by:
using the provincial online portal; or
contacting their family doctor (if their family doctor's contact information was provided when getting tested).
If tested at the Joseph Brant Hospital Assessment Centre, you can also access test results through MyChart portal(external link).
If tested at Halton Healthcare Assessment Centre and online results are not available after five days, access test results by calling 905-203-7963.
Halton Region Public Health only receives positive test results and will follow-up accordingly with those individuals and their close contacts.
Protecting the community
As restrictions are lifted and the economy reopens, it is more important than ever that we all take the direction of Public Health seriously.
- On May 22, 2020, the Halton Region Medical Officer of Health issued a Class Order under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. This Order requires residents who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as all associated close contacts, to stay home for 14 days and self-isolate. Learn more about the Class Order in the Self-isolation section of this webpage or view our fact sheet.
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COVID 19 UPDATES FROM PROVINCE OF ONTARIO /GOVERNMENT OF CANADA & OTHER HELPFUL LINKS
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The Province of Ontario is providing daily updates to residents to help them navigate through these unique times. Please visit
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/ to find information on Self Assesment Testing, Provincial statistics, Featured Updates including reopening businesses, business support, sector-specific guidelines, latest announcements and more.
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Residents who visit this page will be able to find information such as links for financial help to resources for students and parents, information for workers and details for businesses looking to reopen and keep employees and customers safe.
The province has launched a toll-free line 1-888-444-3659 to provide support to Ontario businesses who have questions about the province's recent emergency order to close at-risk workplaces following recommendations by Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Other resources to contact:
- Government of Ontario: www.ontario.ca/coronavirus
- Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
- World Health Organization: www.who.int
- For information on Ontario's social, health, community and government services: 211.ca
- For those whose second language is English, the province has provided COVID-19 information in multiple languages - see the link in the Help Stop The Spread Section of https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus
- COVID-19 Information (Municipal, Regional, Provincial, Federal) https://halton.cioc.ca/record/OAK0003
- COVID-19 Community Support (Food Banks, Community Outreach, Mental Health) https://halton.cioc.ca/record/OAK0007
- COVID-19 Financial Relief https://halton.cioc.ca/record/OAK0083
- COVID-19 Family Isolation Resources https://halton.cioc.ca/record/OAK0006
- Halton Women's Place: Continue to provide shelter for those seeking assistance and counselling for those who need it online. If you or someone you know need assistance please visit their website. Their shelters are currently at capacity and they are in need of more resources to support their hundreds of clients. If you can, please donate here.
- SAVIS of Halton: All counselling and programming is online - Resources are still needed, to donate please click here. For those who need immediate help please call their emergency line: 905-875-1555 or visit their website.
- Halton Distress Centre: Still operating all services online and over the phone. Please visit their website for more information.
- Oakville: 905-849-4541
- Burlington: 905-681-1488
- North Halton: 905-877-1211
- Blood Services - Many people are still in need of blood at this time. To book an appointment to donate please visit their website or call (1-888-236-6283)
- Kids Help Phone - Remains open and accessible to all Canadians – youth, in particular – 24/7 via phone and text uninterrupted. Have increased texting services to manage the bulk of the volume increase. Many volunteers are still needed, if you would like to volunteer your time please click here. If you are in need of their support please call: 1-800-668-6868 or visit their website for more information.
- Centre for Addiction And Mental Health Foundation - Creating a knowledge hub that will answer all common COVID-19 concerns and questions as well as tops for coping with stress and anxiety. Once this knowledge hub is launched we will be sure to share with you the link to access it. Please contact CAMH if you need help coping with anxiety while in isolation or quarantine here.
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Ward 1 Construction Updates
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE - ONLINE
The MTO is hosting a virtual PIC for the Highway 403 / Highway 6 EA study which has just kicked off. Details are provided below and the Study Area map is attached. The PIC will be hosted virtually (log-on to the project website next Thursday after 10 AM) to review the material and a recording of the project information. MTO and consulting staff will be on-hand to answer any questions.
http://hwy403hwy6preliminarydesignea.ca/
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Canterbury Drive Area & Green Meadow Drive Minor Reconstruction
Project Update
The City of Burlington awarded this project to Dufferin Construction Company.
COVID-19 Information
The Government of Ontario has declared this construction essential:
Construction projects and services that are required to ensure safe and reliable operations of, or to provide new capacity in, critical provincial infrastructure, including transit and transportation sectors beyond day-to-day maintenance.
The City of Burlington is concerned for the Health and Safety of all workers and all others that either live in or must enter the construction site.
The City of Burlington and Halton Region are working with our contractors to make sure this work is done in a safe and timely way. We follow the direction of the Federal and Provincial Governments and more specifically the Canadian Construction Association direction COVID-19 Standardized Protocols for All Canadian Construction Sites – Version 1, dated March 26, 2020.
This construction site is managed by Dufferin Construction Company. It is the contractor’s Health and Safety Policies and Procedures that will govern the job site. City of Burlington staff, Halton Region staff and all other consultants that visit the project site will follow the policies outlined by Dufferin Construction Company. for onsite Health and Safety.
Disruption to your home internet or telephone service may occur. We realize that there is a heightened concern with respect to families who are working from home. The City has raised this concern with utility companies and their need to react quickly to disabled services. Our goal is to have affected internet connections repaired by the utility companies within 24hrs of an issue occurring. The contractor typically contacts the utility company, however if you lose service, please feel free to contact us.
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Kiwanis Park Playground Improvements are on the way!
City of Burlington is making improvements to the playground at Kiwanis Park,
494 Townsend Avenue.
Playground improvements will include:
• Removal of existing playground equipment
• Removal of sand and partial rubber safety surfaces
• Placement of new concrete playground curb area
• Installation of accessible transition curb-ramps
• Installation of new playground equipment and swings
• Placement of new engineered safety surfacing
• Installation of asphalt path to playground
• Installation of additional seating
• Installation of bike racks
• Installation of new wood fence sound backdrop at basketball
• Grading and drainage work, and new tree plantings
Construction to make the playground improvements at Kiwanis Park is expected to begin in August and take six to eight weeks to complete depending on weather conditions. The new playground equipment is scheduled for installation in October.
As the park amenities are currently closed due to the City of Burlington’s COVID-19 emergency procedures, we ask that you continue to respect the closures for the health and safety of your family and neighbours, city employees and contractors working in the park. If emergency measures are lifted during park construction, the playground area will remain closed and fenced off with signs posted. Thank you in advance for your cooperation during construction.
If you require additional information, please visit the City website for updates at:
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NORTH SHORE BOULEVARD CONSTRUCTION
The Ministry of Transportation is undertaking work on the QEW overpass of North Shore Boulevard. As a result, North Shore Boulevard (between the westbound QEW Toronto ramp and the QEW Niagara ramp) will see a reduction in travel lanes; 1 lane in each direction will be maintained.
The lane closures will begin on Wednesday May 20, 2020 and be in place until December 2020.
NOTE: In the coming months, there will be a full closure along this section of North Shore Boulevard, to accommodate the demolition of the structure. Notification will be provided once additional details are available.
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Citizens Making a Difference
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FRIDAY NIGHT PORCH CLAPS
Every Friday evening at 7:00pm, residents across Burlington are invited to take part in a City-wide Porch Clap.
This is one of the many ways we can all take part in a celebration of our front-line workers working so hard to keep us safe and healthy.
Join with your household in clapping, banging pots and perhaps cheering emergency vehicles. Send your photos to my office so that we can share with others.
You can also follow online via twitter through our friends at Burlington Frontline Clap @FrontlineClap
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COVID 19 WALL OF INSPIRATION
Burlington residents and businesses have come together during this unprecedented time to support each other, exemplifying the true community spirit of our city. Mayor Meed Ward has created a #COVID19 Wall of Inspiration webpage which highlights some of these inspiring acts of kindness. Please visit
https://mariannemeedward.ca/covid-19/wallofinspiration/
Residents are invited to continue to reach out and alert the Mayor's office of additional stories of inspiration via mayor@burlington.ca.
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Property Tax - Relief of Penalty/Interest
On June 22, City Council approved further relief of late payment charges for property tax installments. The temporary tax relief allows residents additional time to make payment of April and August installments by Aug. 31, with no late payment charges. Final tax bills will be mailed in July with due dates of Aug. 20 and Oct. 20.
The City is offering enrollment in a monthly pre-authorized payment plan that will provide for monthly withdrawals from Aug. 1 to Dec. 1 to pay the remaining 2020 property taxes (April, August, and October installments). No penalty or interest is charged for taxpayers enrolled in this plan. Please visit
Burlington.ca/propertytax for more information or email
pap@burlington.ca to register before July 27.
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Lowville Park will partially reopen on Monday, June 29, 2020. Visiting Lowville Park will look different than it did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the City of Burlington is putting measures in place to help visitors have a safe park experience during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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City of Burlington announces first rainbow crosswalk
The City of Burlington announced its first rainbow crosswalk with Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, City Councillors and a few representatives from the LGBTQ2IS+ community. To keep within the COVID-19 Provincial State of Emergency, the announcement was made virtually using Facebook Live from the new crosswalk location on Lakeshore Road at the base of Burlington Avenue. The crosswalk is in recognition of Pride and inclusivity
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Temporary Outdoor Patios: Burlington City Council approves bylaw amendments and program changes to encourage economic recovery during COVID-19
At Burlington City Council on Thursday, June 18, Council approved bylaw amendments to allow temporary patios on private property. This is part of the City of Burlington’s reopening response to the COVID-19 virus while protecting its staff and residents. The temporary bylaw was passed to help local businesses operate during these unprecedented times and protect public health and safety
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Soar by Hooman Mehdizadehjafari selected for the City View Park public art commission
The City of Burlington is pleased to announce that Hooman Mehdizadehjafari has been selected for the City View Park public art commission. Mehdizadehjafari’s artwork, Soar will be installed in front of the new pavilion being constructed at City View Park.
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City prepares to reopen pools, arenas, sports fields, camps when provincial orders lifted; Lowville Park to reopen
At the June 11 City Council meeting, the City of Burlington’s Recreation Services department redesign plan was approved so the City can be ready when the Province announces Burlington is in Stage 2.
When announcements are made by the Province about activities and spaces that can re-open, the City’s service redesign strategy carefully determines which new policies and protocols need to be in place to prioritize the community’s health and safety.
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Virtual Canada Day Celebrations
This year’s Canada Day Celebrations will be more special and unique than ever before. The City of Burlington, with funding support from the Government of Canada, is hosting a virtual Canada Day celebration with former TV host for MuchMusic and ET Canada Rick Campanelli, special events online, musical guests (by video) and activities individuals and families can do while practicing physical distancing.
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Q&A from the June 4 Telephone Town Hall is now online
Questions include re-opening the economy, re-opening services and spaces, and long-term care
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How to support small businesses in Burlington
The need has never been greater as our local economy continues to be dramatically weighed down by the daily impacts of COVID-19. Many small businesses have made the decision to close completely, while others are working in reduced capacity. In times of unprecedented hardship our small businesses and independents often experience the brunt of this crisis. Small businesses are an essential part of our community. They are risk-takers by nature; many are family owned and many are residents of the community where their business is located. They are the entrepreneurs that hire our children, sponsor our teams, donate for our events – they are our neighbours.
Team Burlington, which is a collective of the combined talents of The Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Burlington Economic Development, Burlington Downtown Business Association, Aldershot Village BIA and Tourism Burlington, encourages residents to support small businesses online from the safety of their home. They have made seven suggestions:
- Shop small businesses online: even though their doors may be closed, many businesses are still offering on-line sales and incentives with no-contact shipping/delivery
- Order take-out or delivery: show your support to restaurants/eateries that are still offering take-away options by ordering at home
- Purchase a gift card for future use: you may have to wait to use it but it provides cash to the business now when they need it most
- Submit a positive review online for your favourite business
- Connect on-line by following a few more local businesses and commenting on their posts
- Attend an on-line fitness workout: many fitness providers are offering classes from home virtually
- Support a local not-for-profit/charity: to the extent that you are able, please donate directly to local not-for-profits and charities to ensure that critical support continues to be available to those most vulnerable in our community
Halton Small Business Center
Whether you are looking to open a new small business, manage or grow your existing business, or are looking for youth entrepreneurship programs, the Halton Region Small Business Centre can help put you on the path to success.
They offer a comprehensive resource centre that includes the tools, training and expertise to help guide your business in the right direction at any stage.
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To stay up to date on all City of Burlington Media Releases, please visit
https://bit.ly/2xxoVFr
Be sure to subscribe to this page to be alerted of any new releases.
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Ward 1 Community News & Resources
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BURLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY -
Your Library is getting ready to welcome you back inside—in the safest way possible.
Burlington Public Library launched its first phase of gradual reopening at two branches, Central and Tansley Woods, on Tue June 16.
Both locations will be open limited hours for holds pick-up only, where you can enter the branch to collect and check-out the library items you reserve in advance. Aldershot and New Appleby branch customers will pick-up their holds at Central, while Alton, Brant Hills, and Kilbride customers will pick-up holds at Tansley Woods.
As of June 16, open hours at Central and Tansley Woods are Tue-Thu 11am to 7pm, and Sat 9am to 5pm.
If you need help reserving library items through the online catalogue, call us at 905.639.3611 ext 1202, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Visit
bpl.on.ca for all reopening details.
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PLEASE NOTE:
Please be advised that the next
Aldershot Lions Club Garage Sale will be Saturday, July 11 from 10:00am to 2:00pm
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PLEASE NOTE:
The following Aldershot Community Service Group is closed/suspended services for the time being:
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Local Boards & Community Involvement
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In addition to serving as Ward 1 City and Regional Councillor, I have the opportunity to sit on a few other local boards and committees:
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Royal Botanical Gardens Board
As a member of the Board of Directors for Ward 1's own Royal Botanical Gardens, I meet with a team of dedicated individuals, aimed at serving Burlington and beyond.
We meet roughly every 3 months, with the Annual General Meeting occurring in June.
For more information on the Royal Botanical Gardens, please visit
www.rbg.ca
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Tourism Burlington Board
Tourism Burlington is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors who represent various sectors of the Tourism, Industry and Business sectors in the City of Burlington. The Board meets September to November and February to May on the 3rd Thursday of the month, with the Annual General Meeting held in May of each year.
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Aldershot Village BIA (Business Improvement Area)
The Aldershot Business Improvement Area (ABIA) acts as a voice for Aldershot business while providing a professional approach to improving business opportunities for its members, enhancing its commercial profile and relationships with the community and the City of Burlington while building a strong local economic engine for Aldershot.
The ABIA identifies Aldershot as a distinct community for shopping, dining and doing business. Established in December 2004, we continue to partner with other Aldershot groups - The Aldershot Community Honour Roll, Partnering Aldershot, Alderfest Community Festival and others to build support for approximately 250 retailers and service professionals.
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I have committed to sharing frequent updates via social media channels. I would love to connect with you there to be able to share day to day information. If there are specific items you would like me to address, send me a note!
You can find me at the links below.
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In compliance with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, recipients of this newsletter may unsubscribe at any time. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to friends, family, neighbours and colleagues so that they can sign up as well.
Please add kelvin.galbraith@burlington.ca to your address book so that this correspondence will be sure to arrive in your inbox.
As always, you can contact my office at any time through email, telephone, social media or by attending neighbourhood and public open house meetings.
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City of Burlington & Region of Halton
Ward 1 Councillor
905-335-7600 x7587
fax: 905-335-7881
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