There has been a lot of discussion lately about “engagement.” I previously wrote about this subject in the context of comments from a recent Focus Burlington Town Hall meeting about people’s experiences delegating at City Hall. Some have asked what Focus Burlington would do differently. This post answers that question.
OPINION: DELEGATION OR DIMINUTION?
“What would you do to improve the delegation process at City Council”?
Let’s Get Organized!
Following the success of our first Town Hall in January, Focus Burlington is excited to invite you to the second event in our Beyond the Ballot series on Thursday, February 26th. This free, public meeting will take place at the Burlington Lions Club on Martha Street, beginning at 7:00 p.m. All Burlington residents are welcome. … Continue reading Let’s Get Organized!
A community discussion on charting a new direction for our city.
Join us on Tuesday, January 20th, 7 pm, Lions Club Hall. Our Panellists Mark Carr Mark is the retired Executive Director of not-for-profit agencies and has been involved in politics and public affairs through his program The Issue, on YourTV for 28 years. He has been a campaign manager for successful provincial and federal elections and has moderated debates, … Continue reading A community discussion on charting a new direction for our city.
Budgets 101 – Operating and Capital
Join the discussion on January 20th at 7 pm - Burlington Lions Club - details: https://www.focusburlington.ca/2026communitydiscussion/ Municipalities in Ontario have long been required to approve two budgets: an operating budget and a capital budget. The province spells out the rules in the Municipal Act. Burlington combines its operating and capital budgets into one document covering … Continue reading Budgets 101 – Operating and Capital
Everything you want to know about municipal reserve funds but were too bored to ask.
Reserve funds are a long-established way for municipalities to manage money. As of September 30th, 2025, Burlington’s reserve funds held $223.5 million, of which $90.2 million is what the city calls committed, meaning the city knows how the money will be spent. Burlington receives money from a variety of sources, including taxpayers, user fees, other … Continue reading Everything you want to know about municipal reserve funds but were too bored to ask.
FIFA Caravan Event – Survey Results – to date.
The City of Burlington has set aside $160,000 for a FIFA Caravan Event. In addition to the $160,000, a part-time staff member will be hired to coordinate the event with FIFA, bringing the total to approximately $200,000. The city will use an expected surplus from the Cultural Initiatives Reserve Fund. The money in the reserve … Continue reading FIFA Caravan Event – Survey Results – to date.
A community discussion on charting a new direction for our city.
2026 is already shaping up to be a pivotal year—economically, politically, and especially at the municipal level. Across the region, signs of political unrest are emerging. In Toronto and Hamilton, rising property taxes, traffic congestion, homelessness, and intensification have pushed municipal issues to the forefront of public debate. Competitive election races are beginning to take … Continue reading A community discussion on charting a new direction for our city.
What will our June 2026 tax bill look like?
On December 10th, 2025, our Halton Regional Council approved the 2026 budget. With both Burlington and Halton Region having approved budgets, we now know what our June 2026 tax bill will look like. There are four components to our tax bill. This table shows the approved increases and the decision-makers. GovernmentDecision Makers% IncreaseEducationProvince of Ontario0%Region … Continue reading What will our June 2026 tax bill look like?
OPINION – GOING GA-GA OVER FIFA
There is a short survey at the end of this post asking what you think about Burlington hosting a one-day FIFA caravan event. What is it with municipal officials and entertainment events? I’m asking myself this question again in light of a recent Inside Halton article about a proposed 1-day event in support of the … Continue reading OPINION – GOING GA-GA OVER FIFA