August 9, 2023 News

Find your Ward here here and your Council Members here

Premier Ford urging

construction of more homes

to solve housing crisis

In his recent Special to National Post, Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford urged the need to build more homes in order to solve the housing crisis.


"Housing is one of the greatest challenges I’ve ever faced as premier of Ontario. Right now, it’s likely the single greatest challenge facing every government in this country," Premier Ford said in his submission to National Post.


This comes following Prime Minister Trudeau declaring that housing isn't a primary federal responsibility.


"All levels of government have to both cooperate and collaborate in order to accelerate the construction of homes and tackle the housing crisis, Mayor Burton said on the matter.


"I continue to urge both the province and the federal government to work together with municipalities so we can solve the affordable housing crisis."

Read the full National Post Special

Seventh community centre a 'dream come true' for Oakville mayor

For Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, the completion of the Sixteen Mile Community Centre will be a dream come true.


The biggest project on tap in the 2024 budget, construction on the state-of-the-art community centre and library at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is currently underway.


Slated to be completed in 2025, the Ward 7 project will give Burton something he has long wanted — a new community centre in each ward in Oakville.


“We’ll be opening the brand new seventh community centre of which makes us seven for seven,” Burton told Khaled Iwamura of inhalton.com when asked which big project he was looking forward to most in the 2024 budget.


“We have seven divisions of the town called wards and one of my dreams was to have a community centre in every ward and 2024 is that dream come true.”

Read the full article

Ottawa needs to spend faster - not more - on national housing crisis, new minister says

Canada’s new housing minister says the federal government doesn’t need to pledge more money right now to fix the country’s housing problems, and will instead look for new policies to speed up construction of homes and affordable rental units.


In an interview with the Star, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser said roughly half of the $82 billion Ottawa has committed to the “National Housing Strategy” — a 10-year federal plan to curb homelessness and create more affordable homes — is still available. The government should spend that money before committing more public dollars, Fraser said.


In the meantime, Ottawa will focus on policy reforms to spur cities to make it easier and faster to build new homes, he said.

Read the full TorontoStar story

Sorry, Prime Minister Trudeau,

housing is your primary responsibility

Image: Kevin Werner/Metroland


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke from a podium in Hamilton this week sporting a circular bandage on his forehead, the result of an injury he sustained while playing with his kids.


I won’t be surprised, however, if the PM appears with an additional band aid on his head in the coming days, the result of banging it against his desk after making arguably one of his worst gaffes in recent years.


When a reporter asked the prime minister a question in Hamilton about the reality that many Canadians can’t even afford what is deemed “affordable housing” these days (in this case an apartment at roughly $1,400a month), Trudeau responded, in part:


“I’ll be blunt as well. Housing isn’t a primary federal responsibility. It’s not something that we have direct carriage of. But it is something that we can and must help with.”


In the past, the Federal Government used to heavily prioritize affordable housing, they have since pulled back, creating the lack of affordable housing we suffer with today.

Read the full TorontoStar story

Mayor, BlingEvents honour

African Caribbean & Black Canadian

Appreciation Month

Mayor Burton, Councillor Marc Grant, Carlene Ling and members of the community were on site at Town Hall for a flag raising and proclamation reading in honour of African Caribbean & Black Canadian Appreciation Month.


"Thank you to BLing Events International and other members of our community for coming out and honouring African Caribbean & Black Canadian Appreciation Month," Mayor Burton said.

CCAH marks opening of

Community & Cultural Garden

CCAH Community & Cultural Garden

Mayor Burton joined The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton & The Oakville Chamber of Commerce to mark Emancipation Day with the grand opening of the CCAH Community & Cultural Garden.

Local News

Oakville Transit director looks forward, asks for the public's feedback


The staff at Oakville Transit (OT) is looking for your feedback to help inform them as they plan key projects and initiatives for the upcoming year. Riders and non-riders, Oakville residents and those who use transit in to or out of town are invited to fill out a survey and offer suggestions and comments on current routes and services.

Read the full story

Fourth 58-storey Mixed-Use submission Emerges Near Oakville GO


In the heart of Oakville, a rezoning submission for 349 Davis Road has emerged, suggesting a 58-storey, mixed-use building that encompasses residential, office, and retail units.


The project, designed by Studio Veronica Madonna Architect and initiated by Powell Insurance Brokers, would be within a 10-minute walk of the Oakville GO station which connects the town to the rest of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Read the full story

Provincial News

Ontario government needs 'overarching lens' on $60-million worth of school property, minister says


Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is targeting school lands in his next bid to boost the province’s housing stock under wide-ranging legislation that puts his administration – not locally elected trustees – in charge of deciding which properties can be sold and developed.

Read the full story

Developers had direct influence over Ontario Greenbelt land removal, AG finds


Developers in Ontario had direct influence over the province’s decision to extract lands from the Greenbelt and received “preferential treatment,” Ontario’s auditor general found in a blistering special report that showed the Ford government began working to remove protected land as soon as it won re-election.

Read the full story

'Ford is sitting on a surplus': Local Liberal MPs say Ontario should give more money to Toronto


MPs from Toronto, where the governing Liberals hold almost every seat, are backing Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland after she rebuffed requests from Mayor Olivia Chow for more federal funding as Canada’s biggest city struggles to pay for core needs like shelters and transit.

Read the full story

Massive new Pickering development to include mall, city hall - and at least 10 new condo towers up to 55 storeys tall


A developer on Wednesday unveiled plans for a massive project that will include at least 10 condominium towers melded in and around the existing Pickering Town Centre mall — a growing trend among developments across the GTA.

Read the full story

National News

Alberta to pause new solar and wind power projects for six months amid review of end-of-life rules

Several properties in a popular southern British Columbia recreational community have been damaged or destroyed as a wildfire near two lakes northwest of Whistler, B.C., spreads quickly and aggressively.

Read the full story

Ottawa too secretive with government contracts, business groups say

Ottawa is too secretive with the details of government contracts, a tendency that undermines public trust and makes it harder for innovative companies to compete with larger rivals, business groups say.

Read the full story

World News

Microsoft comes under blistering criticism for "grossly irresponsible" security


Microsoft has once again come under blistering criticism for the security practices of Azure and its other cloud offerings, with the CEO of security firm Tenable saying Microsoft is “grossly irresponsible” and mired in a “culture of toxic obfuscation.”

Read the full story

The Atlantic is frying, but so far hurricanes are dying. What's going on?


As July came to a close, the Atlantic Ocean was absolutely sizzling, particularly in areas where hurricanes commonly form.



In the "main development region," a stretch of tropical water between Africa and the Caribbean Sea where most major Atlantic hurricanes develop, the sea surface temperature averaged 82.4° Fahrenheit, a full degree above any previous July.

Read the full story

Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented rise in hateful tweets


X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.

Read the full story

Upcoming Events

Dorval Crossing Civitan Farmer’s Market is the Town of Oakville’s longest running farmer’s market. Our market operates from 8:00 a.m. till 1:30 p.m every Saturday from May until the end of November. All proceeds earned by the market stall rentals are donated to local Oakville charities.


oakvillefarmersmarket.ca  oakvillecivitan.ca 

$2,500 Digital Transformation Grants NOW available

Applications are now being accepted for the $2,500 Digital Transformation Grants! Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2023, or until funds are fully exhausted. There are a limited number of grants available, so businesses are encouraged to apply early!

 

It is free to apply and the process is simple:

 

  1. Register your business at digitalmainstreet.ca/ontariogrants/ and complete the digital assessment.
  2. Pass the pre-qualification quiz, complete the 2.5 hours of online training, and develop your Digital Transformation Plan.
  3. Apply for a $2,500 grant.

Food Banks experiencing record demand


Oakville's food banks are in record-breaking demand. If you can donate anything, please do. Your help is needed.


Fareshare Food Bank Oakville:

905-847-3988

oakvillefoodbank@gmail.com


Kerr Street Mission

905-845-7485

kerrstreet.com


The Salvation Army Oakville

salvationarmy.ca


Food 4 Kids Halton

food4kidshalton.ca


Oak Park & Neighbourhood Centre Food Bank

opnc.ca

Contact Us

Town of Oakville

1225 Trafalgar Road,

Oakville, Ontario

mayor@oakville.ca

905-845-6601

Contact Service Oakville
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