the best of
burlington
Celebrating the people and organizations who have contributed to Burlington being recognized as one of the best places in Canada to live and work
THE BAY OBSERVER
Photo by Al Pettman, Just A Click Photography
contents 06 Welcome to the Best of Burlington! 08 Burlington offers a lifestyle that is second to none 10 More festivals 14 Burlington Arts 18 Experiences that inspire 20 Countless outdoor venues with spectacular views 24 Royal Botanical Gardens 26 Outstanding food scene 28 Burlington Downtown: It’s all here! 30 Burlington is the place to grow 32 Burlington city plan GROW BOLD 36 TechPlace 39 Burlington Technology Campus & QEW Corridor 40 Burlingtonians who made a difference 46 Joseph Brant Hospital The transformation continues one step at a time 48 Paletta International Providing for a strong community 50 The Molinaro Group Creating a New Skyline for Burlington 52 New Horizon Development Group: Building quality communities in Burlington for over two decades 54 Branthaven Homes Live the Life style 56 Anderson’s: Creating beautiful home environments for nearly 60 years 58 Inspired by Burlington, Cogeco gets involved in the community 60 Terrapure: Committed to our community 61 Burlington Hydro: helping to shape the energy needs of a growing city 62 Cedarlane: helping Canadian researchers and clinicians for over 60 years 63 Hunter Amenities: number one in the world’s hotels
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64 Cogent Power: helping power a continent 66 Laurel Steel: Celebrating 50 years 68 BI Innovates: How Boehringer Ingelheim Canada stands apart from the rest 70 Chamberlain 72 ABB: Together, we drive progress 73 Nucor Grating 74 The Waterfront Group of CIBC Wood Gundy: The health of your wealth ...and more 75 Colliers: Commercial real estate solutions to accelerate your success 76 Leggat Care Foundation: Our family, our community 78 Capo: 125 years of quality products 78 Pink Elephant: Celebrating 40 years of training excellence 80 Royal LePage Burloak: Helping you is what we do! 82 United Way: Planting the seed 84 Carstar Burlington goes the extra mile for customers 85 The Lord Nelson: Steak and seafood restaurant 86 Burlingtonians who made a difference in sports 92 Lori Mancini: Your Home. Your Future. Her Passion 93 Structured Creations: Innovative custom home design 94 Brant Inn: Put Burlington on the map for decades 96 Burlington flashbacks
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Cover Photo by John Strung The Best of Burlington Š 2017
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Editor: John Best Sales Representatives: Hilary White, Rosanne La Scala Art Director: Catalin Ciolca Office Manager: Kaye Best Printer: Transcontinental Printing Operations and Marketing Manager: Taimoor Jamil
Published by The Bay Observer THE BAY OBSERVER
140 King Street East Hamilton ON L8N 1B2 905-522-6000 www.bayobserver.ca Original photography for this publication by Dave Gruggen Photography
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Mayor Rick Goldring
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’m often asked why Burlington is the best city to live and work. To me, it’s very simple. A beautiful city, surrounded by all the necessities to build a successful business and an environment fit for a family. I’m Rick Goldring, the Mayor of Burlington. I was first elected as Mayor back in 2010, and I’m proud and honoured to be able to serve one of the very best cities in Canada. Before being elected, I was an entrepreneur in the financial services business in Burlington. I have been fortunate to be able to work, live, play and raise my family in the city that I grew up in. I hope
this publication of Best of Burlington will inspire you to join us for your next venture. Burlington has been named best midsized city to live in Canada five years in a row by MoneySense Magazine. There are many reasons why we consistently beat out other municipalities in the GTHA. Location, Location, Location. Burlington is in the centre of it all. You can be standing anywhere in our city and you’re minutes from major highways . QEW, Hwy 403 and the 407 ETR connect Burlington to the rest of the GTHA. Drive east, and within 30 minutes you’ll reach
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Burlington has access to a diverse pool of educated labour force. We are surrounded by nationally recognized post-secondary institutions that produce over 100,000 graduates annually, concentrating specifically in the areas of engineering, business, health sciences, digital media and technology. Seventy two percent of adults in Burlington have a post-secondary education. Not to mention, the access to a highly qualified labour force available in Halton and Niagara Regions, Hamilton, Toronto, Mississauga and many other centres. Burlington is focused on fostering innovation that results in economic growth and job creation. This year we opened TechPlace that has 8,600 square feet of space that provides access to programming, mentorship, networking and resources for new and growing technology companies. By bringing new talent, fresh ideas and experienced partners together, we’re opening doors for opportunities that benefit the entire community. With the majestic Niagara Escarpment to the north and a beautiful shoreline of Lake Ontario and Burlington Bay to the south, we are a picturesque city where families can enjoy a choice of urban, suburban or rural living options. Burlington is more prepared than ever for future growth. Our new Official Plan ‘Grow Bold’ focuses on where new development will go and what it will look like. A well planned and beautiful city will capture the pride of our citizens. We are planning a walkable city where everyday amenities are accessible without the use of a car. A city where residents can walk or bike to their favourite restaurants or shops, creating foot traffic that will benefit businesses while boosting a sense of community. When you work and live in Burlington, it means you’re in for a superior quality of life. Be part of one of the safest cities in all of Canada where housing options fit all income brackets and nature is at your fingertips. I encourage you to visit Burlington and be stimulated by the possibilities it can provide for your future. n
Toronto. Drive south and you will arrive in Niagara Falls and the US/Canada border crossing in less than an hour. Burlington is home to three GO transit stations providing trips to Toronto with great frequency and a VIA Rail station that connects you to the rest of the province. Our city is located between two of Canada’s busiest airports: Toronto Pearson International Airport and Hamilton’s John C. Munro International Airport. While the largest port in Ontario, Hamilton Port Authority, which handles over 12 million tons of cargo each year, is less than 15 minutes away.
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burlington offers a lifestyle that is second to none P
eople in Burlington already know what MoneySense has been saying, namely that Burlington is one of Canada’s best places to live. This year, MoneySense magazine has named Burlington the best medium-sized city in which to live in Canada, the best place for new immigrants, and the fourth best place to retire in Canada. The magazine gave Burlington top marks for “mild weather, low unemployment, high incomes, low crime, and a thriving arts community.” Maclean’s magazine ranked Halton region, Burlington’s home, as the safest regional municipality in Canada. Let’s talk about lifestyle. With a blend of vibrant neighbourhoods, Burlington offers a mix of opportunities for people to work, do business here and live; which translates into less time commuting and more time for family and recreation.
Embrace nature at the Royal Botanical Gardens
Experience the many annual waterfront festivals
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Explore the Niagara Escarpment parks and trails and the Lake Ontario promenade Experience our vibrant downtown through dining and shopping outings
There are hockey leagues in Burlington for boys and girls of all ages
Burlington has long been a football hotbed
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more festivals
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Named the Municipality of the Year in 2016 by Festivals and Events Ontario there is always something happening in this city.
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any of our annual free festivals take place in Spencer Smith Park, including Canada’s Largest Ribfest and the Sound of Music Festival, Canada Day, Children’s Festival, and in winter Festival of Lights. And give your taste buds a treat at our annual winter prix fixe Taste of Burlington dining events. See more, do more in Burlington. Canada Day in Burlington is always a special time. The day starts with the annual Canada Day 5k and 1k run. Spencer Smith Park will be the focal point for the annual Canada Day performance which as always will feature Burlington’s own Teen Tour Band. A great way to celebrate Canada’s history is to visit one of the city’s fine museums, Joseph Brant (currently closed for renovations), Ireland House or Freeman Station. Canada’s Largest Ribfest is proudly organized by the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore. It is the club’s largest and most
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successful community event and has been around since 1996. All proceeds collected have gone to charity. Sound of Music has exploded in size since it’s modest beginnings in 1980 as a marching band parade to a nine-day event that has become a major tourist attraction. Operating as a not-for-profit corporation, the organization stages Canada’s largest free music festival every year in June. Due to the passion, love and commitment of hundreds of volunteers, a small staff, and a roster of generous sponsors and suppliers, music takes over Burlington Downtown and Waterfront. As the region’s largest music event The Sound of Music Festival supports an eclectic combination of new and emerging artists, past favourites and some of today’s most popular performers. Come celebrate the City of Burlington’s annual Children’s Festival and join in the celebration of being a kid. The event which is among the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario features live entertainment, play zones and inflatables, crafts and a kids’ marketplace. The Burlington Festival of Lights is Burlington’s longest running festival, lighting up the waterfront from dusk to dawn over the holiday season. 2017 marked the 22nd year for this special seasonal festival. Over 60 festive displays light up Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park through the holiday season. Wander through the park with family and friends, or get a full view of the themed displays while driving along Lakeshore Road at the city’s waterfront. It’s a magical sight for the whole family, especially the young at heart.n
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burlington Enjoy a cultural performance at The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
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arts
Burlington is a thriving cultural hub--home to numerous theatre groups, orchestras and public art places.
The Art Gallery of Burlington
The Art Gallery of Burlington is the seventh largest public art gallery in Ontario. The Gallery collects and maintains Canada’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics. It is located on the City of Burlington waterfront in close proximity to Spencer Smith Park. The Gallery is a non-profit registered charitable organization that provides free admission to over 100,000 visitors each year to exhibitions, educational programs, studios and other activities. It was formed by several active visual arts co-operatives and guilds in the Burlington region. It was opened in 1978 as a facility for art groups to develop dedicated studios, photography, hand weaving, spinning, sculpture, woodcarving, ceramics, fine arts, and hooking craft known today as Arts Burlington.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre Opened in 2011, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre has become Burlington’s social and cultural hub for live performance. The 718–seat Main Theatre is a multi-purpose performance venue. This theatre includes a six-storey fly tower and an orchestra pit to accommodate more elaborate theatrical and musical productions. The Community Studio
Tottering Biped Theatre
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Putnam County Spelling Bee
Art Gallery of Burlington Theatre Burlington
Drury Lane Theatrical Productions
Theatre hosts smaller-scale theatre performances for audiences up to 225 people or dinner theatre up to 150. The Community Studio Theatre was designed as a flexible “black box� space with 2,500 square feet of floor space to accommodate rehearsals, small receptions, meetings, recitals and rotating exhibits and can be used as a holding area for large stage productions. The Family Lobby is a unique venue for receptions, exhibitions, corporate functions and civic events. The 5000 square foot lobby is open with a glass roof and is encircled by a balcony level lobby above, creating a unique social setting.
Now in its 44th year, Drury Lane patrons enjoy Broadway musicals and hilarious variety shows in an intimate cabaret style theatre with a fully licenced bar.
Symphony on the Bay Symphony on the Bay is a full-size community orchestra serving Burlington, Hamilton, and the surrounding areas. It performs in the magnificent Burlington Performing Arts Centre in downtown Burlington. The orchestra demystifies classical music and makes
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this great art form accessible. Its musicians— highly skilled amateurs, students, and professional players—feel privileged to share this great music with the communities in which they live and work. The Symphony began in 1973 as the McMaster Symphony Orchestra, left the university to become Symphony Hamilton in 1988, and rebranded as Symphony on the Bay in 2011 to reflect its role in the wider Hamilton-Burlington community.
Burlington Teen Tour Band Since its humble beginnings in 1947, the Burlington Teen Tour Band has grown into Canada’s oldest and largest youth marching band. They have had the honour and privilege to represent Burlington, Ontario and Canada around the world in such countries as: England, Republic of Ireland, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. In addition, the band has performed for Heads of State and Royalty as well as televison and movies and at prestigious events such as: the Rosebowl Parade, The 50th & 60th Anniversary of D-Day, the Orange Bowl Parade, and the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbour to just name a few. 2017, marked the band’s 70th year of representing Burlington around the world.
Aldershot Players Drury Lane Theatre
Tottering Biped Theatre Artistic Director Trevor Copp founded Burlington’s Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT) in 2009, a professional company that emphasizes highly physical and social issue oriented work He completed Theatre Studies at Waterloo, a MA at Guelph, and Mime at the Marcel Marceau School in Paris. TBT’s mandate is to promote conscious evolution through Theatre, emphasizing themes of social justice. TBT is a social justice-inspired theatre company. TBT devises contemporary pieces through a workshop process spanning several years to create highly physical works of artistic excellence during the Fall/ Winter. During the summer it creates contemporary, highly physical interpretations of Shakespeare. TBT works have addressed poverty, Israeli-Palestinian relations, same sex marriage, violence against women, and mental health.
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b u r l i n g t o n Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (2017)
experiences that
inspire
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre entertains, engages, and inspires. As an organization, they believe that every community deserves meaningful cultural and artistic experiences, that creativity is essential to people’s lives, and that everyone has the capacity for artistic expression and appreciation.
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rior to construction, the City of Burlington undertook a very rigorous planning and evaluation process for The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and numerous technical and feasibility studies were completed between 2003 and 2008. The results of these studies indicated that Burlington has a substantial performing arts community that is reaching its creative and productive capacity in terms of scope, quality and volume of programs and performances it can deliver to the community. Today there are more than 60 commercial
and community groups that provide arts experiences to thousands of participants and tens of thousands of patrons. In March of 2007, the City of Burlington purchased the site of a former Halton Region Police Station at the corner of Locust and Elgin Streets. In September 2007, the City of Burlington retained Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc. to design The Centre. March 2009 saw the official groundbreaking, and The Burlington Performing Arts Centre opened its doors in the autumn of 2011.
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the best of burlington The Centre received LEEDŽ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for New Construction from the Canada Green Building Council, CaGBC. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre project is the first city project to achieve LEED certification of any level and the only performing arts centre in Ontario to achieve LEED Gold certification and second in the country. Today, The Centre has a team of 150 dedicated volunteers and boasts attendance that has reached over 100,000 people annually. In addition to bringing the best in performing arts to Burlington, The Centre offers the community impactful arts learning experiences through Community Engagement initiatives. The Centre also provides arts experiences for elementary and secondary students through the Education Outreach Program. Year after year, the Education Outreach Program continues to reach a growing number of young minds, supplying the inspiration for a life-long appreciation for the arts. The 2017/2018 Season is The Centre’s seventh season and showcases celebrated Canadian icons such as Natalie MacMaster, Jann Arden, Gordon Lightfoot, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tom Cochrane, and Kim Mitchell, in addition to a long list of world-class dancers, comedians, and international musicians, including Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Che Malambo, Louie Anderson, Roseanne Barr, Tower of Power, Graham Nash, and Rosanne Cash. For information on The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and a full performance listing visit www.burlingtonpac.ca. Get social with The Burlington Performing Arts Centre on Twitter and Facebook (@BurlingtonPAC), and on Instagram (@Burlington_PAC). n
National Ballet of Cuba
Photo @justaclick Photography
Alan Doyle
Photo by Al Pettman @justaclick Photography
440 Locust Street in Burlington Box Office: 905-681-6000 www.burlingtonpac.ca
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countless outdoor venues with spectacular views Crawford Lake Morning Sunrise
Mapletown at Mountsberg
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Trails at Mountsberg
the best of burlington Burlington is cycling friendly
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or the outdoor adventurers, you can hike the Bruce Trail, scale the limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, or cycle through our scenic rural or city routes. The fall colours are spectacular on the Niagara Escarpment. In winter, families can come out for a day of downhill skiing and snowboarding on the slopes at Glen Eden Ski Centre. Hike, trek or stroll the Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest footpath with over 890 km of nature waiting to be explored. Or they can lace-up a pair of skates at one of our indoor or outdoor skating rinks. Spring in Burlington brings the Maple Syrup Festival at Bronte Creek Provincial Park and Mountsberg Conservation Area. Visitors can engage their sense of smell and sight with the effervescent lilacs, daffodils and thousands of tulip blooms, all bursting into colour at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
The beautifully restored RBG Rock Garden
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The Niagara Escarpment is the best place to take in nature’s colours
Joseph Brant Museum (currently undergoing renovations)
In summer the waterfront and downtown come to life. People enjoy strolling the downtown streets, lakeside boardwalk or Waterfront Trail. They are treated to an invigorating mix of acclaimed Canadian and international performers, and emerging performers on bistro patios and waterfront stages during summer festival season. There are many more festivals, watersports, boating, golf and outdoor activities to enjoy at our local parks and beaches. Year round, visitors can learn about the region’s history with visits to museums like Ireland House and the Crawford Lake longhouse. Joseph Brant House is undergoing a massive $11 Million renovation. When it reopens in 2019 the 17,000 square foot facility will provide barrier-free space for gallery displays, interactive programming, the storage of collections and community outreach. n
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Ireland House Museum
Rattlesnake Point.
Crawford Lake Longhouse
The water feature at the RBG Rock Garden
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RBG nature trail
Hendrie Rose Gardens
royal botanical For over 80 years Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) has been an ecological jewel at the western tip of Lake Ontario.
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onceived and founded through the tireless efforts of early conservationist Thomas Baker McQuesten, RBG lands were set aside to create the region’s first botanical garden. Patterned after Kew Gardens in England, RBG was created to serve as both a regional botanical tourism site and an environmental agency. At 2,700 acres (1100 hectares), Royal Botanical Gardens is the largest botanical garden in Canada and one of the largest in the world. Within its 60 documented collections approximately 40,000 plants are displayed in five major garden exhibition areas; the Arboretum, Hendrie Park, Laking Garden, RBG Centre and the Rock Garden.
RBG’s Arboretum is more like an English landscape park than a garden. As its name implies, this is the place where you can see a wide variety of trees and other woody plants up close. It is especially beautiful in spring and fall. Two Arboretum landmarks are Rasberry House, named for the family that operated a market garden and dairy farm on this site for nearly 100 years, and its adjacent silo. The handsome old house, which sits up on the hill to the north, now serves as headquarters for the Bruce Trail Association. The Arboretum is large, and with the exception of the lilac walk and the shrub collection areas, has few formal paths. It is also a great place for watching and experiencing other animal plant interactions.
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gardens
Famous Hendrie Gates offer a welcome to the RBG
Hendrie Park has something for everyone. Meandering through its collections, displays and interesting landscape features, the visitor can smell a rose or be challenged by the thought provoking stories in the medicinal garden. This garden truly illustrates the diversity of both plants and garden design. Discover native plants in a cultivated setting, a new look at vegetable gardening and the see the sky reflected on dark water. Set on a fertile terraced plain, formerly a market garden, Laking Garden is home to RBG’s herbaceous perennial collections. The belvedere at the end of the path offers a panoramic view over the entire garden. This garden, overlooked by a small cottage offers the visitor an insight into the depth and breadth of perennial plants. Visitors in June should watch their step, as turtles will likely be nesting in the fertile soil of the lower terrace. The year round focal point of Royal Botanical Gardens is RBG Centre. Here you will find both indoor and outdoor displays along with the administrative offices of the institution. Orient yourself to the property in Stedman Exploration Hall, stop by the Mediterranean Garden and explore a living wall in the Camilla and Peter Dalglish Atrium. Access Hendrie Park through an underground tunnel to continue your exploration of the plant world. Built in 1930-31 on the site of an abandoned gravel pit, the 2.43-hectare (6-acre) Rock Garden was RBG’s first major display garden. Before its transformation, the surrounding area was littered with billboards and old shacks. This garden amphitheatre which underwent a $20 Million renovation in 2016 is a magical place, exuding an atmosphere of both tranquility and mystery. The RBG now has The International Sculpture Collection, which is a permanent collection located in Hendrie Park. The collection was created by founding donor Dan Lawrie with RBG. It is an addition of new works over 10 years. RBG Centre, the Arboretum and Hendrie Park remain open during the winter season (outdoor gardens are open - weather permitting.) n
Photo by Mark Zelinski.com
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outstanding food scene
The Block Co.
The Lord Nelson Fine Dining Kelly’s Bake Shoppe
Burlington’s food and dining experience is among the best in Ontario. And our local residents love to dine out as much as visitors.
Wendel Clark’s Paradiso
A Taste of Burlington
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he chefs of our many cafés and trendy chic eateries will conjure up whatever your taste buds are craving. From nouveau cuisine and fine dining to more traditional family-style home-cooked meals. For some tantalizing international flavours, try one of our Thai, Japanese, Indian, Greek, Italian, Persian or Mediterranean restaurants.
Lakeside À La Carte
Lakeside À La Carte Molly Cake
For one wonderful summer afternoon, Spencer Smith Park transforms into the best wine, spirits, craft beer and dining venue in Burlington. Sponsored by Rotary Club Burlington Central, this event supports community programs such as Reach Out Center for Kids, Our Community Cares, Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation and many other Rotary charities. More than forty restaurants, wineries and breweries, bring out their best temptations. White, marquis style tents, the shimmering back drop of the lake, a huge silent auction, easy listening live entertainment, raffles for travel tickets, wine and more…it’s Burlington’s ultimate summer garden party!
Canada’s largest Ribfest Salvatore’s
A Taste of Burlington A Taste of Burlington encourages residents and visitors to dine in one or more of our many dining establishments and enjoy new culinary experiences. The program began in 2008 with 12 restaurants participating. It has grown with each successive program with 35 restaurants participating in 2017. The Taste of Burlington launch is an outstanding culinary event that showcases food offerings and service excellence while providing an exceptional experience for participants.
Ribfest What has become Canada’s Largest Ribfest, proudly organized by the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore, has been operating since 1996. Despite only raising $800 in the first year, the Club was ahead of their goal to break even. By the second year, the three year fundraising goal had been met, and 22 years later Canada’s Largest Ribfest has raised $3 million dollars for local charities and is still a giant barbeque party. n
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Photo by Melinda Paletta
Spencer’s at the Waterfront
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burlington downtown: e r e h l l a s ’ t I
Burlington’s Downtown location—on the Lakefront – one of its great natural assets
Strolling along leafy Lakeshore Road on a summer day in Burlington
Centro Garden Farmer’s Market
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the best of burlington Photo by Kris Gelder
Emma’s Back Porch
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o when we speak with the people who live here, who work here - they speak to us about their memories. That’s made for some pretty great conversations. Memories of Downtown Burlington is still the place to go for great food, live music great experiences. “I still find it hard to believe that my kids head to my favourite restaurant on a Friday night. They see it as their watering hole. That was our hang out as kids. Best view of the water - so much fun.” Jonathan Lambert, Burlington. “For a long time, I went to bed early. Then I moved to Downtown Burlington.” Kelsey Zeardo, “it’s crazy how your life can change when experiences are within walking distance.” All of Burlington’s best assets converge in our Downtown. There are over 435 unique businesses that populate our commercial ecosystem, a thriving arts and culture district and a climate that attracts a diverse and energetic base of knowledge workers. “Living and owning a business in the downtown has been truly amazing! All I need is within walking distance. I love paying it forward to support other independent stores.” New businesses share this sentiment with us all the time. Whether you are reacquainting yourself with the discerning experience that is Burlington’s downtown or discovering us for the very first time you will be warmly welcomed wherever you wander. We’re the place you bring your friends from out of town when you want to show off the very best of your city. So come join us. Make some Downtown Burlington memories to call your own and discover why we say “It’s All Here”!
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Fit in the Core is a series of free open air fitness classes offered on Sundays throughout the summer. Just one of hundreds of events that keep bringing people back to Downtown Burlington
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burlington is the place to grow V
oted one of the best places to do business by Foreign and Direct Investment Magazine, Burlington is a top destination for businesses looking to relocate, expand or startup. Centrally located to Ontario’s busiest public transportation hubs, Toronto and Northeastern US, Burlington provides optimal access to top markets. This widespread connectivity places Burlington in close proximity to some of Canada’s top post secondary institutions and a talent pool of over 2 million diverse high skilled professionals. The Burlington Economic Development
Corporation (BEDC) works with companies looking to locate, start-up, or expand in Burlington. BEDC does this by providing services in site selection and development facilitation support, as well as direction to other local resources and services that are available to support them in their growth. In June of 2017 BEDC opened the doors to TechPlace, a one stop destination for new growing technology companies developed in line with the City of Burlington’s Strategic Vision of a City that Grows. To get in touch with the BEDC team and to learn more about how they can assist you please visit bedc.ca n
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“The City of Burlington Strategic Plan positions Burlington as a City that Grows. BEDC continues to focus on growing the Burlington economy through job growth, redevelopment and a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.” Frank McKeown BEDC’s Executive Director
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burlington city plan
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urlington is ranked as one of the top cities in Canada to call home and that’s how the city plans to keep it. As more people call Burlington home over the next 20 years, planning is underway now to help shape the growing city and ensure it continues to be a place where people and businesses thrive. Released earlier in 2017, the city’s new draft Official Plan, Grow Bold, is designed to recognize that how Burlington grows will change. Burlington no longer has the room to build traditional, suburban-type neighbourhoods. Instead of growing out, the city will grow up and intensify to build new neighbourhoods in targeted urban areas like the downtown and around Burlington’s GO stations at Aldershot, Appleby and Burlington. These new neighbourhoods are called Mobility Hubs.
What does this mean? As the city grows, many of the things that are valued about Burlington today will not change. Fifty per cent of the city will continue to be protected rural land, 34 per cent will remain neighbourhoods and 11 per cent will be land for employment. This means that only five per cent of the city will experience growth, primarily around the Mobility Hubs.
An important aspect of Grow Bold is easy connectivity between all transit modes.
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Great new neighbourhoods The Mobility Hubs will be designed as complete, compact, walkable neighbourhoods that feature: • Easy and convenient access to public transit, GO rail transportation and active transportation infrastructure like bike lanes. • Improved GO rail transportation connections with locations that take advantage of the Lakeshore West GO train service. • A great selection of services like shopping, restaurants, healthcare and recreation centres.
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• Parks and public spaces that enable residents and visitors opportunities to enjoy the city. In the proposed concept for Burlington’s downtown, Mobility Hub, 49 per cent, almost half of the downtown would be dedicated to green space and public use. • A variety of low, medium and highrise buildings, providing housing that is affordable for the vast majority of people, from millennials to seniors, and everybody in between. • A focus on high-quality building architecture and design and a commitment
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to public art that contributes to a beautiful, comfortable, and enjoyable place to live. • Easy-to-navigate city streets that are pleasant to walk along, with wide sidewalks, street trees and places to sit and enjoy the city. • A vibrant downtown complete with a strong performing economy and walking and cycling networks that connect people to the major green parks, the waterfront, and major shopping areas. Burlington was one of the first communities in Ontario to make a commitment to stop the sprawl of development and protect green space that makes up 50 percent of the land area. n
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TechPlace TechPlace is a one stop destination for new and growing technology companies. It is dedicated to connecting, developing, and advancing entrepreneurs at all stages, through providing space, programming and access to resources. Led by the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, TechPlace exists to help technology, talent and ideas come together under one roof to create and promote opportunities for economic growth. TechPlace 5500 North Service Road, Suite 801 Burlington, Ontario L7L 6W6 Phone: 289 337 5505 Email: info@techplace.ca www.techplace.ca
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“When we were developing the strategy behind TechPlace, we saw the incredible things that can happen when you bring these pieces together under one roof. So that is what we are doing, and we will reach beyond the borders of Burlington to build momentum, and work towards attracting great companies to start and grow in Burlington.� Claire Green Manager at TechPlace
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Angel One Investor Network is a member-based, not-for-profit organization of accredited investors. With over $25 million invested in early stage companies since 2011, Angel One Investor Network is growing the Canadian economy one deal at a time. Please visit angelonenetwork.ca to learn more.
The 8,600 square foot space is anchored by two co-location partners; Haltech, Halton’s Regional Innovation Centre, and Angel One Investor Network, one of Canada’s most active Angel groups.
LaunchPads at TechPlace TechPlace has a limited number of LaunchPads. These private offices are equipped for three to four people and are available on an application basis to eligible companies that are gearing for growth. So far TechPlace has welcomed servicePath and 3terra into its LaunchPad program. For more information please visit techplace.ca/launchpads. “The Toronto Hamilton corridor offers a great skill and talent pool to grow a high tech company. We selected the region for great educational institutions and its centralized North American location that allows us to service both coasts and our US and Canadian customers. TechPlace is close to GO transit and 30 minutes to the airport, making it attractive for employees, customers and stakeholders to get to.” - Daniel Kube CEO of
servicePath, TechPlace’s inaugural LaunchPad resident.
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Haltech is Halton’s Regional innovation Centre, working with technology companies to accelerate innovation for business growth. Haltech contributes vital resources, mentors and programming to TechPlace. Visit www.haltech.ca to learn more.
the best of burlington
burlington technology campus & qew corridor
Tech Campus locations: • 5500 North Service Road • 1100 Burloak Drive • 5515 North Service Road • 5420 North Service Road • 5575 North Service Road
• BEDC is proud to introduce Burlington’s Technology Campus. Burlington’s Technology Campus is one of the GTA’s best leasing opportunities for growing technology businesses. • Centrally located on the QEW and Burloak Drive, the buildings offer a vast array of amenities, free parking, and convenient access to the QEW and 407. • Co-locate with other growing businesses in the Burlington Technology Campus including Pink Elephant, Chemsynergy Inc., TechPlace, H2O Innovation, and Aerotek. • Over 885 start-ups in Burlington including – WayPay a member of 500 Startups, Prodigy Game who was named in the Top 10 of Canada’s Fastest Growing Start-
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Ups and Profit Magazine’s PROFIT 500 ranking, Host Papa and Secure Sense. Burlington is conveniently located between Waterloo, Toronto and Hamilton with central access to Ontario’s busiest highway interchanges, public transportation hubs (including three GO train stations), airports, and the American border. Two million diverse and highly skilled workforce professionals are within commuting distance. Burlington is home to thriving established companies -- Cogeco Cable Canada, Bluesun, MEMEX Inc, Eco Waste Solutions, Ecosynthetix, Contest Systems and Boehringer Ingelheim Canada http://bedc.ca/burlingtontechnology-campus n
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Leslie Laking Horticulturalist Leslie Laking was an eminent horticulturalist who joined the staff of the Royal Botanical Gardens in 1946, rising to its directorship in 1954. Throughout his life, he consistently promoted the idea of botanical gardens as educational museums. Upon retirement in 1996, he was appointed Director Emeritus of the RBG. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1979. He received an honorary doctorate from McMaster, where he had taught botany part time for 30 years, and also from the University of Guelph. In 1998, he was inducted into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction. Dr. Laking passed away in April 2011.
Robert Bateman Artist Robert Bateman was born in Toronto, Canada in 1930. He
lived in Burlington and taught at Nelson and Lord Elgin High Schools from 1958-1963, 1965-1969 and 1970-76. He is a celebrated artist and environmentalist, whose artistic technique encapsulates the natural world and wildlife. Bateman’s work has generated sell-out exhibitions in Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain and has received numerous honours and awards including a succession of doctorates from Canadian and American universities. In addition, Bateman has authored several books on painting and conservation. In 2004 Lord Elgin High School was renamed Robert Bateman High School. Bateman has also received numerous awards including the Officer of the Order of Canada, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and the Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender Award. His work continues to be displayed and exhibited worldwide.
Josh Brown Musician Raised in Burlington by his music teacher mother and jazz loving father, Brown grew up playing in school and played in the Burlington Teen Tour
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and other local bands, eventually winning local and national competitions including an award from the Royal Conservatory of Music for the highest mark in Canada. Josh is one of the leading trombonists in New York City, having performed with some of jazz’s leading figures. He has toured the world with Michael Bublé and as a result he has appeared on Oprah Winfrey, the Today Show, the Late Show with David Letterman and many other television shows.
Jim Carrey Actor James Eugene Carrey was born in 1962 in Aurora, Ontario and lived in Burlington for eight years where he attended Aldershot High School. Carey would often perform comedy sketches for classmates in middle school which fortified his outrageous stage talent. He relocated to Scarborough, Ontario in his teens, where he later dropped out of high school to pursue a career in comedy. He received critical acclaim at Yuk Yuk’s and The Comedy Store where he was hired by comedian Rodney Dangerfield to headline his comedic tour. Carrey found television success in the 80’s on Saturday Night Live and In Living Color. He went on to star in numerous films, receiving a total of two Golden Globe awards and six Golden Globe nominations for such films as the The Truman Show and Man on the Moon. He was nominated for a British Academy Film Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and also has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Mychael Danna Composer Mychael Danna is an Academy Awardwinning film composer recognized for his evocative blending of non-western traditions with orchestral and electronic music. Danna was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but his family moved to Burlington when
he was an 3 weeks old. He is the brother of fellow composer Jeff Danna. He composed the transculturally inspired 2013 Oscar and Golden Globe-winning score for Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, as well as many award-winning scores for his longtime collaborator, Atom Egoyan. Other noted credits include Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated films such as Moneyball, Capote, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Monsoon Wedding, Shattered Glass, Little Miss Sunshine, (500) Days of Summer, Surf’s Up, Water, Antwone Fisher, Being Julia and Girl, Interrupted.
Jeff Danna Composer Born in Burlington, Jeff was a reluctant piano student at age eight, he found solace in the guitar at age eleven and began playing professionally at fifteen until a hand injury at age 21 curtailed his performance career. He subsequently began composing for films and moved to Los Angeles. Jeff has created scores for a long and varied list of films. His credits include “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” “Silent Hill” and “Silent Hill 2”; the Ryan Gosling-Anthony Hopkins legal drama “Fracture”; “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” and “Tideland,”; “Lakeview Terrace; a series of films for director Brett Morgen, including “The Kid Stays in The Picture,” “Chicago 10,” “Closing the Ring” for director Richard Attenborough; and the cult classic “The Boondock Saints,” among others. Additionally, his collaborative Orchestral Celtic albums with his brother, composer Mychael Danna, have enjoyed worldwide success and placed in the Top Ten on the Billboard chart in the United States.
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b u r l i nw gh ty o n b ui ar nl si n wg h t o nm a d e Ryan Gosling Actor
Ryan Gosling was born in London and lived in Cornwall before he moved to Burlington where he attended Lester B. Pearson High School. He starred in the Mickey Mouse Club and hit T.V. show Breaker High. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the 2006 drama Half Nelson, as well as a Golden Globe award and Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in 2008’s Lars and the Real Girl. Gosling has also starred in numerous films including Remember the Titans, The Notebook, Fracture, Blue Valentine, Gangster Squad, The Big Short, The Nice Guys and La La Land In 2011, Ryan appeared in his first comedic role in Crazy, Stupid, Love and his first action role in Drive and the Ides of March and received two Golden Globe nominations. In 2017 he won a Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy or musical for La La Land.
Sarah Harmer Musician Sarah Harmer grew up on a small farm in northern Burlington. She has become an accomplished singer, songwriter and activist, co-founding the organization PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Land). Harmer earned a degree in Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Queen’s University and has received numerous Juno award nominations, including Songwriter of the Year. To date, she has released five albums, her latest being Oh Little Fire in 2010 which was nominated for 3 Juno awards.
Lawrence Hill Author Lawrence Hill is a novelist best known for his 2013 Massey Lectures Blood: The Stuff of Life, his 2007 novel The Book of Negroes and his 2001 memoir Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada. His newest novel, The Illegal, was published in 2015 and has been optioned for film by Conquering Lion Pictures, the producers of the Book of Negroes miniseries. The Illegal won the 2016 edition of Canada Reads, making Hill the first writer ever to win the competition twice. He was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2015. Hill was born in Newmarket, lived in Burlington from 2004-2008 and now lives in Hamilton and Newfoundland.
John Lawrence Reynolds Author John Lawrence Reynolds has written over twenty fiction and non-fiction books, winning two Arthur Ellis Awards in the process. His first novel, The Man who Murdered God, was optioned for a motion picture. He has won several other awards including National Business Book Award, Best Mystery Novel and National Magazine Award. Reynolds has lived in Burlington since 1964. His book Beach Strip was based in the Hamilton/ Burlington beach area and was selected for One Book Burlington reading program by the Burlington Public Library in 2013 and it won the CBC Bookie Award.
Adrienne Pieczonka Opera Adrianne grew up in Burlington, graduating from the Opera School of the University of
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Toronto. Internationally celebrated for her interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, Verdi and Puccini, on leading opera and concert stages in Europe, North America and Asia. Performances have taken her to New York’s Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna Staatsoper, ROH Covent Garden, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Munich Frankfurt, Los Angeles, and La Scala. Her album Adrianne Pieczonka Sings Wagner and Strauss was nominated for Classical Album of the Year – Vocal or Choral Performance at the 2007 Juno Awards. In 2007, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2012, Pieczonka was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She was named an Honourary Fellow of The Royal Conservatory of Music in 2013 and in 2014 she received the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award
Walk off the Earth Music Walk Off The Earth is an unconventional, multi-talented five-piece band based in Burlington. Their 5-people-playing-one-guitar interpretation of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know video released in 2012 garnered over 35 million views in under two weeks. They were nominated for two Junos in 2013, three Junos in 2014, and won a Juno for Group of the Year in 2016. Their most recent album, Sing It All Away, was released in 2015. Members include Sarah Blackwood, Gianni Luminati, Mike Taylor, Ryan Marshall and Joel Cassidy.
Gordie Tapp Entertainer Tapp was host of CHML’s Main Street Jamboree during the 1950’s in Hamilton and later hosted Country Hoedown on CBC. He was also one of the announcers of the live big band shows staged at the Brant Inn and broadcast nationally on CBC radio.He went on to perform and write for the CBS show Hee Haw. Tapp was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990. He received the Order of Canada in 1998 and the Order of Ontario in 1999. Additionally, Tapp was inducted into The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Tapp passed away in 2016.
Doug Wright Cartoonist Wright was a cartoonist best known for his comic strip Doug Wright’s Family which debuted in 1946 and was published for over 30 years. In 2005, the Doug Wright Awards, named in Wright’s honour, recognizing Canadian cartoonists and graphic novelists, were founded. Wright himself was amongst the inaugural inductees into the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame. He moved to Burlington in 1966 and created the cartoon characters in the Burlington Teen Tour Band logo. He passed away in 1983.
Dr Gavin Armstrong Scientist, Entrepreneur Gavin Armstrong is the Founder and President of Lucky Iron Fish™, a social enterprise attempting to alleviate iron deficiency around the world using a simple health inno-
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b u r l i nw gh ty o n b ui ar nl si n wg h t o nm a d e vation. Armstrong was named one of the recipients of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, given annually to six humanitarians under the age of 30. Armstrong was also named one of Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30 in the social entrepreneur category, and won the EOY Social Entrepreneur special citation award, the William J. Clinton Hunger Leadership Award and the Michaelle Jean Emergency Hunger Relief Award. Armstrong attended Notre Dame High School in Burlington and Guelph University where he received a PhD in Biomedical Science..
John T Mayberry Executive John T. Mayberry worked as the head of Dofasco, positioning the company as a leader in its field while also promoting environmentally sound initiatives. He stressed the importance of good stewardship, sustainable growth and community involvement. He was the first Canadian chair of the American Iron and Steel Institute. Mayberry also has given much of his time to a number of fundraising campaigns and organizations in Hamilton. He and his wife Sue created the Mayberry Family Fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation. For his work, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006.
Ron Joyce Businessman/ Philanthropist Ronald V. Joyce is best known as the entrepreneur who, in 1964, invested in the first Tim Hortons in Hamilton and grew
the business into one of the most successful food service chains in the world. Co-founder of the TDL Group Ltd. which licenses Tim Hortons, Joyce sold the business to Wendy’s International Inc. in 1996. Joyce has won numerous awards and honors for his entrepreneurial successes, corporate citizenship and philanthropic work: The Order of Canada, induction into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame; Entrepreneur of the Year for Ontario and Canada; the Gary Wright Humanitarian Award and the Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year Award. Joyce remains actively involved in The Joyce Family Foundation located in Burlington.
Joseph Brant Founder Joseph Brant, otherwise known as Thayendanegea, was a Mohawk, loyalist and statesman. He is best known for keeping his ties to the Mohawk people while still being able to relate to and work successfully with the white settlers. Brant worked as an interpreter for Sir. William Johnson, his successor in the British Indian Dept. Johnson aided missionaries in teaching Christianity to the Aboriginal people and also helped to translate religious materials into the Mohawk language. In the later years of his life Brant lived on Burlington Bay in an English style home and translated parts of the Bible into Mohawk.
Norm Marshall Broadcaster Norm Marshall began his career in radio broadcasting, and spent many years work-
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ing at stations in the Hamilton, Montreal, Windsor/Detroit and Buffalo areas. Norm moved into television in 1952 becoming a celebrity in this new medium. He joined CHCH TV 11 in 1950 working as a news and sports commentator until 1988. Throughout his career, Norm brought a large amount of innovation to the industry including being the first sportscaster to give a fully reconstructed dramatization of an NHL hockey game using teletyped reports. Norm worked as the President of Norm Marshall Associates, a Public Relations and Promotion organization. Marshall passed away in 2008.
J.Lyman Potts Broadcaster J. Lyman Potts is a broadcaster who worked for numerous radio stations throughout his lengthy career. Potts was responsible for the creation of the Canadian Talent Library, a non-profit trust that produced a major series of Canadian recordings by Canadian artists and Canadian compositions. For his work, Potts was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1978, and also received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
best known for being a broadcast journalist at CHCH News where she worked from 1976 to 2008. A graduate of Mohawk College, Smith started out at CKOC Radio in Hamilton and then she worked as a goodnews reporter for CFRB, Toronto. In 1976, Smith moved to CHCH where she became the first female weather presenter followed by being the first female anchor for weekday news. Throughout the years, Smith has received many awards for her work in the community and for her journalism. She received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002, and was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2011. Smith is a keynote speaker and part-time broadcasting instructor at Mohawk College. She currently operates her own communications business. n
Connie Smith News Anchor Connie Smith grew up in Burlington where she attended Nelson High School. She is
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joseph brant hospital the transformation continues one step at a time
In August 2017, Joseph Brant Hospital celebrated a milestone in healthcare with the opening of the Michael Lee-Chin & Family Patient Tower.
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ut the work to bring a new hospital that will meet the needs of our community now, and for generations to come is not over. With programs and services moving to the new South Tower, renovations in the original North Tower began. Among the areas receiving significant renovations are the Ambulatory Care Centre and the Diagnostic Imaging Unit. The new Ambulatory Care Centre has been planned with standardized room layouts to support maximum flexibility of use. Existing clinics, which are currently located across the hospital will be co-located in the new space including: • General Internal Medicine and Rapid Assessment Clinic (GIMRAC) The GIMRAC provides more appropriate care for individuals who require timely assessment, but not necessarily emergency care. The GIMRAC team includes a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, social worker, dietician and pharmacist. • Fracture Clinic Patients are seen by an Orthopedic Surgeon for care of acute orthopedic injury and follow up.
• Pre-Operative Planning: Patients are either seen in the clinic by a Registered Nurse or have a telephone interview for assessment prior to their upcoming Surgery. Patients may have additional testing or be seen by an Anesthetist if required. Pre-operative Interviews also allow for patients to ask questions and receive educational information related to their Surgery. • Vascular Clinic: Patients are seen by Vascular Surgeons for Pre and Post op assessments.
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The mobile unit allows for imaging to travel to the patient, rather than having to transport the patient.
Joseph Brant Hospital performs breast screening on our state-ofthe-art Digital Mammography System. It offers stunning attention to detail and image quality, with a low dose of radiation.
Dr. John Rawlinson, Chief of Radiology at Joseph Brant Hospital explain the benefits of the new CT Scanner.
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Rendering of the renovated North Tower at Joseph Brant Hospital
In Diagnostic Imaging, the renovations will increase the unit’s physical size by 2.5 times, as well as providing additional and updated technology, improved patient flow and increased capacity. Said Dr John Rawlinson, Chief of Radiology. “Diagnostic imaging services for our outpatients will be on one level, to maximize efficiency and patient centred care.” The renovations will allow for increased patient privacy, to include a dedicated Women’s Imaging Centre complete with a separate registration, waiting room and entrance. With the renovations, Joseph Brant Hospital is equipping these spaces with state-of-the-art technology and capacity to provide better quality care sooner. “With the equipment we are using we will have the tools to provide the best care possible,” said John Heikoop, Manager, Diagnostic Imaging & Medical Diagnostic Unit. “We are offering the care typical of larger regional hospitals closer to home.” The new technology is attracting the best physicians and staff, who are at the heart of the department. “We have incredible staff, who are dedicated to care,” said Dr Rawlinson. “The strength of what we do is related to these individuals, and the support of our community.” The Joseph Brant Foundation needs your help continue to build a better hospital for Burlington. Your donation will dramatically improve the care available in our community. Give generously today, and you can double your impact. All gifts will be matched by the Pasquale and Anita Paletta Family Match Challenge. Donations can be made online at www.jbhfoundation.ca or by calling Tracy at 905-632-3737 ext. 6500. n
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One of the nine operating rooms in the new patient tower.
paletta internat providing for a strong community The Paletta family L-R: Remi, Michael, Paul, Angelo and founder Pasquale Paletta
Angelo Paletta sums up the more than six decades of family business success with the saying “Paletta provides.”
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hether it’s providing jobs and food, – Paletta’s Tender Choice Foods provided more than 225 jobs in the recently sold meat packing business, while feeding generations of consumers – the Paletta family has been providing for their communities for more than 50 years. More jobs are being provided in the retail and commercial developments the company has built and has underway in Ontario. Paletta International has provided housing for thousands of families, in one of the many residential subdivisions the company has developed over the years. In terms of charitable giving—most notably to the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital building fund and the Carpenter hospice, the Paletta family has been providing essentials to the growth of Burlington since 1964. They have also provided wonderful lifetime memories to many a bride and their families when it rescued the magnificent lakefront mansion from the wrecking ball that now bears the family name, to become the premier banquet and wedding setting in the area. More recently, memories of a different kind— film and television productions—have been produced by the family’s Princess Gates
Entertainment group, headed by Angelo. It was a modest beginning when family patriarch Pasquale (Pat) Paletta came to Canada in 1949 with his parents and 7 siblings—originally settling in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) where Pat’s first jobs were digging holes for hydro poles and working at the local grain elevators. Pat came to Hamilton in 1951 and soon was in the meat business. By 1968 he had begun the first of the property acquisitions that would eventually grow into the largest assembly of residential, industrial and commercial property in the Hamilton-Halton-Burlington area. Property development and meat processing would be the twin pillars of the family business for the next several decades. In 1964 the meat business moved to Burlington, initially operating in a 10,000 square foot facility that by 1983 had grown to 100,000 square feet with 150 employees before it was sold to Canada Packers. Two years later, Pat was back in the meat business in Stoney Creek, and once again grew the operation from a closed down 10,000 sq. ft. chicken plant to a modern processing plant of 100,000 square feet before again selling it in 1994 and relocating to Burlington at its origi-
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Paletta International: providing jobs, homes and entertainment for more than 50 years
nal location. Again, that business, at the present site at Appleby Line and QEW, grew to a 200,000 square foot facility with 225 workers before its recent sale. Meanwhile the property development side of the business continued to expand. The company has built more than 1,000,000 square feet of retail, industrial and, commercial space and has developed thousands of acres of residential properties. “We are building complete communities with multiple types of housing,” says Angelo, “they will have parks, parkettes, and retail space.” Paletta developments are underway in Hamilton, Burlington, Brampton, Caledon and Niagara Falls. Countless charities have benefitted from the Paletta family’s philanthropy. In addition to the donation of the Paletta Mansion and support for the Carpenter Hospice, and cultural organizations; the family recently put up a $5 Million match dollar challenge donation to the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation, promising to match community donations dollar-for- dollar up to $5 Million in the foundations $60 Million fundraising drive. The community has recognized
the family’s many contributions-- Pat Paletta was honoured as Burlington’s Entrepreneur of the year by the Burlington Economic Development Corporation and Angelo was recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal. The most recent venture for Angelo on behalf of the family, along with his brothers, Remi, Paul, and Michael —a complete departure from the family businesses-- is Princess Gates Entertainment Inc. which has provided equity and financing for film and television projects—most notably the Night at the Museum, Live Free Die Hard and Casino Jack starring Kevin Spacey who was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, stating that “Casino Jack is so forthright, it is stunning.” Princess Gates also backed the 2017 Shirley MacLaine film The Last Word and Drone with Sean Bean. Looking back on the success of the Paletta family businesses Angelo puts it down to the hard work ethic, persistence and drive, of his father Pasquale and mother Anita. The Paletta family name goes back 250 years and the family looks to keep it alive and expanding for another 250 years. As can be read here, the phrase “Paletta Provides” represents the family’s ethic, and will be the Hallmark of their efforts for generations to come. n
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Rescued from the wrecking ball, the Paletta mansion, a gift to the city, is home to countless receptions and events
the molinaro creating a new skyline for burlington
Molinaro Group projects have distinguished the Burlington skyline
The indoor pool at Paradigm
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t’s hard to imagine a community whose very look can be attributed to the work of one construction and development company; but that is exactly what is happening in Burlington thanks to the vision of the Molinaro Group. In its 50 years of operation the Molinaro Group has provided homes for 10,000 families—enough for a small city-- and developed more than one million square feet of commercial property. It all started with the hard work, vision and tenacity of Domenic Molinaro who, seeking opportunity, immigrated from his birthplace in Calabria Italy, first to Switzerland, where among other things he developed a love for skiing and later would name his first company Matterhorn Construction after the famed Swiss Alp. From there it was off to New York, where Domenic toiled in building trades; and ultimately to Canada where the success story began more than 50 years ago.
Giving back to the community Paradigm will define the skyline of midtown Burlington
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It started when Domenic talked his way into a major building project in Guelph with no crew, no tools and no money. But, once he got the job, Domenic assembled a team and as he promised, finished the project ahead of schedule and under budget. That would be the hallmark of the Molinaro approach to construction—one that persists today. Over the years the company built countless high rises and commercial properties in Hamilton and Burlington. One of the early developments that really started the transformation of Downtown Burlington was Spencer’s Landing condominium project on Maple Ave. Soon came other major projects—Bunton’s Wharf, The Baxter, 360 on Pearl, Strata & The Brock—all projects marked by highest quality construction and superior craftsmanship. Combined, these residential projects have transformed downtown Burlington, giving it a trendy, sophis-
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Bunton’s wharf
Domenic Molinaro hard at work Paradigm’s impressive Porte Cochère entrance
ticated ambiance that is one of the reasons why Burlington repeatedly makes the list of Best Places to Live in Canada. Now, Molinaro Group has begun the latest and largest expression of excellence in real estate development—Paradigm—a five-tower residential project that will transform midtown Burlington the same way the downtown projects have done. Paradigm aims to create a complete community lifestyle experience with luxury amenities such as a sky lounge with panoramic views, rooftop terrace, fitness centre, basketball court, pool and hot water spa, theatre and multiple party rooms. Its location, adjacent to the new Burlington GO station, will make it an ideal residence for those who commute to work in busy Toronto but who can return each evening to the relaxation of Canada’s best mid-sized city. In addition to its contribution to the Burlington landscape through develop-
ment of iconic properties, the Molinaro Group has been a major contributor to the social, health and cultural needs of the city. Initiatives supported by the Molinaro Group include the Joseph Brant Capital Campaign, Carpenter Hospice, Ribfest, the Burlington Performing Arts Capital Campaign, Central Library Capital Campaign, the Burlington Community Foundation and Fit in the Core. Now operated by a second generation of the family, the Molinaro Group remains committed to the qualities of hard work, high quality and a level of craftsmanship that is second to none—all principles passed down from founder Domenic Molinaro who was honored for his entrepreneurship and Philanthropy by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce who named him the Distinguished Entrepreneur for 2016 and by the Hamilton Halton Home Builders Association as inductee into their 2016 Hall of Fame. n
The elegant rooftop terrace at Paradigm
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360 on Pearl
BUILDING QUALITY COMMUNITIES IN BURLINGTON FOR OVER TWO DECADES. From Dundas Street to Plains Road to Upper Middle and down to the water’s edge, New Horizon is proud to have helped shape and mold the City of Burlington one development at a time. We have created communities in picturesque settings, where savvy design and high quality craftsmanship meet the ultimate in convenience and comfort. Through creative foresight and superior construction, New Horizon has been able to build new developments that benefit the community and provide home buyers with the quality spaces and amenities to meet their current and evolving needs.
Bridgewater Residences Suite - Burlington
Since 1994, when founders and principals Jeff Paikin and Joe Giacomodonato started New Horizon Developments, the company has been able to build a respected reputation brick by brick, enjoying great success along the way as a result of their expertise, hard work, and attention to detail. The New Horizon Development Group has a passion for dynamic design combined with construction expertise to deliver the quality today’s new home buyers are looking for. Bridgewater Residences Lobby - Burlington
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anderson’s:
creating beautiful home environments for nearly 60 years In today’s fast-paced world of e-commerce we sometimes forget that quality, service and trust are still the most appreciated elements in a customer relationship.
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t Anderson’s they haven’t lost sight of those values as they have helped discriminating households make beautiful and lasting choices in home furnishings and décor for more than six decades. Perhaps it is a downsizing couple who are looking at making a statement in furnishing their new condominium. Saying goodbye to a long time residence is an emotion-
al decision without the stress of choosing from a myriad the many home furnishing choices that are available. More and more householders value working with a trusted advisor like Jim Anderson and his team, who will come to their home and put their minds at ease by guiding the process towards an elegant solution that nonetheless gives full expression to the individual taste of the
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customer. At Anderson’s the skilled team can take over every step of furnishing and décor process. Now approaching its sixth decade in business Anderson’s is the leader in providing fine furnishings and creating beautiful living spaces for households throughout Southern Ontario. For Jim Anderson his passion is providing service to a loyal clientele. The showroom at 686 Guelph line is meticulously laid out with fine furnishings and decor to stimulate the imagination of clients. Says Jim, “I wanted to create an environment where people know they can just come in and have a very calm environment—a very relaxing environment – that will take away the fear of selecting furnishings and interiors. People are spending a lot of money and they don’t want to make a mistake.” Marguerite Harrison started out her design career decorating her mother’s home for dinner parties and it just grew from there. Of her chosen profession Says Marguerite, “I really feel it’s a gift we are given, and what I do for a living—it’s my hobby, my passion, my life.” Marguerite explains the Anderson process. “Usually Jim and myself or Tina Pharand as a team go into our clients’ homes and visit them have a talk with them and take some measurements. Then we invite them back to the showroom where we put together a presentation of what we think would suit their lifestyles and their beautiful home.” Adds Jim, “Most clients don’t know how to
get there but they do know the end result that they want to see in their personal sanctuary; so we listen to them and then slowly start picking out product to help them get to their personal look—not our look—their look.” At Anderson’s it is all about making the customer comfortable. As Jim Anderson says, “This is my second home. My personality comes out and it’s easy going. Whether it is furniture, carpeting or area rugs we make people feel very relaxed in a casual, happy atmosphere.” Jim uses a BMW analogy to describe what Anderson’s offer clients. “We have a 3 Series, a 5 series and a 7 series, but whatever you buy at Anderson’s you are going to get quality. If you put value in quality furnishings, we are your design team.” n
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The Anderson design team l-r Marguerite Harrison, Jim Anderson and Tina Pharand
Inspired by Burlington, Cogeco gets involved in the community. Since 1989, the relationship between Cogeco and the community of Burlington has matured into an outstanding partnership, built on a mutual commitment to a sustainable and prosperous future. This commitment is achieved through a combined effort of providing jobs and services, and by supporting local community groups. Employing over 1,000 people at the Burlington head office alone, the award-winning telecommunications company acts as a leading employer in the area, striving to ensure security and growth for the city it loves.
Continuously inspired by the community, Cogeco aims to create partnerships with local businesses—something they’ve demonstrated with their Amazing Partnerships Program. Through this initiative, Cogeco showcases the innovative and impactful work local businesses produce in their communities by putting a spotlight on them in their own advertising
Continuously inspired by the community, Cogeco strives to create partnerships with local businesses.
campaigns. Cogeco has established one of these partnerships with the Halton Industry Education Council. HIEC is an organization
through charitable donations and company
geared towards youth, helping countless
participation in events. With involvement
students receive training and mentorship for
in programs like the Burlington community
their future careers. Using their services and
Clean Up and Green Up Day, the City of
products, Cogeco facilitates the operations
Burlington Community Awards, and the
of their business partner HIEC, ensuring their
redevelopment of the Joseph Brant Hospital,
operational needs are both met and exceeded
Cogeco is always seeking ways to support
on a continual basis.
the community they care about.
And their commitment to Burlington doesn’t
For almost 30 years, Cogeco has enjoyed
end there. As a noted member of the
being an active citizen of Burlington, and
community, Cogeco is intensely active in
looks forward to continuing their support
the city’s events. They not only provide local
and participation in the future of this
content like Inspiring Youth and Halton News
outstanding community.
through their community channel YourTV, they also aim to give back to the community
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helping to shape the energy needs of a growing city
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Raising the bucket on downtown development - supporting infrastructure expansion in Burlington’s downtown core.
he ‘power of community’ is an important part of Burlington Hydro’s (BHI) business philosophy. It’s a philosophy that supports and is aimed at assisting the City in achieving its prosperity goals, while complementing key strategic themes: a City that grows; a City that moves; a healthy and greener City; and, an engaging City. The ‘Community Energy Plan’ (CEP) showcases the City of Burlington as one of only a handful of communities who have successfully undertaken an energy planning process. For its part, Burlington Hydro is ensuring a reliable and safe power distribution network, while providing sustainable energy options to accommodate the City’s planned growth and economic development. Whether it’s providing energy mapping, conservation program choices, or undertaking key demonstration projects, BHI is engaged on a number of fronts to help drive innovation and remain a progressive force in the community: • The Micro-Turbine Cogeneration Plant at the south end of its head office is the centrepiece of a demonstration project undertaken by BHI’s unregulated sister company, Burlington Electricity Services (BESI). The plant is demonstrating cogeneration technology and evaluating its effectiveness as a local district energy option.
• BESI’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station program is helping to pave the way for the wider adoption of EVs in the community - supporting the charging needs of residential and condominium EV owners, as well as in the workplace and in public spaces. • Under its 5-year conservation first framework (2015-2020), Burlington Hydro is on track to achieving kilowatt (kW) savings equivalent to taking 12,380 residential households off the grid - delivering a spectrum of saveONenergyOM programs to help businesses and residents reduce their power consumption. • The ongoing conversion of the City’s street lights to LED bulb technology is an initiative that will positively impact energy efficiencies and cost savings for the City, while providing the environmental benefit of lower carbon emissions. Whether its behind-the-meter opportunities that are being advanced by smart technologies or the integration of a state-of-theart outage management system, Burlington Hydro remains on the cutting edge of utility advancements. With a consistent record of superior safety performance, ongoing reinvestment in assets, and strong system reliability, Burlington Hydro is well placed to support the power needs of the community into the future. n
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(From left to right) Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring ; Ontario Minister of Energy, Glenn Thiebault; Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon; and Burlington Hydro President and CEO, Gerry Smallegange tour the Micro-Turbine Co-generation plant and check out the Electric Vehicle charging station.
helping canadian researchers and clinicians for over 60 years
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e want to thank all of the life science researchers and clinicians throughout Canada who have become our loyal customers and members of what we call our Cedarlane family. We treasure all of the wonderful relationships that have developed between us throughout these many years. Thanks to our customers, Cedarlane has evolved from a manufacturer of immunology reagents into a major supplier of life science products. It’s been a fabulous journey. The story of Cedarlane starts with Canada. It’s where we were founded. It’s also full of hard working researchers that made Canada the 4th ranked world leader for scientific research in 2017. These researchers and clinicians need access to an ever-changing catalog of products. Products that will provide them with the tools they need to conduct some of the most important research in the world, including cancer research. Unfortunately importation, permits, purchasing, shipping and duty fees can all inhibit customers from gaining access to these items affordably and efficiently.
Our mission is to provide these researchers with the greatest value in the industry from the minute they place the order to when it arrives at their lab. Cedarlane offers a myriad of biologicals and biochemicals to life science researchers and clinicians providing products from virtually all of the World’s most renowned international manufacturers. Delivery is timely and all products are stored, received, and shipped at required temperatures. Our team works closely with both customers and suppliers offering a personalized and comprehensive experience. The core value is that our customers are of the utmost importance. By providing a gateway to over two million global reagents, customers have the advantage of freight consolidation and the convenience and cost savings inherent within. It’s been a remarkable 60 years at Cedarlane, starting from a small operation and growing into a Canadian brand that life science researchers and clinicians trust. We look forward to the next 60 years with you, but first, we want to thank you! n
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hunter amenities:
number 1 in the world’s hotels
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hether it’s in Shanghai, or Europe or Las Vegas, the millions of travellers around the world who check into hotel rooms every day, are almost certainly unaware that those little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soap that they take for granted may very well come from Hunter Amenities in Burlington Ontario. Ask John Hunter how it all got started and he will describe a young business student at Western University with an idea of selling pocket-sized vials of mouthwash from vending machines in bars and restaurants. That led to John getting the idea of bottling and selling other amenities like lotions and shampoo at a time when the large hotel chains were just starting to provide such products for guests. John’s philosophy has always been that if there is an opportunity to provide a product—seize the chance and worry about details later. So in the early days John got into providing shoe mitts for a hotel chain—even corkscrews. And so Hunter Amenities started its phenomenal growth—picking up large contracts with international hotel chains one by one. It was the international scope of most hotel chains that enabled Hunter Amenities to penetrate markets around the world to the point where today, Hunter Amenities is one of the largest companies in the sector in the world. Although Hunter Amenities now has manufacturing centres in Asia, Australia and soon,
South America: it is from the Burlington operation that the company does all of its research, product development and packaging design. The company licenses more than 30 retail brands to clients and now has a retail arm providing brands to major retailers like Urban Outfitters, TJX and Costco. By investing heavily in the latest technology Hunter Amenities’ Burlington plant is able to generate products at lower labour costs than its Asian plants. Still the company employs over 200 in Burlington and another 50 in a plant soon to move to Cambridge, that manufactures bar soap. Despite its offshore manufacturing facilities it is still the Burlington plant that ships higher end product even into China. For John Hunter who is on the road at least 100 days a year, logging more than 250,000 miles of flight annually what makes him happiest? “The fact that we continue to grow and become a better company every day… I think anything is possible no matter where you are because you’d never think a small Burlington company could be number one in an industry that is as global as the one we are in.” n
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cogent power helping power a continent
What started out 45 years ago in somebody’s garage has now grown to become an integral part of the North American supply chain for electrical steels for power generation equipment, motors, power and distribution transformers, and specialized magnetic components.
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hese specialty steels are sourced around the world and are turned into essential components for the North American electrical generation and distribution industry by a skilled and motivated production force at the Cogent facility in Burlington. When major hurricanes devastated the power grids in Texas and Florida in 2017, the Cogent team went to work to supply components to rebuild the system and were shipping product for transformers within 48 hours. In
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Cogent President Ron Harper (L) received the Exporter of the Year award on behalf of the Cogent team, from BEDC Director Frank McKenna.
the best of burlington
The Cogent Power team celebrating the Supplier of the Year Award from Power Partners.
the end Cogent accounted for 20 percent of the electrical products used in the Florida recovery operation. “We were called upon to provide a lot of parts for the transformers to help with the recovery in both Houston and Florida,” said Cogent President Ron Harper. “That was a big challenge for our company”. But the Cogent team successfully met the challenge in part because of the company’s progressive human resource strategy that empowers front-line staff. “Our business philosophy is to have a people-centric leadership culture. We give our team a fair amount of responsibility to meet our customers’ needs, it’s an empowering culture where we help people realize their potential. We give them challenges and support them,” said Mr. Harper. At the 2015 Burlington Business Awards Gala, Cogent Power Inc. received the Exporter of the Year Award. This award recognises the local company that has demonstrated strong growth in exports, and significant contributions to the local community through employment, community contributions and economic development. Cogent Power has increased exports by almost 150% in the past two years, and have successfully become the largest supplier of transformer components in North America. The business has also become one of Burlington’s largest employers, taking an active role in community and economic development with local government and NGO agencies. Over the past 18 months, Cogent Power successfully concluded a supply transformation with one of its key clients, Power Partners (PPI) in the US, and are now producing 100% of all PPI’s transformer cores. PPI have traditionally produced their own transformer cores for more than 50 years, until identifying Cogent as the right partner for their outsourcing strategy. The work done with PPI has now created a strong model of an integrated supply chain in our industry. Cammie Bell-Garrison, Power Partners VP of Supply Chain, stated “Cogent’s team has been an integral part of our company’s success, has demonstrated a model supply partnership, and we are a better company in working with them”. n
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laurel steel
celebrating 50 years 50 years in business is quite an accomplishment for any company and Laurel Steel has a great story that tells of their longevity and success. The dedication of employees, suppliers and customers has contributed to the story of how they are celebrating their 50th year in the steel industry.
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o 165 teammates at Laurel Steel, 1967 represents something more than just the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Cup - it’s also the year it all began for Laurel Steel. Milton Harris and his company, “J. Harris and Sons,” were already in the steel business when they bought a small shop in Orangeville, a shop that was making small parts for the construction industry. Milt decided to move the shop to Stoney Creek so that they could work side by side with the
Harris rebar business. Within a few years, under the leadership of Glenn Riddell, the company expanded into other products. Wire products were first, followed by mesh and eventually Cold- Finished Bar products. It was no longer a construction- only business; J. Harris and Sons moved into a variety of other markets, including the demanding automotive markets. The company was growing quickly and by 1979 they had outgrown the Stoney Creek location. They moved to Burlington where they had a 90,000 sq ft. building and 20+ acres of land to expand. During the first decade it was obvious that Laurel was not going to wait for great things to happen; they were going to make great things happen and demonstrated their success. Forty years later, Laurel Steel was purchased by Nucor as part of the Harris Rebar acquisition and the company’s success escalated again. Fifty successful years are due to hard work, continuous improvements and taking chances. Today, Laurel boasts that
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they have forty teammates with more than thirty years of service with the company, and incredibly, they have five teammates that have more than forty years of service. These teammates have helped build the business and have actively worked to help the business evolve through change. These teammates are proud of Laurel, and Laurel is proud to have them on the team. Laurel has built something lasting and sustainable that they feel confident to hand over to the next generation of teammates. The company’s pride is evident to the newer teammates and the pride is contagious. Well-paying manufacturing jobs are not easy to come by, but Laurel Steel makes their company one of the best to work for and be a part of. “Having the right people on the team in the right positions is the most
important concept in creating a successful business,” says Laurel’s General Manager John Supple. “A team of people that care, that are courageous, who are willing to challenge the norm and demonstrate an enthusiastic, team-centered spirit is critical to our success.” There are many achievements to be proud of at Laurel and the team’s commitment to safety is by far their greatest achievement. A determination to be accident free and a belief that having even one injury is too many is shared throughout the entire team. Teammates take the time to remind each other to be safe while working with equipment and machinery that could pose hazards if safety guidelines are not followed. The company takes great pride in the fact that they went more than six years, from mid-2007 through 2013, without a lost time accident – that is equal to more than 2 million man hours! Since 2013 the team has had better safety results than the industry average, but their goal remains to strive for zero injuries. Customers have come to know Laurel Steel as a company that they can rely on for quality and great service. To be a leader in these areas requires a shared belief system across the team. Having the right suppliers, the right processes, the right equipment and, most importantly, the right people with the right attitude is necessary to ensure that this happens. Laurel Steel believes that the company’s success comes from helping their customers to be successful. They strive to take care of the details that are important to the customer. They have earned a reputation for excellence and work hard to keep that reputation in the forefront. October 27, 2017, was the date that Laurel Steel celebrated their 50 year anniversary. Today, they are a world-class operation with over 300,000 square feet of manufacturing space and a dedicated team who are committed to working safe and looking after their customers. They are proud to be part of the community in Burlington; a community that has allowed them to grow their business and continue to be successful. Laurel Steel is a company where every teammate makes a difference. n
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Value Through Innovation. That’s the vision that guides everything they do at Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd./ Ltée (BI Canada) and is the reason this Burlington-based pharmaceutical company brings more to the table than just life-saving medicines.
bi innovates How Boehringer Ingelheim Canada stands apart from the rest
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lthough Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) has been a major player in the global pharmaceutical industry for over 130 years, it continues to be family-owned. That means operating units like BI Canada have greater freedom to invest in innovative solutions that not only help improve the health of Canadians, but enhance the healthcare experience and improve the communities they call home. Across the country, BI Canada has run over 150 global clinical trials. These studies have led to groundbreaking drug discoveries in the areas of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory health, oncology and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Such breakthroughs have helped alleviate suffering for many Canadians – whether they are on two legs or four – and provided them a renewed ability to do the things that matter most to them. The story of Nuke, a universal blood donor dog who spent time giving blood to save the lives of fellow canines, is just one example of a patient who has benefitted
from a Boehringer Ingelheim innovation. During a routine health check-up, veterinarians discovered Nuke had cancer in his spleen and removed his spleen immediately. Nuke then developed an extremely painful infection of the spine that kept him from doing the things he loved. Fortunately, with surgery, antibiotics and Metacam®, Nuke is now cancer, infection and pain-free, and can go back to doing the things he loves most – running, jumping and performing tricks with his owner. But beyond developing new therapies, BI Canada has a commitment to improving the lives of all Canadians in many other ways. “We’re about more than just research and development,” said Richard Mole, President and CEO of BI Canada. “Through our BI Innovates program, we aim to make significant and lasting changes to the way we care for patients and to the country’s healthcare system as a whole.” Part of the BI Innovates program involves the development of non-traditional partnerships with various health stakeholders,
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including government bodies, policy makers, healthcare professionals and patient groups. These collaborations allow BI Canada and its partners to pioneer solutions that support a sustainable health system, increase access to care and enhance the overall patient experience. Just one example is in the field of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a lung disease that often involves difficulty breathing, fatigue and impaired quality of life. BI Canada partnered with the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to expand an existing program that resulted in an 80 per cent drop in hospital admissions for COPD patients across the country. Given people with advanced COPD are among the highest users of Canada’s hospitals resources, the results of the program are a win for the healthcare system. But more importantly, COPD patients are the biggest winners as a result of the partnership, reporting greater self-confidence, improved symptom management and gaining back the ability to return to their daily activities. Another aspect of the BI Innovates program is the company’s support of local research activities. For instance, the company established a research alliance with the
University of Toronto, the University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital to identify new therapeutic targets that have been linked to many common diseases such as cancer and diabetes. BI Canada also supports and recognizes significant contributions by Canada’s healthcare professionals. One way this is done is through the Metacam® 20 Bovine Welfare Award, which honours a notable veterinarian or animal scientist for their achievements in advancing the welfare of animals through leadership, public service, education, research, product development or advocacy. “Our founder, Albert Boehringer, set the tone for a company culture that prides itself in supporting our own people, our local communities and those who work tirelessly to ensure patients receive the best care,” said Mole. “Guided by our values of trust, respect, empathy and passion, we always strive to be more than just another pharmaceutical company.” BI Canada has always been a different kind of company and walked a path quite different from others in its industry. It has been innovating in Canada since 1972 and shows no signs of slowing down. n
From left: Richard Mole, President and CEO, Dr. Walt Ingwersen, Technical Services Veterinarian, Pet Business Unit, Mark Lemieux, Territory Manager, Bovine Business Unit, Hollie Milligan, Pharmacovigilance/Technical Services Associate, Stephanie Crisp, Territory Manager, Pet Business Unit.
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chamberlain Berkeley Towers.
Marriott Courtyard Burlington Convention Centre
Chamberlain celebrates 40 years in business in 2018. What began in a small architectural practice on Pearl Street in Burlington has evolved into a progressive organization that successfully competes and wins projects across North America.
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rom the beginning, Brian Chamberlain and his associate, Adrian Mauro, realized that to be the best they could be, they needed to more fully understand construction best practices and how to design a building so that it had a long lifecycle and was efficient to operate. Working on building sites, they learned first-hand the challenges that owners and contractors face every day. This deeper understanding led to the desire to develop a smoother, better process – one that afforded better control over the building site, provided the flexibility to react to and quickly resolve issues, and ultimately removed most of the risks during construction. To this end, Brian bought a construction firm. He saw that these two processes – design and construction - usually divided and sequential would enhance each other
and provide much better value to the client if they were integrated from the planning stages of a project. And there, in a nutshell, is the basis of what differentiates Chamberlain and makes it an ongoing success story. National building programs across Canada for major restaurant chains, created a portfolio of over 2,000 restaurants. Planned diversification added many municipal projects such as recreation and operation centres, town halls, marinas, and over 25 public libraries to Chamberlain’s experience. Brian Chamberlain’s past service as a pilot in the Canadian Armed Forces led him to pursue the design of aviation facilities and this resulted in projects such as the current Air Traffic Control Tower Complex at Toronto Pearson International Airport, and the world famous Canadian
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Heritage Warplane Museum at Hamilton International Airport. Chamberlain is particularly honored to have been chosen to design the wonderful Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer in Normandy, commemorating the participation of Canadians in the D-Day landings in France and other engagements in WWII. 15 years ago, anticipating the hotel building boom, Chamberlain decided to round out its hospitality experience by adding hotels to its considerable restaurant portfolio. This was a wildly successful move and today, they have designed and managed the construction of over 150 hotels across Canada and into the US, for all of the major hotel brands – more than any other Canadian firm. The explosion of the housing market resulted in many new residential projects - condominium buildings, and townhouse and apartment developments across Canada. Chamberlain is currently working with municipal housing associations and not-for profit organizations to create affordable housing developments working within the principles of universal design and agingin-place. Projects at home in Burlington date back to the well-known Village Square in the 80’s to currently, the Joseph Brant Museum Revitalization, expansion of the Carpenter Hospice, and the Berkeley Condominiums. The reins of the business are gradually being transferred from one generation to the next. Brian’s daughter, Linnea, is Joseph Brant Museum
now the Executive Vice President of the firm. Adrian’s son, Stephen, is the Director of Design. Two new Vice Presidents, Jon McGinn and Kyle Nichols work alongside the Vice President of Finance, Bill Burgoyne, and Vice President of Construction, Ersilio Serafini. The management team and staff members continue to serve by being actively engaged in their clients’ industries - understanding their business environments and challenges. Architecture is the art and science of putting all the pieces together – technical, financial, operational, and emotional. Chamberlain’s strategy is to continually evolve so that they create exceptional buildings and provide high quality services that contribute to their clients’ success.
Juno Beach Centre, Normandy
Star of the Sea Condos, Newfoundland
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— Together, we drive progress ABB is a global technology pioneer that has been serving Canada in utilities, industry, transport and infrastructure for over 100 years. We are proud to be serving our customers delivering sustainable value through long-lasting partnerships with suppliers, customers, business partners, our employees and the community of Burlington and beyond. ABB is at the heart of the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolution with a leading market position in power transmission, industrial control systems, robotics, marine and electric vehicle (EV) charging: We are Canada’s climate change technology champions helping our customers take advantage of the efficiency and performance improvements that digitalization delivers. Our people and our technology are here to serve the Burlington business community with sustainable and energy efficient solutions. Let’s write the future. Together. Nathalie Pilon President ABB Inc. 3450 Harvester Road, Burlington, ON Canada L7N 3W5 Phone: 905-639-8840
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nucor grating F
rom our humble beginnings in Hamilton in 1954, to becoming the dedicated grating division of Nucor, North America’s largest steelmaker, Nucor Grating continues to grow into new markets and find ways to better serve our customers. Today, we are proudly headquartered in Burlington. Originally branded as Fisher and Ludlow, the company was acquired by Harris Steel Group in 1975, and then purchased by Nucor Corporation in 2007. The company was rebranded as Nucor Grating in the spring of 2017. We believe a strong customer-focused culture is key to our success. Our five core values drive every decision we make. At Nucor Grating, we: • Work Safe; • Are Customer-Focused; • Treat People with Respect; • Do the Right Thing; • Are Honest and Act with Integrity. As North America’s leading grating manufacturer, we pride ourselves on keeping our teammates safe while offering superior quality and service to our customers. Our products can be found locally in buildings big and small, like the Oakville GO Station and the Queenston Place Mall in East Hamilton, where our grating is used in Transportation & Architectural applications. Farther away, our products have been used in projects like the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of the most energy efficient high-rises in the world. Grating products are used throughout the construction industry, as well as numerous industrial sectors, including oil and gas production, mining, water and wastewater treatment, and power generation. In addi-
tion, grating has a wide variety of architectural applications, such as fencing and pedestrian bridges. Not only do we value our teammates’ and customers’ well-being, we also value the communities in which we live. Nucor Corporation is North America’s largest recycler, and an environmental leader in our industry. In fact, our steel grating products count towards credits under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program. With over 60 years behind us, we are excited for the next 60 years and what that future holds. As we continue to grow, we will continue to innovate and build sustainable products that not only provide value to our customers, but enrich the communities in which we live and work. To learn more about Nucor Grating and what we do, please visit nucorgrating.com. n
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the health of your
wealth ...and much more
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he Waterfront Group of CIBC Wood Gundy is a unique wealth management team. It is founded on the philosophy of its principal Investment Advisor, Dan Wynnyk, who believes in managing all aspects of your health: mind, community and wealth. It is no coincidence that wealth is the final piece of this health sequence, although it may seem counterintuitive for a wealth management team. Without the first two key principles as the foundation, wealth becomes less important. Dan not only champions these ideas, he lives them. Dan personifies health and encourages others to eat nutritionally, enjoy life and be physically active; not with a note of condescension, but out of true caring. That same passion for life and well-being is evident when walking with Dan in his hometown of Burlington. Some say it is like strolling with the Mayor—it seems as though he knows everyone and everyone knows him. This is understandable. Dan is a hard guy not to like and his enthusiasm is infectious. There are numerous stories of his kindness and unsolicited generosity. In recognition of his daily acts of giving and many other charitable contributions, Dan was
recently honored with a Sesquicentennial Citizenship Award for Burlington. This award is bestowed on outstanding members of the community. Dan is a caretaker, which translates seamlessly to a philosophy for The Waterfront Group, one of the most successful private wealth teams in South Western Ontario. The team is dedicated to helping successful Canadian business owners, individuals and celebrities protect and grow their financial assets. With far fewer clients than most investment teams (about 100), the group is an exclusive community. This is a point of pride for team members and a necessity for great stewardship. With a nod to the institutional technique of investing, the team not only uses traditional stocks and bonds, but also incorporates alternative investments such as; commercial real-estate, hedge funds and private equity, with the objective of increasing both stability and potential returns. It is a strategy the team considers under-utilized , yet one that benefits the team’s high-net-worth clientele. Passion, innovation, dedication and caring are the hallmarks of The Waterfront Group. n
Disclaimer: Dan Wynnyk is an Investment Advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy in Burlington, Ontario. The views of Dan Wynnyk do not necessarily reflect those of CIBC World Markets Inc. CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor.
Dan Wynnyk
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 1122 International Blvd., Suite 102 Burlington, ON L7L 6Z8 +1 416 777 2200 www.collierscanada.com
W commercial real estate solutions to accelerate your success
The Burlington Team
hen you choose Colliers International, you are working with a Canadian-owned global leader in real estate services that is defined by its spirit of enterprise. That means you have the backing of more than 1,400 professionals in Canada alone, who have concluded more than 5,300 sale and lease transactions on behalf of investors and occupiers, totaling approximately US$6.7 billion. Colliers Canada currently manages 47.8 million square feet of space. As the only global real estate brokerage with an office in the Hamilton/Burlington region, Colliers can provide you with a wide variety of commercial real estate services including: • Brokerage sales and leasing • Corporate solutions
Shawn Bailey
Sales Representative
Vice President, Sales Representative
Senior Sales Representative
Sales Representative
Client Project Coordinator
Sales Representative
Deborah Solaryk
Cyril Crasto
Jennifer Byers
Simon Henderson
Bryan Faldowski
• Investment services • Project management • Real estate management services • Valuation and advisory services Additionally, Colliers has in-house marketing and research services. Colliers consistently leads the market in market share of listing, providing expertise in all asset classes. A 2018 Aon-recognized Platinum Level Best Employer in Canada, Colliers International is dedicated to delivering the best workplace environment for its employees as it continues to expand into the Hamilton-Burlington region. Colliers has made a long-term commitment to this growing market, and is developing a robust team to serve its real estate needs.
Doug Murray
Cari Taylor
Client Project Specialist, Sales Representative
Bob Robertson
Vice President, Sales Representative
Justin Venancio
Sales Representative
Associate Vice President
David Woodiwiss
Vice President, Sales Representative, Branch Manager
Our family, our community The Leggat Automotive Group (LAG) was founded in 1922 and has grown to provide a family of dealerships to service Southern Ontario. LAG is committed to providing exceptional customer service and supporting community initiatives that help strengthen our region. The Leggat Care Foundation is teaming up with community partners to take on some of the toughest challenges that face our society; where we live, work and raise our families. We have put an emphasis on health care, poverty reduction and education opportunities. We believe focusing on these categories is the best way to have a positive impact in our community and remove barriers that may stand in the way of people achieving their true potential. The Leggat Auto Group is very supportive of “random acts of kindness� but we do believe in adopting a long term collaborative strategy that builds a healthy, vibrant community.
CAPO
125 years of quality products Since 1893, Capo Industries Ltd. has been involved in the formulation, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of specialty chemicals throughout Canada, the United States and Europe.
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n the early years the company was known as Canadian Polishes Ltd. and the primary focus was on a variety of products for shoes, floors, silverware, stoves and leather goods. Over the ensuing decades as the demands of society evolved so too did the company. They began introducing new product lines such as household and industrial cleaners, inks and dyes, automotive additives, lawn and garden treatments and of course pool and spa chemicals. With the expansion and redefining of the business it was time for a name change and so Capo Industries Limited was born. Capo has become a leading provider in the North American chemical packaging market, introducing innovative products to meet the changing demands of consumers. In addition to their own lines of products they also offer contract packaging and have provided their services to many national and international brands as well as hundreds of businesses from coast to coast. Their customer base is loyal due to their quality products, commitment to customer service and competitive pricing. The finished goods are strategically warehoused in Vancouver, Burlington and Philadelphia servicing all areas across Canada and the USA. Today the company operates in the 4th generation of the same family ownership. From their humble beginnings in downtown Hamilton, they have continued to grow over the last century. In the early 1960’s
they relocated to Burlington’s Fairview Street back when it was a dirt road that ended at Drury Lane. By the mid-1980’s, with Burlington’s population on the rise, they soon outgrew the Fairview plant and started scouting for a new location. Thus began the planning stages for the construction of a brand new, 85 000 square foot, custom manufacturing and packaging facility located on Corporate Drive where they continue to base their operations today. Giving back to the community has always been an important aspect of Capo’s business philosophy. Whether supporting local teams, donating to local causes such as the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation, Halton Youth Services or Sick Kid’s Hospital, working extensively with the Rotary Clubs of Burlington or raising funds for the United Way and Salvation Army, all of Capo’s employees share the same outlook: Giving back to the community not only boosts company and personal well-being but is an excellent way to stay connected to their local roots. 2018 will be the company’s 125th year of operations. With their dedication to providing quality products and quality service at competitive prices the future is looking bright for this local family owned business for generations to come.
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From its beginnings more than a century ago CAPO’s product line has continuously evolved to anticipate consumer needs.
Celebrating 40 Years Of Training Excellence
From humble beginnings in a small basement apartment, founders Fatima Cabral (CEO) and David Ratcliffe (President) have grown Pink Elephant to become a world leader in training, consulting and special events. We have an undisputed reputation for leading the way, which has enabled us to introduce and spearhead many revolutionary concepts and programs since our inception, all from our global headquarters in Burlington. We have a 96% approval rating and more than 350,000 professionals who have taken our courses presented by our consultants and trainers, who have an average of more than 20 years of real-world industry experience and expertise. Our varied course offerings range from Organizational Change Management, Business Relationship Management, ITIL®, Lean, Agile, DevOps, Integrated Service ManagementTM and Project Management, to name just a few. Every February, our Annual International IT Service Management Conference & Exhibition, now in its
22nd year, attracts over 1,500 attendees, and is known as the industry’s largest and most respected event. In addition, we also host special events across the Americas and Asia, as well as online. “Pinkers” have the benefits of a large organization, but with the advantages of a small company culture, including approachable leadership, open communication, and frequent social activities. Our Pinkers take great pride in the organization, its mission and products, and the following awards speak to their dedication and commitment to excellence: • Stevie Awards for Women in Business: Grand Stevie Award winner • Best Employer In Burlington: Finalist • PROFIT Magazine: Top 100 Woman Entrepreneurs & Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada • Branham300: Top 300 Canadian IT Companies
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pinkelephant.com 1-888-273-PINK
ITIL® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
helping you is what we do! Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services is a leading provider of residential and commercial real estate services offering the highest caliber of real estate professionals with two locations and a team of over 160 REALTORS® serving Burlington and surrounding areas.
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oyal LePage, a wholly owned Canadian Company since 1913, has been serving the Burlington community for over five decades. In 2002, the Burlington offices were acquired by David Landry, a then 30-year corporate executive of Royal LePage, and his daughter, JoAnn Landry. A few years later, as the business grew and expanded, a key member of the management team, Rebecca Ryder, was appointed to the position of Broker of Record/Vice-President and Rob Landry (son/brother) joined the family business as Broker/Chief Financial Officer. Today, with
David and Rebecca’s combined 75 years of real estate experience and JoAnn’s corporate operations and Rob’s finance backgrounds, Royal LePage Burloak offers a diverse and well-rounded management team focused on delivering constantly evolving tools and resources to their team of REALTORS®”, including ongoing training, development and continuing education. “The long-standing success of our Brokerage can be directly attributed to the excellent service our REALTORS® provide to their clients and the ensuing referrals”, explains JoAnn Landry, Broker/President. “Well-informed,
Nobody knows Burlington Real Estate like Royal LePage Burloak REALTORS®.
the best of burlington satisfied, happy clients are the cornerstone of our business. Helping homebuyers and sellers every step of the way is what we do.” Royal LePage Burloak is proud of the company’s culture built on passionate, caring, and professional salespeople and administrative support team who go above and beyond to exceed clients’ expectations. “Despite modern technologies, industry ups and downs and changes to the way real estate sales professionals work, our REALTORS® know that what matters most is the value they provide to their clients or potential clients at the time when they need it most”, explains Rebecca Ryder. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer, relocating from across the world, investing in residential or commercial properties, retiring and downsizing, or looking for a larger home for your growing family, Royal LePage Burloak has the right REALTOR® to help you. They also specialize in luxury real estate. “In addition to taking great care of our clients, salespeople and employees, we are also committed to strengthening the community where we live and work”, says JoAnn. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company with its own charitable foundation. The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs. Every dollar raised from Royal LePage Burloak’s fundraising events and Sales Representatives who donate a portion of their commissions in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, goes directly to more than 400 women and children each year in our community who are served by Burlington’s local shelter ~ Halton Women’s Place.
Proud to be a part of Canada’s Real Estate Company “At Royal LePage Burloak we truly believe that we are living and working in one of the best cities in Canada and we are grateful for the opportunity to have helped so many families find their perfect home and settle here in Burlington,” explains Rob Landry. “Thank you to everyone for the privilege. We look forward to many more decades of serving the Burlington community.” n
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planting the seed When you give to United Way, you improve lives locally. United Way Halton & Hamilton works with nearly 100 local agencies and thousands of donors, to change lives in Burlington, Halton Hills, Hamilton, Milton and Oakville.
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ur goal is to make measurable and important progress towards solving our community’s most pressing problems. We are focused now, more than ever, on ensuring that we remain connected to the issues that face each of the communities we serve, ensuring that all dollars raised local will stay local. That means that whatever is raised in your community will go directly to support programs and services for your neighbours, family, and friends. We are here to support those in our community who need us the most. We are here for people like Cheryl and Drew.
When children and adults with intellectual disabilities have an opportunity to participate in programs, “its almost like there’s a seed that’s planted, and it gets nourished by the interactions with their peers, program facilitators, and community as a whole”. Cheryl uses this analogy to describe one of the reasons that she chooses to give to United Way. Thirty-two years ago, Cheryl gave birth her son Drew, and to her surprise, two
the best of burlington
weeks later he was diagnosed with Down syndrome. At that moment Cheryl could not even begin to process what that meant for her son’s life, and her life as his mother. Thankfully, Cheryl quickly learned that she would not have to tackle this alone. As a parent of a child with a disability, Cheryl knew that her life as a parent would be a hard road, and she would be have to advocate for him to help make sure he lived a productive life. She wanted to ensure he lived a fulfilling life, one where he is able to contribute to the community “the way any parent would hope their child would”. Drew, who accesses a range of United Way supported programs, now has an interest in being part of the community, and now has a reason to get up in the morning. He is more outgoing and interactive, has more friends, contributes to the community, and in turn the community knows him as well.
“I would like to thank United Way for their continued support in making sure that so many others who are dependent on the programs can wake up every day knowing that they have a place to go and that they are supported by the community...thanks to the generosity of the people in our community and United Way”. Cheryl wants to help plant the seed for others in the community who are in need, and she needs your help to nourish it. That’s the strength of leadership, and the power behind our uprising of care. Your investment has the power to change lives locally. Think what can happen when we stand together. n
To view more stories like Cheryl and Drew’s, please visit our website uwhh.ca
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CARSTAR BURLINGTON GOES THE EXTRA MILE FOR CUSTOMERS When CARSTAR Burlington says it goes the extra mile for customers, it means that—literally— delivering service to stranded customers, returning repaired vehicles back to customers across the border and helping customers get to their destination on time—even after an accident. CARSTAR’s motto is “Where Accidents Unhappen” and CARSTAR Burlington owner Adam Biskup brings that to life. “We strive to go the extra mile to help our customers get back on the road safely and quickly,” said Biskup. Adam Biskup, Owner, CARSTAR Burlington Mainway & Fairview “We’ve been serving this (Aro Motors) community for nearly 60 years and are committed to delivering the best customer experience possible during a stressful time.” Biskup offers a few examples of “above-and-beyond” service they have provided recently.
CARSTAR Burlington offers a welcoming atmosphere when you walk in, they have an open door policy during repairs and encourage people to visit their cars throughout the repair process. This allows clients see how the car is being repaired and makes them more comfortable. They let them talk to the tech and see the progress and tell people to come back with any questions after the repair. “We try to form a relationship with all clients,” said Biskup. “We believe you come in as clients and stay as friends. We have multiple generations of the same families coming in and that makes us feel good, as we have been in this location fixing cars since 1958 and this business has been in my family since 1961.”
We believe you come in as clients and stay as friends.
“A couple from Ohio were travelling to Toronto for a weekend when traffic backups forced them off the highway in Burlington,” he said. “There, they were involved in a motor vehicle accident and they called their insurance company in the States. They sent the claim to an adjusting firm in Canada with whom we work. We sent a tow truck to the scene, had the car towed here and put them into a rental (all after hours). They were still able to make the show they were going to in Toronto! We repaired the car and we delivered it back to Ohio for them.” There was a similar story with a couple coming into Toronto for Wrestlemania, he noted.
“We were able to get them there and delivered their repaired car back to Painted Post, New York. Our after hours service has also been able to get local customers back on the road to attend events, get to work and get back to life after accidents without missing a beat,” Biskup said.
– Adam Biskup
Biskup added that their core business is collision repair, however, they do cosmetic touch up, lease return repairs, glass replacement, towing and car rentals. They also help with total loss settlements. “If we don’t do it we always try to help our clients to find someone who does,” he said. For more information on CARSTAR Collision and Glass Service visit carstar.ca.
the lord nelson: Lord Nelson owner Nick Vamvakas (L) and General Manager Val Gallo
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ick Vamvakas came to Canada from Nafplio Greece in 1969 with the dream of working hard and achieving prosperity. Arriving in Toronto on a Sunday, by Monday morning he had landed his first job in the restaurant business, washing dishes in the basement of the famous George’s Spaghetti House. Soon, Nick had worked his way through the ranks of dish boy, busboy and waiter to eventually become first part owner, and later sole owner of The Lord Nelson Seafood and Steak House in Burlington. More than four decades later Nick is still at the helm of The Lord Nelson and he says he wouldn’t change one day of it. The secret to Nick’s success in the restaurant business is his genuine passion for the food industry. He considers himself fortunate to have assembled a great team headed by General Manager Valentino “Val” Gallo who has been with Nick for sixteen years. The Lord Nelson is a five star steak house, and Nick really enjoys enticing a customer with a 34 –ounce tomahawk steak or a delicious cut of Wagyu beef paired with a nice bottle of red wine carefully selected from the extensive wine list by Valentino to satisfy the guest’s palate. There are over 3,000 bottles in the Lord Nelson cellar—something for every taste. The Lord Nelson is most popular for its tableside Caesar salad, Dover sole, Cherries
fine dining steakhouse and seafood restaurant
Jubilee, Special coffees and often as not it will be Nick himself who is preparing these dishes at your tableside. The Lord Nelson sticks with the basics such as Portsmouth chowder and Lobster bisque, fresh fish, oysters Rockefeller and its famous shrimp cocktail. Chef Keith Hall offers a prix fixe menu and daily fish specials such as Arctic char, sea bass and halibut with grilled shrimp. A house favorite of Nick’s is Chicken Parmesan with a side order of fettuccine Alfredo. Over the years the restaurant has become a destination where friends can socialize over drinks and appetizers. At the bar guests can snack on popcorn shrimp, spring rolls, smoked salmon and a nice variety of half bottles of champagne or white and red wines for guests’ enjoyment. Valentino and Nick are always happy to book large parties in one of their private rooms or even the whole restaurant for very special occasions. Whatever the occasion call 905-639-7950 to make a reservation. n
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The Lord Nelson dining room is a warm and comfortable atmosphere for any special occasion.
b u r l i nw gh ty o n b ui ar nl si n wg h t o nm a d e
In sports
John Beeden John Beeden is the first person ever to row the Pacific solo,non stop, continent to continent (North America to Australia). In 2015, Beeden rowed daily for almost seven months (209 days), spending 15 hours a day propelling his six-metre boat named Socks. He lost 17 lbs. and covered more than 7,500 nautical miles while being tossed about in high seas and pushed back over 400nm by punishing winds. In 2011 he rowed solo and uninterrupted across the Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Barbados which took 53 days. He completed this adventure after having heart surgery only 16 months prior to this trip. Beeden is originally from Britain and lives
with his Canadian wife and two daughters in Burlington.
Adam Creighton Born in Burlington where he lived until he was 11 years old, Adam Creighton is a retired professional ice hockey player. As a member of the Ottawa 67’s his team won the Memorial Cup in 1984 and he was awarded the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournament’s MVP and was also named the Memorial Cup All-Star Centre. Creighton played for Canada at the 1985 IIHF World Juniors in Finland where he scored eight and assisted on four over seven games and Canada won
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gold. He played 708 career National Hockey League games with the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Louis Blues. Creighton now serves as a scout for the Boston Bruins organization in Ontario.
Barb Bunkowski The Bunkowsky family moved from Toronto when the family bought two farms on Cedar Springs Road and built Burlington Springs Golf and Country Club. She began playing at age 10 and began entering tournaments at age 15. She received a scholarship to Palm Beach Junior College in Florida and twice earned all-American status there and also at Florida State. She won the 1984 ChryslerPlymouth Charity Classic LPGA Tour event, came second in the Ontario Amateur Championship and won the Ontario Match Play Championship. She played in 4 Canadian Amateur Championships, finishing 4th twice, 7th once and 10th once. Bunkowsky joined the Legends Women’s Senior Tour in 2004. She teaches The First Tee golf program in Florida. Bunkowsky was inducted into the Florida State University Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Burlington Sport Hall of Fame in 2017.
Becky Kellar Becky Kellar Duke is a retired women’s ice hockey player and Olympian and is one of the most decorated hockey players in the world. She began playing ringette and transitioned into hockey and was recruited by Brown University in Providence Rhode Island where she played hockey and baseball winniing numerous awards. She played defense for the Canadian women’s team at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano,
the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, the 2006 Olympics in Turin, and the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Kellar won four Olympic medals, three golds and a silver, with Team Canada. She also won four gold medals and three silver medals at the World Championships and 5 golf medals in the Nation Cup Tournament. Kellar retired in September 2010 and has lived in Burlington for over 20 years, where she runs a girls hockey school, has been an award winning coach for numerous local teams and is a motivational speaker. Kellar was inducted into the Brown University Sport Hall of Fame in 2005 and Burlington Sport Hall of Fame in 2017.
Bernie Custis Bernie Custis joined the Hamilton TigerCats in 1951 and became the first black quarterback in the history of the Canadian Football League. Custis played for the Ticats and the Ottawa Rough Riders and was an all-star quarterback in 1951 and all-star running back in 1954. He retired in 1959, Custis coached for 31 years, with the Oakville Black Knights, the East York Argonauts, Burlington Braves, Sheridan College Bruins and McMaster University from 19811988. During his time with the Marauders, Custis was named OUAA Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1984 and CIAU Coach of the Year in 1982. Custis is a member of the McMaster Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1998, the Burlington Sports
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In sports
Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Custic passed away in 2017.
David Braley David Braley is the owner of the B.C. Lions and formerly owned the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Ti-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Braley owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1987 until 1990 when the team returned to community ownership. Braley has served as the chair of the CFL’s Board of Governors and was the CFL’s interim commissioner from March to November 2002 and was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Braley was chairman of the 2003 World Cycling Championships in Hamilton. He was a director of Ontario’s successful bid to host the 2015 Pan Am Games and was subsequently a member of the board overseeing preparations for the games. Braley was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2010 and resigned in 2013. Braley lives in Burlington.
Don Koharski Don is a retired professional ice hockey referee in the National Hockey League. He started his officiating career as a linesman in the World Hockey Association in 1975 at the age of nineteen. In 1976, he was signed by the American Hockey League. He moved to the National Hockey League in 1977 and received referee status in 1980. Koharski has officiated over 2,100 games, including All-Star games, Stanley cup finals, Canada Cups and the 2004
World Cup. In 2009 he retired as an NHL referee, but continues as an officiating Manager. He is the owner of Don Koharski’s Referee Camp. After living in Burlington for many years, he currently resides in Dade City, Florida.
Gord Dixon Dickson was the Canadian marathon champion six times, setting a record in 1958 with a time of 2:21:50. He represented Canada at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. He ran twice in the Commonwealth/British Empire Games: 1958 in Cardiff, Wales, where he was fifth and 1962 in Perth, Australia, where he was the flag-bearer for the Canadian team and came 12th. At the 1959 Pan Am Games in Chicago, Dickson won a bronze medal and is a fourtime winner of the Canadian Cross Country Championships. Dickson is a three-time winner of the Hamilton Around the Bay Race. He finished in the top seven three times in the Boston Marathon. Dickson lived in Burlington and was a coach and mentor of young runners. In 2008, he was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame. Dickson passed away in January 2015.
Jake Gaudaur Gaudar is best known for his time in the CFL, which spans more than 40 years. Through the years he was a player for the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Ti-Cats, winning Grey Cups with Toronto as well as in his final season with the Ti-Cats in 1953. He also worked in the front office of the Hamilton Ti-Cats and eventually became the Commissioner for the Canadian Football League. Gaudar was inducted into the
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Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and was named an Officer to the Order of Canada in 1985. He passed away in 2007 and was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
Marianne Leeson Born in Burlington, Marianne was a member of Snowboard Canada national team and participated in the 2014 Sochi Olympics where she placed 5th. She won gold in giant parallel slolam at the 2007 Canada Winter Games and was a regular on the world cup tour. Leeson retired in 2015.
Mark Oldershaw Born in Burlington, Mark Oldershaw is an international canoeist who learned to canoe at the Burloak Canoe Club. Mark’s grandfather Bert helped build the sport in this area and his father Scott is still coaching. Oldershaw competes at the international level and has achieved many successes both at the Olympics and at the World Championships. After winning both the 500-metre and 1000-metre races at the 2001 World Junior Championships, he was named Canada’s Junior Male Athlete of the Year. Oldershaw participates in many different events, both individual and team, with varying distances. He competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In 2009, he placed second overall at the World Cup. He competed in 2012 Olympics and won bronze in 1 x 1,000 canoe sprint. Oldershaw was a Pan Am Games flag-bearer in 2015 and competed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Melanie Booth Born in Burlington where she played with the Burlington Youth Soccer Club, Melanie
was a long standing member of the Canadian women’s national soccer team. She represented Canada at the 2007 and 2011 Pan Am Games, winning bronze and gold medals, as well as the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was also a member of the team that won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Prior to this, she was recruited by the University of Florida where she was a team captain and AllAmerican athlete on the soccer team. She retired from soccer in 2013 and is currently working with Umbro Canada as well as travelling the world with Canada Soccer’s youth program as their performance analyst. Booth was inducted into the Burlington Sport Hall of Fame in 2017.
Melville Marks Robinson Melville Marks Robinson was born on April 8, 1888. He founded the Commonwealth Games and worked as a reporter for the Hamilton Spectator. He was later appointed to Burlington High School’s Board of Directors, serving actively until 1963. Upon his retirement, M.M. Robinson high school was named in his honour. He passed away in 1974. In 2008, Robinson was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame.
Jesse Lumsden Jesse Lumsden grew up in Burlington and had a successful football career at Nelson High School. After completing his studies as a geography major at McMaster University where he had
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In sports
a standout football career, he was signed with the Hamilton Ti-Cats, following in the footsteps of his father Neil Lumsden who had a successful 10-year CFL career. Jesse finished his CFL career with the Edmonton Eskimos as a running back in 2009 and in 2010 with Calgary Stampeders. Lumsden participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh events, placing 5th in both, won a silver medal in 2012 at the World Championships and won the World Cup two-man team title in 2013. In the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Lumsden placed 7th in the two-man bobsleigh. Lumsden was inducted into the Burlington Sport Hall of Fame in 2014.
Paula Schnurr Paula Schnurr won 28 Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA) indoor/outdoor championship medals, 18 of them gold. In addition, she set 2 Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union (CIAU) indoor records in 1988 and was that year’s top athlete at the CIAU Track & Field championships. She holds 2 OWIAA records plus she won a 1987 OWIAA silver medal in cross country en route to being a CIAU All-Canadian. Schnurr was a CIAU AllCanadian 5 times and McMaster’s Female Athlete of the Year 4 times. Her international career includes a 1994 Commonwealth Games silver medal and 2 performances at the Olympics (1992, 1996). She currently coaches track and field at McMaster University. Schnurr was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame in 2010
Ralph Sazio Ralph Sazio has held a number of different positions in the CFL
but is best known as the most successful coach for the Hamilton Tiger Cats. He was a player, assistant coach, head coach, general manager and team president with the Cats. During his time with the team as their head coach he won three championships and holds the highest winning percentage. Sazio also spent nine years as the team president for the Toronto Argonauts beginning in 1981. In 1998, Ralph was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in the builder category. He passed away in 2008.
Ron Foxcroft Ron Foxcroft is best known for his work as a basketball referee and for his invention, the pea-less Fox 40 whistle. He was the first Canadian to serve as a referee in the NCAA Men’s Division 1, highlighted by officiating Michael Jordan’s first college game and the Sweet 16. He also refereed at the national and international level including the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Game. Foxcroft is the Founder and CEO of Fox 40 International which manufacture Fox 40 whistles sold in 140 countries and used worldwide by search and rescue professionals and major league sports officials. He was inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Russ Jackson Russ Jackson is a former CFL quarterback, coach and sport commentator. After graduating from McMaster, he spent his entire 12-year career with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He
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is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and Ontario Sport Hall of Fame. Jackson was voted one of the CFL’s top 50 players of the league’s modern era by TSN in 2006. He has also done sports commentary for CBC and the Hamilton Ti-Cats with radio station CHML-AM. Jackson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1970 and earned a place on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2012. Jackson is a retired teacher who lives in Burlington.
Thomas Dimitroff, Jr Thomas Dimitroff, Jr. was born in Ohio and grew up in Canada, where his father Thomas Dimitroff Sr. was a football coach with the Ottawa Rough Riders, Hamilton TigerCats, and the University of Guelph. The family lived in Ottawa, Burlington and Hamilton. Dimitroff attended M.M. Robinson High School where he played football. He also played defensive back for the Guelph Gryphons. He is the general manager for the NFL Atlanta Falcons. Before joining the Falcons, Dimitroff was with the New England Patriots as a scout and director of college scouting.
Tim Bothwell Tim Bothwell is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 502 games in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Hartford Whalers. He grew up in Burlington attending Aldershot high school and played for the Burlington Minor Hockey
League and the Burlington Mohawk Junior B team. Following his retirement in 1990, he coached at many different levels before making the shift to female hockey. He became an assistant coach with Hockey Canada serving on the Canadian Women’s Olympic Team that won the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He coached the University of Vermont women’s ice hockey team from 2006-12, ushering that program from Division 3 to Division 1. In 2013, Bothwell became coach for the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno and is currently the assistant coach with the University of Calgary women’s program. Bothwell was inducted into the Burlington Sport Hall of Fame in 2017.
Tony Gabriel Born in Burlington, Gabriel attended Central High School. He played in the CFL for 10 years with both the Tiger Cats and Roughriders, winning the Grey Cup in 1976. In 1978 Gabriel was awarded the Schenley Award for the Most Valuable Player in the CFL. The CFL inducted him into the Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and he was voted one of the CFL’s Top 50 players by the Sports Network in 2006. In 2008, Tony was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Gabriel has retired as an investment advisor and lives in Burlington and Newport, Rhode Island. n
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lori mancini
Your Home. Your Future. Her Passion When you entrust your home sale or purchase to Lori Mancini, not only do you access a committed representative whose goal is to make you a client for life; but you also get to take advantage of Lori’s extensive background in the home renovation business, and her unique marketing skills.
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n today’s ever changing hyper-competitive real estate market, these desired attributes are essential in setting the bar high. Lori’s dedicated nature coupled with many years of experience as a forward thinking business woman set her apart. She is continuously striving to make your real estate experience the best one possible, believing in her philosophy that she is only as good as her last client’s happiness. Lori prides herself in an efficient approach and her unique personalized customer service. Whether it’s moving boxes, community business discounts, or making your life easier with industry leading technology, she goes above and beyond. The genuine joy she gets from facilitating effective, fun transactions are woven into every detail during your real estate journey. This provides a worry-free mindset where client’s needs and wants are always her first and only priority. Knowing how to market a property is essential, whether it is a large showcase-ready home or one that needs some updating to make the property more appealing, Lori can look at
a home and visualize its potential, and how the space will be used to create those special memories we all desire. This is a great value-add for a purchaser or a seller. When Lori walks into a prospective client’s home she is already thinking about how to attractively stage the property, a service she provides at no additional cost. When working with buyers she is able to look past the cosmetics and concentrate on guiding them in deciding if the space fits their needs and desires not only for today but for their future. But for Lori, the real testament comes from her love of helping people realize their dreams. “Selling or purchasing a home is an emotional process” says Lori, “I truly want to build a relationship with my client that last a lifetime”. It is a philosophy rooted in an ethical approach. “When we conclude a transaction, I am most satisfied when both parties walk away happy” Lori says. That focus on trust, extraordinary service and family values, is shared by Keller William Edge Realty – an international company bolstered by the belief that “training fuels all of our success.” North America’s largest real estate franchise holds the the top spot on the Training Top 125, industry publication. This commitment to training is clear and has resulted in Lori being twice awarded; Top 25 in monthy sales with Keller Williams Canada. “My clients are family,” Lori says, “what I strive to do is create memories for them.” If you want to ensure your transaction is done to perfection Contact Lori at 905-308-6224 n
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ith over 20 years experience in custom design, Darren Sanger- Smith and his team at Structured Creations have established a reputation for providing innovative and sensible design solutions. Their designs reflect the unique sites upon which they are placed and the people who use them. With a diverse staff of professionally trained and creative individuals, Structured Creations has experience in a broad spectrum of residential, custom designs. Whether new home and cottage construction, renovations and additions, landscape design or interior remodeling, they can create what you are looking for. Every project is looked upon as a unique challenge and an opportunity to
create something special, regardless of the scale or budget. Structured Creations believes in the uniqueness of every client and that every project should be looked at in its entirety to help create a design that exceeds expectations. Their ability to listen allows for designs specific to their client’s wishes, needs and budgets. The full residential design team, includes mechanical and structural engineering, offering the most thorough design and working drawings for their projects regardless of the size. Structured Creations will arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your new home, renovation, addition or interior remodeling. 389 Pearl Street Burlington, ON 416.204.0351 n
i n n ovati ve c u s t o m h o m e de s i g n
brant inn put burlington on the map for decades The Brant inn in the 1960’s. John Murray Anderson’s lavish penthouse occupied the modern structure in the centre of the building
It is nearly half a century since the Brant Inn was demolished. The iconic nightclub is commemorated by a plaque at the west end of Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, and the number of people with personal memories of the entertainment hot spot are dwindling.
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till, in its heyday—the 1930’s through the 1950’s, the Brant Inn was known far and wide as one of Canada’s premier venues for big bands and top North American performers. The incredible lineup of stars who performed at the Brant Inn included, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Lawrence Welk, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, Xavier Cugat, Count Basie, Les Brown and Woody Herman. Some of the Canadian and local orchestras that played there included Ellis McKlintock, Glen Gray, Mart Kenny and Bobby Gimby and
locally Darkie Wicken, Gav Morton and Harry Waller. Major solo acts included big names such as Andy Williams, Victor Borge, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Rae, Martha Raye, Frankie Laine, Liberace, Jayne Mansfield, Lena Horne and Sophie Tucker. When Sophie Tucker played the Brant Inn she stayed in the luxurious penthouse owned by Brant Inn impresario John Murray Anderson. John Murray Anderson, born in Hamilton, had the entertainment bug from his youth. He started out his career renting halls and staging dances. By the 1930’s he had begun staging shows at the Brant Inn, and by 1940
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A typical crowded dance floor at the Brant Inn in the 1940’s
Anderson and his partners were in a position to purchase the Brant Inn from the Coleman family. Anderson became sole owner in 1954. A frequent visitor to New York Anderson forged relationships with many entertainers and agents, which allowed him to attract major stars to his venue in a sleepy town of 4,000. In its heyday the Brant Inn patrons came from Toronto and all over Southern Ontario and upstate New York. Some would arrive by trains which stopped at the door of the Inn, and many would arrive by boat, mooring the craft s just opposite the 1,700 seat outdoor Sky Club. The Brant Inn was known across the continent thanks to live CBC Saturday night broadcasts that beamed the dance music across Canada and into US Border States. CHML was a CBC affiliate at the time and the broadcasts allowed home grown personalities like Paul Hanover, Gordie Tapp, Norm Marshall and Alex Reynolds to gain international exposure as they emceed the shows. With the 1960’s came changing music tastes and the cost of big name stars became prohibitive for Anderson. He sold the business in 1964 and retired to Florida where he died in 1967. The Brant Inn was demolished in 1969. Its memory has been kept alive by the Burlington Historical Society who commissioned a television documentary on the Inn which has been aired twice on PBS Buffalo, and a book “Brant Inn Memories,” by Stewart Brown—both available at Different Drummer Bookstore. n
Louis Armstrong being interviewed by CHML’s R.O. Horning
Jazz superstar Ella Fitzgerald who played the Brant Inn several times
Brant Inn owner, showman John Murray Anderson (L) greeting bandleader Xavier Cougat and singer Abbe Lane
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burlington Highway 5 construction through escarpment ca 1920
RBG Children’s Garden 1955
Authors Peter Gzowski and Lynda McQuaig launching new books at the Different Drummer Bookstore in 1987
In WWII Royal Canadian Naval Vessels were named for Canadian cities. HMCS Burlington was a minesweeper commissioned in 1941 and celebrated by a parade and ceremony on Lakeshore Rd.
The 1957 Federal election brought to an end 22 years of Liberal rule in Canada. Here candidate John Diefenbaker signs the guestbook at the Estaminet Hotel. War Bond drive in Burlington featuring a captured German V1 rocket
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Lieutenant Governor John Gibson dedicating Edward VII memorial fountain in Burlington 1912
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Kids having fun at the old Canal Amusement Park 1950
Before computers --- so much of our work was labour intensive. Here a group of Bell Telephone operators celebrate Christmas in 1947
Burlington Teen Tour Band at the Rose Bowl parade in Pasadena 1980
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n 1951 Burlington was still a sleepy farm village of 6,000. Its growth in the next decade was spectacular as the population increased nearly sevenfold to 47,000 in 1961.By 1971the population doubled to 87,000 and Burlington was now a full-fledged city. The photos on these pages, courtesy of the Burlington Historical Society provide glimpses of life in Burlington through the years.
Much of the Burlington economy in its early days was related to timber and farming. Here a worker collects maple sap ca. 1910
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The Freeman CNR station with a steam passenger train. The restored freeman station is located not far from the site in this picture.
The new Michael Lee-Chin & Family Patient Tower at the Joseph Brant Hospital
Price: $12.95