Burlington mayor talks capacity limits, city budget tax hikes, Climate Action Plan

Burlington mayor Marianne Meed Ward spoke with the Morning Live team Wednesday and provided an update on what is happening in the city.

Capacity limits were lifted Monday for bars, restaurants and gyms and Ward says the local restaurant industry is thrilled.

“There are a lot of people who are still hesitant about coming out, especially if they have young kids who can’t be vaccinated or if you’re immuno-compromised,” Ward said. ”Just because the capacity limits were flipped overnight, it doesn’t mean everything is full.”

She says Burlington residents need to continue to support the restaurant industry and be nice to servers who are enforcing provincial regulations such as asking for proof of vaccination.

Next week will be the first chance for Burlington residents to get a look at the proposed city budget, which will bring a tax hike.

”The initial proposal from staff is five-and-a-half per cent which will net out to about three per cent,” Ward said.

She added there are opportunities for the public to weigh-in on the proposed budget on Nov. 22. The city will have a council workshop on Nov. 3.

Today, the city is also hosting a virtual launch of Climate Resilient Burlington, a plan for adapting to warmer, wetter and wilder weather.

Burlington is working with the Bay Area Climate Change Office at Mohawk College to get a grant to do a home energy retrofit program.

“Municipal services only represent about 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions,” Ward said. “We need to support the community if we want to get ahead of climate change.”