BOB Edition 1

the best of 

burlington 

Celebrating the people and 

organizations who have 

contributed to Burlington 

being named the best place 

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 

63 

56 

50 

28 

24 

4

18 

32 

46 

Published by The Bay Observer 

73 

Cover Photo by John Strung 

The Best of Burlington © 2017 

Editor: 

Sales Representatives: 

Art Director: 

Office Manager: 

Printer: 

John Best 

Hilary White, 

Rosanne La Scala 

Catalin Ciolca 

Kaye Best 

Transcontinental 

Printing 

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 

85 

68 

70 

the best of burlington 

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 

5

Mayor Rick 

Goldring 

I’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 

6


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. 

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. • 

7

w h y b u r l i n g t o n 

burlington offers 

a lifestyle that is 

second to none 

Embrace nature at the Royal 

Botanical Gardens 

Experience the 

many annual 

waterfront festivals 

People 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. 

8


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 

9


more 

festivals 

10


Named the Municipality of 

the Year in 2016 by Festivals 

and Events Ontario there is 

always something happening 

in this city. 

Many 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 

11


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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.• 

13


burlington 

Enjoy a cultural 

performance at 

The Burlington 

Performing Arts 

Centre 

14


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 

15


Putnam County Spelling Bee 

Art Gallery of Burlington 

Theatre Burlington 

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. 

Drury Lane Theatrical 

Productions 

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 

Symphony 

on the Bay 

16


Aldershot Players 

Drury Lane Theatre 

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. 

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. 

17


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. 

Prior 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. 

18


National Ballet of Cuba 

Photo @justaclick Photography 

Alan Doyle 

Photo by Al Pettman @justaclick Photography 

The Centre received LEED® (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). • 

440 Locust Street in Burlington 

Box Office: 905-681-6000 

www.burlingtonpac.ca 

19


countless outdoor 

venues with 

spectacular views 

Crawford Lake Morning Sunrise 

Mapletown at Mountsberg 

Trails at Mountsberg 

20


Burlington is cycling friendly 

For 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 

21


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. • 

22


Ireland House Museum 

Rattlesnake Point. 

Crawford Lake 

Longhouse 

The water feature at the 

RBG Rock Garden 

23


RBG nature trail 

The RBG Centre seen from Hendrie Gardens 

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. 

Conceived 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. 

24


gardens 

Famous Hendry Gates offer 

a welcome to the RBG 

Photo by Mark Zelinski.com 

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.) 

• 

25


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 

26


Molly 

Cake 

The 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 

For one wonderful summer afternoon, 

Spencer Smith Park transforms into the best 

wine, spirits, craft beer and dining venue 

in Burlington. Sponsored by Rottary 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! 

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. • 

Lakeside À La Carte 

Canada’s largest Ribfest 

Salvatore’s 

Photo by 

Melinda 

Paletta 

Spencer’s at 

the Waterfront 

27


burlington 

downtown: 

It’s all here 

Burlington’s Downtown location—on the 

Lakefront – one of its great natural assets 

Strolling along leafy Lakeshore Road 

on a summer day in Burlington 

Emma’s 

Back Porch 

28


Photo by Kris Gelder 

Centro Garden 

Farmer’s Market 

So 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”! 

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 

29


burlington 

is the place 

to grow 

Voted 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 • 

30


“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 

31


burlington city plan 

32


Burlington 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. 

33


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 like GO train service. 

• A great selection of services like 

shopping, restaurants, healthcare and 

recreation centres. 

• 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 

34


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. • 

35


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 

36


“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 

37


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. 

Angel One Network Inc. is one 

of Canada’s most active angel 

investor networks comprised of 

high net worth investors. Since 

incorporating in September 2011, 

Angel One members have invested 

over $24 million. Please visit 

angelonenetwork.ca to learn more. 

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. 

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 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. 

38


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- 

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 

• 

39

u r l i nwgh ty o nb ui ar nl s i n wg ht o nm a d e a 

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 

40

d i f f e r e n c e 


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. 

41


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 

42



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 Armstron 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- 

43


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- 

44



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. 

Connie Smith News Anchor 

Connie Smith grew up in Burlington where 

she attended Nelson High School. She is 

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. • 

45

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. 

But 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. 

46 

• 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. 

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.

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. • 

One of the nine 

operating rooms 

in the new patient 

tower. 

47

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.” 

Whether 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- 

48

ional 

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. • 

Rescued from 

the wrecking 

ball, the Paletta 

mansion, a 

gift to the 

city, is home 

to countless 

receptions and 

events 

49

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, sophisthe 

molinaro 

creating a new skyline 

for burlington 

Molinaro Group 

projects have 

distinguished the 

Burlington skyline 

The indoor 

pool at 

Paradigm 

Giving back to the community 

It’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. 

Paradigm 

will define 

the skyline 

of midtown 

Burlington 

50

group 

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 development 

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. • 

360 on 

Pearl 

The elegant 

rooftop 

terrace at 

Paradigm 

51

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 

NHDG.CA

THE MOST RECENT NEW HORIZON 

COMMUNITIES IN BURLINGTON 

BRIDGEWATER RESIDENCES ON THE LAKE 

2042 Lakeshore Road, Burlington at Elizabeth Street 

True Luxury Condo Connected to 4-star Hotel 

HAVEN 

5317 Upper Middle Road, Burlington 

4-Storey Building, 138 Units 

NOUVEAU 

5054-5058 New Street, Burlington 

25 Townhomes 

TIMES SQUARE 

5327 Upper Middle Road, Burlington 

106 Condo Units + Commercial Spaces 

VIBE 

5010-5030 Corporate Dr., Burlington 

Two 4-Storey Buildings, 232 Units; 

14 Townhomes 

WESTWOOD 

396 Plains Road East, Burlington 

Intimate 45-Unit Building 

SHINE 

4070 Dundas Street, Burlington 

23 Townhomes

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. 

At 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 emotional 

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 

56


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.” • 

The Anderson 

design team l-r 

Marguerite Harrison, 

Jim Anderson and 

Tina Pharand 

57

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 

campaigns. Cogeco has established one of 

these partnerships with the Halton Industry 

Education Council. HIEC is an organization 

geared towards youth, helping countless 

students receive training and mentorship for 

their future careers. Using their services and 

products, Cogeco facilitates the operations 

of their business partner HIEC, ensuring their 

operational needs are both met and exceeded 

on a continual basis. 

Continuously inspired 

by the community, 

Cogeco strives to 

create partnerships 

with local businesses. 

through charitable donations and company 

participation in events. With involvement 

in programs like the Burlington community 

Clean Up and Green Up Day, the City of 

Burlington Community Awards, and the 

redevelopment of the Joseph Brant Hospital, 

Cogeco is always seeking ways to support 

the community they care about. 

And their commitment to Burlington doesn’t 

end there. As a noted member of the 

community, Cogeco is intensely active in 

the city’s events. They not only provide local 

content like Inspiring Youth and Halton News 

through their community channel YourTV, 

they also aim to give back to the community 

For almost 30 years, Cogeco has enjoyed 

being an active citizen of Burlington, and 

looks forward to continuing their support 

and participation in the future of this 

outstanding community.

60


Raising the 

bucket on 

downtown 

development 

- supporting 

infrastructure 

expansion in 

Burlington’s 

downtown 

core. 

helping to shape the energy 

needs of a growing city 

The ‘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 saveONenergy OM 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. • 

(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. 

61

helping canadian 


for over 60 years 

We want to thank all of the life science 


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! • 

62


hunter amenities: 

number 1 in the world’s hotels 

Whether 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.” • 

63

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. 

These 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 

64 

Cogent 

President 

Ron Harper 

(L) received 

the Exporter 

of the Year 

award on 

behalf of the 

Cogent team, 

from BEDC 

Director Frank 

McKenna.


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”. • 

65

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. 

To 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 

66


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. • 

67

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 

Although 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, 

68


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. • 

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. 

69

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. 

From 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 

70


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 

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 

Joseph Brant 

Museum 

Star of the 

Sea Condos, 

Newfoundland 

71

— 

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 

72


nucor grating 

From 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 addition, 

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. • 

73

the health 

of your 

wealth 

...and much more 

The 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. • 

Dan Wynnyk 

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.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 

1122 International Blvd., Suite 102 

Burlington, ON L7L 6Z8 

+1 416 777 2200 

www.collierscanada.com 

commercial 

real estate 

solutions to 

accelerate 

your success 

When 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 

• 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. 

The 

Burlington 

Team 

Shawn 

Bailey 

Sales 

Representative 

Jennifer 

Byers 

Client 

Project 

Coordinator 

Cyril Crasto 

Sales 


Bryan 

Faldowski 

Vice 

President, 

Sales 


Simon 

Henderson 

Sales 


Doug 

Murray 

Vice 

President, 

Sales 


Bob 

Robertson 

Associate Vice 

President 

Deborah 

Solaryk 

Senior Sales 


Cari 

Taylor 

Client Project 

Specialist, 

Sales 


Justin 

Venancio 

Sales 


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. 

In 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. 

From its beginnings 

more than a century 

ago CAPO’s product 

line has continuously 

evolved to anticipate 

consumer needs. 

78

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 Management TM and Project Management, to 

name just a few. 

Every February, our Annual International IT Service 

Management Conference & Exhibition, now in its 

22 nd 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 

Canada | USA | Mexico | Trinidad & Tobago | The Netherlands | United Kingdom | South Africa 

Hong Kong | Malaysia | Singapore | Australia | New Zealand 

Follow Us 

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. 

Royal 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 ® .


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.” • 

81

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. 

Our 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


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. • 

To view more stories like Cheryl and Drew’s, please visit our website uwhh.ca 

83

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. 

Adam Biskup, Owner, CARSTAR 

Burlington Mainway & Fairview 

(Aro Motors) 

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. 

“We’ve been serving this 

community for nearly 60 

years and are committed to 

delivering the best customer experience possible during 

a stressful time.” 

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.” 

Biskup offers a few examples of 

“above-and-beyond” service they 

have provided recently. 

“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. 

We believe you come 

in as clients and stay 

as friends. 

– 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.

Lord Nelson owner Nick 

Vamvakas (L) and General 

Manager Val Gallo 

the 

lord 

nelson: 

steak and 

seafood 

restaurant 

Nick 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 

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 guest 

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. • 

The Lord Nelson dining room is a 

warm and comfortable atmosphere 

for any special occasion. 

85


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 

86



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 

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 Chrysler- 

Plymouth 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 Tiger- 

Cats 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 1981- 

1988. 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 

87


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 

88



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 All- 

American 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 

89


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 All- 

Canadian 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 

90



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 Tiger- 

Cats, 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. • 

91

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. 

In 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 

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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 

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clear and has resulted in Lori being twice 

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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 •

With 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 

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scale or budget. 

Structured Creations believes in the 

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Their ability to listen allows for designs 

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innovative custom home design

ant 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. 

Still, 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 

94


Brant Inn owner, showman John Murray Anderson (L) greeting 

bandleader Xavier Cougat and singer Abbe Lane 

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 Deck. 

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. • 

Louis Armstrong being interviewed by 

CHML’s R.O. Horning 

Jazz superstar Ella Fitzgerald who played 

the Brant Inn several times 

95

urlington 

Highway 5 construction 

through escarpment ca 1920 

RBG Children’s Garden 1955 

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. 

Authors Peter 

Gzowski and 

Lynda McQuaig 

launching 

new books at 

the Different 

Drummer 

Bookstore in 1987 

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 rockey 

96 

Lieutenant Governor 

John Gibson 

dedicating Edward 

VII memorial 

fountain in 

Burlington 1912

flashbacks 


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 

In 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 

97 

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

BOB Edition 1

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