'Burlington' (
2006 population 164,415) is a city located in the
Golden Horseshoe, across
Lake Ontario and Burlington Bay harbour from
Hamilton, in
Halton Region,
Ontario,
Canada.
It is part of the
Greater Toronto Area, although it is still part of the
Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Transportation is served by the
Queen Elizabeth Way,
Highway 403,
Highway 407, as well as
Dundas Street, and by both
GO Transit and
VIA Rail.
Burlington Transit is the
public transport provider in the city. Rail Service is provided by both
Canadian National Railway and
Canadian Pacific.
In recent years Burlington has been one of the fastest growing areas of Canada with many new immigrants and young families building new homes here. The region by the lake has a number of expensive homes while the rest of the community is mostly upper-
middle class suburbs.
Burlington is represented in the
Canadian House of Commons by
Mike Wallace (
Conservative) as well as
Garth Turner (
Liberal). Burlington is also represented in the
Ontario legislature by
Joyce Savoline (
Progressive Conservative) and
Ted Chudleigh (
Progressive Conservative).
In 1989, Burlington signed a twin city declaration with
Itabashi, a ward of
Tokyo, Japan. Since then, various exchanges and programs have been carried out between the two cities and relations between have flourished. Apeldoorn (the Netherlands) is also a twin city of Burlington.
Some of the many attractions include:
Canada's Largest Ribfest,
Sound of Music Festival,
Burlington Art Centre, and
Spencer Smith Park. All are located downtown in close proximity to Spencer Smith Park.
History
The land which is now Burlington was deeded to
Chief Joseph Brant in 1798. Settlement on the "Brant Block" started soon afterward. In 1874 the communities of Wellington Square and Port Nelson were incorporated into the Village of Burlington, and later a town in 1915. In 1962, most of the township of Nelson was annexed including
Aldershot. It became a city in 1974, upon the creation of the Regional Municipality of Halton. Some land in north and northeast Burlington became part of
Milton.
Demographics
According to the mid-2001 census, there were 150 836 people residing in the City of Burlington, located in the province of Ontario, of whom 48.4 % were male and 51.6 % were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 5.8 % of the resident population of Burlington. This compares with 5.8 % in
Ontario, and almost 5.6 % for
Canada overall.
In mid-2001, 14.0 % of the resident population in Burlington were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 13.2 % in Canada, therefore, the average age is 38.5 years of age comparing to 37.6 years of age for all of
Canada.
In the five years between 1996 and 2001, the population of Burlington grew by 10.1 %, compared with an increase of 6.1 % for Ontario as a whole. Population density of Burlington averaged 812.2 people per square kilometre (2,104/sq mi), compared with an average of 12.6, for Ontario altogether.
At the time of the census in May 2001, the resident population of the Burlington city authority had 150 836 people, compared with a resident population in the province of
Ontario of 11,410,050 people.
Religion
In the city of Burlington, almost 80.0% of the population declare themselves as
Christian. Approx. 41% are
Protestant and
Anglican, while 32% are
Roman Catholic, with the balance of Christians being
Orthodox Christian and smaller denominations. The non-Christian population numbers less than 1.0%, mostly
Islam,
Sikh and
Hindu.
Burlington sits in the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Hamilton.
Media and journalism
Television stations
★
Crossroads Television System (
CITS-TV) is based in Burlington with studios on the North Service Road near the junction of the QEW, 403 and 407.
★ Television station
CH serves
Hamilton,
Halton and
Niagara, thus including Burlington.
★ Burlington has a local
community channel provided by the
cable provider,
Cogeco. The channel is called ''Cogeco 23''.
Radio
One radio station,
FM 107.9
CJXY, is
licensed to Burlington and another, FM 94.7
CIWV, to "Hamilton/Burlington." Both presently broadcast from studios in Hamilton; CJXY, indeed, brands itself "Hamilton's ONLY Rock Station." Burlington listeners are also served by stations licensed to Hamilton, Toronto, and other nearby radio markets.
Print media
★ ''
Burlington Post''
★ ''InBurlington''
★ ''Snap Burlington''
Education
High schools
Burlington's public
elementary and
secondary schools are part of the
Halton District School Board. Burlington's Catholic
elementary and
secondary schools are part of the
Halton Catholic District School Board
Public
★
Aldershot High School
★
Burlington Central High School
★
Gary Allan High School Burlington Campus
★
Lester B. Pearson High School (
1977)
★
M.M. Robinson High School (
1963)
★
Nelson High School (
1957)
★
Robert Bateman High School (
2004)
===
Catholic===
★
Assumption Secondary School (
1977)
★
Notre Dame Secondary School (
1989)
★
Burlington Catholic Secondary School (
2008) -currently under construction, official name TBA
Private
★
Fern Hill School
Colleges and universities
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between former Burlington Mayor
Rob MacIsaac and
McMaster University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr.
Peter J. George on
September 30,
2004 acknowledging to work together to bring a McMaster campus to Burlington.
There has been a link established with a
New South Wales Australia institution
Charles Sturt University.
Economy
Burlington's economic strength is the diversity of its economic base, mainly achieved because of its geography, proximity to large industries in southern Ontario (Canada's largest consumer market), its relationship to the Greater Toronto Area market, and its transportation infrastructure. The city has a robust economy with strong potential for future growth - it is located at the hub of the Golden Horseshoe, an international economic powerhouse, and is largely driven by both the automotive and financial sectors.
There are also many stores and shops in Burlington. The
Burlington Mall and
Mapleview Centre are popular malls within the city. The many summer festivals in the city, including
Canada's Largest Ribfest, also attract many visitors.
The city is also located in the "
Golden Horseshoe".
Politics
Burlington's mayor is
Cam Jackson, former member of the
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, and has MP
Mike Wallace with the
Conservative Party of Canada representing Burlington in the
House of Commons. Currently, Burlington is a centre-right-wing city, however, from 1993-2006 the city was represented by
Liberal MP Paddy Torsney.
The riding of Burlington has not had a Liberal MPP since 1943.
[1]
2007 by-election
Following Cam Jackson's resignation to successfully run for
mayor of Burlington, the riding was left with a vacant seat at
Queen's Park. Consequently, a
by-election was called by Ontario Premier
Dalton McGuinty on
January 10,
2007, to be held on
February 8, 2007.
[1][2][3] Joan Lougheed, who was defeated by Jackson for the mayor's post, is the
Ontario Liberal Party candidate as of
January 4,
2007.
[2] Former
Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline is the
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidate, narrowly defeating former
Miss Canada Blair Lancaster for the nod.
[3] On
January 12,
2007,
Brantford school teacher and community activist
Cory Judson defeated former
Halton District School Board trustee
David Abbott for the
Ontario New Democratic Party candidate spot.
[4]
On
January 25,
2007,
Frank de Jong, the leader of the
Green Party of Ontario began to campaign in the byelection.
[4]
John C. Turmel, who according to Guinness Book of Records hold the records for the most elections contested and the most elections lost, ran as an Independent candidate.
Barry Spruce ran for the
Freedom Party of Ontario.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! colspan="6"|By-election,
February 8,
2007
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px"|Party
! style="width: 170px"|Candidate
! style="width: 40px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
! style="width: 40px"|+/-
|-
| style="width: 185px"| '
Progressive Conservative'
|'
Joyce Savoline'
|align=right|11,143
|align=right|49.0%
|align=right|+2.8%
|-
| style="width: 185px"|
Liberal
|
Joan Lougheed
|align=right|9,365
|align=right|41.2%
|align=right|-1.0%
|-
| style="width: 185px"|
New Democrat
|
Cory Judson
|align=right|1,310
|align=right|5.8%
|align=right|-1.4%
|-
| style="width: 185px"|
Green
|
Frank de Jong
|align=right|734
|align=right|3.2%
|align=right|+0.9%
|-
| style="width: 185px"|
Freedom
|Barry Spruce
|align=right|106
|align=right|0.5%
|align=right|
★
|-
| style="width: 185px"| Independent
|
John C. Turmel
|align=right|90
|align=right|0.4%
|align=right|
★
Sites of interest
Burlington is home to the
Royal Botanical Gardens, Canada's largest
botanical garden, which incorporates both untamed and cultivated
landscapes. There are 75 parks and 325
ha (800
acres) of parkland within the city, the largest being
Spencer Smith Park. The park is located on the shore of Lake Ontario, and is going through large scale renovations. Located in North Burlington is
Mount Nemo Conservation Area, the only park in Burlington operated by the
Halton Region Conservation Authority.
The Burlington Coastline on Lake Ontario
The
Burlington Art Centre shows various exhibits throughout the year from local to national talent, including the renowned Canadian artist
Robert Bateman. The
Joseph Brant Museum and
Ireland House are also popular attractions.
Not widely known to many residents is that one of the three naturally occurring
magnetic hills in Ontario is found in Burlington, on King Road just north of Bayview Park.
Many annual lakefront activities take place in Spencer Smith Park including Canada's Largest Ribfest and the
Sound of Music Festival.
Malls
Main articles: List of shopping malls in Canada#Ontario
★ Appleby Mall - a mall located at Appleby Line and New Street,
★
Burlington Mall - a two-story mall at Guelph Line and Fairview Street,
★ Mapleview Centre - a popular two-story mall with many high-end stores at
Queen Elizabeth Way and Fairview Street,
★ Millcroft Shopping Centre - an out-door mall located at Appleby Line and Upper Middle Road.
Organizations
The
Burlington Teen Tour Band (BTTB) has operated in the city since 1947, including members between the ages of 13 and 21. The
marching band goes by the nickname ''The Redcoats'' due to the colour of its uniforms, and are regular participants in major international parades. They are also occasionally referred to as "Canada's Musical Ambassadors" and have represented Canada all over the world.
2007 will mark the 60th Anniversary of the BTTB. Celebrations, including a homecoming reunion, a concert and participation in the parade, are being planned to mark this anniversary during the 2007 Sound of Music Festival. More information is available at the
BTTB Alumni Web page . The band is currently led by Rob Bennett, managing director, along with Sir William Hughes, musical director.
Since
1961, 715 "Mohawk" Squadron of the
Royal Canadian Air Cadets has been a fixture in the city. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets is only one of the three branches of the Canadian Cadet Movement. The CCM is a partnership between the Department of National Defence, and each of the three cadet leagues: The
Air Cadet League of Canada, The Army Cadet League of Canada, and the Navy League. The CCM is the largest federally funded youth program in Canada, and is open to youth ages 12-18 who are interested in leadership, citizenship, physical fitness, the
Canadian Forces, and personal discipline.
Burlington Area Scouts traces its organization back to 1910 when the town's population was about 1,000. The first local
Scoutmaster was Archie McGibbon, who remained in his position for more than a year, after which there was a succession of leaders including Hughes Cleaver and William Gilbert. The original enrolment of 25 boys was considered excellent for the small population of Burlington.
About 1918, Rev. George W. Tebbs took over the troop. It was in the 1920s when Scoutmaster Tebbs and the local troop met
Baden-Powell in Burlington. The founder was motoring to Toronto and broke his trip for a short while when he saw the
Scouts lined up at Gore Park on the waterfront. For many years, Rev. Tebbs led the boys as they marched out of town, hauling the trek cart to some distant camping place. It wasn't until 1958 that the Scouts' combined group committees were able to buy the 90 acre camping grounds in North Burlington at
Camp Manitou.
The current Burlington Area Scouts came into existence in 1958 as "Burlington District" with amalgamation of several groups from Burlington and surrounding area. There are 17 active groups within the Area, providing
Scouting to over 700 members. The Area stretches outside the city limits of Burlington and encompasses the additional communities of
Waterdown, Kilbride, and
Carlisle.
[5]
Sports
Local Teams
The
Burlington Cougars are an Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League Team.
The Following are the names associated with Burlington's rep-level sports teams:
★
Burlington Barracudas Girls
Hockey Teams
★ Burlington Skyway
Roller Derby
★
Burlington Bulldogs Hockey Teams
★
Burlington Chiefs Lacrosse Teams
★
Burlington Eagles Hockey Teams
★
Burlington Stampeders Football Teams
★
Burlington Panthers Basketball Teams
★
Burlington Thunder Basketball Team
★
Burlington Bulls Baseball Teams
★
Burlington Centaurs Rugby Teams
★
Burlington Blaze Girls
Volleyball Teams
★
Burlington Bandits Girls
Softball Teams
The
Burlington Youth Soccer Club (
BYSC) is the organization behind all levels of youth
soccer in Burlington.
The Burlington Soccer League is the organization behind most mens league soccer in Burlington.
International Competition
Also, Burlington, Ontario founded and is still a participating city of the
Burlington International Games (
B.I.G.). The games were first held in 1969 " to offer an athletic and cultural exchange experience for the youth of Burlington."
Up until recently, the games took place between Burlington, Ontario and
Burlington, Vermont,
U.S.A.. But, other cities from places such as
Quebec,
Japan, the
Netherlands, and the U.S. have all had athletes compete since 1998.
[6]
Notable natives
Artists
★
Robert Bateman, (1930- ), Acclaimed Naturalist Painter.
★
Kelly Richardson - Artist, born in Burlington.
Authors/ writers
★
Paul W. Fitzgerald -Writer, Academic and Author, attended Burlington Central High School.
★
Mike Lypko - Writer and News Columnist for ''
New York Times''
★
Sylvia McNicoll - author of over twenty novels for children and young adults.
Music
★
Boys Night Out -
Rock band.
★
Jeff Danna - (1964- ), Film Music Composer.
★
Finger Eleven -
Alternative Rock Band.
★
Sarah Harmer - (1970- ), Singer and songwriter.
★
Idle Sons - Rock Band.
★
Ripped - alternative rock band
★
Melissa McClelland - (1979- ), Singer and songwriter.
★
Devraj Patnaik - (1975- ),
Music composer,
Odissi dancer and
Choreographer.
★
Silverstein -
Post-hardcore Band.
★
Spoons - 1980s
New Wave Band.
★
Tebey - (1983- ),
Country Music Artist, attended Assumption Secondary School.
★
Jordan Hastings -
Alexisonfire,
drummer
Sports
★
Mark Appleyard, (1983- ), skateboarder.
★
Angela Coughlan, bronze medalist at the
1968 Olympic Games in
swimming; gold and silver medalist at the
1970 British Commonwealth Games.
★
Peter Kneulman, (1983- ), Olympic sailor.
★
Jesse Lumsden, (1982- ),
running back with the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the
Canadian Football League.
★
Melville Marks Robinson, (1888-TBD), founder of the
Commonwealth Games.
★
Chris Schultz, (1960- ), former
offensive tackle with the CFL
Toronto Argonauts, and current
TSN sportscaster
★
Chad Wiseman, (1981- ),
NHL player,
Washington Capitals, born in Burlington.
TV/ film/ stage
★
Jillian Barberie, (1966- ), Actress and television Hostess, attended Assumption Secondary School.
★
Michael Bradshaw (1933-2001) Actor, lived here from late 1950's until mid 1960's.
★
Carlos Bustamente -
YTV ''The Zone'' Host , attended Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.
★
Jim Carrey, (1962- ), Comedian and actor, attended Aldershot High School.
★
Ryan Gosling, (1980- ), Actor, 2007 Academy Award Best Actor Nominee, attended Lester B. Pearson High School.
★
Adam J. Harrington, (1967-), Actor, ( ''
Whistler (TV series)'' ), attended
Burlington Central High School.
★
Torri Higginson, (1969- ), Actress.
★
Ellora Patnaik, (1968- ), Actor and
Odissi dancer.
★
Lynn Shawcroft - Comedian.
★
Paula Todd, (1959- ), Television Journalist.
See also
★
Burlington City Council
★
Burlington Airpark
★
Burlington Curling Club
References
1. Burlington Liberals get some high-profile help, Hamilton Spectator, 27 January 2007
2. Burlington byelection called, Burlington Post, 10 January 2007
3. Ontario byelections called, Toronto Star, 10 January 2007
4. Ontario Green Party leader to run in Burlington byelection, Hamilton Spectator, 25 January 2007
5. Burlington Area Scouting Website
6. City of Burlington Website, Burlington International Games
External links
★
Official Website
★
Downtown Burlington Website
'Education'
★
Halton District School Board
★
Halton Catholic District School Board
'Local media'
★
''Burlington Post'' newspaper Website
★
''InBurlington''
★
''Snap Burlington''
★
Cogeco 23
'Photos and Attractions'
★
Tourism Burlington
★
History and Attractions in Burlington
'Arts and Music'
★
''Burlington Art Centre'' Official Website
★
Teen Tour Band Website
★
Burlington ''Top Hat Marching Orchestra'' Official Website
'Sports'
★
Burlington Amateur Softball Association Website
★
Burlington Youth Soccer Club Website
★
''Burlington Eagles'' Official Website
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