Mayor’s Mailbag – June 2024 Roundup – West Nile Virus Prevention; Street Tree Pruning; & Community Engagement Charter
Welcome to the Mayor’s Mailbag – June 2024 roundup.
The Mayor’s Monday Mailbag is a weekly initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office has launched to share answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.
At the end of the month, we publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.
Mayor’s Mailbag – June 2024 Roundup
“What is Halton Region doing to help prevent the spread of West Nile Virus this summer?”
“How can I give my feedback on the City of Burlington’s updated Community Engagement Charter?”
Q: What is Halton Region doing to help prevent the spread of West Nile Virus this summer?
Halton Region Public Health has been conducting a mosquito larviciding program since May 13 (and continuing until Oct. 31), under the direction of Dr. Deepika Lobo, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health, to reduce the incidence of West Nile virus (WNV) in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton and the Town of Oakville.
Larviciding in Standing Water
The biological larvicide, VectoBac 200G (PCP# 18158, granular) or VectoBac 1200L (PCP# 21062, liquid), is being applied to affected standing water on public lands in urban areas, where monitoring indicates that mosquito larvae are present. Signs will be posted at each location indicating when and where the larvicide has been applied.
Larviciding in Catch Basins
Where monitoring indicates that mosquito larvae are present, the larvicide Altosid Pellets (PCP# 21809, pellet), *Altosid Granules (PCP # 22676), Altosid XR Briquets (PCP# 27694, ingot) or Vectolex WSP (PCP# 28009, pouch) will be placed by hand into catch basins. All larvicides will be applied by Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks licensed applicators or technicians.
For the locations and dates of treatment, and for more information about West Nile virus, please visit halton.ca
Q: There are dead and damaged branches on the trees in my neighbourhood — what is the City of Burlington doing to address this?
The City of Burlington’s annual street tree pruning program is underway. The program officially began on May 6, 2024.Our street tree pruning program is important work that protects and manages our urban forest and provides many additional benefits to our communities including:
Safer and more effective travel for emergency response vehicles (Fire, EMS, Police), snowplows, garbage trucks and other utility vehicles that deliver essential services;
Clearing areas above sidewalks and streetlights; and
Maintaining sightlines for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians and improving traffic sign visibility for everyone’s safety.
A properly pruned tree has a better chance of making it through a storm and other significant weather events. Fewer broken tree limbs and trees means more trees stay in the ground and off the ground!
The City of Burlington employs contracted Certified Arborists to prune municipal trees. Both internal crews and contractors perform pruning work on city trees. They are highly-trained, qualified and follow the City’s approved Tree Pruning Standards and International Society of Arboriculture best practices.
The City of Burlington’s Street tree pruning cycle is based on:
Tree characteristics
External factors such as insects, weather or disease
Trees are pruned to remove weak, dead or diseased branches. They are also pruned to create a canopy over streets and sidewalks so pedestrians, cars and service vehicles can travel under the trees without damaging them. Pruning is a proven practice to help grow strong, healthy, resilient trees.
The street tree pruning is scheduled in Wards 3, 4 and 6, for the following neighbourhoods:
Palmer;
Headon Forest;
Mountainside; and
Brant Hills.
The entire project is expected to run until December 2024, as close to 11,000 trees will be pruned.
To help prevent the introduction and spread of Oak Wilt, Oak trees will not be pruned before Nov. 1.Door hangers that explain the scope and details of the project have been and will be distributed to residents in the affected Wards ahead of the scheduled work that will take place Mondays-Fridays, except on statutory holidays.
Here is an area map for the 2024 Street Tree Pruning Program — the certified arborist contractors are beginning in Areas 16 and 17. Once work is completed there, they will begin in Areas 9 and 10.Burlington residents are passionate about our urban forest and that’s why City staff and contractors are working to keep our trees healthy. We ask the community to please be patient and understanding, as this important work is done to protect and enhance the City’s urban forest.
The street tree pruning cycle is primarily based on the characteristics of trees and the fact they are living organisms and their health can be affected by many external factors. One of the primary objectives of the grid pruning program is to mitigate any potential hazards within a tree, such as large deadwood and any obvious weakened and/or diseased limbs. Clearance pruning over sidewalks and roadways, where applicable, will be performed to allow for unimpeded pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Where required, low limbs from private trees encroaching over sidewalks or roadways will also be pruned back to allow for safe passage.
Please send any questions about the City of Burlington’s Street Tree Pruning Program to city@burlington.ca
Q: How can I give my feedback on the City of Burlington’s updated Community Engagement Charter?
The City of Burlington’s Community Engagement Charter is 11-years old and required an update to reflect the growing and changing needs of the community.
The Charter is an agreement between Burlington City Council and Burlington residents. It supports better access to your local government. It also outlines the City’s commitments for engaging with people. Engaging people on issues that affect their lives and their city is important. The Charter seeks to make sure that residents can interact with the City in an accessible, inclusive and meaningful way.
The updated draft document is online now where residents are able to review and make comments on the document. There will also be three in-person public engagement sessions and one online engagement session.
Session 1: Tuesday, June 4 at the Burlington Seniors’ Centre, 2285 New St., from 7-9 p.m.;
Session 2: Tuesday, June 11 at the Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way, from 1:30-3:30 p.m.;
Session 3: Wednesday, June 12 will be online, from 7-9 p.m. Link to register is at getinvolvedburlington.ca/engagement-charter;
Session 4: Wednesday, June 19 at the Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way, from 7-9 p.m. All are welcomed; however, this session is in partnership with the Halton Multicultural Council (HMC). HMC will provide translation services for anyone who requests the service. Anyone registering for this session will be asked which language they would prefer.
To register for a session or to review and comment on the draft, take a quick poll or submit a survey, please visit: getinvolvedburlington.ca/engagement-charter
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