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1011 Upper Middle Road E. 905-849-4722 www.oakvilleshops.com SELLING YOUR JEWELLERY? LONDON GOLD Fine Jewellery Co. Ltd. SNA A NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ONTARIO'S TOP NEWSPAPER - 2005-2008 Eagles power Sports 905.337.0051 A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 49 No. 136 "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2011 64 Pages $1.00 (plus tax) The h gavel l falls f ll Cash for housing and jobs By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Halton Region hopes nearly $11 million from the federal and provincial governments will help put a dent in the area's pressing need for affordable housing. The money, to be distributed over the next three years, is part of a $481-million federal/provincial investment intended to create more than 5,000 jobs for the province and reduce the number of Ontario families in need of housing. Details about the Gary Carr investment were announced last week. Halton Region will receive $10.8 million, Peel $32 million, York $22 million, Durham $15 million and Toronto $108 million. "This is a good news story," said Halton Region Chair Gary Carr. "We're anticipating, as the result of this agreement, that we will be able to afford some new (affordable housing) units over the next few years." Carr said the funding will be put into the Region's 2012 budget with $4 million planned for 2012, $4 million for 2013 and $2.8 million for 2014. The funding is intended to give municipalities more flexibility in how to meet local affordable housing needs. See Housing page 11 MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER FOR HALTON CRIME STOPPERS: Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, as a celebrity judge, happily metes out a $1,500 bail for Jan Westcott, president of Spirits Canada, before sending Westcott to a make-shift cell during Jail-a-thon fundraiser for Crime Stoppers of Halton at J. Lockwood Chrysler Monday. The event raised funds, which are still being tallied, after Crime Stoppers of Halton faced a sudden budget shortfall after paying out more reward money than anticipated p to tipsters p who assisted p police in making g an arrest. Humane Society follows f ll cruelty l case By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A Milton court has found two Halton residents guilty of multiple counts of animal cruelty in connection with their treatment of a bulldog/sharpie cross named `Mea.' The Oakville and Milton Humane Society discovered Mea tied inside an unheated Milton garage in the middle of January 2011 with no access to food or water. At the time officials described Mea as `severely emaciated.' Mea was removed from the garage immediately and veterinary care was provided. In February, the Oakville and Milton Humane Society said Mea had gained 20 pounds. The local humane society reported Tuesday that Mea's owners Steven Lopez and Natasha Janjevic, both from Milton, have been found guilty of animal cruelty. Their sentencing is expected to take place today (Wednesday) at the Burlington Courthouse on Plains Road. See Verdict page 7