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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 24, 2010 · 14 Speak up! You can comment on any story in today's Oakville Beaver at oakvillebeaver.com. Explore Get a sneak peek of `Roads to Change' By Tim Foran OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Newfoundland! Our unique 10-day guided tour travels throughout the province and includes visits to St. Anthony at Newfoundland's northernmost tip, and L'Anse aux Meadows, the only authenticated Viking site in North America! Finish your tour in St. John's. Your holiday includes: return airfare with WestJet from Toronto, coach travel, accommodation at 3-4 star hotels, breakfast daily, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, daily sightseeing as listed in the itinerary, and all taxes except HST. Get away this summer! Departures available in June, July, August & September $2,995 per person + HST Call or visit our website for more information! 1-866-967-9910 denuretours.com 71 Mount Hope St., Lindsay, ON Reg. #'s 50009376 and 50009377 more fun! self confidence more people! grace & poise! SPECIAL OFFER 5 SESSIONS OF DANCING $ NEW STUDENT OFFER By yourself or with a partner New Students. Over 21 Only. 25 CALL NOW FIRST 25 CALLERS 1092 Main Street W. near Cline Ave. HAMILTON 905 522-3237 225 Lakeshore Rd. E. (2nd Floor) between Dunn St. and George St. OAKVILLE www.fredastaire.ca 905 815-3237 A transportation master plan outlining how, when and where more than $2 billion will be spent in Halton over the next 20 years will be the subject of public meetings over the next week. Dubbed The Road to Change, the master plan will ultimately be a list of the necessary road expansions, bridges, underpasses, bike paths and dedicated bus lanes that will be needed to accommodate the 300,000 more people that are expected to call the region home by 2031. The Road to Change will build on the already existing transportation master plan developed in 2004, and updated in 2007. That plan lists major roads projects to the year 2021 and is available online at www.halton.ca/transportation. As of Dec. 31, the Region had already set aside $446.1 million for roads projects that are currently underway. This year's budget includes another $109 million, and $980 million dollars more is included in the capital budget forecast for 2011-19. About $800 million will likely be needed for the 2020-2031 time period, according to Regional information. While the vast majority of that money will be spent on roads, the Region intends to examine how to increase the use of transit, bicycling and walking by Halton residents. Council has set non-binding targets for 20 per cent of all peak period trips to be made by transit by 2031, with automobiles used 70 per cent of the time, and walking, bicycling and other "active transport" modes the remaining 10 per cent. In 2006, five per cent of peak period trips were made by transit and two per cent by active transport, according to the Region. Council has also asked Regional staff to examine whether a Halton-wide transit system would be a useful endeavour. Currently, transit is handled by the local municipalities in Halton. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER WORK IN PROGRESS: Construction of a new Dundas Street bridge across 16 Mile Creek is one of many regional roads projects currently underway. Even if council ultimately decides against a regional transit system, the Region's transportation master plan must accommodate provincial transit initiatives in Halton that are included in Metrolinx's The Big Move transportation plan for the GTHA. Those plans include: · a rapid transit line, likely buses running on dedicated lanes, along Dundas Street from Waterdown through Burlington and Oakville to the TTC's Kipling Station in Etobicoke. · a similar rapid transit line along Trafalgar Road between Hwy. 407 and midtown Oakville to be built over the next 15 years. · a second phase, to be completed within 25 years, would extend the Trafalgar Road line to downtown Milton. · a rapid transit link along Brant Street from Fairview GO station to downtown Burlington to be built over the next 15 years · a rapid transit link such as dedicated bus lanes along Brant Street from Fairview GO Station in Burlington to connect to the Dundas RT over the next 25 years. The Road to Change public information centres will take place in Oakville on Wednesday, March 31, (drop-in opens at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7 p.m.) at Halton Regional Centre (Gymnasium), 1151 Bronte Road. Great Spring Savings! Modern Class for Your Traditional Space ...more than you think. BDO Canada LLP offers the best of both worlds to our students ­ a local entrepreneurial environment with the support of a national organization that will maximize their potential and help build their future. BDO's commitment to career enhancement through learning shines through once again, as our students excelled at their final exams of the various accounting institutions. The Burlington office of BDO congratulates Matthew Wilson, Michael Casciani and Carmen Macoretta for passing their Uniform Final Examination, one of the final steps to attaining the Chartered Accountant designation. Equally, we congratulate Jennifer Dong on passing the PACE exams of the Certified General Accountants of Canada. This is one of the final steps to becoming a Certified General Accountant. Their dedication and hardwork has been rewarded in the successful passing of their exams. In January 2009, the well established offices of BDO in Oakville and Hamilton consolidated to enhance their practice for their clients in the Hamilton, Halton and surrounding areas. They settled into a new office in Burlington at Guelph Line/ QEW. BDO Burlington is now one of the largest accounting and advisory firms in Burlington as well as in Hamilton/Halton and the Golden Horseshoe. BDO offers assurance, accounting, taxation, and a vast range of advisory services. "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a Matthew Wilson Jennifer Dong Michael Casciani Carmen Macoretta 3115 Harvester Road, Suite 400, Burlington · (905) 639-9500 · www.bdo.ca