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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, O ct ob er 14 ,2 02 1 | 8 oakville.ca Notice of Public Consultation Joshua Creek Flood Mitigation opportunities Study Thursday october 14, 2021 - Materials available online www.oakville.ca/environment/flood-mitigation- joshuas-creek.html Your input is important! The Town of Oakville has initiated a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) to assess flood risks along the Joshua Creek south of Upper Middle Road to Lake Ontario. Town staff are seeking public input related to this project, including the recommended alternative mitigation measures, evaluation criteria, potential environmental effects, and any other concerns. The study is being conducted in compliance with Schedule 'B' of the Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) Municipal Class EA document (October 2000, as amended in 2007, 2011 and 2015), which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. This will be the second and final public consultation event for the Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study. Due to COVID-19 public health measures in place, this will be avirtual public consultation eventwith Study information made available on the Town's website for review and comment. Please direct all comments and any questions to the following Study Teammembers via email or mail by November 5, 2021. Diana Friesen, C.E.T Water Resources Technologist Town of Oakville Tel: 905-845-6601 x 3904 Email: Diana.Friesen@oakville.ca Janusz Czuj, P.Eng. Project Manager GHD Email: janusz.czuj@ghd.com All personal information included in a submission - such as name, address, telephone number and property location - is collected, maintained and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for the purpose of transparency and consultation. The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in s.37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential. For more information, please contact the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks' Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator at (416) 327-1434. There's a lot of talk these days about the world starting to get "back to nor- mal" -- people going to the office, get-togethers re- turning, events being back on. I wrote a column at the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic talking about anxiety and how every one of us would handle things differently. Now, a year and a half later, the same thing applies to post-pan- demic life: everyone will respond differently. While some will eagerly book trips or make plans with friends, others will prefer to take things slowly and keep to themselves for a while. And either re- sponse is OK. Change and uncertain- ty can lead to stress and anxiety, and even though the things we miss coming back safely may be a posi- tive change, it is still a change that will require some adjustment. Just like we all needed some time to get used to the restrictions being there, we'll also need to get used to them not being there. The following are some tips for supporting your- self and others during these transitions: • Prepare for changes. Take returning to the of- fice, for example. Don't wait until the day before you go back to think about it. Reflect on how you're feeling and plan how you'll cope with challenges. Be flexible as well, such as considering a gradual re- turn if possible. • Respect others' feel- ings. You may be comfort- able getting together, but if you invite someone who isn't, acknowledge and ac- cept their perspective without judgment. Rather than trying to convince them to do it, avoid taking it personally and say some- thing like, "I get that. Let's get together when you're comfortable." • On the flip side, if you don't feel ready to do what others are doing, don't feel like you have to force your- self and feel uncomfort- able. Make informed choices, do what feels right to you and remember that you don't need to apologize or explain it away. • Keep what's worked. If there are things you were used to pre-pandemic that you're glad to have gone, you can keep them gone! If quieter weekends with not so many plans have been enjoyable or staycations rather than trips have worked for you, keep them up. Life now doesn't need to be a carbon copy of early 2020 life. • Respect your resil- ience. The pandemic hasn't been easy, and you've done the best you can to get through it. Take what you've learned and use it to cope as changes continue. If you're experiencing more significant distress, seek help. The Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch is providing free call-in counselling -- call 289-291- 5396, and a counsellor will get back to you within 24 business hours. If you are in crisis, call the 24/7 COAST Crisis Line at 1-877- 825-9011. Melanie McGregor is the communications and ad- vancement specialist at the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch, which provides mental health/addiction community support and education. Visit www.hal- ton.cmha.ca for more in- formation and follow @cmhahalton on Twitter. A TIME OF TRANSITION OPINION ADJUSTING TO POST-PANDEMIC LIFE WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US, WRITES MELANIE MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column "Even though the things we miss coming back safely may be a positive change, it is still a change that will require some adjustment." SCAN THIS CODE FOR MORE LOCAL OPINIONS. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU SUBMIT YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR TODAY!