BURLINGTON, ON - With the support of Burlington City Council, the city is making organizational changes that affect the Engineering and Transit and Traffic departments and interim changes that affect Parks and Recreation.

These changes include:

• Splitting of the Transit and Traffic department into two separate departments: the Transit Department and the Transportation Department.
• Transferring responsibilities related to transportation planning from the Engineering Department to the Transportation Department.
• Adding a new manager position in the Parks and Recreation Department to better align workload.
• Appointing a new acting director in Parks and Recreation.

“The city’s leadership team continues to review best practices in other municipalities and has created a made-in-Burlington solution,” said Mayor Cam Jackson. “This restructuring will improve customer service and result in a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”

The creation of a Transit department recognizes that Burlington Transit has doubled in size in the last 10 years and requires focused resources to better service the community and work on interregional transit plans.

The creation of a Transportation department and a new director position allows the city to devote additional resources to transportation planning, traffic services, parking services and the signal system. It also helps respond to the high level of community interest in transportation, and better positions the department for strategic planning.

With transportation planning moving to the new department, the Engineering department will focus more on storm water management, capital projects and the environment—to name a few areas.

“The changes ensure clear accountability in the work performed, a better distribution of resources to deal with areas of responsibility, and to help balance workload, and enhanced delivery of services for the Burlington community,” said Scott Stewart, General Manager of Community Services.

All of the Transit, Transportation and Engineering changes have been made using the existing number of staff positions. Parks and Recreation changes will add staff resources to deal with priority projects and facility operations, while placing greater emphasis on parks and open space.

Burlington is an environmentally-focused, fiscally-responsible city with a workforce of 1,000 full-time equivalents and a budget of more than $180 million. For more information, visit www.burlington.ca

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Media contacts: Scott Stewart General Manager, Community Services Phone: 905-335-7600, ext. 7839 stewarts@burlington.ca

Communications contact: Donna Kell Manager, Public Affairs Phone: 905-335-7841 kelld@burlington.ca