The City of Burnaby Environmental Awards Program recognizes the outstanding environmental achievements of individuals, groups, organizations and companies in Burnaby.

We are currently seeking nominations for the 2014 Environment Awards in the categories of Business Stewardship, Communications, Community Stewardship, Green Choices, Planning & Development and Youth. Nominations will be received until April 14, 2014.

To fi ll out a nomination form, or to fi nd out more information about the Burnaby Environment Awards, check out our website at www.burnaby.ca/environmentawardsor call 604-294-7400.

Make a nomination and show your support for Burnaby’s environmental leaders.

Environment Awards 2014 burnaby.ca/environmentawards

May 31 ~ June 7, 2014burnaby.ca/environmentweek

tax informationYour 2014 Property Tax NoticeTax statements will be mailed at the beginning of June 2014. The tax due date is July 3, 2014. A 5% penalty will be added at end-of-day July 3 to current taxes unpaid and on the Home Owner Grant amount, if not claimed by July 3.

Did you know you can pay your property taxes and claim your Home Owner Grant from home? Pay your property taxes online through your bank website and claim your Home Owner Grant online at www.burnaby.ca/whog.

How to pay your property taxes online:• Gotoyouronlinebanking website and log in• ClickonPaymentsandadda payee - Search by Payee Name: (enter) Burnaby - You will see a number of options - Select: Burnaby Property Taxes, Utilities and Garbage Fees - Enter your account number: this is your roll number located in the top left corner of your tax statement – do not include dashes or spaces - Click on submit or enter• GotoPayBills - Select Burnaby Property Taxes, Utilities and Garbage Fees - Enter the amount due and the date you want the payment to be withdrawn from your account (for example July 3, 2014). Payment must be received in the tax office by July 3 to avoid penalties - Click on Pay Bills - Click on Confirm if the payment amount and date is correct - Your confirmation number will appear, print this confirmation or record it on your statement for your records. Note that if you do not have a confirmation number your payment will not be processed.

- The payment will be withdrawn on the date you requested and electronically submitted to City of Burnaby Property Taxes, Utilities and Garbage Fees

Changes to paying your Taxes and claiming your Home Owner Grant at your bank: Please be advised that your financial institution may not accept your Home Owner Grant at time of payment. The banks and credit unions are designed to quickly and efficiently accept and transfer your payment to the City. This is a safe and secure way of ensuring your tax and utility payment is made in a timely manner.

However, Canadian financial institutions have been reducing the amount of paper they accept and transfer to billers over the last few years, moving to an automated operation. While the bank will accept and advance your payment to the City, it is each home owner’s responsibility to submit a qualifying Home Owners Grant when applicable.

How to claim your Home Owner Grant:• Claimonlineatwww. burnaby.ca/whog - Enter your 12-digit Roll Number (located in the top left corner of your tax statement) and 4-digit Access Code - Fill out your Home Owner Grant application online - Click on ‘Claim Grant’ button - Click on ‘Print’ button to print a copy or write down the 6-digit Confirmation Number for your record. Note, if you have not received a confirmation number, your Home Owner Grant has not been processed. You will need to repeat the above steps. If you are unsure, please contact the City of Burnaby Tax Department.

If you do not have access to the online system you can mail your completed application to:

City of Burnaby, PO Box 6200, Vancouver Station Main, V6B 4B5These methods help to avoid processing delays and line-ups that can occur at City Hall.To receive a credit for the Home Owner Grant amount, an application must be completed and submitted each year. Home Owner Grants can be claimed even without making a payment.

Receive your Property Tax Statement and the Utility Charge and Garbage Disposal Fee Statement online: • Registeratwww.epost.ca • Theemailaddressyou use to register must be the one where you want to receive notification that your electronic statement is available• Youshouldreceiveyour bills/statements to your epost account around the same time that they would arrive in your physical mailbox• Youwillreceiveanemail from epost to notify you when you have epost mail

Property Tax DefermentProperty Tax Deferment is a low-interest loan program that assists qualifying homeowners in British Columbia in paying the annual property taxes on their principal residences. Tax Deferment is available for:• Propertyownerswhoare 55 years or older, a surviving spouse or a person with disabilities as defined by regulation. • Propertyownerswho financially support one or more dependent children.

You can pick up an application form from the Burnaby Tax Office or download and print a form from the Service BC Centre website at www.sbr.gov.bc.ca.

For further information contact the Tax Office by telephone at 604-294-7350, by email at tax@burnaby.ca, or visit www.burnaby.ca.

Burnaby Heights is going to party like it is 1984 this Hats Off Day! The annual parade and street festival, this year on Saturday, June 7 from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, will mark its 30th anniversary in 2014. To celebrate in true crimped-hair, neon, and shoulder-pad style, the Hats Off Day Organizing Committee is inviting everyone near and far to channel their inner Madonna and Boy George, and be part of the 1980s-themed festival.

With 50,000 people attending each year, this is a street party of enormous proportions. Merchants

Hats Off Day - 30th Anniversary!

are out in front with various giveaways, prizes, entertainment and food as they take their “hats off” to the community. Numerous community groups are highlighted with their various programs and activities.

Mark your calendars, pull on your leg warmers, and find that orange eye shadow. There’s still plenty of time to plan your very best Pac Man costume, big hair do, and Breakfast Club character. For more information, visit www.hatsoffday.com or call 604-294-8899.

Move for Health Day in Burnaby!Come out and get moving on Saturday, May 10 as we celebrate International Move for Health Day in Burnaby! Enjoy free family swims, community walks, canoeing on Deer Lake and so much more! Please visit www.burnaby.ca/moveforhealth for a full listing of activities that will be offered! Come on, Burnaby, let’s get moving!

On April 14, 2014 Mayor Derek Corrigan officially unveiled the newly designed City of Burnaby street banners. This prestigious honour has been bestowed to three young community artists.

Young Artists honoured for outdoor banners! These spectacular works will be displayed on over 300 street poles along Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake and entrances into the City of Burnaby over the next two years. We congratulate Alana

S. (Cameron Elementary), Amelia Kathleen E. (Burnaby Central Secondary) and Yejin H. (Burnaby Mountain Secondary)!

ONLY use 9-1-1 when you need:

Police | Fire | Ambulance andto report a crime in progress.

When you call for help, what you say is important: • Staycalmandspeakclearly• Saywhatiswrongandwhat kind of help you need • Tellthe9-1-1Operatorwhere the emergency is • Giveyournameandtelephone number, or you may remain anonymous • Followthe9-1-1Operator’s instructions – stay on the line until you are told to hang up

Other important phone numbers:• BurnabyRCMPNon-Emergency Line | 604-294-7922 • BurnabyFireDepartmentNon- Emergency Line | 604-294-7190• CityofBurnabyInformation Desk | 604-294-7944

To report an after-hours environmental concern or a sewer/water/road issue, please call the City of Burnaby Dispatch (24 hrs) | 604-294-7200.

To report a gas leak call Fortis BC (24 hrs) | 1-800-663-9911.

When and How to use 9-1-1

Graffiti can be an ongoing issue for many property owners. Here are some tips to keep your property clear of graffiti:

• Keepyourpropertyingood order – clean up any litter, keep any vegetation well- maintained, and install proper lighting. Consider motion sensors or security cameras. Graffiti vandals often target properties that look neglected.

• Recordthegraffitibytaking a photograph. The RCMP need to know how recent the graffiti is on your property. This information will be used as part of the investigation.

• ReportthegraffititotheCity of Burnaby Graffiti Hotline at 604-298-8247. Have the picture ready to send in, with other property information. To report a graffiti vandal in the act, call 9-1-1.

• Removethegraffitiassoon as possible. The most

important tip for graffiti prevention is to remove the graffiti as fast as it appears. This will send a message that you will not tolerate graffiti on your property.

• Removetemptation.Limit the opportunities for graffiti by planting shrubs or vines to prevent access to target walls, removing dumpsters or other items away from walls and removing ladders to prevent access to the roof. You can also paint exterior walls with paint types that repel graffiti.

• Getinvolved.Organizea ‘Community Paint Out’ with help from Burnaby’s Anti-Graffiti Coordinator, and keep a look-out for graffiti in your neighbourhood so that you can report it.

For more information telephone 604-294-7388 or visit www.burnaby.ca/graffiti.

Preventing Graffiti – One Tag at a Time

Burnaby was originally covered in forests dominated by Hemlock, Cedar, Douglas Fir and Spruce trees. Although Burnaby has grown as an urban city, a key part of Burnaby’s identity is the preservation of over 25% of the City’s land base as public green space as well as the many treed areas throughout the City on both public and private lands. These include conservation areas, wetlands, parks, boulevards and rights-of-way, and residential areas.

As a whole, these trees and forested areas make up Burnaby’s Urban Forest which helps to protect ecosystems and human health. Trees contribute to Burnaby’s livability, health and prosperity, as well as providing

environmental, social, and economic benefits, including:• Providingfoodandshelterfor wildlife• Removingairpollutionand producing oxygen• Stabilizingsoilonsteepslopes• Providingshadeandwind shelter• Makingneighbourhoods more beautiful

Recently, the City’s Tree Bylaw has been amended to further enhance the City’s approach to tree protection. The Bylaw aims to protect ‘significant’ trees from unnecessary cutting or removal. To find out what this means for you, visit www.burnaby.ca/treebylaw, call 604-294-7130, or email treebylaw@burnaby.ca.

Burnaby’s Urban Forest