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Dear Residents,
What a gorgeous week we had for the start of Fall and looks like we are going to have a few more sunny days ahead of us. Halloween is fast approaching and Markham Museum and Main St Markham will be hosting their annual trick or treat events.
I am happy to see that the Provincial Government has reversed their decision to remove land from Ontario's Greenbelt, signaling a return to permanent protection of its natural heritage and agriculture. Thank you to all the residents and advocates that voiced their concerns over the past 10 months in order to protect these lands from development. More recently urban boundary expansions have also been reversed. Maybe this is the first step towards the Province actually working with Municipalities in collaboration on our shared objectives to achieve a diverse mix of housing. National Observer Article
At this time, I am still waiting on confirmation for the public meeting dates on the following topics: Parking Strategy, Comprehensive Zoning By-law, Mount Joy Secondary Plan and the Citywide Safety Plan. I will send out a small update once the dates have been confirmed.
Don't forget to visit Main St Markham this Saturday for Trick or Treat!
Regards
Karen |
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Road Closure Notification Mill Street Erosion Stabilization
Mill St. in the City of Markham will be closed from Main St. Markham to Rouge St. from September 2023 to approximately July 2024. Local access during this time will be through Rouge St. Mill St. will remain closed while the City completes the investigations and design work required for the installation of permanent bank protection measures on a failed slope on the bank of Rouge River. In the meantime, a temporary bank protection measure has been established to avoid further destabilization of the river bank. The construction is scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2024 and is expected to be completed by the end of July 2024, weather permitting. Further notices and updates will be provided to area residents before the construction begins. |
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South York Greenway Trail - York Region will be at the city on November 14th at 9.30am to discuss the trail system. The system will provide over 50km of trails spanning across the entirety of York Region. Part of this trail will be built behind Colonel Butler along the 407 corridor out to ninth line and East. Please check the council agenda to confirm date and time. HERE Project overview
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City of Markham Parking Strategy.
Have your say on the city wide parking strategy including but not limited to: recreation vehicle parking, over-night street parking, minimum or maximum parking spots for new developments. For more information and to stay up to date and provide feedback please visit the City's Parking Strategy Website and sign up for updates.
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We've been hearing a lot about car thefts occurring in across the GTA. YRP has a list of tips to protect yourselves and your vehicles from vehicle thefts and carjacking's (both are not the same thing). For more information please click the YRP Crime Prevention Link HERE |
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Pedestrian Safety
We want pedestrians, drivers and cyclists to feel safe using our roads and sidewalks. Please remember that:
Highway Traffic Act 75 (5) states that “every motor vehicle, motor assisted bicycle and bicycle shall be equipped with an alarm bell, gong or horn, which shall be kept in good working order and sounded whenever it is reasonably necessary to notify pedestrians or others of its approach. |
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What you need to know about micro-mobility before making a purchase |
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The Ministry of Transportation regulations do not permit the use of e-scooters within public spaces unless a municipality has opted in to the Provincial 5-year e-scooter pilot project. The City of Markham has not opted in to this pilot. E-bikes that do not require pedaling are only permitted on public highways.
Pedal-assisted e-bikes are regulated the same way as conventional bicycles in terms of their use on sidewalks and trails Staff Report
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Tree Permits
Our office has received a lot of communications regarding trees and tree permits. The City of Markham requires a Tree Permit to be obtained before removing or injuring any tree on private property 20cm DBH or greater and/or removing or injuring any tree of any size on City property. Tree Injury is defined as lasting damage to a tree within a designated Tree Preservation Zone. Removing or injuring a tree without a permit could result in charges and fines being laid. |
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If you are making plans to enhance your landscaping and doing any type of construction in your front or rear yards, you may need to apply for a Tree Permit and/or Tree Protection Zone Barriers may need to be installed prior to any work being started. This includes work related to any construction activities such as: demolition, excavation, trenching and boring, grade disturbances, machinery use, material storage, fencing and major landscaping. |
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Markville Secondary Plan Study
Please visit yourvoicemarkham to sign up for updates and to review meetings that have already taken place. The Secondary Plan update is scheduled for Dec.11th at 9.30 am and the tentative date for the Cadillac Fairview application is Dec. 5th For further information on the proposed plans please visit MappIt |
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Please check the council agenda to confirm dates of both public meetings. |
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The City of Markham is extending its Strategic Plan until 2026. The city would like to hear from residents about their experiences living in Markham. More community consultations are set to launch this fall. More information HERE |
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By-law and Regulatory Services Division Fall Newsletter
- Property Standards - noise by-law
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Provincial Changes - no updates at this time on Bill 23
Bill 134 - Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act. We recently received a presentation on this new bill and staff and council have concerns with the definition of "affordable" I will provide more information later when I fully understand what the proposed changes mean. Staff presentation.
We are in desperate need of more rental units and social housing. Government alone does not have the funds to build the amount of housing needed for those on a fixed income or for our front line workers making minimum wage who can no longer afford market rent. I believe that in each condo tower built that a small percentage of units should be sold to the Region at below market value but at an amount to cover the cost of the units. The Region would then become a landlord for those affordable rental units.
Continuing with the status quo is no longer acceptable and out of the box ideas need to be investigated to ensure that everyone regardless of their income level has a safe place to call home.
Contact information for our MPP and Premier:
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Participating in Public Meetings
All public meetings are now hybrid and livestreamed from the city website.
Residents can attend in person at the council chambers or you can attend virtually. Written submissions can be emailed to clerkspublic@markham.ca by 5pm the day before the meeting.
Residents who wish to speak on a topic can fill out an online request to speak form or email clerkspublic@markham.ca. If someone does not have access to email they can call the clerk's office at 905.479.7760 on the day of the meeting to make a deputation (speak).
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Join us at the Museum for the annual ScaryFest - October 28th & 29th 11 am - 6 pm
See the Markham Museum transform its 25-acre site into a ghoulishly grand Halloween town – a family event perfect for kids 10 and under! Come in costume, experience the site and many family friendly activities. For additional information and to buy tickets click HERE |
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First Pumpkin Patch Lighting and Costume Party
Date, Time and Location: Friday, October 27th, at 6.30 pm on the front lawn of St. Andrew's United Church.
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Older Adult Programming at Markham Museum
This Fall & Winter, the Markham Museum is excited to offer a series of Older Adult programs and activities for Markham Residents at no cost, thanks to funding from the Government of Ontario. Please see below link for our programming options and more information on how to participate. We look forward to welcoming you to the Museum and/or bringing our programming to you!
Click HERE for more information
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Aggressive driving continues to be a concern in the city, our own local ward and across the entire GTA. Moving violations are under the jurisdiction of York Regional Police (YRP) and reports can be filed through RoadWatch. For general concerns you can use the community concerns online reporting HERE |
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Visit YourVoiceMarkham.ca to learn about great projects our staff are working on! Consider joining the conversation by registering on the site or sign-up to follow specific projects that interest you. Share your ideas and opinions! |
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Markham Food Bank Needs our Help
The Markham Food Bank has seen a great increase in the number of families using the food bank during the pandemic. Help our community members in need during these challenging times.
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If you have any municipal inquiry, please send an email to customerservice@markham.ca or call 905.477.5530. Our staff can investigate and address your concerns. |
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