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May 21st 2022
Dear Residents,
Due to the extraordinary situation of what is happening in our Langstaff area, Markham Council has provided authorization for a newsletter/email to be sent out regarding the Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) proposal. We are inviting residents to attend a Special Development Service Committee meeting either virtually or in person on May 26th at 7pm. This meeting has been scheduled to provide you with information about the TOC and the impact that this will have on our City.
If you only have time for one meeting this year, then this is the meeting that I encourage you to attend. Why should residents in Ward 4 be concerned as Yonge and 7 is a long way from any of us here. If the Province can force this on us in this location, to double the density and increase heights of buildings using its MZO powers, there is nothing stopping them from declaring Markham Centre and/or Mount Joy as a TOC and again, remove the ability of Council to make decisions on planning in our own communities.
City staff will be providing an overview of the proposal and there will be time for residents to ask questions and/or make deputations.
Please see invite below for further details.
Karen Rea |
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If you would like to speak at the meeting, please complete a
Request to Speak Form. If you do not have access to email,
contact the Clerk’s office at 905.479.7760 on the day of
the meeting.
Members of the public may submit a written deputation
by email to clerkspublic@markham.ca
no later than 5 PM on May 25, 2022.
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Transit Oriented Communities (TOC)
The Government of Ontario has refused to address the concerns of the City in relation to the TOC (transit-oriented communities) proposal at Bridge Station (in Langstaff). On April 14th right before the long weekend, the Minister issued an enhanced ministers zoning order, essentially removing the city from having any say on how this location is to be built. To implement the TOC, the Province wants the City to sign an agreement in principle (AIP) which we have refused at this time.
Presentation April 25th
Council also unanimously approved a Motion to ask the Minister to revoke the MZO.
On the same day, the Provincial government released a statement that the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 (Bill 109) received Royal Assent.
The More Homes for Everyone Plan and Bill 109 was released on March 30, 2022. At that time the Province posted Bill 109 on the Environmental Registry with a commenting period from March 30, 2022, to April 29, 2022. Staff was preparing a report with comments on Bill 109 for the April 25th Development Services Committee Meeting. Unfortunately, the Province brought the legislation forward to Royal Assent before their own consultation period even ended.
More homes for Everyone Act will significantly impact municipalities, in particular, the refund of certain application fees and limiting parkland within provincial transit-oriented communities. The concept of refunding fees runs counter to the principle that growth pays for growth and this will shift growth costs to the taxpayer.
I would encourage everyone to write to our local MPP Paul Calandra, the Premier, and all opposition leaders; NDP Andrea Horwath, Green Party Mike Schreiner, and Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca requesting that the Province revoke the MZO related to the TOC and allow municipalities to plan their own complete communities based on good planning in an open and transparent process.
How many MZO has been passed by the Province? Find out at yourstoprotect.ca
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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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