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Dear Residents,
I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season and was able to spend some time with friends and family. As we look forward to a healthier and more normal 2023 the city will be faced with a number of challenges, mainly Bill 109 and Bill 23, which could have a significant financial impact on all of us. My mailed Winter 2022-2023 Newlsetter that you will receive in the next few days has the inside of the flyer devoted to Bill 23 - "More Homes Built Faster Act".
An interesting video that I found regarding the housing crisis can be viewed here VIDEO. The video is easy to understand and well worth taking a few minutes to listen to. The video provides a summary of the reserach that the University of Toronto's School of Cities believes are the causes and solutions of the housing crisis.
There are a couple of meetings coming up that may be of interest to you. Cadillac Fairview wants to re-develop the lands where Markville Mall is located and those meetings will start this week. A community meeting has been scheduled for the high rise proposal on Hwy # 7 and Old Wellington. Details for both of these meetings are in this newsletter.
Stay tuned for a new GIS Interface that will be available for the public next month. This will provide residents access to developments by map areas. I will provide more information in February once the system is live.
Stay warm and healthy! Enjoy some winter activities that the city offers.
Karen Rea
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Provincial Changes: "Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act"
I am not even sure what to say about Bill 23 anymore. In my view many of the introduced changes are not logical and make no sense. This recent report summarizes what our Premier responded to about Property Tax impacts: CTV Ford & Property Taxes.
Someone has yet to explain how a pre-construction detached home selling for 2 million dollars, or a townhome at 1.5 million, is now affordable if you remove $120,000 from the developer's cost. Homes are sold for market value regardless of any fees and permits paid to the city.
For non-profits, the city already waives development charges and cash-in-lieu-of-parkland fees for affordable housing projects in Markham.
Let's be honest on what the problem is and start to look at solutions. We need more purpose-built rentals and the government needs to start building social housing for those on a fixed income, including our seniors. Seniors are on a 10 plus year waitlist for affordable rentals. How is that even acceptable today? Building more housing is always a good thing, but let's not fool ourselves that Bill 23 is going to provide "affordable housing".
The time to act is now and the city needs your help. If everyone on this email writes or calls your MPP to request that Bill 23 is repealed or modified and insist that the Province work with municipalities collaboratively together to come up with solutions to find real ways to provide affordable housing. Municipalities should not be eliminated from the conversations and our input is crucial for housing to be built, to advocate for more diverse housing stock and to ensure that revenue is not eliminated which is required to build necessary infrastructure in all new communities.
Contact information for your MPP and Premier:
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5871 Highway 7 E - Community Information Meeting
Date and Location: January 24th 7pm
Markham Village Community Centre
A submission for an Official Plan and a Zoning By-Law Amendment has been received.The applicant has applied to redesignate the property from Mixed-Use Mid-Rise to Residential High-Rise. The Zoning By-law amendment proposes to rezone the lands from a commercial zone to a residential zone.The proposal is for a 13-story residential apartment building containing 146 units. The community meeting will allow residents to ask questions and/or provide comments on the proposal prior to the yet-to-be-scheduled statutory meeting. |
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The city will be starting our budget process on January 23rd. Please check the city website for meeting dates. Everyone is welcome to attend in person, or listen livestream and/or make a deputation.
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Markville Secondary Plan Engagement
To attend the virtual meeting visit yourvoicemarkham.ca to register.
The City of Markham's Official Plan 2014 identifies the need for a new secondary plan for Markville. The study will address land use and urban design, transportation, and municipal servicing to support the development of a sustainable and complete community. We are planning for the future of
your Markville and we want to hear from
you! We want to make sure that the Secondary Plan reflects the needs and ideas of the people who live, work, shop, and play in the community.
- Virtual Community Information Meeting #1 | Thursday, January 19, 6pm
- Join us for the first Virtual Community Information Meeting. This interactive session is an opportunity to gather information and provide valuable input on the future of the Markville community.
- Virtual Visioning Workshop | Friday, February 3, 1pm to 3pm
- Join us for a public Visioning Workshop on the Markville Secondary Plan area. The purpose of this workshop is to engage the public, and other stakeholders, to support the development of a vision statement and guiding principles for the Markville Secondary Plan.
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Once again I will be participating in the 360experience to raise funds for youth at risk. For one night we will walk in the footsteps of a youth that does not have a safe place to call home. We are given $3 and a bus ticket in which to survive a cold wintery night. Please consider making a donation HERE. Receipts will be provided by 360kids. Thank you for your support.. |
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York Regional Police District 5 will be hosting a virtual Crime Prevention Session for residents in Markham.
Wednesday, Januray 18, 2023, 6pm to 7:30pm.
Please check below for zoom access details.
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Aggressive driving continues to be a concern in the 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. It is time for everyone to slow down and have some respect for where we live. It is up to each of us to keep our roads safe for all users. |
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Announcement from Metrolinx
Beginning January 7, 2023, there will be a shift in Markham GO bus trips on the Stouffville Route - 70B Markham - Uxbridge to align with GO train trips. Our hope is that this will provide commuters and post-secondary students in particular with more options.
Riders are encouraged to use gotransit.com or triplinx.ca to plan their travels.
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Welcome to the movies! MATM and TIFF Film Circuit bring award-winning Canadian and International films to the Flato Markham Theatre. On January 24, at 7pm MATM will be showing: "The Phantom of the Open".
Tickets: $12 at the door or at the box office at 905-305-7469.
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Notice from Alectra Utilities
One of Alectra's projects for 2023 is the refurbishment of existing underground cables in the area bound by Hwy 7, Markham Rd, 16th Ave and McCowan Rd. Alectra's cable injection contractor Novinium Inc. will start work approximately on January 16, 2023. Minor interruptions in service may be required.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call Alectra Outreach Department at 1-877-963-6900, Option 9. For full details Read Letter |
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Varley Art Gallery
Please join us at the Varley Art Gallery for the Markham Winter 2023 Exhibition Opening.
The two winter exhibitions for 2023 are "
Sara Angelucci: Undergrowth" and "
Field Notes". A reception for the openings of the exhibitions is on Saturday, January 21 from 2pm to 4pm. Meet the artists, enjoy curator talks, gallery tours, and a hands-on activity for all ages at the opening reception. |
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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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