Markham (
Mark-Am) is a
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
of York Region, located in
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
and forms a part of the
Greater Toronto AreaThe Greater Toronto Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. The GTA is a provincial planning area in Southern Ontario with a population of 5,555,912 at the 2006 Canadian Census...
. Markham is regarded as largest town in Canada, and regarded as one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada, having doubled its population since 1990. The population of Markham according to the
2006 Population CensusThe Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
is 261,573. Within the Greater Toronto Area, Markham is the fourth-most populous municipality after
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
, Mississauga, and
BramptonBrampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
. Markham is considered as
Canada's High-Tech Capital and
Silicon-Valley North as it is home to various head offices for international high-tech companies such as
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
,
MotorolaMotorola, Inc. is an American, multinational, Fortune 100, telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets, and also designs and sells wireless network infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal...
,
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
,
LucentAlcatel-Lucent is a global telecommunications corporation, headquartered in Paris, France. It provides telecommunications solutions to service providers, enterprises and governments around the world, enabling these customers to deliver voice, data and video services...
,
Sun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems, Inc. is a multinational vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information technology services, founded on February 24, 1982...
,
AppleApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products. The company's best-known hardware products include Macintosh computers, the iPod and the iPhone...
,
AMEXAmerican Express Company , sometimes known as "AmEx", is a diversified global financial services company that is headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best known for its credit card, charge card, and...
and
ATIATI Technologies Inc. was a major Canadian designer and supplier of graphics processing units and motherboard chipsets. In 2006, the company was acquired by Advanced Micro Devices and was renamed the AMD Graphics Product Group , although the ATI brand was retained for graphics cards.The AMD...
, which is now part of
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc. is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
.
History
Markham was first surveyed as a
townshipThe term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
in 1793 by
William BerczyWilliam Berczy was a Canadian pioneer and painter....
and in 1794 he led 75 German families from upstate
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to an area of Markham now known as German Mills. Each family was granted 200 acres (0.8 km²) of land, however due to hardships, many opted to returned to York (now Toronto) and Niagara. The area was considered to be remote and lack of roads through the region made travel difficult. German Mills soon after became a ghost town. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
GermansThe German people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship , distinguished from people of German ancestry...
, most of whom were Mennonites. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers had the best chance for survival because they had already survived harsh conditions in Pennsylvania. By 1830, many
IrishThe Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians The Irish...
,
ScottishThe Scots people and an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland.An ethnic group, historically they emerged from an amalgamation of Picts, Gaels and Brythons....
and
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
famalies immigrated to
Upper CanadaThe Province of Upper Canada was a British colony located in what is now the southern portion of the Province of Ontario in Canada. Upper Canada officially existed from 26 December 1791 to 10 February 1841 and generally comprised present-day Southern Ontario...
, many settling in Markham.
Markham's early years blended the rigors of homesteading with the development of agriculture-based industries. The many rivers and streams in the Township soon supported water-powered saw and grist mills and later wooden mills. With improved transportation routes, such as the construction of
Yonge Street in the 1800s, along with the growing population, urbanization increased. By 1857, most of the Township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like
Thornhill,
Unionville and
Markham greatly expanded. In 1871, the
Toronto and Nipissing RailwayThe Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
company built the first rail line to Markham, which is still used today by the GO Train commuter services. The first form of structured municipal government occurred in 1850 when the Township of Markham was created.
When Markham was incorporated as a town in 1972, its population quickly grew due to urban sprawl from the
Greater Toronto AreaThe Greater Toronto Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. The GTA is a provincial planning area in Southern Ontario with a population of 5,555,912 at the 2006 Canadian Census...
. In 1976, Markham's population was approximately 56,000. Since that time, the population has more than quintupled with explosive growth in new subdivisions. Much of Markham's
farmlandFarmland may refer to:*Arable land, land used for agriculture*Farmland, Indiana, a town in the United States*Farmland Industries, founded in 1929 as the Union Oil Company, later renamed Consumers Cooperative Association and Farmland Industries, Inc....
has now disappeared, but is still found north of
Major MacKenzie DriveMajor Mackenzie Drive, officially referred to as York Regional Road 25 and also commonly known as "Major Mac", is a major east-west arterial road in southern York Region, Ontario, Canada...
. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive
Oak Ridges MoraineThe Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of 1,900 square kilometres between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough...
will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive.
At present, Markham comprises six major communities, which include
Buttonville,
Cornell,
Markham Village,
Milliken,
Thornhill, and
Unionville. Since the 1980s, the town has been recognized as a suburb of Toronto. Many high-tech companies have head offices located in Markham for the relative abundance of land, low tax rates and good transportation routes. ATI Technologies (now known as AMD), IBM Canada, Apple Computer Canada, Motorola Canada and many other well-known companies have chosen Markham as their home in Canada. Hence, the town has been branding itself as Canada's "High-Tech Capital".
An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in front of the
Markham MuseumMarkham Museum is a open air museum, located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is dedicated to the preservation of old buildings and artefacts from Markham's past, especially as a rural village has become an urban centre...
by the province to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage.
Geography
Markham covers an area of 212.47 square kilometres and Markham's Town Centre is at . It is bounded by 5 municipalities:
- West
- Vaughan
Vaughan is a city in Ontario, Canada.Vaughan may also refer to:* Vaughan's Identity* Vaughan , list of people with this name* Vaughan , in Ontario, Canada* Vaughan, Mississippi, US* Vaughan Springs, Victoria, Australia...
- boundary along Yonge Street between Steeles AvenueSteeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It is 38.75 km within Toronto, between Albion Road and the Scarborough-Pickering limit....
and Highway 7York Regional Road 7 is a major east-west arterial road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It runs in Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, and is one of the rare regional roads that stretch from the western limit to the eastern limit of York Region...
- Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario in the central portion of York Region, Ontario, located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe. It is the third most populous municipality in York Region and the 28th most populous municipality in Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto...
- boundary along Highway 7 from Yonge Street to Highway 404Highway 404 is a 400-Series Highway in Southern Ontario, Canada. It runs from the junction of Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto to its northern terminus at Green Lane/Herald Road in Newmarket. The highway mainly serves as a commuter road for those working in Toronto but also for...
and at Highway 404 from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road
- South
- Toronto
Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
- boundary along Steeles Avenue
- North
- Whitchurch-Stouffville - boundary is from Highway 404 to York-Durham line somewhere between 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road
- East
- Pickering
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area .-Demographics:...
- along the York-Durham Line.
Topography
Markham's average altitude is at 200 metres and in general consists of genty rolling hills. The town is intersected by two rivers; the Don River and
Rouge RiverThe Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin at the Oak Ridges Moraine near Leslie Street and 19th Avenue in Richmond Hill...
, as well as their tributaries. To the north is the
Oak Ridges MoraineThe Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of 1,900 square kilometres between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough...
, which further elevates the elevation towards the north.
Climate
Due to Markham's proximity to Toronto, Markham shares the same climate as Toronto. On an average day, Markham is generally one to two degrees celsius cooler than in downtown Toronto.
Demographics
Population
Markham has experienced tremendous growth since the 1980s. The Canadian census of 2006 states that the population of Markham was 261,573, which is a 25.4% increase from the
2001 censusThe Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
.
Religion
Markham is home to many religions. According to the Canadian census of 2006 it states:
| Religion |
Percentage |
CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
|
25.5% |
| No Religious Affiliation |
23.1% |
| Protestant |
20.6% |
| Hindu A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
|
5.7% |
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
|
5.3% |
| Jewish |
5.3% |
| Christian Orthodox Christian Orthodoxy can refer to either:* The Oriental Orthodox Church* The Eastern Orthodox Church...
|
4.9% |
| Other Christian |
4.3% |
| Buddhist |
3.4% |
| Other Religions |
0.1% |
Race
Markham is home to many immigrants, mainly from Europe and South Asia. The Canadian census of 2006 states 42.6% of the population were Canadian-born population whereas 56.6% were foreign-born. 0.9% are non-residents.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3519036&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Markham&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=&GeoCode=3519036 According to the 2006 census, the largest racial groups in Markham were;
| Ethnic Originhttp://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?T=501&Lang=E&GV=4&GID=3519036&Prov=35&S=0&O=A |
Population |
| Canadian |
29,385 |
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
|
27,110 |
ScottishThe Scots people and an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland.An ethnic group, historically they emerged from an amalgamation of Picts, Gaels and Brythons....
|
16,805 |
IrishThe Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians The Irish...
|
15,055 |
| Chinese The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People who reside in and hold citizenship of the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China . This definition stems from a legal perspective...
|
13,890 |
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common Italian culture, descent, and speaking the Italian language as a mother tongue...
|
11,830 |
JewishThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
|
10,105 |
| German |
7,780 |
FrenchFrench people can refer to:* The legal residents and citizens of France, regardless of ancestry. For a legal discussion, see French nationality law.* People whose ancestors lived in France or the area that later became France....
|
6,345 |
| Greek |
5,970 |
| Sri Lankan |
5,520 |
| Polish |
3,990 |
| Iranian |
2,470 |
DutchThe Dutch people are the dominant ethnic group of the Netherlands.Dutch people, or descendants of Dutch people, are also found in migrant communities world wide, notably in Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States....
|
2,245 |
| Ukrainian |
2,435 |
| Pakistani |
2,120 |
| Russian |
2,275 |
| Armenian |
1,390 |
| South Asian |
1,215 |
Government
Town Council
The
Markham Town CouncilThe Markham Town Council is the governing body of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is composed of the Mayor, eight Councillors who each represent one of the town's eight Wards, and four Regional Councillors who, along with the Mayor, are elected by the community to represent the Town of Markham at...
consists of the
Frank ScarpittiFrank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario, Scarpitti was appointed mayor from 1992 to 1994 following the death of Tony Roman, but was defeated by Don Cousens in the 1994 municipal election...
as mayor, four regional councillors and eight ward councillors representing one of the town's eight wards.
Frank ScarpittiFrank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario, Scarpitti was appointed mayor from 1992 to 1994 following the death of Tony Roman, but was defeated by Don Cousens in the 1994 municipal election...
replaced the now retired Donald Cousens, who was a former PC MPP for Markham and
PresbyterianThe Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
church minister. The mayor and four regional councillors are elected by the community to represent the Town of Markham at the regional level. The members of council are elected by the municipality's voters. Councillors are paid by the municipality for their services, but in many municipalities, members of council usually serve part-time and work at other jobs as well. The current members of council were elected by the residents to a four-year term of office, in accordance with standards set by the province. The selection of members for the offices of mayor and regional councillors are made town-wide, while ward councillors are elected by individual ward.
Markham Civic Centre
The town council is located at the
Markham Civic CentreThe Markham Civic Centre is the city hall of the town of Markham, Ontario. The brick and glass Civic Centre was designed by architect Arthur Erickson with Richard Stevens Architects Limited and opened in 1989...
at
York Regional Road 7York Regional Road 7 is a major east-west arterial road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It runs in Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, and is one of the rare regional roads that stretch from the western limit to the eastern limit of York Region...
and
Warden AvenueWarden Avenue is a major north-south road in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.Warden begins as a two-lane residential street two blocks south of Kingston Road, becoming a 4-lane road when it reaches Danforth Avenue. North beyond the Toronto boundary at Steeles Avenue, the area becomes York Region,...
. The previous offices on Woodbine Avenue have disappeared where now a funeral home operates. The historic town hall on
Main StreetMarkham Road is a north-south route in Toronto. The section was downloaded from the province of Ontario and renamed from Highway 48 to the old name of Markham Road...
is now a restored office building. The Mayor's Youth Task Force was created to discuss issues facing young people in the town and to plan and publicize events. Its primary purpose is to encourage youth participation within the community.
By-Laws
The town is permitted to create and enforce by-laws upon residents on various matters affecting the town. The by-laws are generally enforced by Town By-Law enforcement officers, but they may involve
York Regional PoliceYork Regional Police serves over 930,000 residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto. The YRP was formed in 1971 from the amalgamation of local forces and the local governments of Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, Vaughan, etc...-History:York Regional Police was...
if violations are deemed too dangerous for the officers to handle. In addition the by-laws can be linked to various provincial acts and enforced by the town. Violation of by-laws is subject to fines of up to $20,000 CAD. The by-laws of Markham include:
- Animal Control (see Dog Owners' Liability Act of Ontario)
- Construction Permits
- Driveway Extentions
- Fencing and Swimming Pools
- Heritage Conservation (see Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
)
- Home-Based Businesses
- Noise
- Parking
- Property Standards
- Registration of Basement Apartments and Second Suites
- Sewers
- Site Alteration
- Waste Collection
- Water Use
Police
There are no courts in Markham, but the town is served by an Ontario Court of Justice in
NewmarketNewmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 45 km north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe in an area known as the "905 Region"...
, as well as an Ontario Small Claims court in
Richmond Hill, OntarioRichmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario in the central portion of York Region, Ontario, located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe. It is the third most populous municipality in York Region and the 28th most populous municipality in Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto...
. The Ontario Court of Appeal is located in Toronto, while the Supreme Court of Canada is located in Ottawa. Policing is provided by
York Regional PoliceYork Regional Police serves over 930,000 residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto. The YRP was formed in 1971 from the amalgamation of local forces and the local governments of Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, Vaughan, etc...-History:York Regional Police was...
at a station (5 District) at the corner of
McCowan RoadYork Regional Road 67, or McCowan Road is a north-south road in York Region, Ontario, Canada.-Road iformation:* Locally rferred to: McCowan Road* Length: 52km...
and
Carlton RoadCarlton Road is a major, 4-laned thoroughfare in the community of Unionville, in the Town of Markham, Ontario. The road began at York Regional Road 65 as a minor, 2-laned, local route. Stop signs are quite frequent. Along the road, real estates built from the 1900s could be found. East of York...
and
Highway 7Highway 7 is a provincially maintained highway in Southern Ontario, Canada. At its peak, Highway 7 measured a total distance of 716 km in length, stretching from Highway 40 east of Sarnia in Southwestern Ontario to Highway 417 southwest of Kanata in Eastern Ontario...
.
Highway 404Highway 404 is a 400-Series Highway in Southern Ontario, Canada. It runs from the junction of Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto to its northern terminus at Green Lane/Herald Road in Newmarket. The highway mainly serves as a commuter road for those working in Toronto but also for...
,
Highway 407Highway 407, officially called the 407 Express Toll Route , is a tollway in North America, located in the Greater Toronto Area, Southern Ontario, Canada. It begins at the junction of the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 403 in Burlington, and travels 108 km east to its present terminus at...
and parts of
Highway 48Before downloading in 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to Highway 35 in Coboconk with a total length of 128 km.- History :...
are patrolled by the
Ontario Provincial PoliceThe Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the largest deployed police force in Ontario and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
.
Hospitals
The main healthcare facility in the town is Markham Stouffville Hospital, located in the far eastern end. Markham is also home to
Shouldice HospitalShouldice Hernia Centre is a hospital in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, that is known for its specialization in external abdominal hernia operations. Shouldice uses a technique developed during World War II by Dr. Edward Earle Shouldice. Their ten full-time surgeons perform over 7500 hemiorrhapies...
, one of the world's premier facilities for people suffering from hernias.
Neighbourhoods and Communities
Markham is made up of many original 19th century communities (many of which, despite being technically suburban districts today, are still signed with official 'entering community' signs on major roads) each with a distinctive character:
- Almira
- Angus Glen
Angus Glen is a community in the north part of the Town of Markham and is part of Unionville, Ontario...
- Armadale
Armadale is the name of a community that overlaps into the Town of Markham and the former city of Scarborough in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The historical community is situated in the south-east of Markham and north-east of Scarborough.-History:...
- Berczy Village
Berczy Village is a residential community located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded, to the north by Major Mackenzie Drive, to the east by McCowan Road, to the south by 16th Avenue, and to the west by Kennedy Road. This area is part of northern Markham, Ontario. The community is named...
- Box Grove
Box Grove is an original community in Markham, Ontario. In the 1850s it was originally called Sparta. It changed to its present name during Canada's Confederation in 1867 when it got its first post office.Today it is undergoing a transformation from protected agricultural to residential use...
- Buttonville
Buttonville is an unincorporated suburban community within the Town of Markham in York Region, directly north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the western part of Markham. The population is presently about 30,000. Rouge River is to the northeast and Buttonville Airport is directly...
- Cachet
Cachet is a community within north-central Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by 16th Avenue to the south, Major Mackenzie Drive to the north, Warden Avenue to the east and Woodbine Avenue to the west....
- Cashel
Cashel, Ontario is an original community of Markham, Ontario located at the intersection of Elgin Mills Road and York Regional Road 67. Originally it was called Crosby Corners after John Crosby, the village's first store owner...
- Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, Ontario is an original community in Markham, Ontario. It was settled and founded originally by Peter Reesor in 1832. By 1878 the hamlet had 4 mills, a post office and a tavern....
- Cornell
Cornell is a new community being developed in northeast Markham, Ontario and bounded by Highway 407, 16th Avenue, Ninth Line, and the Don Cousens Parkway.-History:...
- Crosby
- Downtown Markham
Downtown Markham is a community under construction within the Town of Markham, Ontario, Canada. The community is located within the subdivision of Markham Centre, and is proposed to serve as the heart of Markham...
- Dickson's Hill
Dickson Hill or Dicksons Hill is a small community in northeast Markham, Ontario and is locate near Highway 48 and 19th Avenue.Unlike the northwest part of the town, the area around Dickson Hill remains largely underdeveloped. Much of the land remains agricultural with a small church and school...
- Greensborough
Greensborough is a community in the Town of Markham in the Canadian province of Ontario....
- Hagermans Corners
Hagermans Corners, Ontario is an original community in Markham, Ontario. Located at 14th Avenue and Kennedy Road, the former farm lands have disappeared and given way to homes and commercial parks...
- Legacy
Legacy is one of the areas located in Markham, Ontario. It is surrounded by Box Grove to the east and Rouge Fairways to the west and south. Legacy consists of low-density single detached homes, an elementary school and Legacy Park. Markham Green Golf Club is located within this community....
- Locust Hill
- Markham Village
- Milliken Mills
Milliken or Milliken Mills is a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto. It is located in the North West section of Scarborough and South West section of Markham...
- Mongolia
- Quantztown
Quantztown is an Ontario town located in the north part of Markham, near McCowan Road and 16th Avenue.As early as the 1990s, the area was at the edge of residential development, with land north of 16th Avenue still agricultural. Since the late 1990s, the land has given way to single family homes...
- Raymerville - Markville East
- Rouge Fairways
Rouge Fairways is a planned community located in east part of Markham, Ontario.The community is developed from lands along the old IBM Golf and Country Club in the late 1990s. Some of the local roads in the community retain links to the old golf course. The remaining farmland in the area has all...
- Sherwood - Amber Glen
- Thornhill
Thornhill is an upscale community in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the northern border of the City of Toronto. Once a municipal village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation geographically split into two municipalities, Vaughan, west of Yonge...
- Unionville
Unionville is a suburban community in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is comprised by the neighbourhoods alongside Major MacKenzie Dr...
- Victoria Square
Victoria Square, Ontario is one of the original communities in Markham, Ontario.The village was formed in the early 1800s. Today's residential development of the area began in the 1990s, and continues...
- Vinegar Hill
Vinegar Hill is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada located at Hwy #7 to the North, Hwy #407 to the south, and streets just west and east of Main Street South, bordered by the Rouge River...
- Wismer Commons
Wismer Commons is one of the newest developing residential area of Markham, Ontario. It is located north of 16th Avenue,west of Highway 48 and east of Kennedy Road. Wismer Commons is named after the Wismer Family, one of the original founding pioneer families of Markham, Ontario...
Thornhill and Unionville are popularly seen as being separate communities. Thornhill actually straddles the Markham-Vaughan town line (portions of it in both municipalities).
High Schools
Markham has a number of both public and catholic high schools. All have consistent high scores on standardized exams and have some of the highest rate of graduates attending universities.
- St. Robert Catholic High School
St. Robert Catholic High School is a secondary school in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.- History :St. Robert CHS was opened by the York Catholic District School Board in 1975, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2005. It was originally intended as an elementary school, but later saw the transition to...
- Markville Secondary School
Markville Secondary School is a public high school located in the town of Markham,Ontario, Canada. It known for its high academic standards, with consistently high rankings on standardized provincial tests....
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School
Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School is a public, bilingual English and French-immersion secondary school in Markham, Ontario...
- Unionville High School
- Middlefield Collegiate Institute
Middlefield Collegiate Institute is a public high school in the town of Markham,Ontario, Canada, and is part of the York Region District School Board. The school is named after the location which it is located.-History and Overview:...
- St. Augustine Catholic High School
St. Augustine Catholic High School opened in 2001. This Roman Catholic high school, located in Markham, Ontario, is a technologically oriented school and is part of the York Catholic District School Board...
- Brother André Catholic High School
Brother André Catholic High School is a secondary school in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Grades 9 to 12 are taught, with religious studies included in the curriculum. It is named after Blessed André Bessette , a 20th century Catholic Brother in Montreal responsible for the construction of the Saint...
- Markham District High School
Markham District High School is a public high school in the town of Markham,Ontario, Canada. It is one of 29 high schools in the York Region District School Board....
- Milliken Mills High School
Mililken Mills High School is a high school in the town of Markham,Ontario, Canada. It is one of 29 high schools in the York Region District School Board. In 1993 it was the first high school in Canada to register their own domain name. As well, it has high academic and athletic standards,...
- Thornlea Secondary School
Thornlea Secondary School is a public high school that opened in 1968 and is located in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, on the north east corner Bayview Avenue and Willowbrook Road, just south of Highway 407....
- Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy
Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy is a catholic high school of the York Catholic District School Board. It is located at the intersection of 14th Avenue and McCowan Road in the town of Markham, Ontario...
- Bur Oak Secondary School
Bur Oak Secondary School is a public secondary school in Markham, Ontario. Bur Oak has, according to the latest school assembly, over 1000 students, of which 300 are new. It is part of the York Region District School Board. Bur Oak S.S was built in 2007...
- Thornhill Secondary School
Thornhill Secondary School in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada was founded in 1955.-History:Originally it served as an elementary school, but in 1956 it opened as a full-time high school with 600 students. The TSS library was established in 1960...
,
- Bill Crothers Secondary School
Bill Crothers Secondary School is a character-oriented, athletic-focused Secondary School. It is the newest Secondary School in the York Region District School Board...
Post-Secondary
Markham currently does not have any universities itself, but
Seneca CollegeSeneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a community college for applied arts and technology in Toronto, Ontario. Seneca College is a member of Polytechnics Canada.-History:...
has campuses at Highways 7 and 404 and at Buttonville Airport. Most high school graduates continue to post-secondary education in universities across Ontario. There are local transit services that connect to
York UniversityYork University is a university located in Toronto, Ontario. It is Canada's third-largest university and has produced several of the country's top leaders across the humanities and in sciences such as chemistry, meteorology and space science....
,
Ryerson UniversityRyerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Canada. It has 24,000 full-time students, and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Its urban campus surrounds Yonge and Dundas Square, with the majority of its buildings in the blocks northeast of the...
,
University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyThe University of Ontario Institute of Technology is located in Oshawa, Ontario and shares its campus with Durham College. The university was founded in 2002 and accepted its first students in 2003, making it one of Canada's newest universities...
and the
University of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated north of the city's Financial District on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. The university was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in the...
, as well as to Toronto campuses of Seneca College,
Centennial CollegeCentennial College of Applied Arts and Technology is the oldest publicly funded community college in Ontario, founded in 1966. It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its four campuses are situated to serve the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area...
,
George Brown CollegeGeorge Brown College is a public, fully-accredited college of applied arts and technology with three full campuses in downtown Toronto, Ontario...
,
Humber CollegeHumber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber provides over 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, apprenticeship and postgraduate programs...
,
The Michener InstituteThe Michener Institute, more formally The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, is a post-secondary institution in Toronto, Ontario, that educates applied health science professionals.-History:...
,
Durham CollegeDurham College of Applied Arts and Technology is located in the Durham Region with campuses in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and Whitby and additional locations in Uxbridge, Port Hope, Port Perry and Beaverton...
and
Sheridan CollegeSheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with campuses in Oakville, Ontario, and Brampton, Ontario, both western suburbs of Toronto...
.
Economy
In the 19th century, Markham was a vibrant, independent community with distilleries and breweries around the Highway 7 and 48 intersection. The Speight Wagon Works exported products around the world, and it was said that Markham was more active than York (former name for Toronto) was early on.
Today, it claims to be "Canada's Hi-Tech Capital" with a number of key companies in the area, such as
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
,
MotorolaMotorola, Inc. is an American, multinational, Fortune 100, telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets, and also designs and sells wireless network infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal...
,
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
, Lucent,
Sun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems, Inc. is a multinational vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information technology services, founded on February 24, 1982...
,
HoneywellHoneywell is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, Apple Inc.,
Genesis MicrochipGenesis Microchip Inc. is a leading edge world wide supplier of integrated circuits for video processors in flat panel LCD TVs and Monitors. Founded in 1987 by Paul Russo in Markham, Ontario, Canada and it became a public company in 1998 and now employs over 563 people worldwide...
, and is home to the head office of graphics card producer
ATIATI Technologies Inc. was a major Canadian designer and supplier of graphics processing units and motherboard chipsets. In 2006, the company was acquired by Advanced Micro Devices and was renamed the AMD Graphics Product Group , although the ATI brand was retained for graphics cards.The AMD...
(recently merged with AMD).
Markham also maintains economic and cultural cooperation agreements with the city of
Laval, QuebecLaval is a city and a region in southwestern Quebec, Canada. With a population of 368,709 in 2006, it is the second largest city in Greater Montreal, and the third largest in the province of Quebec. Laval is in between the Rivière des Mille Îles opposite the north shore and the Rivière des...
, which is the second largest city of the
Greater Montreal Area and has a very high financial profile.
Parks
Culture
Until the 1970s, Markham was mostly farmland and marsh, which is still reflected in events like the
Markham FairMarkham Fair is an annual event hosted by the Markham, Ontario and East York agricultural society. Originally agricultural societies would meet on a regular basis to discuss various concepts of agricultural improvement such as livestock development and increased grain yields...
. Markham has several theatres, including the critically acclaimed Markham Little Theatre. and the Markham Youth Theatre.
The Markham Public Library system has 6 branches, with over 600,000 items in its collections.
Town issues
Like most cities and towns in the
Greater Toronto AreaThe Greater Toronto Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. The GTA is a provincial planning area in Southern Ontario with a population of 5,555,912 at the 2006 Canadian Census...
, Markham has a few issues it must deal with:
Urban growth
There is a desire by the Town to control urban sprawl by requesting higher density for new development. The town plan calls for more growth along Highway 7 and less towards the farmland to the north. A similar development in Cornell promotes the need for services to be closer to residences.
Transit plan
Linked to the concern of urban growth, Markham through
York Region TransitYork Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road.-Overview:...
(YRT) has implemented a transit system called
VivaViva is a bus rapid transit network in York Region, Ontario, Canada, with connections to northern Toronto and Toronto Transit Commission subway stations. Viva is a subsidiary of York Region Transit....
to ease the strain on the region's congested roads. Viva is similar to YRT but is used as an express bus service with the ability to change traffic signals to help reduce delays. The YRT is also planning to build a transit terminal somewhere near Cornell soon.
Attractions
Markham has retained its historic past in part of the town. Here a just few places of interest:
- Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery
Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery is an art gallery in Town of Markham, Ontario. The art gallery is named after an artist from the Group of Seven, Frederick Varley. The gallery is located on Unionville Main St....
- Heintzman House - Home of Colonel George Crookshank, Sam Francis and Charles Heintzman of Heintzman & Co.
Heintzman & Co. Ltd was a celebrated Canadian piano manufacturer, based in the Toronto area, whose instruments retain a reputation for quality of workmanship and fineness of tone.- History :...
, the piano manufacturer.
- Markham Museum
Markham Museum is a open air museum, located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is dedicated to the preservation of old buildings and artefacts from Markham's past, especially as a rural village has become an urban centre...
- Markham Village
- Markham Heritage Estates - a unique, specially designed heritage subdivision owned by the Town of Markham
- Reesor Farm Market
- Cathedral of the Transfiguration
The Cathedral of the Transfiguration is a Slovak Byzantine Rite Roman Catholic cathedral located in the community of Cathedraltown in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The cathedral was built in a rural area north of the city of Toronto and was built to serve Slovak Catholics throughout the Greater Toronto...
- Thornhill village
Thornhill is an upscale community in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the northern border of the City of Toronto. Once a municipal village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation geographically split into two municipalities, Vaughan, west of Yonge...
Heritage streets preserve the old town feeling:
- Main Street Markham
York Regional Road 68 is a north-south route in Markham, Ontario. The section from York Regional Road 73 to Lake Ontario shorelines was downloaded from the province of Ontario and renamed from Highway 48 to the current name of Markham Road...
(Markham RoadMarkham Road is a north-south route in Toronto. The section was downloaded from the province of Ontario and renamed from Highway 48 to the old name of Markham Road...
/ Highway 48Before downloading in 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to Highway 35 in Coboconk with a total length of 128 km.- History :...
)
- Main Street Unionville
Main Street Unionville is a collector route that runs through the historical suburban community of Unionville, Ontario. Like most other Main Streets, the street serves as an important road for local tourism development. All along the road, the street has structures that are virtually unchanged from...
(Kennedy RoadKennedy Road is a north-south street in Toronto and York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its is one of three major streets in Scarborough, and is home to the business district of Scarborough because of the many hundreds of stores along Kennedy Road...
)/ Highway 7
There are still farms operating in the northern reaches of the town, but there are a few 'theme' farms in other parts of Markham:
- Devonshire Stables & Country Bumpkins Pony Farm
- Galten Farms
- Whittamore's Farm
- Forsythe Family Farms
- Adventure Valley
- Markham GO Station - built in 1871 by Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
and restored in 2000
- Locust Hill Station - built in 1936 and re-located to the grounds of the Markham Museum
- Unionville Station - built in 1871 by the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
and restored as a community centre
Performing arts
Markham is home to several locally-oriented performing arts groups:
- Markham Little Theatre
- Markham Youth Theatre
- Unionville Theatre Company
- Markham Concert Band
- York Symphony Orchestra
A key arts venue is the 'Markham Theatre For Performing Arts', at the Markham Civic Centre located at
Highway 7Highway 7 is a provincially maintained highway in Southern Ontario, Canada. At its peak, Highway 7 measured a total distance of 716 km in length, stretching from Highway 40 east of Sarnia in Southwestern Ontario to Highway 417 southwest of Kanata in Eastern Ontario...
and
Warden AvenueYork Regional Road 65, also known as Warden Avenue, is a north-south road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It begins at Warden and Steeles Avenue, and ends at Ravenshoe Road, after which it becomes Civic Centre Road....
.
Annual events
Events taking place annually include the Markham Youth Festival, Unionville Festival, Markham Village Music Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Milliken Mills Children's Festival, Thornhill Village Festival,
Markham FairMarkham Fair is an annual event hosted by the Markham, Ontario and East York agricultural society. Originally agricultural societies would meet on a regular basis to discuss various concepts of agricultural improvement such as livestock development and increased grain yields...
, Markham Festival of Lights, Markham Santa Claus Parade, Olde Tyme Christmas Unionville, Markham Ribfest & Music Festival, Cornell Garden Festival and the Cornell Easter Egg Hunt.
Shopping
Markham is home to several large malls of 100+ stores. These include:
- Market Village
Market Village is a Chinese themed mall in Markham, Ontario at the corner of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road and is one of the largest Chinese malls in Toronto and in North America with 325,000 square feet of retail space and over 170 stores....
(170 stores)
- Markville Shopping Centre
Markville Shopping Centre is a shopping mall located at 5000 Highway 7 East in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The mall is owned by Cadillac Fairview, and was likely named for its proximity to both the historical villages of Markham and Unionville...
(250 stores)
- Pacific Mall
Pacific Mall is an Asian shopping centre located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the northeast side of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road, right across the municipal border from the City of Toronto, on the site formerly occupied by Cullen Country Barns...
(450 mini-shops)
There are also a lot of higher-profile malls in nearby Toronto, and elsewhere in York Region. Many shopping centres in Markham are also Asian-oriented. This is a reflection of the large Asian, particularly
Chinese CanadianChinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent and constitute the largest visible minority group in Canada, standing at 1,216,570 which comprises 3.9% of the population in 2006. Out of those 1,216,570 people, 211,145 people were of Chinese and one other ethnic origin.-History:The first record...
, population found in Markham. They carry a wide variety of traditional Chinese products, apparel, and foods.
On Highway 7, between Woodbine and Warden Avenues, is First Markham Place, containing numerous shops and restaurants; this is several kilometres east of Richmond Hill's Chinese malls. Further east along Highway 7 is an older plaza is at the southwest quadrant with the intersection with
Kennedy RoadKennedy Road is a north-south street in Toronto and York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its is one of three major streets in Scarborough, and is home to the business district of Scarborough because of the many hundreds of stores along Kennedy Road...
.
Pacific Mall is the most well-known Chinese mall in Markham, located at Kennedy Road and Steeles Avenue East, which, combined with neighbouring Market Village Mall and
Splendid China TowerSplendid China Tower is a Chinese-themed ethnic shopping centre located at the southeast corner of Redlea Avenue and Steeles Avenue in the former Toronto municipality of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Visar Realty Inc...
, forms the second largest Chinese shopping area in North America, after the
Golden VillageGolden Village is a commercial district of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada best known for its high concentration of Asian-themed shopping malls...
in
Richmond, British ColumbiaRichmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
. In close proximity, at Steeles East and Warden Avenue, there is the New Century Plaza mall and a half-block away there is a plaza of Chinese shops anchored by a
T & T SupermarketT & T Supermarket is a Canadian supermarket chain headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. In 1993, the first T & T was opened in Burnaby's Metropolis shopping centre in Greater Vancouver....
.
There are also some smaller shopping centres in Markham, such as:
- Metro Square
- Peachtree Centre
- New Kennedy Square
- The Shops on Steeles and 404
- Thornhill Square
Local media
- Markham Economist and Sun
The Markham Economist & Sun is a newspaper published two times per week serving all communities of Markham, Ont., a town of 261,573 in York Region. The Economist & Sun is one of six York Region Media Group newspapers, a division of Metroland Media Group.-Coverage:The Economist & Sun covers local...
- local paper owned by Metroland Publishing
- The Liberal - serving Thornhill and Richmond Hill
- The York Region Business Times - business news
- York Region Media Group - Online news
- North of the City
North of the City is a glossy lifestyle magazine distributed throughout York Region, Canada. It is published by the York Region Media Group, a division of Metroland Media Group.-External links:*...
- magazine for York Region
- Rogers Cable 10 - local community TV station for York Region, owned by Rogers Media
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications and cable television, with additional telecommunications and mass media assets. It is headquartered in the Rogers Building in Toronto, Ontario.The company considers...
- The Cornell Crier - local news and lifestyle
Roads
Major highways passing through Markham include
Highway 404Highway 404 is a 400-Series Highway in Southern Ontario, Canada. It runs from the junction of Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto to its northern terminus at Green Lane/Herald Road in Newmarket. The highway mainly serves as a commuter road for those working in Toronto but also for...
(from Toronto to
NewmarketNewmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 45 km north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe in an area known as the "905 Region"...
) and
Highway 407Highway 407, officially called the 407 Express Toll Route , is a tollway in North America, located in the Greater Toronto Area, Southern Ontario, Canada. It begins at the junction of the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 403 in Burlington, and travels 108 km east to its present terminus at...
, a
toll highwayA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
that passes north of Toronto and connects Markham with
VaughanVaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada, having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern Ontario and is part of the Greater Toronto Area...
,
BramptonBrampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
and
BurlingtonBurlington is a city located in Southern Ontario at the western end of Lake Ontario, lying between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment. Politically, the city is part of Halton Region...
.
Highway 407 runs parallel to
Highway 7York Regional Road 7 is a major east-west arterial road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It runs in Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, and is one of the rare regional roads that stretch from the western limit to the eastern limit of York Region...
, also known as York Road 7, which is a major east-west artery suffering from congestion due to development along its route. Other major east-west routes include
16th AvenueYork Regional Road 73 is an east-west formerly concession road, now a major urban throughfare, in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It runs in the towns of Markham, Richmond Hill, and City of Vaughan. York Regional Road 73 is one of the rare regional roads that stretch from the western limit to the...
,
Major MacKenzie DriveMajor Mackenzie Drive, officially referred to as York Regional Road 25 and also commonly known as "Major Mac", is a major east-west arterial road in southern York Region, Ontario, Canada...
, and
Steeles AvenueSteeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It is 38.75 km within Toronto, between Albion Road and the Scarborough-Pickering limit....
which forms Markham's southern boundary with Toronto.
Public Transit
York Region TransitYork Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road.-Overview:...
(YRT) connects Markham with surrounding municipalities in York Region, and was created in 2001 from the merger of
Markham TransitMarkham Transit was a transit system for the Town of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1973 and operated by Travelways and Miller Transit Limited on behalf of the Town...
,
Richmond Hill TransitRichmond Hill Transit was created in 1960 to provide public transit service in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. It was initially operated by Trailways of Canada Limited, then Travelways starting in 1976 and Laidlaw in the 1980s...
,
Newmarket TransitNewmarket Transit was the most northerly transit system in York Region, Ontario, Canada. While the town of Newmarket was considerably smaller than any of the three cities in the "southern" part of the York region , the city did have a quality transit service...
and
Vaughan TransitVaughan Transit began in 1973 to provide service in the town of Vaughan, in southwest York Region, Ontario, Canada. The service was merged into York Region Transit in 2001.-Route:...
. YRT to connects to the
Toronto Transit CommissionThe Toronto Transit Commission is a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, subways, and rapid transit lines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
(TTC) subway system by way of
VivaViva is a bus rapid transit network in York Region, Ontario, Canada, with connections to northern Toronto and Toronto Transit Commission subway stations. Viva is a subsidiary of York Region Transit....
Bus Rapid TransitBus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems that use buses to provide a service that is of a higher speed than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
from Finch station along Yonge Street, and Don Mills station through Unionville and on to Markville Mall.
The
TTCThe Toronto Transit Commission is a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, subways, and rapid transit lines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
also provides service in Markham on several north-south routes, such as
Don Mills RoadYork Regional Road 12 is a York Regional Road running in Central York Region, Ontario. York Regional Road 12 is locally known as Don Mills Road, Leslie Street, and The Queensway South.- Don Mills Road :...
,
Warden AvenueYork Regional Road 65, also known as Warden Avenue, is a north-south road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It begins at Warden and Steeles Avenue, and ends at Ravenshoe Road, after which it becomes Civic Centre Road....
,
Birchmount RoadBirchmount Road is a north-south road in Scarborough, the eastern district of Toronto. One of the original concession roads, it begins near the Scarborough Bluffs at the lakeshore and ends in Markham north of 14th Avenue, at Royal Crest Court...
,
McCowan RoadYork Regional Road 67, or McCowan Road is a north-south road in York Region, Ontario, Canada.-Road iformation:* Locally rferred to: McCowan Road* Length: 52km...
and
Markham RoadYork Regional Road 68 is a north-south route in Markham, Ontario. The section from York Regional Road 73 to Lake Ontario shorelines was downloaded from the province of Ontario and renamed from Highway 48 to the current name of Markham Road...
. These routes charge riders a double fare if they are travelling across the Steeles border and most Markham residents choose to travel by car instead of public transportation.
GO TransitGO Transit is an interregional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada, currently operated by the provincial crown agency Metrolinx. It primarily serves the conurbation referred to by Metrolinx as the "Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area" with operations extending to several communities...
provides train service on the old trackbed of the
Toronto and Nipissing RailwayThe Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
, which connects Markham with downtown
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
on the Stouffville commuter rail service. The line has stops at several stations in Markham, namely Unionville GO Station, Centennial GO Station, Markham GO Station, and Mount Joy GO Station. The
Richmond HillThe Richmond Hill Line is a surface transit line on Myrtle Avenue in Queens, New York City, United States. Once a streetcar line, it is now the Q55 Myrtle Avenue bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority....
commuter rail line provides service to the Langstaff GO Station, which straddles Markham and Richmond Hill but is used primarily by residents of west-central Markham and southern Richmond Hill.
Air
Toronto/Buttonville Municipal AirportButtonville Municipal Airport or Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, , is a medium-sized airport in Buttonville, Ontario, Canada, within Markham, bordering Richmond Hill and north of downtown Toronto. It is operated by Toronto Airways Limited. Due to its proximity to Toronto's suburbs, there...
is one of Canada's top ten airports, which caters to general aviation and business commuter traffic to
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
and
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
. Operators at Buttonville include:
- NexJet Aviation Inc
- Executive Edge Air Charter
- Aviation Limited
- Canadian Flyers International
- AHM Air, to and from Toronto Pearson International Airport
- LCE Aviation, providing private air charters around Southern Ontario and across the continent
- Flightexec
Flightexec is an executive charter airline, air ambulance, and aircraft management company that has been serving southern Ontario, Canada since 1979.The company's fleet currently consists of:* 1 Cessna Citation XL;* 3 Dassault Falcon 10/100s;...
, an executive air charter and air ambulance for Ontario Air Ambulance
- Million Air
Million Air is an aviation company that operates 32 FBOs across the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean. The Million Air Brand of FBO’S has been providing general aviation service since 1985. It's newest location in San Bernardino CA will begin operations in the fall of '09....
, an executive air charter
- Toronto Airways Limited, a flight training school
- Buttonville Flying Club
- Leggat Aviation Ltd., an authorized Cessna Dealership that specializes in new aircraft sales, full service and parts supply
Athletes
- Saeed Baghbani, karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands...
fighter, Pan American GamesThe Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every four years in the year before the summer Olympic Games and between competitors from all nations in the Americas...
gold medalist
- Bill Crothers
William Frederick Crothers is a retired Canadian track and field athlete.At one point, he held the Canadian record in all distances from 400 metres to 1500 metres and was holder of the world 800 metre indoor record. In 1963, he ran the two fastest 800 metre races of the year...
, track and field athlete, OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
medalist, chair of the York Region District School BoardThe York Region District School Board is a school board in the public school system of Ontario, Canada, in York Regional Municipality. Its head office is in Aurora.-Mission statement:...
- Cody Hodgson
Cody Hodgson is a Canadian major junior ice hockey centre currently playing for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League...
, NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
#6 ranked prospect for the 2008 NHL Entry DraftThe 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on June 20–21, 2008...
- taken 10th Overall by the Vancouver Canucks
- Brad May
Brad S. May is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League . He grew up in Stouffville, but played his rep minor hockey in Markham, Ontario....
, NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
hockey player, Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley best known by his ring name Val Venis, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his 11 year run in World Wrestling Entertainment, from 1998 to 2009....
, WWEWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
wrestler, known by the ring name "Val Venis"
- Ken Pereira
Kenneth Pereira is a field hockey midfielder from Canada.Pereira only started playing the game at sixteen. He earned his first international cap in 1994 in a friendly match against Mexico in Toronto . Pereira scored the now famous winning goal against Argentina in the final of the 1999 Pan...
, field hockeyField hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal. Its official name is simply hockey, and this is the common name for it in many countries...
player, Pan American GamesThe Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every four years in the year before the summer Olympic Games and between competitors from all nations in the Americas...
medalist
- Steven Stamkos
Steven Stamkos is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . Stamkos was the first overall pick in the 2006 OHL entry draft, from the Markham Waxers of the OMHA...
, NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
hockey player, Tampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2004. The team is commonly referred to as the Bolts,...
- Tammy Sutton-Brown
Tamara "Tammy" Kim Sutton-Brown is a Canadian professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is center.-High school years:...
, WNBA basketball player
- Steve Thomas
Stephen Anthony "Stumpy" Thomas is a retired English-born Canadian ice hockey right winger who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Detroit Red Wings.-Trades and...
, retired NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
hockey player
- Raffi Torres
Raphael "Raffi" Torres is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders....
, NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
hockey player, Columbus Blue JacketsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . Preceded in Ohio's capital by the Columbus Chill of the ECHL, the Blue Jackets were founded as an...
- Stephen Weiss
Stephen Weiss is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and an alternate captain currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
, NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
hockey player, Florida PanthersThe Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the South Florida metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.-Franchise...
- Ron Wilson
Ronald "Ron" Lawrence Wilson is an American former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and the United States Olympic hockey team. He is also former head coach of the San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals and Mighty Ducks of...
, retired NHL hockey player
Media
- Steve Byers
Steve Byers is a Canadian actor.Byers was born in Scarborough, Ontario. At a young age he had a passion for acting. Graduating with the top award for Excellence in Drama from the Arts program at Unionville High School, Byers continued his study of the acting craft at the University of Western...
, actor
- Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui is a Canadian actress who has appeared on both television and the big screen. Her roles on HBO's Entourage as Sloan McQuewick, You Don't Mess with the Zohan as Dalia Hakbarah, Unscripted as herself, along with two appearances on The O.C. as Jodie, have increased her...
, actress
- Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a...
, actor
- Talan Torriero, actor
Musicians
- Ash Buchholz, vocalist, guitarist, and ehru player of the band Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker
Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker is a musical duo based in Parkdale, a neighbourhood situated in the west-end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The band is composed of vocalist, guitarist and erhu player Ash Buchholz and turntablist/hypeman Jason Parsons .The USS sound is a mixture of drum and bass beats,...
- Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner, CC is a Canadian tenor, specializing in opera and classical symphonic works for voice.Heppner was born in Murrayville, British Columbia, and lived in Dawson Creek. He began his musical studies at the University of British Columbia and first attracted national attention when he won the...
, Canadian Dramatic Tenor
- Justin Peroff
Justin Peter Papadimitriou , family name changed to Peroff, is best known as the drummer for the Toronto based indie rock collective Broken Social Scene. He was also a member of Junior Blue, a collaboration with Dylan Hudecki of By Divine Right...
, drummer for the band Broken Social SceneBroken Social Scene are a Juno Award-winning Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective currently including nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. All of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
- Anna Russell
Anna Russell, née Anna Claudia Russell-Brown was an English–Canadian singer and comedienne. She gave many concerts in which she sang and played comic musical sketches on the piano...
, singer and opera parodist
Sister cities
Cary, North Carolina, USACary is a large town in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham. Cary is a suburb of Raleigh...
Nördlingen, GermanyNördlingen is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany, with a population of 20,000. It is located in the middle of a giant meteorite crater, called the Nördlinger Ries. The town was also the place of two battles during the Thirty Years' War...
Pearland, Texas, USAPearland is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and is in the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 37,640. As of 2008, Pearland is estimated to have a population of 90,700...
Wuhan, People's Republic of China' is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in central China. It lies at the east of Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han River...
External links