Markham, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area
of Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census
. The town is the fourth largest community within Greater Toronto after Toronto
, Mississauga and Brampton
.
The town gained its name from the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe
, who named the area after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York
at the time. The first European settlement in Markham occurred when William Berczy, a German artist and developer led a group of approximately sixty-four German families to North America. While initially planning to settle in New York, disputes over finances and land tenure there would eventually lead to Berczy to negotiate with Simcoe for 64000 acres (259 km²) in Markham Township. Throughout much of Markham's history, the community has been described as an agricultural community. A turn towards a more urbanized community within the township began after World War II
when the township had began to feel the effects of urban encroachment from Toronto. The completion of Highway 404 during the mid 1970s further accelerated urban development in Markham.
While historically the town was mainly an agricultural community, Markham today is mainly driven by its tertiary industry. Business services is currently the number one employer in Markham with nearly 22% of its labour force employed in it. The town also currently has over 800 technology and life sciences companies, with IBM
being the town's largest employer. A number of multinational companies also have their Canadian headquarters located in Markham including Advanced Micro Devices
, American Express
, Johnson & Johnson
, Apple Inc., Avaya
, IBM, Motorola
and Toshiba
.
in 1793 by William Berczy
, who in 1794 led 75 German families from Upstate New York
to an area of Markham now known as German Mills
. Each family was granted 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land; however due lack to roads in the region many opted to settle in York
(now Toronto) and Niagara. German Mills later became a ghost town
. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were Pennsylvania Dutch
, most of whom were Mennonite
s. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers were able to settle the region and founded Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor. In 1825, Reesorville was renamed to Markham having taken the name of the unincorporated village
(see Markham Village, Ontario
). By 1830, a large influx of Irish
, Scottish
and English
families began immigrating to Upper Canada
, many settling in Markham. Markham's early years blended the rigours of homesteading
with the development of agriculture-based industries. The many rivers and streams in the township soon supported water-powered saw and gristmill
s 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. In 1842 the township population was 5,698; 29005 acres (117.4 km²) were under cultivation (second highest in the province), and the township had eleven gristmills and twenty-four sawmills. By 1850, the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham. By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill
, Unionville
, and Markham greatly expanded. In 1851 Markham Village "was a considerable village, containing between eight and nine hundred inhabitants, pleasantly situated on the Rouge River. It contains two grist mills ... a woollen factory, oatmeal mill, barley mill, and distillery, foundry, two tanneries, brewery, etc., a temperance hall and four churches... ." In 1871, with a township population of 8,152, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
built the first rail line to Markham Village and Unionville, which is still used today by the GO Transit
commuter services. In 1972, Markham was incorporated as a town in its population skyrocketted due to urban sprawl from Toronto. 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 farmland
has now disappeared, but is still found north of Major MacKenzie Drive. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine
will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive. As of 2006, 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. Broadcom
Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), 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 Museum
by the province to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage.
with the boundary along Yonge Street between Steeles Avenue
and Highway 7 and Richmond Hill
with the boundary along Highway 7 from Yonge Street to Highway 404 and at Highway 404 from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the south, it borders Toronto with the boundary along Steeles Avenue. In the North is borders Whitchurch–Stouffville with the boundary from Highway 404 to York-Durham Line between 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the East it borders Pickering
along the York-Durham Line.
, as well as their tributaries. To the north is the Oak Ridges Moraine, which further elevates the elevation towards the north.
Thornhill and Unionville are popularly seen as being separate communities. Thornhill actually straddles the Markham-Vaughan town line (portions of it in both municipalities).
.
According to Statistics Canada 2006 Census data, Markham ranks 8 among 13 Greater Toronto Area
municipalities based on median household income. The ranking is:
1. Oakville $92,394
2. Vaughan $86,616
3. Milton $86,604
4. Pickering $84,595
5. Whitby $84,219
6. Ajax $81,940
7. Uxbridge $80,455
8. Markham $79,924
9. Richmond Hill $78,976
10. Burlington $74,969
11. Brampton $72,402
12. Mississauga $71,393
13. Oshawa $61,514
46.1% of residents stated their religion as Christian, almost evenly split between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Non-Christian religions include Islam
: 5.3%, Judaism
: 5.3%, Hinduism
: 5.7%, Buddhism
: 3.4%, Sikhism
: 1.1%, and 23% indicated no religion.
consists of Frank Scarpitti
as mayor, four regional councillors and eight ward councillors each representing one of the town's eight wards. Scarpitti replaced Don Cousens
, who was a former Progressive Conservative
MPP for Markham
and a Presbyterian
church minister. The mayor and four regional councillors are elected by the community to represent the Town of Markham at the regional level. 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.
at the intersection of York Regional Road 7 and Warden Avenue. The site of the previous offices on Woodbine Avenue
has been redeveloped for commercial uses. The historic town hall on Main Street 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.
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:
in Newmarket
, as well as an Ontario Small Claims court in Richmond Hill. 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 Police
at a station (5 District) at the corner of McCowan Road and Carlton Road and Highway 7. Highway 404, Highway 407 and parts of Highway 48
are patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police
. Toronto Police Service
is responsible for patrol on Steeles from Yonge Street to the York - Durham Line.
was established in 1970 as Markham Fire Department and replaced various local volunteer fire units. There are 8 fire stations currently serving Markham. Soon to be 9. Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport
is also served by Markham's Fire service.
, one of the world's premier facilities for people suffering from hernia
s. For those living near Steeles, they sometimes will be able to receive treatment at The Scarborough Hospital Birchmount Campus in Toronto/Scarborough
.
s. All have consistent high scores on standardized exams and have some of the highest rate of graduates attending universities.
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 various post-secondary institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
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 IBM, Motorola, Toshiba, Lucent
, Honeywell
, Apple, Genesis Microchip
, and is home to the head office of graphics card producer ATI (recently merged with AMD).
Markham also maintains economic and cultural cooperation agreements with the city of Laval, Quebec
, which is the second largest city in the Greater Montreal area.
. 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.
(YRT) has implemented a transit system called Viva
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.
Heritage streets preserve the old town feeling:
There are still farms operating in the northern reaches of the town, but there are a few 'theme' farms in other parts of Markham:
Markham's heritage railway stations are either an active station or converted to other uses:
A key arts venue is the 'Markham Theatre For Performing Arts', at the Markham Civic Centre located at Highway 7 and Warden Avenue.
, Olde Tyme Christmas Unionville, Markham Santa Claus Parade and Markham Festival of Lights.
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 Canadian
, 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 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 Tower
, forms the second largest Chinese shopping area in North America, after the Golden Village
in Richmond, British Columbia
. 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 Supermarket
.
There are also some smaller shopping centres in Markham, such as:
that passes north of Toronto and connects Markham with Vaughan, Brampton and Burlington
.
Highway 407 runs parallel to Highway 7, 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 Avenue, Major MacKenzie Drive, and Steeles Avenue
which forms Markham's southern boundary with Toronto.
(YRT) connects Markham with surrounding municipalities in York Region, and was created in 2001 from the merger of Markham Transit
, Richmond Hill Transit
, Newmarket Transit
and Vaughan Transit
. YRT to connects to the Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) subway system by way of Viva
bus rapid transit
from Finch station along Yonge Street, and Don Mills station through Unionville and on to Markville Mall.
The TTC
also provides service in Markham on several north-south routes, such as Don Mills Road, Warden Avenue, Birchmount Road, McCowan Road and 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 Transit
provides train service on the old trackbed of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
, which connects Markham with downtown Toronto 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 Hill
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.
, Canada's 11th busiest airport (Ontario's 4th busiest), caters to general aviation
and business commuter traffic to Ottawa and Montreal
. Operators at Buttonville include:
Nördlingen, Germany
Pearland, Texas, USA
Wuhan, People's Republic of China
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
of Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies 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 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census
Canada 2006 Census
The 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...
. The town is the fourth largest community within Greater Toronto after Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Mississauga and Brampton
Brampton
Brampton 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 :...
.
The town gained its name from the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
, who named the area after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
at the time. The first European settlement in Markham occurred when William Berczy, a German artist and developer led a group of approximately sixty-four German families to North America. While initially planning to settle in New York, disputes over finances and land tenure there would eventually lead to Berczy to negotiate with Simcoe for 64000 acres (259 km²) in Markham Township. Throughout much of Markham's history, the community has been described as an agricultural community. A turn towards a more urbanized community within the township began after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when the township had began to feel the effects of urban encroachment from Toronto. The completion of Highway 404 during the mid 1970s further accelerated urban development in Markham.
While historically the town was mainly an agricultural community, Markham today is mainly driven by its tertiary industry. Business services is currently the number one employer in Markham with nearly 22% of its labour force employed in it. The town also currently has over 800 technology and life sciences companies, with IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
being the town's largest employer. A number of multinational companies also have their Canadian headquarters located in Markham including Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
, American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
, Apple Inc., Avaya
Avaya
Avaya Inc. is a privately held computer networking, information technology and telecommunications company that is a global provider of business communications systems. The international head quarters is in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States...
, IBM, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
and Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
.
History
Markham was first surveyed as a townshipTownship (Canada)
The 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 Berczy
William Berczy
William Berczy was a German pioneer and painter....
, who in 1794 led 75 German families from Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
to an area of Markham now known as German Mills
German Mills, Ontario
German Mills is a community within the town of Markham in Ontario, Canada. Located in the Thornhill area, German Mills was named for the early German settlers in the area.- History :...
. Each family was granted 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land; however due lack to roads in the region many opted to settle in York
York, Upper Canada
York was the name of Old Toronto between 1793 and 1834. It was the second capital of Upper Canada.- History :The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, with a new 'Fort York' on the site of the last French 'Fort Toronto'...
(now Toronto) and Niagara. German Mills later became a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, most of whom were Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
s. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers were able to settle the region and founded Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor. In 1825, Reesorville was renamed to Markham having taken the name of the unincorporated village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
(see Markham Village, Ontario
Markham Village, Ontario
Markham Village is a village in the Town of Markham. Originally settled in 1825 the village, originally named Reesorville was a founded by Mennonites from Upstate New York and Pennsylvania...
). By 1830, a large influx of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
families began immigrating to Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, many settling in Markham. Markham's early years blended the rigours of homesteading
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
with the development of agriculture-based industries. The many rivers and streams in the township soon supported water-powered saw and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s and later wooden mills. With improved transportation routes, such as the construction of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
in the 1800s, along with the growing population, urbanization increased. In 1842 the township population was 5,698; 29005 acres (117.4 km²) were under cultivation (second highest in the province), and the township had eleven gristmills and twenty-four sawmills. By 1850, the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham. By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill
Thornhill, Ontario
Thornhill is a 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 along Yonge Street, the city of...
, Unionville
Unionville, Ontario
Unionville is a suburban village in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is located between Woodbine Avenue as the western limit, alongside the Rouge River leading to McCowan Road as the eastern...
, and Markham greatly expanded. In 1851 Markham Village "was a considerable village, containing between eight and nine hundred inhabitants, pleasantly situated on the Rouge River. It contains two grist mills ... a woollen factory, oatmeal mill, barley mill, and distillery, foundry, two tanneries, brewery, etc., a temperance hall and four churches... ." In 1871, with a township population of 8,152, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
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...
built the first rail line to Markham Village and Unionville, which is still used today by the GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
commuter services. In 1972, Markham was incorporated as a town in its population skyrocketted due to urban sprawl from Toronto. 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 farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
has now disappeared, but is still found north of Major MacKenzie Drive. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine
Oak Ridges Moraine
The 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 between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough...
will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive. As of 2006, Markham comprises six major communities, which include Buttonville
Buttonville, Ontario
Buttonville is a suburban community part of Unionville within the Town of Markham in York Region, directly north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the western part of Unionville. The population is presently about 30,000. Rouge River is to the northeast and Buttonville Airport is...
, Cornell
Cornell, Ontario
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:...
, Markham Village, Milliken
Milliken, Ontario
Milliken or Milliken Mills is a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto and Markham, Ontario. It is located in the North East section of Scarborough and South East section of Markham...
, 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. Broadcom
Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company in the wireless and broadband communication business. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, USA. Broadcom was founded by a professor-student pair Henry Samueli and Henry T. Nicholas III from the University of California, Los...
Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), IBM Canada
IBM Canada Head Office Building
IBM Canada's head offices are currently located in Markham, Ontario and have been there since the early 1980s. The current building IBM occupies is located at 3600 Steeles Avenue East and was completed in 1995...
, Apple Computer Canada, Motorola Canada
Motorola Canada head office
Motorola Canada head office at Warden Avenue and 407 stands at 7 floors with of office space. It is the head office of Canadian operations of Motorola and relocated from North York, Ontario in the late 1990s....
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 Museum
Markham Museum
Markham Museum offers a unique family and educational experience featuring over 20 historic buildings on 25 acres of parkland...
by the province to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage.
Geography
Markham covers an area of 212.47 km² (82 sq mi) and Markham's Town Centre is at 43°53′N 79°15′W. It is bounded by 5 municipalities; in the west is VaughanVaughan
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
with the boundary along Yonge Street between Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
and Highway 7 and Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
with the boundary along Highway 7 from Yonge Street to Highway 404 and at Highway 404 from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the south, it borders Toronto with the boundary along Steeles Avenue. In the North is borders Whitchurch–Stouffville with the boundary from Highway 404 to York-Durham Line between 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the East it borders Pickering
Pickering, Ontario
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
along the York-Durham Line.
Topography
Markham's average altitude is at 200 m (656.2 ft) and in general consists of gently rolling hills. The town is intersected by two rivers; the Don River and Rouge RiverRouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
, as well as their tributaries. To the north is the Oak Ridges Moraine, which further elevates the elevation towards the north.
Climate
Due to Markham bordering Toronto, Markham shares the same climate as Toronto. On an average day, Markham is generally 1 to 2 °C (1.8 to 3.6 °F) cooler than in downtown TorontoDowntown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
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) and/or each with a distinctive character:- Almira
- Angus GlenAngus Glen, OntarioAngus Glen is a community in the north part of Markham, Ontario, Canada, and is part of Unionville...
- ArmadaleArmadale, OntarioArmadale 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 VillageBerczy Village, OntarioBerczy 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 Unionville, Ontario. The community is named after the...
- Box GroveBox Grove, OntarioBox Grove is an original community in Markham, Ontario.-History:First settled in 1815 by William Beebe, Sparta or Sparty-Wharf was registered as a hamlet in 1850. The name suggests that at an early date there was boat traffic on the Rouge River...
- Brown's CornersBrown's Corners, York Regional Municipality, OntarioBrown's Corners is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada and located near the corner of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7. The community, founded in 1842, was named for local settler Alexander Brown, Sr...
- ButtonvilleButtonville, OntarioButtonville is a suburban community part of Unionville within the Town of Markham in York Region, directly north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the western part of Unionville. The population is presently about 30,000. Rouge River is to the northeast and Buttonville Airport is...
- CachetCachet, OntarioCachet is a community within north-central Unionville, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by 16th Avenue to the south, Major Mackenzie Drive to the north, Warden Avenue to the east and Highway 404 to the west....
- CashelCashel, OntarioCashel, 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, who came originally from New York State. The name was changed to...
- CathedraltownCathedraltown, OntarioCathedraltown is a new and developing community in the Town of Markham, Ontario, Canada. The community gains its name Cathedraltown because it is landmarked by the Cathedral of the Transfiguration.The community is divided into two parts. The part east of Woodbine Avenue is centred around Hazelton...
- Cedar GroveCedar Grove, OntarioCedar Grove is a community in Markham, Ontario on the Little Rouge River. It is centred around 14th Avenue and Reesor Road and within the boundaries of the future national Rouge Park.-History:...
- CornellCornell, OntarioCornell 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
- DollarDollar, OntarioDollar is a former community of Markham Township, Ontario, Canada and was located near the corner of Leslie Street and Highway 7. In 1869, Dollar was granted a post office, which was located on the north-west corner of Line 3 and Highway 7. In 1871 Dollar also had general store, a blacksmith shop...
- Downtown MarkhamDowntown Markham, OntarioDowntown 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 HillDickson Hill, OntarioDickson Hill is a small community in northeast Markham, Ontario and is located near Highway 48 and 19th Avenue, on the border to Whitchurch-Stouffville....
- German MillsGerman Mills, OntarioGerman Mills is a community within the town of Markham in Ontario, Canada. Located in the Thornhill area, German Mills was named for the early German settlers in the area.- History :...
- GreensboroughGreensborough, OntarioGreensborough is a community in the Town of Markham in the Canadian province of Ontario....
- Hagermans CornersHagermans Corners, OntarioHagerman's Corners is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Located at 14th Avenue and Kennedy Road, the former farm lands have disappeared and given way to homes and commercial parks...
- LangstaffLangstaff, OntarioLangstaff is a residential community straddling Richmond Hill and Markham, in Ontario, Canada. Located near Langstaff Road and Yonge Street, the homes in the area date to the 1960s and 1970s...
- Legacy
- Locust HillLocust Hill, OntarioLocust Hilll is an historic community of Markham, Ontario centred on Hwy. 7 and the Canadian Pacific Railway and within the boundaries of the future national Rouge Park.-History:...
- Markham VillageMarkham Village, OntarioMarkham Village is a village in the Town of Markham. Originally settled in 1825 the village, originally named Reesorville was a founded by Mennonites from Upstate New York and Pennsylvania...
- Milliken MillsMilliken, OntarioMilliken or Milliken Mills is a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto and Markham, Ontario. It is located in the North East section of Scarborough and South East section of Markham...
- MilnesvilleMilnesville, OntarioMilnesville is a historic community of Markham, Ontario on the 8th Line , between Elgin Mills Road and Major Mackenze Drive, and the Little Rouge Creek.-History:...
- MongoliaMongolia, OntarioMongolia is an historical community in Markham, Ontario centred around 10th Line and Elgin Mills Rd. East, immediately south of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville...
- Mount JoyMount Joy, OntarioMount Joy is a community located in north part of Markham, Ontario, Canada near Highway 48 and 16th Avenue and part of the former Village of Markham.Like Quantztown, the former farm land in the area has given way to new homes.-Transportation:...
- QuantztownQuantztown, OntarioQuantztown is an unincorporated community located in the north part of Markham, Ontario, Canada, near McCowan Road and 16th Avenue.-Development:...
- Raymerville – Markville East
- Rouge FairwaysRouge Fairways, OntarioRouge Fairways is an upscale planned community located in east part of Markham, Ontario inhabited, mainly, by established families.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...
- Sherwood - Amber Glen
- ThornhillThornhill, OntarioThornhill is a 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 along Yonge Street, the city of...
- Underwood, OntarioUnderwood, OntarioUnderwood is an unincorporated community in the Regional Municipality of York in Markham, Ontario, Canada that is located at the corner of Birchmount Road and Steeles Avenue. It is likely considered to be part of Milliken....
- UnionvilleUnionville, OntarioUnionville is a suburban village in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is located between Woodbine Avenue as the western limit, alongside the Rouge River leading to McCowan Road as the eastern...
- Victoria SquareVictoria Square, OntarioVictoria Square is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada.The community was formed in the early nineteenth century. The first church was built in 1830s on the east side of 4th Line, where the cemetery is still located. The Wesleyan Methodists built a wood-frame church south of the...
- Vinegar HillVinegar Hill, OntarioVinegar Hill is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada bounded by Highway 7 to the north, Highway 407 to the south, and streets just west and east of Main Street South, bordered by the Rouge River...
- Wismer CommonsWismer Commons, OntarioWismer 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).
Demographics
According to the 2006 Canadian Census Markham had 261,573 residents. This represents a 23% increase since the 2001 Census. The median household income was $79,924 with an average house value of $440,755 compared to an average of $297,479 throughout Ontario. Markham is among the most affluent municipalities in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
According to Statistics Canada 2006 Census data, Markham ranks 8 among 13 Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
municipalities based on median household income. The ranking is:
1. Oakville $92,394
2. Vaughan $86,616
3. Milton $86,604
4. Pickering $84,595
5. Whitby $84,219
6. Ajax $81,940
7. Uxbridge $80,455
8. Markham $79,924
9. Richmond Hill $78,976
10. Burlington $74,969
11. Brampton $72,402
12. Mississauga $71,393
13. Oshawa $61,514
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1871 | 1,000 |
| 1901 | 967 |
| 1911 | 909 |
| 1921 | 1,012 |
| 1931 | 1,008 |
| 1941 | 1,204 |
| 1951 | 1,606 |
| 1961 | 4,294 |
| 1971 | 36,684 |
| 1981 | 77,037 |
| 1991 | 153,811 |
| 2001 | 208,615 |
| 2006 | 261,573 |
| Ethnic Origin | Population |
|---|---|
| Chinese Chinese Canadian Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent. They constitute the second-largest visible minority group in Canada, after South Asian Canadians... |
63,890 |
| Canadian | 29,385 |
| English English Canadian An English Canadian is a Canadian of English ancestry; it is used primarily in contrast with French Canadian. Canada is an officially bilingual state, with English and French official language communities. Immigrant cultural groups ostensibly integrate into one or both of these communities, but... |
27,110 |
| East Indian Indo-Canadians Indo-Canadians are Canadians whose origins trace back to India. The terms East Indian and South Asian are used to distinguish people of ancestral origin from India, from the First Nations peoples of Canada who are often referred to as Indian, and from the people of the Caribbean, who are sometimes... |
19,415 |
| Scottish Scottish Canadian Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish descent or heritage living in Canada. As the third-largest ethnic group in Canada and among the first to settle in Canada, Scottish people have made a large impact on Canadian culture since colonial times... |
16,805 |
| Irish Irish Canadian Irish Canadian are immigrants and descendants of immigrants who originated in Ireland. 1.2 million Irish immigrants arrived, 1825 to 1970, at least half of those in the period from 1831-1850. By 1867, they were the second largest ethnic group , and comprised 24% of Canada's population... |
15,055 |
| Italian | 11,830 |
| Jewish | 10,105 |
| German | 7,780 |
| French French Canadian French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries... |
6,345 |
46.1% of residents stated their religion as Christian, almost evenly split between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Non-Christian religions include Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
: 5.3%, Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
: 5.3%, Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
: 5.7%, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
: 3.4%, Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
: 1.1%, and 23% indicated no religion.
Town Council
Markham Town CouncilMarkham Town Council
The 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 Frank Scarpitti
Frank Scarpitti
Frank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario in 1960 and moved to Markham from Toronto in 1965. 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 each representing one of the town's eight wards. Scarpitti replaced Don Cousens
Don Cousens
W. Donald Cousens is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1994, and briefly served as a cabinet minister in the government of Frank Miller...
, who was a former Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
MPP for Markham
Markham (electoral district)
Markham was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada created in 1986. Also known as Markham—Whitchurch-Stouffville, it was a federal electoral district that elected representatives to the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2000....
and a Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The 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. 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 CentreMarkham Civic Centre
The 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. Entrances, except the great hall entrance, are named after communities in Markham , part...
at the intersection of York Regional Road 7 and Warden Avenue. The site of the previous offices on Woodbine Avenue
Woodbine Avenue (Ontario)
Woodbine Avenue consists of two north-south road sections in central Ontario:# The southern section in Toronto begins near Ashbridges Bay on the shore of Lake Ontario, at Lake Shore Boulevard...
has been redeveloped for commercial uses. The historic town hall on Main Street 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
York Regional Police is a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto...
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 Extensions
- Fencing and Swimming Pools
- Heritage Conservation (see Ontario Heritage ActOntario Heritage ActThe 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 JusticeOntario Court of Justice
The Ontario Court of Justice is a Provincial Court for the Canadian province of Ontario. This court oversees matters relating to family law and criminal law....
in Newmarket
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
, as well as an Ontario Small Claims court in Richmond Hill. The Ontario Court of Appeal is located in Toronto, while the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
is located in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Policing is provided by York Regional Police
York Regional Police
York Regional Police is a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto...
at a station (5 District) at the corner of McCowan Road and Carlton Road and Highway 7. Highway 404, Highway 407 and parts of Highway 48
Ontario Highway 48
King's Highway 48, also known as Highway 48, is a provincially-maintained highway in southern Ontario that extends from Major Mackenzie Drive in Markham, through Whitchurch-Stouffville, to Highway 12 south-east of Beaverton, Ontario. Prior to 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to...
are patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the 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...
. Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
is responsible for patrol on Steeles from Yonge Street to the York - Durham Line.
Fire
Markham Fire and Emergency ServicesFire Services in York Region
Fire services in York Region are provided for and by each municipality. There are 35 fire stations across the region. Most services consist of full time members, but some services have volunteer firefighters....
was established in 1970 as Markham Fire Department and replaced various local volunteer fire units. There are 8 fire stations currently serving Markham. Soon to be 9. Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport
Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport
Buttonville 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 are...
is also served by Markham's Fire service.
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
Shouldice Hernia Centre is a hospital in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, that is known for its specialization in external abdominal hernia operations. Shouldice uses a natural tissue, tension free, technique developed during World War II by Dr. Edward Earle Shouldice. Their ten full-time surgeons...
, one of the world's premier facilities for people suffering from hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
s. For those living near Steeles, they sometimes will be able to receive treatment at The Scarborough Hospital Birchmount Campus in Toronto/Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
.
High schools
Markham has a number of both public and Catholic high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s. All have consistent high scores on standardized exams and have some of the highest rate of graduates attending universities.
- Public schoolsEducation in CanadaEducation in Canada is for the most part provided publicly, funded and overseen by federal, provincial, and local governments. Education is within provincial jurisdiction and the curriculum is overseen by the province. Education in Canada is generally divided into primary education, followed by...
- Bill Crothers Secondary SchoolBill Crothers Secondary SchoolBill Crothers Secondary School is an athletic based High school in the community of Unionville in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is the newest secondary school in the York Region District School Board. Named for former Olympic athlete and Chair of the York Region District School Board, Bill Crothers,...
- Bur Oak Secondary SchoolBur Oak Secondary SchoolBur Oak Secondary School is a public secondary school in Markham, Ontario, Canada established in 2007, and is part of the York Region District School Board. The school was named after the road which it is built on...
- Markham District High SchoolMarkham District High SchoolMarkham 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....
- Markville Secondary SchoolMarkville Secondary SchoolMarkville Secondary School is a public high school located in the town of Markham,Ontario, Canada. It is known for its exceptionally high academic standards, with consistently high rankings on standardized provincial tests.It is one of 32 high schools administered by the York Region District...
- Middlefield Collegiate InstituteMiddlefield Collegiate InstituteMiddlefield Collegiate Institute is a public high school in the upper middle class neighborhood of East Milliken in town of Markham,Ontario, Canada, and is part of the York Region District School Board.-Programs:...
- Milliken Mills High SchoolMilliken Mills High SchoolMilliken 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....
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau High SchoolPierre Elliott Trudeau High SchoolPierre Elliott Trudeau High School is a public, bilingual English and French-immersion secondary school in Markham, Ontario. It was named in honour of the 15th Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Pierre Elliott Trudeau.-History:...
- Thornhill Secondary SchoolThornhill Secondary SchoolThornhill 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 and was just recently renovated in 2007...
, - Thornlea Secondary SchoolThornlea Secondary SchoolThornlea 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....
- Unionville High School
- Bill Crothers Secondary School
- Catholic schoolsCatholic schools in CanadaThe existence of Catholic schools in Canada can be retraced to the year 1620, when the first school was founded Catholic Recollet Order in Quebec. The first school in Alberta was also a Catholic one, at Lac Ste.-Anne in 1842...
- Brother André Catholic High SchoolBrother André Catholic High SchoolSt. 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 Saint André Bessette , a 20th century Catholic Brother in Montreal responsible for the construction of...
- St. Augustine Catholic High SchoolSt. Augustine Catholic High SchoolSt. 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...
- St. Robert Catholic High SchoolSt. Robert Catholic High SchoolSt. 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. St. Robert CHS is named after its patron saint, St. Robert Bellarmine. St...
- Father Michael McGivney Catholic AcademyFather Michael McGivney Catholic AcademyFather 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. The school was founded by the York Catholic District School Board in 1989 and is named...
- Brother André Catholic High School
Post-secondary
Markham currently does not have any universities itself, but Seneca CollegeSeneca College
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a Canadian public college in the greater Toronto area. Seneca College is currently Canada's largest college with approximately 108,000 students.-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 various post-secondary institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
Economy
In the 19th century, Markham was a vibrant, independent community with distilleries and breweries around the Highway 7 and 48 intersection. The Thomas Speight Wagon WorksThomas Speight Wagon Works
Thomas Speight Wagon Works was a Canadian carriage builder based in Markham, Ontario and was the biggest supplier of horsecars for the Toronto Street Railways.-History:...
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 IBM, Motorola, Toshiba, Lucent
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
, Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. 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, Genesis Microchip
Genesis Microchip
Genesis 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 ATI (recently merged with AMD).
Markham also maintains economic and cultural cooperation agreements with the city of Laval, Quebec
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, which is the second largest city in the Greater Montreal area.
Parks
Culture
Until the 1970s, Markham was mostly farmland and marsh, which is still reflected in events like the Markham FairMarkham Fair
Markham Fair is one of Canada's oldest country fairs, an annual event established in 1844 and hosted by the Markham, Ontario and East York agricultural society...
. 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 Area, 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
York Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
(YRT) has implemented a transit system called Viva
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
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 GalleryFrederick Horsman Varley Art GalleryFrederick 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. The gallery, which spans 13,935 m2 and includes over a hundred pieces by Frederick...
- Heintzman HouseHeintzman HouseThe Heintzman House , also known as Sunnyside Manor Farm, is one of the oldest buildings in Thornhill-Markham, Ontario, and has one of the most interesting histories of any building in the area.-History:...
- Home of Colonel George Crookshank, Sam Francis and Charles Heintzman of Heintzman & Co.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 MuseumMarkham MuseumMarkham Museum offers a unique family and educational experience featuring over 20 historic buildings on 25 acres of parkland...
- Markham Village
- Markham Heritage Estates - a unique, specially designed heritage subdivision owned by the Town of Markham
- Reesor Farm Market
- Cathedral of the Transfiguration
- Thornhill villageThornhill, OntarioThornhill is a 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 along Yonge Street, the city of...
Heritage streets preserve the old town feeling:
- Main Street Markham (Markham Road/Highway 48)
- Main Street UnionvilleMain Street UnionvilleMain 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 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:
- Galten Farms
- Whittamore's Farm
- Forsythe Family Farms
- Adventure Valley
Markham's heritage railway stations are either an active station or converted to other uses:
- Markham GO Station - built in 1871 by Toronto and Nipissing RailwayToronto 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...
and last used by CN Rail in 1990s and restored in 2000 as active GO station and community use - Locust Hill Station - built in 1936 in Locust Hill, OntarioLocust Hill, OntarioLocust Hilll is an historic community of Markham, Ontario centred on Hwy. 7 and the Canadian Pacific Railway and within the boundaries of the future national Rouge Park.-History:...
and last used by the CPR in 1969; re-located in 1983 to the grounds of the Markham Museum - Unionville Station - built in 1871 by the Toronto and Nipissing RailwayToronto 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...
, later by VIA RailVIA RailVia Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
and by GO TransitGO TransitGO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
from 1982 to 1991; it was sold to the Town in 1989 and restored as a community centre within the historic Unionville Main Street area
Performing arts
Markham is home to several locally-oriented performing arts groups:- Kindred Spirits Orchestra
- Markham Little Theatre
- Markham Youth Theatre
- Unionville Theatre Company
- Markham Concert Band
A key arts venue is the 'Markham Theatre For Performing Arts', at the Markham Civic Centre located at Highway 7 and Warden Avenue.
Annual events
Events taking place annually include the Taste of Asia Festival, Tony Roman Memorial Hockey Tournament, Markham Youth Week, Unionville Festival, Markham Village Music Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Milliken Mills Children's Festival, Markham Ribfest & Music Festival, Thornhill Village Festival, Markham FairMarkham Fair
Markham Fair is one of Canada's oldest country fairs, an annual event established in 1844 and hosted by the Markham, Ontario and East York agricultural society...
, Olde Tyme Christmas Unionville, Markham Santa Claus Parade and Markham Festival of Lights.
Shopping
Markham is home to several large malls of 100+ stores. These include:- Market VillageMarket VillageMarket Village is a mall in Markham, Ontario and is one of the largest Chinese malls in Toronto and in North America. Located at the corner of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road, it dominates approximately 325,000 square feet of retail space and consists of over 170 stores.Built by Cedarland...
(170 stores) - Markville Shopping CentreMarkville Shopping CentreMarkville Shopping Centre is a shopping mall located at 5000 Highway 7 East in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Markville Mall opened in 1982. The mall is owned by Cadillac Fairview, and was named for its proximity to both the historical villages of Markham and Unionville...
(250 stores) - Pacific MallPacific MallPacific 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. The two entrance roads of the mall...
(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 Canadian
Chinese Canadian
Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent. They constitute the second-largest visible minority group in Canada, after South Asian Canadians...
, 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 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 Tower
Splendid China Tower
Splendid China Mall 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 Village
Golden Village (Richmond, British Columbia)
Golden Village is a commercial district of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada best known for its high concentration of Asian-themed shopping malls. It is the home to the second-largest Asian community in North America....
in Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond 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 Supermarket
T & T Supermarket
T & T Supermarket is a Canadian supermarket chain which sells primarily Chinese and Asian foods. The supermarket chain is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. In 1993, the first T & T was opened in Burnaby's Metropolis shopping centre in Metro Vancouver.With rapid expansion, T & T is now...
.
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
- TLM The Local Magazine -local satire & lifestyle magazine
- Markham Economist and SunMarkham Economist and SunThe 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...
- community paper owned by Metroland Media GroupMetroland Media GroupMetroland Media Group, also referred to as Metroland is a publisher of daily and weekly community newspapers, as well as several speciality products and services, in the southern part of the Canadian province of Ontario... - The Liberal - serving Thornhill and Richmond Hill
- The York Region Business Times - business news
- York Region Media Group - Online news
- North of the CityNorth of the CityNorth 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 - community TV station for York Region, owned by Rogers MediaRogers CommunicationsRogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
Roads
Major highways passing through Markham include Highway 404 (from Toronto to Newmarket) and Highway 407, a toll highwayToll road
A 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 Vaughan, Brampton and Burlington
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
.
Highway 407 runs parallel to Highway 7, 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 Avenue, Major MacKenzie Drive, and Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
which forms Markham's southern boundary with Toronto.
Public transit
York Region TransitYork Region Transit
York Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
(YRT) connects Markham with surrounding municipalities in York Region, and was created in 2001 from the merger of Markham Transit
Markham Transit
Markham 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 Transit
Richmond Hill Transit
Richmond 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 Transit
Newmarket Transit
Newmarket 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 Transit
Vaughan Transit
Vaughan Transit was the transit provider in the town of Vaughan, in southwest York Region, Ontario, Canada. The service operated from 1973 until 2001, when it was merged into York Region Transit.-Route:...
. YRT to connects to the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) subway system by way of Viva
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service 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 TTC
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
also provides service in Markham on several north-south routes, such as Don Mills Road, Warden Avenue, Birchmount Road, McCowan Road and 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 Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
provides train service on the old trackbed of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
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...
, which connects Markham with downtown Toronto 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 Hill
Richmond Hill Line
The Richmond Hill Line is a surface transit line on Myrtle Avenue in Queens, New York City, United States. Once a streetcar line owned by the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation, 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 AirportToronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport
Buttonville 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 are...
, Canada's 11th busiest airport (Ontario's 4th busiest), caters to general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and business commuter traffic to Ottawa and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Operators at Buttonville include:
- NexJet Aviation Inc
- Executive Edge Air Charter
- Aviation Limited
- Canadian Flyers International
- FlightexecFlightexecFlightexec 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 OrngeOrngeOrnge is the air ambulance service for the province of Ontario and for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care...
(Ontario Air Ambulance) - Million AirMillion AirMillion Air is an aviation company that operates fixed base operators across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. The Million Air Brand of FBOs has been providing general aviation service since 2006...
, an executive air charter - Toronto Airways Limited, a flight training school
- Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, a College with Aviation Program based here
- Buttonville Flying Club
- Leggat Aviation Ltd., an authorized Cessna Dealership that specializes in new aircraft sales, full service and parts supply
Athletes
- Bill CrothersBill CrothersBill Crothers is a retired Canadian athlete.At one point, Crothers held the Canadian record in all distances from 400 metres to 1500 metres and was holder of the world 800 metres indoor record. In 1963, he ran the two fastest 800 metres races of the year...
, track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete, OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
silver medalist, 1964 - Cody HodgsonCody HodgsonCody Hodgson is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ....
, a prospectProspect (sports)In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
for the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... - Ken PereiraKen PereiraKenneth Pereira is a field hockey midfielder from Canada. He was a member of the Canadian field hockey team at the Summer Olympics in 2000 and 2008. Pereira has also been on several Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games teams, winning two gold medals in the latter competition in 1999 and 2007...
, field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player, Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
medalist - Jeff SkinnerJeff SkinnerJeffrey Skinner is a Canadian ice hockey player for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Selected seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Skinner was the youngest player in the NHL during the season.-Early life:Skinner was born to lawyers Andrew...
, NHL hockey player - Steven StamkosSteven StamkosSteven Stamkos is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain 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. Playing with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey...
, NHL hockey player - Tammy Sutton-BrownTammy Sutton-BrownTamara "Tammy" Kim Sutton-Brown is a Canadian professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is center.-High school years:...
, WNBAWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
basketball player - Steve ThomasSteve Thomas (ice hockey)Stephen Antony "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...
, retired NHL hockey player - Raffi TorresRaffi TorresRaphael "Raffi" Torres is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by the New York Islanders fifth overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He has additionally played in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers,...
, NHL hockey player - Stephen WeissStephen WeissStephen Weiss is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Weiss plays the centre position and is an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League .-Plymouth Whalers:...
, NHL hockey player - Ron Wilson, retired NHL hockey player
- Ethan WerekEthan WerekEthan Werek is a Canadian ice hockey player with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the 2nd round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft with the compensatory pick that the Rangers received after the death of Alexei Cherepanov.Werek was the...
hockey player
Musicians
- Ash Buchholz, of the band Ubiquitous Synergy SeekerUbiquitous Synergy SeekerUbiquitous Synergy Seeker is a musical duo that began working out of Parkdale, a neighbourhood situated in the west end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
- Ben HeppnerBen HeppnerBen Heppner, CC is a Canadian tenor, specializing in opera and other classical works for voice.Heppner was born in Murrayville, British Columbia, and lived in Dawson Creek...
, Canadian dramatic tenor - Justin PeroffJustin PeroffJustin 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 SceneBroken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto... - Anna RussellAnna RussellAnna 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, North Carolina
Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina 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...
Nördlingen, Germany
Nördlingen
Nördlingen 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 complex meteorite crater, called the Nördlinger Ries. The town was also the place of two battles during the Thirty Years' War...
Pearland, Texas, USA
Pearland, Texas
Pearland , is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the US state of Texas within the metropolitan area and is in the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris. As of the census of 2000, the city's population was 37,640. As of 2008, Pearland is estimated to have a population of 90,700...
Wuhan, People's Republic of China
Wuhan
Wuhan 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 the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
