Markham City Council


The Markham City Council is the governing body of the city of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It consists of the mayor, eight councillors who each represent one of the city's eight wards, and four regional councillors who, along with the mayor, are elected via double direct election to represent the city at York Regional Council.
Council meets at the chambers at the Markham Civic Centre at the corner of Warden Avenue and Highway 7.
The next municipal election will be in 2022.

History

Markham was incorporated as a township in 1850, establishing a council with one reeve, one deputy reeve, and three councillors. This system was used until 1 January 1971, when municipalities in York County were reorganized into the Regional Municipality of York, and Markham was newly incorporated as a town. An electoral system based on six wards was established, and this numeric ward system remains mostly unchanged since its creation. Two wards were added, one in 1976, and another in 1984.
Minor boundary changes have taken place with no impact of the numbering.
Most ward changes require approval by the Ontario Municipal Board with only the 2006 changes not requiring prior approval.
Changes were made to the boundaries for all 8 wards for 2014 elections with Thornhill assigned to Ward 1 to replace the former Ward 1 and 2 split.
The changes also take into consideration existing neighbourhoods, natural boundaries, better representation by population, effective representation and accommodation for future growth of Markham.
Then still under town status, the mayor, town councillors and regional councillors were elected by the residents of Markham every 3 years until 2006. Provincial legislation extended the election period to 4 years.

Town Council 2006-2010

Regional Councillors
Regional councillor represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of Regional Council as well.
CouncillorWardNotes
Jack HeathMarkhamDeputy Mayor
Jim JonesMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative MP for Markham; former Regional Councillor
Joseph VirgilioMarkhamAppointed in September 2009 after the death of Tony Wong.; former Ward 3 town councillor
Gordon LandonMarkhamConservative candidates for the federal riding of Markham in next federal elections

Town Council (2010-2012) and City Council 2012-2014

The council elected in the 2010 municipal election took office on December 1, 2010. The town council members became city council members on July 1, 2012 when Markham changed from a town to a city.
CouncillorWardCommunities representedNotes
Frank ScarpittiMayor, Council Chair and CEO
Valerie Burke1Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner
Howard Shore2Thornlea, German MillsChair of Communications and Information Technology Sub-Committee, vice-chair of Community & Fire Services
Don Hamilton3Unionville, Downtown Markham
Carolina Moretti4Dickson Hill, Mount Joy, Wismer Commons, RamervilleChair of Canada Day Committee and Economic Development Committee
Colin Campbell5Cornell, Mount Joy, Berczy Village, Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Greensborough, Locust Hill, Markham Villageformer Toronto Fire Services captain
Alan Ho6Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Angus Glen, Cathedraltown
Logan Kanapathi7Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove
Alex Chiu8Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Cornerformer Ward 7 councillor and owner of retail store at Market Village Mall

Regional Councillors
Regional councillor represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of Regional Council as well.
CouncillorWardNotes
Jack HeathMarkhamDeputy Mayor
Jim JonesMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative MP for Markham ; former Regional Councillor ; Toronto Liaison Committee Chair
Gordon LandonMarkhamConservative candidates for the federal riding of Markham in next federal elections; Development Services Committee - Chair of Transportation
Joe LiMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River and Markham—Unionville

City Council (2014-2018)

The council elected in the 2014 municipal election took office on December 1, 2014. Wards boundaries were changed with former Ward 1 and 2 combined as one, former Ward 6 became Ward 2.
CouncillorWardCommunities representedNotes
Frank ScarpittiMayor, Council Chair and CEO
Valerie Burke1Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner, German Mills, ThornleaDefeated former Ward 2 councillor Howard Shore in the new Ward 1
Alan Ho2Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, CathedraltownElected to the new Ward 2, formerly Ward 6
Don Hamilton3Unionville, Downtown Markham
Karen Rea4Mount Joy, Wismer Commons, Markham Village, Ramervillenewly elected defeating incumbent Carolina Moretti
Colin Campbell5Cornell, Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Locust Hill, Dickson Hill former Toronto Fire Services captain
Amanda Yeung Collucci6Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Wismer Commons, Dickson Hill This is a newly created Ward 6 taking some parts of Ward 2 & 4
Khalid Usman7Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove
Alex Chiu8Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Cornerformer Ward 7 councillor and owner of retail store at Market Village Mall

Regional Councillors
Regional councillor represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of Regional Council as well.
CouncillorWardNotes
Jack HeathMarkhamDeputy Mayor
Jim JonesMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative MP for Markham ; former Regional Councillor ; Toronto Liaison Committee Chair
Nirmala ArmstrongMarkhamlocal lawyer and elected to replace Gordon Landon
Joe LiMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River and Markham—Unionville

City Council (2018-present)

The following councillors were elected in the 2018 municipal election.
CouncillorWardCommunities representedNotes
Frank ScarpittiMayor, Council Chair and CEO
Keith Irish1Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner, German Mills, Thornlea
Alan Ho2Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Cathedraltown
Reid McAlpine3Unionville, Downtown Markham
Karen Rea4Mount Joy, Wismer Commons, Markham Village, Ramerville
Andrew Keyes5Cornell, Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Locust Hill, Dickson Hill
Amanda Yeung Collucci6Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Wismer Commons, Dickson Hill
Khalid Usman7Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove
Isa Lee8Milliken Mills, Hagerman's CornerDefeated incumbent Alex Chiu

Regional Councillors
Regional councillor represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of Regional Council as well.
CouncillorWardNotes
Jack HeathMarkham
Jim JonesMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative MP for Markham ; former Regional Councillor ; Toronto Liaison Committee Chair
Don HamiltonMarkhamFormer Ward 3 councillor, Deputy Mayor
Joe LiMarkhamformer Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River and Markham—Unionville

Vacancies

City council vacancies are filled by a by-election, as in the case in 2009 when then Ward 3 councillor Joseph Virgilio resigned to become Regional Councillor and Don Hamilton elected as the new Ward 3 councillor.
Prior to the Ward 3 by-election Joseph Virgilio was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of Regional Councillor Tony Wong.

Committees

Committees are created and chair and represented by city councillors to deal with issues and by-laws that impact the city. The chair and vice-chairs are elected selected by the mayor.
STANDING COMMITTEES
OTHER COMMITTEES
ADVISORY COMMITTEES
SUB-COMMITTEES