Letters

2023

2022

2021

2020

  • Conservation Authorities under threat from Bill 229, new Provincial regulations, November 27, 2020
  • Markham Centre Secondary Plan Update. August 20, 2020. A listing of numerous key areas of detail that URA will be tracking, and higher-level comments including use of precincts, key public areas, compitable with historic Main Street, relocation of City Hall, Rouge Valley green space, road sections tailored to pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Concerns with Bill 108 on Community Benefits Charge (Parkland Acquisition), June 19, 2020
  • Endorsement of Main Street Unionville Streetscape Concept 2, June 3, 2020
  • Arterial Road Widening in Markham, April 16, 2020, dealing York Region on (a) specific alternatives to the widening of 16th Avenue (currently undergoing Environmental Assessment (b) input to traffic modeling to study long-term need for road widening in established communities (Transportation Master Plan update)
  • 16th Ave EA Part II Order Request. Outlining 16th Ave road widening concerns and request to meet.
  • Response to York Region Letter on 16th Avenue EA. January 28, 2020. URA responded and presented counterarguments to York Region on our three concern areas – engagement, strategic fit and alternatives.
  • Comments on 16th Avenue Environmental Study Report, January 8, 2020. Our concerns fell into 3 bundles (a) stakeholder engagement (b) strategic fit (c) other alternatives, including intersection improvements only, improve transit priority, reversible centre bus lane, reduced lane widths and reduced speed limits, alternate E/W corridors.

2019

  • Comments on Ontario Bill 108 (More Homes, More Choices Act), May 30, 2019. Our concerns were (a) timelines for consultations completely unreasonable, (b) financial issues appear significant (c) shortened timelines for decisions on development applications will be counterproductive (d) inclusionary zoning should be permitted beyond Major Transit Station Areas (e) LPAT reversion to “de novo” evidence is problematic (e) Conservation Authorities need to continue to review development applications in detail and engage in watershed planning and resource management
  • Consultations on Regional Government Review, February 12, 2019. Our letter to the province touched upon many points, including taxes, service levels, funding, boundaries and elected representatives.
  • Op-Ed by URA. Published by The Markham Economist and Sun in February, 2019 about the regional government review being undertaken by the Province. We raised questions about taxes and service levels.

2018

  • York Downs status update. September 12, 2018. URA sent a letter to Markham Council summarizing agreed-upon points from a meeting that day.
  • York Downs issues. September 3, 2018. URA letter a letter to Markham Council summarizing our issues of concern: TRCA approval, traffic, Block 19 (Red Block), Block 20 (condos).

2016

  • Input to Markham Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Project, May 16, 2016. Our letter covered (a) affordable and shared housing and sccondary suites (b) student housing (c) review and assessment of minor variances (d) zero underground setbacks.

2015