Markham Stouffville Review, March 2024
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STOUFFVILLE<br />
Vol.13 Issue 3 <strong>March</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
WWW.STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM<br />
WWW.MARKHAMREVIEW.COM<br />
WHAT’S INSIDE<br />
City of <strong>Markham</strong> among<br />
Canada’s Best Employers<br />
The City of <strong>Markham</strong> has once again been<br />
recognized by Forbes as one of Canada’s Best<br />
Employers <strong>2024</strong><br />
Region calls for funds in provincial<br />
budget consultation<br />
As part of Ontario’s <strong>2024</strong> budget consultation, York<br />
Region is calling on the provincial government<br />
to cover the estimated $700 million it’s losing in<br />
development charges over the next decade.<br />
SEE PAGE 5<br />
Region appoints new commissioner<br />
of public works<br />
SEE PAGE 4<br />
York Region’s new Commissioner of Public Works<br />
is an award-winning engineer credited with helping<br />
position the region as a leader in many areas<br />
SEE PAGE 8<br />
Virtual clinic offers easy access to health care<br />
With many struggling to get timely access to care<br />
and wait lists for family doctors growing, people<br />
should know that virtual care is an option for them.<br />
Theatre delivers a packed lineup in <strong>March</strong><br />
SEE PAGE 9<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> figure skater captures gold<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> figure skater Vienna Vidinovski<br />
landed a gold medal at the <strong>2024</strong> Skate<br />
Canada Challenge.<br />
With a packed lineup of shows in <strong>March</strong>, the <strong>Markham</strong> Theatre is not only featuring diversity, it’s showcasing traditions that<br />
span thousands of years. SEE PAGE 11<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
SEE PAGE 10<br />
<strong>March</strong> is Epilepsy<br />
Awareness Month<br />
<strong>March</strong> is Epilepsy Awareness Month and it is<br />
a perfect time to stress the isolation issue that<br />
comes with having epilepsy.<br />
Mayor tables $590.5-million<br />
budget with 2.99% tax hike<br />
The average taxpayer will fork out another<br />
$40 on the City of <strong>Markham</strong> portion of their<br />
property tax bill after Mayor Frank Scarpitti<br />
tabled a $590.5-million budget.<br />
‘Phenomenal’ teacher earns<br />
prestigious history award<br />
<strong>Stouffville</strong> teacher Leone Andrea Izzo of<br />
Oscar Peterson Public School is the proud<br />
recipient of the country’s most prestigious<br />
history honour.<br />
You don’t have to miss out on local news and<br />
information. Just check out markhamreview.com<br />
and stouffvillereview.com for fresh, original articles,<br />
updated daily. Did you miss a print edition?<br />
Catch up with our replica e-paper, available<br />
anytime on our website.<br />
SEE PAGE 2 SEE PAGE 7<br />
The Peking<br />
Acrobats<br />
Saturday, <strong>March</strong> 30 // 2pm & 7pm<br />
Sunday, <strong>March</strong> 31 // 11am & 3pm<br />
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca // 905.305.7469<br />
SEE PAGE 8<br />
230110 FMT_<strong>Markham</strong> <strong>Review</strong> - 23.24 Season - Peking Acrobats February 13 - NEW SIZE 10x1.75.indd 1 <strong>2024</strong>-02-13 2:03 PM
2 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
<strong>March</strong> is Epilepsy Awareness Month<br />
BY JEFF JONES<br />
<strong>March</strong> is Epilepsy Awareness Month<br />
and it is a perfect time to stress the isolation<br />
issue that comes with having epilepsy.<br />
“What a lot of people don’t understand<br />
is that the physical symptoms of epilepsy<br />
are often not the most difficult thing about<br />
having epilepsy,” explains Tina Ng media<br />
administrator for Epilepsy York Region,<br />
“it’s the isolation and stigma that come with<br />
them.”<br />
Epilepsy is a long-term disease that<br />
causes repeated seizures due to abnormal<br />
electrical signals produced by damaged<br />
brain cells. When there is a sudden burst of<br />
uncontrolled electrical activity within the<br />
brain, the result is a seizure. Seizures can<br />
range from nearly imperceptible changes in<br />
awareness to full-body muscle spasms. The<br />
latter can be quite intense for all involved.<br />
Much of the stigma and isolation surrounding<br />
epilepsy likely stems from fear of<br />
these large, public, and sometimes difficult<br />
seizures.<br />
“Imagine having to deal with it alone,”<br />
says Ng, “or while feeling alone. We want to<br />
end the isolation and stigma.”<br />
This is why <strong>March</strong> has been named<br />
Epilepsy Awareness Month in Canada. Organizations<br />
like Epilepsy York Region want<br />
individuals to take the opportunity to be<br />
aware of, learn about, and maybe even connect<br />
with someone who has been touched by<br />
epilepsy.<br />
The month features several initiatives<br />
that are aimed at epilepsy education, epilepsy<br />
awareness, building support through<br />
community and advocating on behalf of<br />
those with epilepsy. Epilepsy York Region is<br />
offering presentations to schools, libraries,<br />
and other institutions about epilepsy. These<br />
are available by reaching out to EYR via<br />
their website, https://epilepsyyork.org/.<br />
“We also get proclamations from all the<br />
municipalities that can give them,” says Ng.<br />
“This really helps raise the profile of awareness<br />
during the month. Additionally, some<br />
landmarks get lit up in purple for the month.<br />
Look for Vaughan City Hall, Fred Lundy<br />
Bridge in Newmarket, and the Georgina<br />
Civic Centre to be lit up in purple.”<br />
The centrepiece of Epilepsy Awareness<br />
Month is Purple Day on <strong>March</strong> 26th. Started<br />
in 2009 by Canadian Cassidy Megan, who<br />
was inspired by her own struggles with<br />
epilepsy, the goal is to get people talking<br />
about epilepsy in an effort to dispel myths<br />
and inform those with seizures that they are<br />
not alone.<br />
“There are those that say the colour<br />
purple was chosen because it has a calming<br />
effect for some,” explains Ng, “but there is<br />
no official reason”<br />
The basic idea is that people around the<br />
world are invited to wear purple and host<br />
events in support of epilepsy awareness on<br />
<strong>March</strong> 26th. Last year, people in more than<br />
85 countries on all continents participated<br />
in Purple Day. However, Canada is the only<br />
country in the world who officially recognizes<br />
Purple Day through the Purple Day<br />
Act implemented on June 28, 2012.<br />
“Epilepsy can happen to anyone at any<br />
age,” says Ng. “It’s not contagious and it’s<br />
not necessarily caused genetically either.<br />
About 1 in every 100 people experience<br />
epilepsy.”<br />
Given how common the condition is, it<br />
is certainly problematic how little information<br />
is shared about it. The result is a perception<br />
that the disease is more debilitating<br />
than it is in truth.<br />
“Lots of people with epilepsy go on to<br />
do extraordinary things,” says Ng. “This is<br />
why the I am 1 in 100 campaign has been so<br />
important.”<br />
EYR along with the Canadian Epilepsy<br />
Alliance (CEA) and epilepsy agencies<br />
across Canada launched this campaign as<br />
a way for those diagnosed with epilepsy to<br />
show what it means to live with epilepsy<br />
and that they are defined by more than the<br />
disease. The testimonials are then shared<br />
with the hashtag #Iam1in100.<br />
“More than anything else, I would just<br />
say that people should be a friend when they<br />
come across someone who’s been touched<br />
by epilepsy,” says Ng. “It’s the understanding,<br />
and the acceptance, and compassion<br />
that makes all the difference in the world. If<br />
you need any more info about how, please<br />
reach out to us.”<br />
Events for Epilepsy Awareness Month<br />
run throughout <strong>March</strong>.<br />
Visit epilepsyyork.org for more information.
MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
Regional funding<br />
for Project Jumpstart<br />
COMMUNITY 3 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW<br />
York Region is showing international<br />
and women-led tech entrepreneurs the<br />
money by committing $1,080,600 over<br />
three years to Project Jumpstart.<br />
The funding promises to help increase<br />
local employment and economic growth,<br />
promote equity and diversity, and expand<br />
business and entrepreneurship guidance and<br />
resources for York’s northern six municipalities.<br />
Project Jumpstart extends the reach of<br />
the York University/Schulich and Treefrog<br />
partnership to attract new innovation/<br />
tech-centric businesses. Its sector focus<br />
aligns with York’s key economic clusters,<br />
including information and communications<br />
technology, life sciences and health technology,<br />
automotive technology, and agriculture<br />
and agri-food.<br />
Jumpstart will give York its own<br />
International Entrepreneurs Accelerator<br />
that builds on the success of Accelerate<br />
Newmarket. It will welcome 50 participants<br />
a year for three years and promises<br />
to create 210 jobs. Participants will prepare<br />
for national expansion through workshops,<br />
mentorship with key Canadian stakeholders,<br />
as well as skills to make a seamless transition<br />
to York Region.<br />
Additionally, Jumpstart will give the<br />
Region a women-focused incubator program<br />
with a primary focus on the northern<br />
six municipalities and builds on the<br />
success of YSpace ELLA. It will welcome<br />
20 participants each year for three years to<br />
create 90 new jobs. The program will host<br />
two annual breakfasts that promise to attract<br />
investors and others to create a networking<br />
experience for stakeholders, which include<br />
York Small Business Enterprise Centre,<br />
York Angels, ventureLAB and Seneca HE-<br />
LIX.<br />
For more information on economic development<br />
and available resources to grow<br />
a business, visit YorkLink.ca.<br />
Catholic board posts<br />
highest graduation rates<br />
The York Catholic District School<br />
Board (YCDSB) led the province in graduation<br />
rates in 2022, with 97.3 per cent of its<br />
students earning their Ontario Secondary<br />
School Diploma (OSSD) within five years<br />
of starting Grade 9.<br />
At the York Region District School<br />
Board (YRDSB), 94.2 per cent of students<br />
earned their OSSD in that timeframe, landing<br />
them at No. 5 out of 72 school boards.<br />
According to data released in late 2023 by<br />
the Ministry of Education, 89.1 per cent<br />
of students provincewide graduated from<br />
high school within five years in that same<br />
timeframe.<br />
The cohort of YCDSB students who<br />
started Grade 9 in 2018-19 also posted the<br />
province’s highest four-year graduation<br />
rate, with 96 per cent of students earning<br />
their OSSD in that timeframe, while 90.9<br />
per cent YRDSB students did the same.<br />
Provincewide, 83.9 per cent of students who<br />
started Grade 9 that year graduated within<br />
four years.<br />
For students to earn an OSSD, they<br />
must earn at least 30 credits, including 18<br />
compulsory credits and 12 optional credits,<br />
meet the provincial secondary school literacy<br />
requirement, earn at least two online<br />
learning credits and complete 40 hours of<br />
community involvement activities.
4 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
City of <strong>Markham</strong> among<br />
Canada’s Best Employers<br />
The City of <strong>Markham</strong> has once again<br />
been recognized by Forbes as one of Canada’s<br />
Best Employers <strong>2024</strong>, landing at No.45<br />
on the list of 300 and making its mark as<br />
the top city in Ontario and among the top 10<br />
for government services.<br />
The Regional Municipality of York and<br />
Oak Valley Health were also recognized<br />
among Canada’s Best Employers for <strong>2024</strong>,<br />
along with several global companies that<br />
are headquartered or have a large presence<br />
in <strong>Markham</strong>, including AMD, Enbridge,<br />
General Motors, Honda Canada, Huawei<br />
Canada, IBM Canada, TD Bank Group and<br />
Tesla.<br />
“It is an honour to be recognized<br />
for the fourth consecutive year as one of<br />
Canada’s Best Employers,” says <strong>Markham</strong><br />
Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “At the City of<br />
<strong>Markham</strong>, we work extremely hard to<br />
ensure a welcoming, diverse and inclusive<br />
environment that creates a positive culture<br />
for success. My sincerest thanks to CAO<br />
Andy Taylor and our senior management<br />
team for their inspired leadership as well<br />
as our many staff who continually display<br />
innovation and dedication every day.”<br />
The annual ranking, created by Forbes<br />
in partnership with market research firm<br />
Statista, is based primarily on a survey of<br />
more than 40,000 people working for Canadian<br />
companies and institutions that employ<br />
at least 500 individuals. Survey respondents<br />
were asked to rate their employer based on<br />
a range of criteria, including salary, gender<br />
pay-equity, work flexibility, opportunities<br />
for promotion and on-the-job training.<br />
Participants were also asked if they’d<br />
recommend their employer to others<br />
and were given the chance to rate other<br />
employers in their respective industries.<br />
All responses were tallied to provide each<br />
company with a score and the 300 organizations<br />
with the highest scores made the final<br />
list.<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> CAO Andy Taylor credits the<br />
People Plan and the “passionate, hard work<br />
and dedication” of staff for the recognition.<br />
The People Plan supports the city’s strategic<br />
goal of delivering exceptional services by<br />
exceptional people and focuses on onboarding,<br />
providing continuous opportunities for<br />
development and learning, numerous wellness<br />
initiatives, open communications, and<br />
a commitment to diversity and inclusion –<br />
as outlined in the updated Diversity Action<br />
Plan, which was released in July 2022, the<br />
city reports.<br />
Please contact me for any concerns or ideas
MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
COMMUNITY 5 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW<br />
Region calls for funds in provincial budget consultation<br />
As part of Ontario’s <strong>2024</strong> budget consultation,<br />
York Region is calling on the provincial<br />
government to cover the estimated<br />
$700 million it’s losing in development<br />
charges over the next decade.<br />
Development charges are used to pay<br />
for the additional infrastructure such as<br />
water, roads and sewers needed to service<br />
new growth.<br />
But Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster<br />
Act, 2022 reduced the amount of development<br />
charges the Region can collect<br />
by phasing in Council-approved rates,<br />
eliminating or reducing eligible services,<br />
and providing potential new discounts and<br />
exemptions to developers.<br />
If it’s to meet provincial housing<br />
targets of 150,000 new homes by 2031, the<br />
Region says it needs to invest an additional<br />
$2.6 billion for infrastructure. That’s in addition<br />
to the nearly $7.6 billion in growthrelated<br />
infrastructure already included in<br />
the <strong>2024</strong> 10-year Capital Plan.<br />
As an upper-tier municipality, it’s<br />
ineligible for funding from the Building<br />
Faster Fund, which is helping municipalities<br />
with housing targets address challenges.<br />
Without new provincial funding, building<br />
infrastructure needed to service new homes<br />
could result in a one-time tax levy increase<br />
of 3.7 per cent in <strong>2024</strong> and a one-time water<br />
and wastewater rate increase of 7.9 per cent<br />
in 2025, the Region warns.<br />
“York Region, like many other munici-<br />
Time to consolidate<br />
York municipalities: Scarpitti<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> Mayor Frank Scarpitti is<br />
continuing his “bold” call for ‘One York,<br />
One City, One Step.’<br />
“It is time to consolidate all nine<br />
municipalities in York Region,” he told the<br />
provincial committee overseeing the study<br />
on regional governance at a meeting in<br />
Vaughan on January 17.<br />
In September, Municipal Affairs<br />
Housing Minister Paul Calandra wrote<br />
to the Standing Committee on Heritage,<br />
Infrastructure and Cultural Policy asking<br />
members to review two-tier municipalities<br />
in the province. The request followed former<br />
housing minister Steve Clark’s decision<br />
to step down amid the Greenbelt land-swap<br />
controversy. In November 2022, Clark had<br />
announced plans to appoint facilitators to<br />
review six regional governments: County of<br />
Simcoe, Durham, Halton, Niagara, Waterloo<br />
and York.<br />
Scarpitti conceded that his suggestion<br />
to consolidate York’s municipalities may<br />
sound “bold,” but he believes doing so<br />
would increase efficiency and save money.<br />
Excluding the education portion of a property<br />
tax bill, 70 per cent of taxes collected<br />
already go to York Region, he reasoned.<br />
“We would only be consolidating the<br />
remaining 30 per cent. A consolidation<br />
would realize significant savings in both<br />
operating and capital budgets…One tax<br />
bill. One planning department. One water<br />
department. One fire department,” he said,<br />
noting York Region is already responsible<br />
for police and paramedic services.<br />
In addition to consolidating economic<br />
development, roads, recreation, corporate<br />
communication and other departments, the<br />
move would reduce the number of elected<br />
officials, which currently stands at 77. York<br />
Region has a population of 1.2 million,<br />
while the City of Toronto’s population of<br />
three million is served by 26 elected officials,<br />
Scarpitti reminded.<br />
The Region shares the provincial<br />
government’s commitment to building<br />
more houses. “Now, more than ever, we<br />
need to be agile,” he said. “We need more<br />
homes, we need more roads and transit, we<br />
need more infrastructure – and we need to<br />
be building them faster. It’s not just about<br />
planning and getting approvals; it’s the integrated<br />
process of getting those homes built<br />
and those communities created. We need to<br />
make the whole process more efficient.”<br />
palities, is contending with an increasing<br />
population without the funds to pay for required<br />
infrastructure,” says Steve Pellegrini,<br />
Chair of Finance and Administration. “Our<br />
goal remains to deliver fiscally sustainable<br />
services. To date, there has been no specific<br />
funding commitment made to York Region<br />
to address development charge shortfalls.”<br />
In its submission to the budget consultation,<br />
York is also calling on the provincial<br />
government to contribute $216 million<br />
– the equivalent of a one-third share – of<br />
funding for 1,852 new community housing<br />
units and provide stable long-term funding<br />
for housing affordability programs. It also<br />
wants the province to maintain provincial<br />
gas tax funding at its current level and<br />
provide additional funding for priority bus<br />
rapid transit projects. Finally, the Region is<br />
calling for funding to address homelessness,<br />
manage the influx of asylum seekers, and<br />
meet growing demand and costs in other<br />
human and health services programs.<br />
York Regional Council also endorses<br />
the Association of Ontario Municipalities of<br />
Ontario resolution for a Social and Economic<br />
Prosperity <strong>Review</strong> by the province.<br />
Many programs, particularly in community<br />
and health services, are partially funded<br />
however, municipalities continue to spend<br />
more than they receive in other areas falling<br />
under provincial responsibility, such as<br />
social housing, long-term care, land ambulance,<br />
social services and childcare.<br />
LJI funding<br />
from the<br />
Government<br />
of Canada<br />
Publisher<br />
Nicole Fletcher<br />
General Manager<br />
Duncan Fletcher<br />
Creative Design<br />
Sam Pun<br />
Editorial Contributors<br />
Jeff Jones<br />
Connor Simonds<br />
George Redak<br />
Andrew Fuyarchuk<br />
Stephen Sweet<br />
Nick Cagna<br />
Rebecca Simkin<br />
178 Main Street, Suite 306, Unionville, ON<br />
nicolefletcher@rogers.com<br />
(416) 884-4343
6 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
A Grade 9 <strong>Markham</strong> District High School gifted science class accepted the mission to blast off<br />
on a journey of learning and was rewarded with an out-of-the-world experience.<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> class wins<br />
national space contest<br />
Visit. Snap. Win!<br />
Entering<br />
York Region’s<br />
Forest100 Photo<br />
Contest is as<br />
easy as 1, 2, 3!<br />
THE YORK REGIONAL FOREST<br />
A GROWING LEGACY<br />
EST. 1924<br />
A Grade 9 <strong>Markham</strong> District High<br />
Winners of the competition remotely<br />
School gifted science class accepted the controlled a Canadensys lunar rover in a<br />
mission to blast off on a journey of learning moon-like environment, allowing them to<br />
and was rewarded with an out-of-the-world interact with technology that will be part of<br />
experience.<br />
the upcoming Artemis space missions. They<br />
The school was one of just four to worked in teams to navigate, send commands<br />
to the rover, monitor its conditions<br />
win the Lunar Rover Research Challenge,<br />
a national space competition offered by and analyze the environment. Canadensys<br />
Let’s Talk Science, Canadensys Aerospace received a contract in November 2022<br />
Corporation and Avalon Space with support from the Canadian Space Agency to build<br />
from the Canadian Space Agency.<br />
Canada’s first lunar rover to be sent to the<br />
More than 16,000 Grades 6 to 9 students<br />
took part in the competition, which Learn more about other opportunities<br />
moon no earlier than 2026.<br />
challenged students to plan a rover mission available to York Region District School<br />
seeking out ice deposits hidden in the shadows<br />
of the moon in a fun problem-based Technology, Engineering and Mathemat-<br />
Board high school students in Science,<br />
experience presented as a collaborative ics or explore other opportunities at www.<br />
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MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
COMMUNITY 7 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW<br />
Mayor tables $590.5-million budget with 2.99% tax hike<br />
The average taxpayer will fork out another<br />
$40 on the City of <strong>Markham</strong> portion<br />
of their property tax bill after Mayor Frank<br />
Scarpitti tabled a $590.5-million budget.<br />
He presented A Strong <strong>Markham</strong>:<br />
Budget <strong>2024</strong> to City of <strong>Markham</strong> Treasurer<br />
Joseph Silva during a special council meeting.<br />
While the budget represents a 2.99 per<br />
cent hike over last year’s budget, <strong>Markham</strong><br />
continues to have the lowest average tax<br />
rate increase in the Greater Toronto Area<br />
for 19 consecutive years, the City reports.<br />
“We continue to operate as an efficient<br />
government and we are proud of our fiscal<br />
management, while never compromising the<br />
high standard of service we enjoy,” Scarpitti<br />
says.<br />
Budget <strong>2024</strong> includes $118.3 million<br />
in capital funding to deliver 271 projects.<br />
About $43.8 million of that total relates to<br />
new infrastructure to service <strong>Markham</strong>’s<br />
growing communities. A total of $56 million<br />
will go towards road repairs, rehabilitation<br />
and traffic management improvements<br />
while $14.7 million will fund the construction<br />
and maintenance of parks and trails.<br />
In preparation for changing climate<br />
conditions, the City has set aside $10.9 mil-<br />
Carpentry class music<br />
to students’ ears<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> Mayor Frank Scarpitti presents A Strong <strong>Markham</strong>: Budget <strong>2024</strong> during a Special<br />
Council Meeting.<br />
lion for flood control, stormwater management<br />
construction, ponds and culverts. It<br />
will invest $1.8 million in green initiatives<br />
and environmental strategies as part of its<br />
commitment to achieve net zero emissions<br />
by 2050. It has also earmarked $5.8 million<br />
for leading-edge technology to modernize<br />
systems and technology infrastructure.<br />
About 60 per cent of the capital budget<br />
will keep the existing community infrastructure<br />
in a good state of repair, including<br />
projects to repair and refurbish existing<br />
roads, recreation, library and cultural facilities<br />
and amenities, and improve stormwater<br />
infrastructure. That includes $10.4 million<br />
for repair and rehabilitation for recreation<br />
and cultural facilities and related amenities,<br />
$1.3 million for facility upgrades and<br />
artificial turf replacement for Mount Joy<br />
Sports Dome and $1.2 million for refurbishing<br />
basketball, tennis and pickleball courts.<br />
Budget <strong>2024</strong> also reflects an increased<br />
investment of 0.7 per cent or $1.2 million<br />
as a proactive measure to repair and replace<br />
assets over the next 25 years. “<strong>Markham</strong><br />
continues to flourish as a forward-thinking<br />
community, and we have created a strong<br />
and responsible budget rooted in sound<br />
investment and a record of fiscal prudence.<br />
We continue to invest in new infrastructure,<br />
while maintaining our assets in a state of<br />
good repair,” Scarpitti says.<br />
“Budget <strong>2024</strong> supports important<br />
initiatives such as meeting the provincial<br />
target of building 44,000 homes over the<br />
next 10 years, while providing relief for<br />
a community grappling with higher costs<br />
of living,” he adds. <strong>Markham</strong> is supporting<br />
low-income seniors to stay healthy and<br />
age in place through the new Low-Income<br />
Seniors Property Tax Assistance Program,<br />
the City reports.<br />
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A group of students at Unionville H.S. are making their own electric guitars in a carpentry class.<br />
A carpentry class at Unionville High<br />
School is hitting all the right notes by<br />
encouraging students to consider pursuing<br />
a skilled trades career while still in high<br />
school as they make their own electric guitars.<br />
“My dream is to be in architecture.<br />
Building a house, learning to know the<br />
basics is really important,” says Hayley, a<br />
Grade 12 student at the school.<br />
In addition to learning how to plan<br />
and use machines safely and effectively,<br />
students are learning about the importance<br />
of trying new things and learning from mistakes.<br />
“I’m learning a lot of different skills,<br />
like how to use the machines and a lot of<br />
perseverance through this experience,” says<br />
Emily, a Grade 11 student at the school.<br />
Students learned more about carpentry<br />
as a career from Andrew Edwards, a Red<br />
Seal carpenter who got his start in a high<br />
school shop class. He shared his experiences<br />
with the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship<br />
Program (OYAP) and the profession. “I’m<br />
hoping the students can walk out of here<br />
and kind of make a decision on whether or<br />
not an apprenticeship is right for them,”<br />
says Edwards, owner/operator of Greenway<br />
Construction Inc.<br />
His company is involved with OYAP, a<br />
school-to-work program that allows Grades<br />
11 and 12 students to explore and gain apprenticeship<br />
training in one of more than<br />
150 skilled trades. Students can become<br />
registered apprentices while completing<br />
their secondary school diplomas through the<br />
cooperative education program.<br />
“This is really important because as<br />
soon as we graduate high school, one of the<br />
questions that we’re asked is what do we<br />
want to do for the rest of our lives and the<br />
only way we’re going to figure out what we<br />
want to do for the rest of our lives is to try<br />
different things,” says Andrew Dennis, a<br />
technology teacher at Unionville H.S.<br />
“In school here, I’m here, I’m helping<br />
you, I’m showing you what to do. If we can<br />
try some stuff in here and see if we like it,<br />
hey, maybe that’s a career one day.”<br />
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MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
Region appoints new commissioner of public works<br />
York Region’s new commissioner of<br />
public works is an award-winning engineer<br />
credited with helping position the region<br />
as a leader in many areas, including a plan<br />
described as being at the “forefront of waste<br />
prevention” in the country.<br />
In addition to her work on the SM4RT<br />
Living Master Plan, Laura McDowell<br />
has worked on the Durham York Energy<br />
Centre, the first energy-from-waste facility<br />
approved in the province in more than 20<br />
years, and the Transit and Corporate Fleet<br />
Electrification, which is contributing to the<br />
goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions<br />
by 2051.<br />
McDowell has held various leadership<br />
positions since joining York Region in<br />
1998, the most recent of which was general<br />
manager of Operations and Services, Public<br />
Works.<br />
“Ms. McDowell has more than 30<br />
years of experience in leading and managing<br />
large, complex, capital and operating<br />
contracts,” says York Region CEO Wayne<br />
Emmerson. “The winning combination of<br />
her knowledge and experience is what we<br />
need to deliver today and prepare for the<br />
future.”<br />
She earned a degree in engineering<br />
from the University of Guelph and completed<br />
York University’s Master’s in Municipal<br />
Leadership Certificate Program.<br />
McDowell was awarded the Public<br />
Works Leader of the Year by the Ontario<br />
Public Works Association in 2020.<br />
She replaces Erin Mahoney, who was<br />
appointed York Region CAO last fall.<br />
“Laura is committed to ambitious results<br />
and I am confident she will lead the Public<br />
Works team in continuing to deliver on the<br />
important programs and services our residents<br />
deserve and expect,” Mahoney says .<br />
“There are many priorities ahead of us and<br />
I look forward to Laura’s leadership and<br />
innovativeness in achieving them.”<br />
The commissioner of public works reports<br />
directly to the CAO and is responsible<br />
for providing strategic direction and overall<br />
leadership of the Public Works department,<br />
which includes Operations and Services<br />
and Capital Infrastructure Services. The<br />
portfolio provides oversight for water and<br />
wastewater facilities, waste management,<br />
natural heritage and forestry services, York<br />
Region Transit, road user safety, transportation<br />
systems and traffic operations.<br />
York Region commissioner of public works<br />
Laura McDowell.<br />
‘Phenomenal’ teacher earns<br />
prestigious history award<br />
New funding for pediatric services<br />
<strong>Stouffville</strong> teacher Leone Andrea Izzo<br />
of Oscar Peterson Public School is the proud<br />
recipient of the country’s most prestigious<br />
history honour.<br />
He received the Governor General’s<br />
History Award for Teaching Excellence,<br />
which is presented to educators who demonstrate<br />
excellence in teaching Canadian history<br />
by Canada’s National History Society.<br />
Izzo is recognized for his work leading<br />
students through the No. 2 Construction<br />
Battalion Project, which allowed students<br />
to explore the untold stories of Canada’s<br />
first segregated unit and create a digital<br />
exhibition. On Remembrance Day, students<br />
transformed their classroom into a virtual<br />
museum for the school community to visit.<br />
“The history and the stories of Canada’s<br />
past is as diverse and fascinating as<br />
its people; the history of all Canadians is<br />
valuable and worth telling,” Izzo says. “As a<br />
discipline, the study of history offers many<br />
vital skills to students in the 21st century.<br />
Thanks to my colleagues who developed<br />
this resource, students can continue to learn<br />
the important history of the No. 2 Construc-<br />
tion Battalion.”<br />
Also known as the Black Battalion, the<br />
No. 2 Construction Battalion was created<br />
during the First World War. The non-combatant<br />
unit was the first and only all-Black<br />
battalion-sized formation in Canadian<br />
military history. Members faced racism<br />
throughout the war but showed resilience,<br />
determination and strength in the face of adversity,<br />
the Department of National Defence<br />
reports. The unit was officially disbanded<br />
following the end of the war in 1920 without<br />
ceremony or recognition for their service or<br />
sacrifices on behalf of Canada.<br />
“We are so proud of Mr. Izzo and his<br />
work to highlight this important history.<br />
The classroom museum his class created<br />
in collaboration with the York Region<br />
District School Board (YRDSB) Museum<br />
and Archives helped raise awareness and<br />
understanding among students throughout<br />
our school,” says Oscar Peterson P.S. Vice<br />
Principal Vanessa Colabawalla. “It’s wonderful<br />
to see his work recognized in such a<br />
prestigious way.”<br />
York Region will receive more than<br />
$6.3 million in provincial funding for<br />
pediatric services that promise to have a<br />
“tremendous impact” on children and their<br />
families.<br />
Children’s Treatment Network of<br />
Simcoe-York will receive $3.7 million,<br />
Oak Valley Health will receive $2.3 million<br />
and Southlake Regional Health Centre will<br />
receive $350,000.<br />
“The pediatric funding provided to<br />
services in York Region will have a tremendous<br />
impact on children and their families,<br />
ensuring they receive faster access to care<br />
when they need it,” says Deputy Premier<br />
and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones.<br />
The funding will increase access to<br />
children’s rehabilitation services, including<br />
speech-language pathology, physiotherapy<br />
and occupational therapy through the Children’s<br />
Treatment Network of Simcoe-York<br />
and increase access to early intervention<br />
services through the Preschool Speech and<br />
Language program at Oak Valley Health.<br />
It will also be used to assess, diagnose<br />
and treat more children and youth over the<br />
age of six months who are experiencing<br />
urgent, non-life threatening conditions at<br />
the Children’s Rapid Access Clinic located<br />
at Oak Valley Health’s Community Health<br />
Clinic in <strong>Stouffville</strong>. The additional funding<br />
will also help more expectant mothers<br />
connect to Oak Valley Health’s <strong>Markham</strong><br />
<strong>Stouffville</strong> Hospital’s Alongside Midwifery<br />
Unit.<br />
Funding has also been earmarked to<br />
expand the Complex Care Clinic at Oak<br />
Valley Health and upskill staff. It promises<br />
to increase the number of people who can<br />
be seen, triaged and cared for on-site in the<br />
emergency department (ED) at Oak Valley<br />
Health’s <strong>Markham</strong> <strong>Stouffville</strong> site and at the<br />
Southlake Regional Health Centre by supporting<br />
ED diversion clinics.<br />
“We welcome this further investment<br />
in the health and well-being of our youngest<br />
patients,” says Jo-anne Marr, CEO of<br />
Oak Valley Health. “This funding will allow<br />
Oak Valley Health to deliver both new and<br />
enhanced pediatric services. The funding<br />
also ensures we can support families closer<br />
to home, and ensure they receive the right<br />
care, in the right place, at the right time.”<br />
The government says the “consistent<br />
and stable annual funding increase” will ensure<br />
York Region hospitals have the people,<br />
resources and technology to improve access<br />
to pediatric care and prevent backlogs.<br />
“The allocated funds will swiftly drive<br />
the implementation of vital pediatric care<br />
initiatives at Oak Valley Health.” <strong>Markham</strong>-<br />
<strong>Stouffville</strong> MPP Paul Calandra says. “It<br />
is truly gratifying to witness Oak Valley<br />
Health playing a key role in strengthening<br />
health care infrastructure, reducing wait<br />
times, and prioritizing the well-being of our<br />
community’s children and youth.”
MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
BY JEFF JONES<br />
<strong>March</strong>’s lineup at the <strong>Markham</strong> Theatre<br />
is probably its most diverse of the season.<br />
“Our lineup in <strong>March</strong> might be the<br />
perfect selection of what we do when it<br />
comes to building diversity into an excellent<br />
lineup of incredible performances,” says<br />
Flato <strong>Markham</strong> Theatre’s manager General<br />
Manager Eric Lariviere. “It’s who we are at<br />
the theatre and in <strong>Markham</strong>.”<br />
With a packed lineup of shows in<br />
<strong>March</strong>, the <strong>Markham</strong> Theatre is not only<br />
featuring diversity, it’s showcasing traditions<br />
that span thousands of years. While<br />
some regional theatres pander to a timid audience,<br />
Lariviere is clearly emboldened by<br />
what he believes to be a more sophisticated<br />
and thoughtful base in <strong>Markham</strong>.<br />
“We got it all, it’s a busy month,” says<br />
Lariviere.<br />
First up this month is Malevo, bringing<br />
its distinctive brand of live music and<br />
virtuosic dancing to <strong>Markham</strong> on <strong>March</strong> 9 at<br />
8 p.m. Dubbed the ‘South American Sensation’<br />
the troupe, which achieved international<br />
prominence in 2018 as a semi-finalist<br />
on America’s Got Talent, might be best<br />
described as where Irish Riverdance meets<br />
the Argentine Malambo. The two-hour show<br />
blends energetic dancing and compelling<br />
live music.<br />
“Anyone would love this show,“ says<br />
Lariviere. “It’s a blend of tradition and the<br />
modern.”<br />
The Celtic Tenors have had hit releases<br />
in Canada, the United States, Australia,<br />
COMMUNITY 9 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW<br />
Theatre delivers a packed lineup in <strong>March</strong><br />
The Peking Acrobats perform at the <strong>Markham</strong> Theatre on <strong>March</strong> 30 and 31.<br />
Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.<br />
With almost as many miles travelled as the<br />
million albums they’ve sold, they return to<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> on <strong>March</strong> 16 (the day before St<br />
Patrick’s Day) for shows at 3 p.m. and 8<br />
p.m.. The group continues to innovate by using<br />
their classical roots to inform contemporary<br />
repertoire from artists like Ed Sheeran<br />
and Van Morrison.<br />
“It’s certainly the right month to bring<br />
them back,” says Lariviere. “Aside from<br />
the holiday though, they are one of the best<br />
shows out there.”<br />
Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter,<br />
Gordon Lightfoot, has his voice live on in<br />
the care of his friends and bandmates with<br />
The Lightfoot Band Presents The Songs of<br />
Gordon Lightfoot. This uniquely personal<br />
tribute show performs in <strong>Markham</strong> on<br />
<strong>March</strong> 28 at 8 p.m. The band played alongside<br />
Lightfoot for decades and will be joined<br />
by their newest member, lead singer and<br />
rhythm guitarist Andy Mauck for a showcase<br />
of songs from Lightfoot’s entire career<br />
“It’s not even a tribute band really,”<br />
explains Lariviere, “These are Lightfoot’s<br />
guys.”<br />
Zakir Hussain is a five-time Grammy<br />
Award winner with an audience that reaches<br />
far beyond his native India. The Chicago<br />
Tribune said that if there is such a thing as<br />
a tabla superstar, Hussain is it. He comes to<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> with flautist Debopriya Chatterjee<br />
Ranadive and sarangi player Sabir Khan on<br />
<strong>March</strong> 29 at 8 p.m. The show is a unique<br />
chance to hear this combination of instruments.<br />
The Sarangi and Bansuri (flute) have<br />
roots in ancient India and its mythology, so<br />
they promise to add a rootsy edge to Hussain’s<br />
performance.<br />
“If you want to know what great traditional<br />
Indian music sounds like, this is it,”<br />
says Lariviere.”You’ll be mesmerised.”<br />
The Peking Acrobats have been called<br />
“incredible,” “breathtaking,” “stunning,”<br />
and “unbelievable.” The group will perform<br />
manoeuvres atop a pagoda of chairs,<br />
trick cycling, precision tumbling, juggling,<br />
somersaulting and gymnastics in <strong>Markham</strong><br />
on <strong>March</strong> 30 and 31 for four shows. For<br />
30 years they’ve been pushing the limits of<br />
human ability, defying gravity with amazing<br />
displays of contortion, flexibility, and control<br />
while creating an event with the festive<br />
pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.<br />
“They come with live music onstage<br />
as well,” explains Lariviere. “This is one of<br />
those acts that manages to stay true to tradition<br />
while electrifying modern audiences.”<br />
As always, independent productions are<br />
taking the stage at the theatre in <strong>March</strong> as<br />
well. The <strong>Markham</strong> Concert Band’s Sound<br />
of Music Sing Along performance takes<br />
place on <strong>March</strong> 17 at 2 p.m.. The audience<br />
is encouraged to sing along with the popular<br />
numbers from the Rodgers and Hammerstein<br />
classic.<br />
On <strong>March</strong> 26 at 7 p.m, <strong>Markham</strong> at<br />
the Movies is back with another acclaimed<br />
international film. This month features the<br />
British coming-of-age story, Scrapper.<br />
“This month is everything to us<br />
actually,” says Lariviere. “Along with the<br />
diversity, all the shows bring tradition from<br />
the past to life for our audience.”<br />
Visit markhamtheatre.ca for more information.
10 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
Virtual clinic offers<br />
easy access to health care<br />
Marjan Aghazahedi, nurse practitioner at Oak<br />
Valley Health, teaching a mother how to administer<br />
a Ventolin puffer for her toddler using<br />
an AeroChamber.<br />
BY RONALD MA<br />
With many struggling to get timely access<br />
to care and wait lists for family doctors<br />
growing, people should know that virtual<br />
care is an option for them.<br />
Supported in partnership with the<br />
Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario<br />
Health Team and Oak Valley Health (which<br />
includes <strong>Markham</strong> <strong>Stouffville</strong> Hospital and<br />
Uxbridge Hospital), the Virtual Urgent Care<br />
Clinic (VUCC) provides timely access to<br />
health care services.<br />
People can receive care from the<br />
comfort of their homes and avoid travel<br />
time, which is particularly beneficial for<br />
those who have accessibility and mobility<br />
concerns.<br />
“I have seen a patient who lives in<br />
Huntsville and her primary care provider is<br />
a 2.5-hour drive away,” Marjan Aghazahedi,<br />
nurse practitioner at Oak Valley Health says.<br />
“She has been receiving care from us and<br />
finds the appointments very engaging and<br />
convenient. She likes the use of technology<br />
to access health care too.”<br />
Situations like this are becoming more<br />
common.<br />
“I have patients who have booked a<br />
same-day appointment over the weekend because<br />
their doctor wasn’t available,” Marjan<br />
says. “They avoided a trip to the Emergency<br />
Department, received a plan of care, and had<br />
their prescription faxed to a pharmacy.”<br />
The virtual clinic is open seven days a<br />
week from 1 to 9 p.m. and is available to all<br />
individuals six months and older who have<br />
an urgent, non-life-threatening condition that<br />
can be addressed virtually.<br />
The nurse practitioner-led clinic offers<br />
patients medical advice, diagnosis, test<br />
results, treatment, education, and referrals if<br />
required.<br />
Since opening, the VUCC has seen an<br />
influx in number of patients over the last few<br />
months.<br />
“We see patients of all ages and from<br />
all over Ontario,” Marjan says. “There is no<br />
waiting in the crowded waiting rooms and<br />
reduces unnecessary emergency department<br />
visits. The VUCC provides accessible and<br />
efficient health care.”<br />
The virtual care clinic is also available<br />
for those who do not have access to OHIP.<br />
To make a same-day or next-day appointment<br />
for the Virtual Urgent Care Clinic,<br />
visit oakvalleyhealth.ca/virtual.<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> welcomes young<br />
Indigenous hockey players<br />
The City of <strong>Markham</strong> is set to host the<br />
Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) <strong>2024</strong><br />
Hockey Tournament, Cultural Festival, and<br />
Gala Celebration. LNHL celebrates it 50th<br />
anniversary this year.<br />
Taking place throughout <strong>March</strong> Break,<br />
the annual hockey tournament will bring<br />
more than 3,500 young Indigenous athletes,<br />
families and spectators together from across<br />
Ontario to <strong>Markham</strong> to celebrate the game<br />
of hockey and celebration of the Indigenous<br />
culture.<br />
The LNHL Tournament will be spread<br />
across the city’s 10 different ice rinks<br />
throughout the <strong>March</strong> Break week.<br />
“The City of <strong>Markham</strong> is committed<br />
to reconciliation and has a rich sporting<br />
history, particularly in the game of hockey,”<br />
Mayor Frank Scarpitti said. “We are pleased<br />
to be able to welcome young Indigenous<br />
athletes and their families from across<br />
Ontario. I look forward to celebrating this<br />
historic and memorable event in <strong>March</strong><br />
<strong>2024</strong>.”<br />
The Opening Day Festival takes place<br />
on <strong>March</strong> 10 from noon to 7:30 p.m. at the<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> Civic Centre. Activities include<br />
games, rides, live entertainment, food, vendor<br />
market and hockey shots.<br />
Visit lnhl.ca for more information.
MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
<strong>Markham</strong> figure skater captures gold<br />
11 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW<br />
Celebrating women and girls<br />
<strong>Markham</strong> figure skater Vienna<br />
Vidinovski landed a gold medal at the <strong>2024</strong><br />
Skate Canada Challenge.<br />
Nearly 200 skaters from across Canada<br />
laced up their skates for the competition,<br />
which was held February 1 to 4 in Oakville.<br />
“This feels really good, almost unreal,”<br />
Vidinovski, a student at St. Patrick Catholic<br />
Elementary School, says of taking top spot<br />
in the pre-novice women category. “I was<br />
thinking I’d come top five to 10. I really<br />
wasn’t expecting gold. I’m really proud of<br />
landing my triple toe in my free program.”<br />
Vidinovski practises before and after<br />
school and occasionally even needs to<br />
leave school early for her athletic commitments.<br />
“It takes a village and wouldn’t have<br />
been possible with all the support from the<br />
school and teachers,” Vienna’s mom says.<br />
The York Catholic District School<br />
Board extends its congratulations to Vidinovski<br />
<strong>March</strong> 8 is International Women’s Day.<br />
It’s a global day to recognize and celebrate<br />
women’s and girls’ social, economic, cultural,<br />
and political achievements. It’s also<br />
a time to raise awareness of the progress<br />
made towards achieving gender equality<br />
and the work remaining to be done.<br />
The beginnings of International<br />
Women’s Day can be traced back to the<br />
early twentieth century. It emerged from<br />
the activities of labour movements in North<br />
America and Europe and reflected a growing<br />
call for women’s equal participation in<br />
society.<br />
International Women’s Day first took<br />
place on <strong>March</strong> 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark,<br />
Germany, and Switzerland. That day,<br />
over a million women and men attended<br />
public events to show their support. Other<br />
countries began to observe and celebrate<br />
this day in the years that followed. The<br />
United Nations recognized 1975 as International<br />
Women’s Year and began celebrating<br />
<strong>March</strong> 8 as International Women’s Day.<br />
Today, International Women’s Day is a<br />
day of unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy,<br />
and action and is celebrated in many<br />
countries worldwide.<br />
Locally, the <strong>Markham</strong> Board of Trade<br />
is hosting its spring Women’s Networking<br />
event on <strong>March</strong> 19 to celebrate International<br />
Women’s Day.<br />
The event provides women with an opportunity<br />
to be inspired by entrepreneurial<br />
female leaders.<br />
The event’s speakers include Karen<br />
Sealy and Grace Tartaglia of Cityline; Val<br />
Meyer, VP of Astral Radio; Dianne Buckner<br />
of CBC’s Dragon’s Den, CTV News’ chief<br />
financial commentator Pattie Lovett-Reid;<br />
Cityline’s nutrition and weight loss expert<br />
Joey Shulman; motivational speaker and<br />
comedian Judy Croon: and various other<br />
business leaders.<br />
There will also be an opportunity to<br />
shop at the many local boutique vendors.<br />
The event takes place <strong>March</strong> 19 at the<br />
Hilton Toronto/<strong>Markham</strong> Suites and Conference<br />
Centre.<br />
Visit markhamboard.com for more<br />
information.<br />
Time to focus on yourself<br />
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12 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
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