The Deputy Mayor's Exchange - There's No Business Like Snow Business ❄️

January 23 2022

The Deputy Mayor's Exchange

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There's No Business Like Snow Business ❄️

After Monday's record snowfall, the City sprang into action to clear roads, sidewalks and pathways. Due to the shear volume of snow, equipment breakdowns, staff being off due to COVID related illness and various other issues, it took longer than expected to get the job done. There are still a few areas that need some attention but overall we are now in pretty good shape. Thanks for your patience and understanding during this time.

The Provincial Conservative government continues to impose it's will on York Region residents. Not only are they continuing with the GO-Metrolinx plan to run the Yonge North Subway Extension under Thornhill homes, schools and condominium buildings as well as throwing both Regional and City secondary plans "under the bus" with their Transit Oriented Community proposal (TOC), now they appear to be preparing to attack the local planning authority that currently rests with the City. Details can be found in this article.

Did you know that wastewater samples are collected each week in York Region and sent to the University of Waterloo for analysis in order to inform YRPH about the status of COVID-19 in the Region? In Dr. Barry Pakes' latest update he indicated that the Region may be reaching a plateau of cases from the most recent wastewater analysis - read more here and here.

Also this week Council discussed a new Entertainment Complex for the Markham Fairgrounds from MFG Entertainment Group to feature the largest outdoor production stage in Canada. How exciting is that!

Have a safe week.

Email - dhamilton@markham.ca

In this issue

- WOW...that was a lot of snow!

- Markham is Reopening Soon

- Need to Get Vaccinated?

- Sick with COVID-19?

- Have Your Say

- YR Accessibility Report

- Be a Good Neighbour

- Other Items

- Upcoming Meetings

- York Region Update

- Community Happenings

Please forward this update to anyone that may find it of interest.

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Find Your Ward Councillor

Click here to read the previous edition of The Deputy Mayor's Exchange.

WOW! ...that was a lot of snow❄️

During the unprecedented significant weather event with 46cm of snowfall, while managing COVID-19 Omicron impacts, the City thanks you for your patience as Markham Operations continues to clear Markham roads.

sidewalk clearing and snow load management continues to be our focus to overcome the lack of snow storage space
the City's Operations team is out inspecting and scheduling snow load and haul operations for the area as required as part of our post-storm cleanup
a storm of this magnitude requires one week to return operational
work continues to clear snow from right hand turn lanes, multi-use pathways and sidewalks and snow blocking sightlines at intersections
please give crews and equipment enough space to complete their work

Follow @Markham_Ops on Twitter for more Winter status updates. Track the status of plows using the Winter Maintenance App at markham.ca/winter.

If there is a road or sidewalk in your area that may still need attention, please reach out to your local Ward Councillor and let them know.

Love your hydrant ❤️

If you have a fire hydrant on or near your property, please do your part to keep your neighbourhood safe by keeping it clear of snow and making it visible in case of emergencies. Seconds count and the home you save could be your own.

Firefighters need to be able to see the hydrants on your street. More information can be found at markham.ca/loveyourhydrant.

Restrictions Start Easing at the End of the Month

The Province of Ontario will begin a cautious and phased approach to lifting restrictions. Further easing should follow with 21 days between each step, subject to Public Health and health system indicators. To protect your family and friends and to help slow the spread of COVID-19, please continue to follow public health advice.

The City of Markham’s COVID-19 affected services will be as follows when the restrictions change on January 31. Please check the City’s website for ongoing updates:

Services

City services continue to be offered to residents and businesses virtually and in-person (select services requiring in-person assistance require an appointment)
Markham Recycling Depots will reopen and textile recycling bins remain available
Markham Small Business Centre continues to offer virtual advice and assistance
The Markham Cat Adoption and Education Centre will reopen

Recreation

Angus Glen, Centennial and Thornhill Community Centres and Markham Pan Am Centre will reopen
Pools at Centennial CC and Angus Glen CC, and Markham Pan Am Centre will reopen
Arenas at Angus Glen CC, Centennial CC, Thornhill CC, Clatworthy Arena, Crosby CC, Mt. Joy CC and Markham Village CC will reopen
Markham Fitness Centres at Thornhill CC and Centennial CC will reopen
Angus Glen Tennis Centre will reopen
Indoor Soccer Facilities will reopen
All “learn to” programs, pay-per-play, swim lessons, skating and community sport groups rentals will be reactivated
All virtual and outdoor programs will continue without disruption
The City will communicate further details early next week on Recreation reactivations directly with users and affected groups

Library

Angus Glen and Thornhill library locations will reopen at 50 per cent capacity. Aaniin, Markham Village, Thornhill Village and Unionville branches will remain open. The Milliken and Cornell branches will remain closed.
Virtual library programs continue to be offered.

Coming Soon

Varley Art Gallery of Markham will reopen for exhibitions and programs beginning Friday February 4.
The Flato Markham Theatre will welcome back audiences for a live theatre performance on February 18 at 50% seating capacity. The Spring 2022 Diamond Season will begin in March and will be announced shortly.
A further announcement regarding the reopening of the Markham Museum will follow.

Visit markham.ca/covid19 for more information.

Need to Get Vaccinated?

You can check your eligibility and book an appointment at york.ca/covid19vaccine. There currently seems to be good availability for all appointments and walk-ins are available too.

first and second doses 5+? Walk in or book an appointment
third dose-booster? Book an appointment
if you require assistance for booking an appointment you can call Access York at 1.877.464.9675 - interpretation services are available
appointments are also available at select pharmacies and through the provincial booking system which includes the clinic at the Cornell Community Centre
give vaccine-gta.ca a try if you are having trouble finding an available appointment

Sick with COVID-19?

Get Well Soon and Then Get Vaccinated

from York Region

With an increase in positive cases of COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant, you may have recently been sick or could potentially get sick in the coming weeks. Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms is presumed positive without the need for testing, so how does this impact when you should get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Don’t rely on recent illness alone for protection - While a recent COVID-19 infection may provide you with some protection from reinfection, this immunity can vary based on factors such as your age, how severe your illness was and the length of time since you were sick. There is no clear way to measure or be certain of what level of protection you may have. COVID-19 vaccines, however, offer clinically proven protection against reinfection, serious illness, hospitalization and death if you do happen to get sick again.

If you’re sick, please get well soon. Then, get vaccinated! For more information, visit COVID-19 Positive, COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics or the Ministry of Health website ontario.ca/exposed.

Get vaccinated as soon as you feel better - Even if you’ve recently been sick, the good news is you can get your vaccine as soon as you’re feeling better and your isolation is complete. This includes first, second and third/booster doses. Some experts believe that waiting 30 days following the start of your symptoms may provide more long-lasting protection, however, seeking vaccination sooner provides earlier protection against reinfection while Omicron transmission remains high in the community.

Immediate vaccination when you are feeling better or waiting 30 days are both safe and effective options. Even those experiencing prolonged COVID-19 symptoms (sometimes called Long COVID) are encouraged to get the vaccine once the acute symptoms requiring isolation have passed. Details on where and when to book first, second and third/booster doses are available at york.ca/COVID19Vaccine.

Have Your Say

York Region is expected to grow by nearly 1 million new residents over the next 30 years. York Region is currently updating their Official Plan that will outline how the Region will accommodate this growth.

Have your say at the York Region virtual Open House on the draft York Region Official Plan on January 25 from 5pm to 7pm - sign up here.

More information about the official plan update can be found here.

YR 2021 Accessibility Report

York Region's 2021 Accessibility Status Report has been released - you can read it here. It provides an update on the actions taken by York Region and York Regional Police as they continue to improve accessibility and implement the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) requirements.

York Region welcomes your feedback and should you have any questions or feedback about the programs highlighted in this 2021 Accessibility Status Report, the 2020 – 2023 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and accessibility matters, please let me know and I will help try to find an answer for you.

Be a good neighbour and help shovel the driveway and windrow of those in need of some help.

Let’s remember to be kind to each other and patient as City Operations continue to clear our road network.

Track the status of City plows using the Winter Maintenance App at markham.ca/winter.

Just a friendly reminder to walk on sidewalks whenever possible. If you absolutely need to walk on the street, walk facing traffic and as close to the road-side as you can.

Work continues to clear the sidewalks but in many cases there isn't anywhere to put the snow. Crews are working to remove the snow and clear sidewalks but this process takes time.

Other items

Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Summer Company program. Students aged 15 to 29 can get funding of up to $3,000 along with mentoring and training to run their own real company over the summer.

Learn more about Summer Company and apply here.

Overnight winter parking restrictions are in effect until April 15. During a winter storm like we saw this week, please don't park on the street even during the day.

City plows are big vehicles and they can't easily maneuver around your parked car and it makes clearing the road extremely difficult. Learn more at markham.ca/winter.

Let's all help Markham Operations as they continue their work to clear snow off the sidewalks. There have been cases where their work has been hampered by vehicles blocking a portion of the sidewalk. Vehicles blocking the sidewalk may receive a penalty notice of $150.

Track the progress of Markham plows at markham.ca/winter.

The Government Finance Officers Association has once again recognized the City of Markham with two awards – the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, for the 21st consecutive year, along with a Special Performance Measures Recognition, and the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting, for the 20th consecutive year. You can read more here.

The Ontario Staycation Tax Credit for 2022 aims to encourage Ontario families to explore the province, while helping the tourism and hospitality sectors recover from the financial impacts of the pandemic.

Learn more about the program here and get some ideas on things to do here.

Join the Markham Arts Council and participate in their upcoming seniors art workshops on Wednesdays at 1pm on Zoom. These sessions will run until March 9th.

More information and registration details can be found here.

The City of Markham's new outdoor ice rinks are open and ready for you! Go out of for a skate or play some pick up hockey.

The Victoria Square, Huntington Park and Milliken Mills Park location are all lit for nighttime skating. Schedules and details about all of the skating options in the City can be found at markham.ca/skating.

As a reminder, please stay safe and stay off ponds, stormwater ponds and waterways as the ice is unsafe. While the ice may appear thick, it can be unpredictable and some areas may have little to no ice.

The Markham Group of Artists continue their artistic ways and have adapted to all the COVID restrictions and have moved their activities online. They have peer review sessions and monthly challenges. If you are artistic, why not see what they're up to and perhaps join in.

MGA's Winter Holiday Show and Sale continues until January 30. Consider supporting your local artists by selecting Valentine’s and birthday gifts from a wide range of painting styles: landscapes, florals, figures, and abstracts. To view the show and purchase the artwork, you can visit the show by clicking here .

Businesses can now begin applying for the Ontario Business Cost Rebate program which supports eligible businesses with property tax and energy costs - details.

Join ELLA, Ontario's first accelerator focused on supporting women-led product and service-based businesses, for their 2nd Founder Fundamentals workshop covering everything about the legal side of being an entrepreneur. Tune in on Tuesday to learn crucial information whether you’re just starting out or need a refresher. You can register for this event at yspace.yorku.ca/events and you can also view other upcoming events that may be of interest being run by York University's Yspace program in Markham.

Your feedback is important if you are a rider of York Region Transit.

The TTC and YRT are working to develop a 5-Year Fare Policy and 10-Year Fare Collection Outlook. This is project will work to improve customer experience and create a consistent fare system for both systems. Learn more about providing your input and participating in the virtual town hall.

As a friendly reminder, please do your part to keep wildlife wild and don't feed wild animals.

Coyotes prefer to catch their own food but will become dependent and lose their fear of humans if food is left out.

Please also be mindful of your Green Bin and garbage which should be put out on the morning of your collection day and not the night before. Learn more at markham.ca/wildlife.