The Deputy Mayor's Exchange

March 20 2022

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Hello Spring!

🌷🐦🐝🦋🌸

It's been a fairly quiet week with it being March Break. That said we are back to regular meetings this week at the City of Markham and York Region.

We said hello to Spring this morning and hopefully a fond farewell to Winter. My neighbour took his snow tires off ... I'm more cautious than he is!

York Region continues to deal with a Provincial Government that does what it wants and doesn't seem to want to listen to its lower tier municipalities wishes. The Bradford Bypass, Highway 413, the Langstaff doubling of densities and now the Upper York Sewage System (UYSS) is on hold again. The Provincial government has dodged York Region's sewage problem for 13 years - article.

What part of don't drink and drive do people not understand? With two kids and a vodka bottle in the car, a Newmarket driver has been charged with impaired. Thankfully YRP intervened - article.

My thoughts remain steadfastly with the Ukrainian people as the Russian invasion continues.

Happy Nowruz and warmest wishes to those celebrating the Persian New Year today!

Today marks Ostara, a Wiccan festival celebrating the season's change from dark winter to brightening spring and celebrates the Spring Equinox.

Earlier this week, on March 14, our Sikh community celebrated their New Year marking the first day of 554 in the Nanakshahi era.

Also earlier this week, starting on March 16, our Jewish community celebrated Purim.

Have a safe and enjoyable week.

Email - dhamilton@markham.ca

In this issue

- Support for Ukraine

- Mask Mandate Ends Tomorrow

- Coyotes Questions or Concerns

- It's Back!

- Jane's Walk

- Calling All Gardeners

- New Mental Health Resources

- Our Bird Friends Need Our Help

- St. Patrick Day Parade

- Other Items

- Upcoming Meetings

- York Region Update

- Community Happenings

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

Looking for more information?

Any of the blue text, blue buttons and most of the graphics

have links to further detail.

Find Your Ward Councillor

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

With the situation in the Ukraine getting worse by the day, many are wondering what they can do to help. If there are any Markham based groups working to support the Ukrainian people, please let me know, as I would be happy to highlight it in future editions of the DME. It should go without saying that my thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the strong people of Ukraine and those in the Ukrainian-Canadian community.

this Markham based Ukraine fundraiser is being co-led by the Markham Sunrise Rotarians and Canadians Care Collective Fund. They are raising funds to fill a plane for Ukraine to get badly needed medical supplies out to Ukrainian locations that are still viable and treating the wounded. Donations can be made here along with more information about their work.
there will be a collection drop off near the Promenade Mall next weekend on March 27 - more information can be found here
the Red Cross relief effort in the Ukraine is generally considered one the best way we can help. You can see some of the work the Red Cross is doing in the area here. You can make a donation here.

Mask Mandate Ends Monday

Following Provincial guidance, face masks or covering will no longer be required in most indoor places in York Region including schools as of Monday March 21. Masks will still be required in health care settings, congregate living settings such as retirement homes and public transit as a few examples. Other COVID related business requirements will also be lifted on Monday although businesses and organizations may choose to maintain their own masking policy.

York Region Public Health encourages individuals to wear a mask when indoors and in one of the three Cs:

Close contact
Crowds
Confined or poorly ventilated spaces

Some may choose to continue wearing masks in all settings due to personal circumstances. Please be kind to those around you and respect their choices. We are all adjusting at our own pace.

Vaccination is still our best, and now, one of our last defences against COVID-19. Third doses are important for everyone over 12 years of age. Details about current clinics can be found at york.ca/covid19vaccine.

Ontario has updated the isolation guidelines for those who have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. Visit ontario.ca/exposed to learn when you need to isolate or self-monitor. Unsure of what to do? Take Ontario's self assessment tool found at covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment.

Coyote Questions or Concerns

Join the City on March 23 at 7pm for an information session on the Coyote Response and Coexistence Strategy - register here.

As a reminder, please be mindful of your food waste and garbage disposal. While wildlife prefer to catch their own food, they will become dependent and lose their fear of humans if food is left out. Keep wildlife wild and don't feed them. Learn more at markham.ca/wildlife.

It's Back!

The Unionville Festival will be back for 2022 and will take place on Saturday June 4th. This year the festival will look a little different with a plan to focus on the small businesses on Main Street along with some select vendor booths and lots of entertainment for all ages. More detail about the Festival can be found here. As we get closer to the event, information will be updated.

The Festival is looking for volunteers, 14+ years, to help out. Please send an email to volunteer@unionvilleinfo.com if you are interested in helping out.

Jane's Walk in Markham

Jane's Walk is a free series of citizen-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs. The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities, and connect with neighbours. There are walks taking place in the City and in many other communities too.

You can find out more information about the Jane's Walks taking place in Markham at janeswalk.org/canada/markham. As it stands right now there are 3 walks scheduled:

May 7 at 10am - Thornhill walk
May 7 at 2pm - Markham Village walk
May 8 at 2pm - Cornell, a planned walkable community

Jane Jacobs was a citizen activist best known for her writings about cities. She upended the ideas of modernist city planning and offered a new vision of diverse cities made for and by the people who live in them. The first Jane's Walks were in 2007 in Toronto as a living commemoration of Jane and her legacy. Now on the first week of May there are walks that take place all over the world - find more walks here.

Calling All Gardeners

The City of Markham is partnering with the York Region Food Network to create a new community garden at 120 Kirkham Drive in Ward 7. This proposed plan includes space for individuals and groups to grow their own food as well as spaces for engagement and education.

Join the community meeting on March 29th at 6:30 on Zoom to learn about the proposed plan and share your ideas for how to shape this project. More information can be found here.

New Mental Health and Addictions Wellness Centre Now Open

York Region is a partner of the Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario Health Team which has just launched the Mental Health and Addictions Centre. Through a collaborative partnership, this Centre will deliver mental health and addiction services to individuals 12 years of age and older. Service include individual and family counselling, harm reduction education, safer use supplies, housing support and much more - learn more or book an appointment here.

Our Bird Friends Need Our Help

from FLAP

Billions of birds are on the move across North America, undertaking an arduous journey from their overwintering areas to their breeding grounds to raise a family. Help make sure these tiny travelers don't have their journey cut short due to a fatal collision with glass. Take action today!

Stay on the look-out for injured birds. Birds that hit windows often have injuries and need prompt medical care from a trained professional. Follow these steps to safely help a bird that has collided with a window.

If possible, assign someone to watch over the bird as you go to find something to contain it.
Find an unwaxed paper bag or a small cardboard box. If using a cardboard box, poke a few small holes in it.
Approaching the bird from behind, gently enclose the bird with both hands and place it inside the bag or box. Ensure the bag or box is securely closed.
Place the bird in a safe quiet location; do not offer food or water.
Immediately contact your local wildlife rehabilitation facility for next steps.

Find more information on the Fatal Light Awareness Program's website or by calling their bird rescue hotline at 416.366.3527 that is monitored daily from 8am to 5pm during migration.

You can help stop birds from hitting your home's windows. There are plenty of easy, attractive, and affordable options to make your home safer for birds. More information about preventing window collisions including videos and detailed how-to guides can be found here.

Some St. Patrick's Day fun at Toronto's parade today ☘️

Other items

The Unionville Community Centre for Seniors will be hosting a virtual event for seniors on March 23 from 10am to 4pm. The details of the event, including the time when the various speakers will present and the Zoom log in, can be found here in the Fair information package. There is no cost to attend the event. For more information please reach out to Maha Naqi at 905.477.2822 x4235 or by email at mnaqi@uhs.on.ca.

Hot Off the Press! Ward 4 Councillor Karen Rea has just published her latest eNewsletter today.

If you aren't on her distribution list, you can read it here.

Do you subscribe to the Markham Economic Development newsletter? It highlights various news, events and updates for the local business community. There are a number of upcoming sessions that may be of interest to you and your business. You can read the latest edition here.

Markham Board of Trade is hosting an in-person event this week on March 22. It's an opportunity to hear from a panel of entrepreneurial female leaders and to learn about the business challenges they have faced on the road to success. More information and registration details can be found here.

MBT will also be hosting their face to face After 5 Networking event this week on Thursday March 24 from 5pm to 7pm. Details are available here.

The City is hiring. You can join Team Markham and make a difference. The City is hiring for a variety of Summer jobs. There are also a number of full-time positions available too. You can view the positions and apply here.

The Markham Public Library is also hiring for multiple positions - details can be found here.

York Region is also hiring for various positions too including summer positions for students - details here.

The York Region Greening Strategy Refinement: What You Said in 2021 report is now available - find it here.

Survey results will help inform the updated Greening Strategy being presented to York Regional Council in May 2022. Find out more information about York Region's Greening Strategy here.

The Markham Arts Council is happy to announce that their Healing Dance workshop for seniors will continue to run from April until March 2023. You can sign up for future sessions at no cost. Details can be found here.

York Region is looking for your opinions as it starts the process to make improvements on both Warden Avenue and Kennedy Road between Major Mackenzie Drive and Elgin Mills Road.

You can visit york.ca/WardenKennedyStudy

to access the online open house materials and provide your comments until March 24.

More information about this project can be found here.

Learn how to improve energy efficiency and save money!

Sign up for a free virtual Home Efficiency Retrofit Orientation workshop on March 24 at 6pm in partnership with Humber College and Enbridge. More information about the event and registration details can be found here.

As the weather gets nicer and we start to spend more time outdoors, a friendly reminder that all open air fires require a permit (By-Law 85-97). A permit is required for each burn and includes all fire pits, fire drums and chimineas, even if they have a lid.

Most properties in Markham are not designated as "rural" and will not comply with the provisions of the permit. Learn more at markham.ca/openairfire.