June 23 2019
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange
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I have been asked about the signs that are posted on doors and windows of Markham food establishments. Have a read of the article below as it lists locations that have been given warning notices about unsafe premises. The warning could range from being minor in nature to a full closure. Our York Region inspectors are on the job to protect your health and safety. During the summer months, York Region officials are also testing the water at beaches to make sure it is safe to swim.
There have been recent reports of coyote attacks and stalking that are scaring some residents. Take a look at what we can do to protect ourselves while coexisting with our natural neighbours. There will be even more encroachment in our urban neighbourhoods by these and other creatures as we continue to build more homes in what was their home lands. Places like York Downs golf course will displace huge numbers of wildlife once development starts.
Join the City festivities for
Canada Day on July 1st. There is no better country than Canada, so take the opportunity to celebrate all that it has to offer!
Click here
to read the previous edition of
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange.
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In this issue
- Have You Seen It?
- Coyote Sightings in Markham
- Keeping Markham Safe
- Major Mackenzie Road Work
- YorkSafe Inspections
- Digital Main Street
- Canada Day Celebrations
- Have You Claimed Your Rebate?
- Looking To Keep The Kids Busy?
- York Region Beaches
- Dental Care For Eligible Seniors
- Inclusion Charter Milestone
- Update From Alectra
- MSBC Upcoming Seminars
- Community Meetings and Events
- Q&A - Who do I contact?
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Please feel free to forward this update to anyone that may find it of interest.
Make sure you are on the list for future updates.
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Looking for more information?
Any of the blue text, blue buttons and most of the graphics have links to further detail.
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It is quite an amazing sight. It is all done with various types of plants. Congrats to our talented City Parks staff!
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The City has received concerns relating to coyotes in Markham specifically around Markham District High School although there might be other areas too.
OSPCA Animal Control Officers for the City are looking into these concerns to determine if coyotes are present and the nature of their interactions with the community.
Please remember to take precautions when enjoying the outdoors with your family and your pets. For tips on living harmoniously around coyotes please click
here.
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from Fire Chief Dave Decker
On June 30th and July 1st family fireworks are permitted to be discharged on private property without a permit in accordance with City By-law No. 2007-230. Even without a permit, you must ensure that these fireworks are used with caution and that you have the property owner’s permission. The City of Markham does not authorize the use of family fireworks on City property. Please take note of the details set out on the Family Fireworks Fact List to make sure you are using family fireworks safely.
The use of family fireworks for the remainder of the year in the City requires a permit that must be obtained in advance. Fireworks that are not classified as “family fireworks” require a permit regardless of the date. To inquiry into the permit process, please call the City of Markham Contact Centre at 905-477-5530.
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Family Fireworks Fact List
Family Fireworks are low hazard fireworks for recreation that include but is not limited to: fountains, golden rain, lawn lights, pinwheels, roman candles, volcanoes, sparklers and other similar devices. Family Fireworks Safety Tips include:
- Family fireworks are typically sold in retail stores and must have both English and French text. If it does not then they are illegal.
- Family fireworks can only be discharged on property you own or have permission from the owner.
- You cannot discharge any fireworks on City property. If found, ask them to discontinue fireworks and refer to By-Law immediately.
- Be cautious of wind direction and use discretion.
- A fire extinguisher or a garden hose should be available at all times.
- Only adults should be discharging family fireworks.
- Wait for 30 minutes for misfired fireworks before removal.
- Always wear protection eyewear when discharging fireworks.
- Family fireworks shall be secured in a stable base such as a bucket of sand.
- A suitable means of lighting fireworks shall be utilized (i.e. butane barbeque lighter, ignition stick).
- Disposal of defective fireworks shall be in accordance with manufacturer's instructions or returned to the distributor or manufacturer for proper disposal.
- Disposal of used fireworks shall be in accordance with manufacturer's instructions or soaked in water overnight prior to disposal.
- All fireworks used must be approved by the Explosives Act for sale or use in Canada.
- Spectators must remain a safe distance away from the fireworks display (follow manufacturer’s instructions).
- Never leave fireworks unattended.
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Major Mackenzie Drive Road Work
Please note that York Region will be working on Major Mackenzie Drive from Yonge Street to Woodbine Avenue. The work is expected to be completed by the end of July but as with all outdoor construction projects some delays maybe experienced due to weather conditions.
Initial work on Major Mackenzie Drive includes repairs to curbs and catch basins, following by microsurfacing in early July. Major Mackenzie Drive will remain open to traffic throughout construction and access to residents and businesses will be maintained.
Temporary lane restrictions will be in place from 9:30am to 3:30pm to accommodate construction. The active construction zone will occur on approximately 200 metres of road each day with the location moving throughout the construction period. For everyone’s safety, please reduce your speed through the construction area.
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Microsurfacing is a common and cost-effective road maintenance treatment designed to treat roads with minor defects and can extend the life of a road up to 8 years. The road surface can feel rougher and sound noisier after the treatment. Over time, the stones will knead together and the surface will become quieter.
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YorkSafe is a program run by York Region that is responsible for inspections of public locations such as
restaurants, pools, whirlpools, wading pools, splash pads, small drinking water systems, child care centres, before and after school programs, recreational camps and personal service settings.
You've likely seen the Proof of Inspection signs at various location you may frequent.
Green signs
are given to locations that pass the inspection and
red signs
do not pass inspection and pose an immediate health hazard.
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There are some Markham area locations on the latest Charges and Orders report.
Details can be found
here
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Do you know a small business looking to improve it's online presence?
York Region has received a $100,000 grant and will work with
Digital Main Street
to help small businesses improve their use of digital tools and online promotions. This partnership will visit and assist at no cost and help set up a Google Business Profile, conduct a digital-readiness assessment and apply for a $2,500
Digital Transformation Grant
to help grow their business. For more information, please visit
yorksmallbusiness.ca/digitalmainstreet
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Before you know it July 1st will be here and it will be time to celebrate the 152nd birthday of Canada.
The City has many events planned for the day. The details can be found
here. Why not make some plans now to celebrate this great country of ours!
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Did you make a contribution to a candidate's campaign during last fall's municipal election? This coming Thursday (June 27th) is the last day to apply for a contribution rebate.
Who is eligible for a rebate?
- Contributors who contribute $50 or more - must be an Ontario resident
How to apply:
The fine print:
- The maximum rebate a donor may receive is $350
- Contributors are eligible for one rebate, regardless of how many campaigns they contributed to
- Rebates will be issued no earlier than July 2019
If you contributed to my campaign and can't find a copy of your contribution receipt, please reply to this email and my campaign team would be happy to send you a copy.
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School's almost out and it won't be long before you are looking for things for the kids to do or you hear the classic "I'm bored".
The City of Markham offers many different
summer day camp programs. There are traditional camps, sports camps, art camps, and more. Check out all the details
here
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Now that summer is officially here, York Region has started its beach water sampling program to make sure that York Region beaches are safe for swimming and other water activities.
The testing is done on a weekly basis and beach goers should take note of the signs posted before entering the water. A Blue sign indicates the water is safe and red signs indicate water bacteria levels are considered higher than the acceptable limit.
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Water is collected from a number of Lake Simcoe beaches located in York Region but the one closest to Markham is Cedar Beach in Stouffville.
More information on the beach water sampling program can be found
here
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In April, the Province
announced a new dental care plan for eligible seniors. Details about accessing this new program are still being worked out with the local public health units. Once the details are available, they will be announced by York Region Public Health at
York.ca/dental.
As a reminder, dental assistance is available for children and youth up to age 17 for those that qualify. Additional details can be found
here.
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Last year York Region Council endorsed the
Inclusion Charter for York Region and now a year later it has also been endorsed by all 20
Municipal Diversity and Inclusion Group (MDIG) members. These organizations which include local municipalities, police services, hospitals, school boards, conservation authorities and community agencies are demonstrating their commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive communities.
Each MDIG organization has their own customized version of the Charter. To view these Charters or to learn more about MDIG and what they are doing to create an inclusive workplace and community visit
york.ca/inclusiveyr
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Alectra has recently released a new report which reviews "
Alectra’s commitment to balancing social responsibility and environmental accountability with economic efficiency
" and "
efforts to improve the customer experience by providing simple, sustainable and powerful energy solutions
". Great reading for insomniacs! The report entitled
Sustainable Power: Discovering the Possibilities
can be found
here
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The Markham Small Business Centre is a free resource available to residents who are small business owners or are thinking about taking the steps to become an entrepreneur. The MSBC Team offers educational seminars throughout the year. Here are some of the events coming up soon. If they are of interest, please register as many events reach capacity weeks beforehand.
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Start-Up Requirements (repeated twice per month)
Financial Forecasting (repeated once per month)
Business Planning
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Community Meetings and Events
All City of Markham meetings are listed on the City's website at
Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
. Unless noted differently on the link above, meetings are held at the Markham Civic Centre and are open to the public. If you aren't able to attend in person, meetings are live streamed.
The calendar of York Region meetings is available
here.
You can listen to meetings on line. The details from past meetings are available online.
I'd be pleased to highlight other community meetings in future newsletters. Please forward the details to
dhamilton@markham.ca
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Frequently Asked Questions...
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As an ongoing section in these email updates, I would like to provide answers to some commonly asked questions by residents.
If you have a question that you would like answered, please send me an email with your question.
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Question:
Who do I contact if I come across a dead animal?
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Answer: Please contact your local councillor and the City's Contact Centre
contact@markham.ca or call 905-477-5530 during business hours.
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Working together to make Markham better!
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