Skip to main content

North Markham Future Urban Area

Planning For the North Markham Future Urban Area

The City of Markham is undertaking a comprehensive planning process to guide development of the Future Urban Area lands in north Markham. This Future Urban Area will accommodate neighbourhood and employment growth in north Markham. A Conceptual Master Plan is being developed based on a number of background studies to guide development for the entire area. The Conceptual Master Plan will provide direction for more detailed planning, which will be carried out through Secondary Plans and plans of subdivision.

Background

Markham's new Official Plan (2014) provides for the north Markham Future Urban Area (see map below). The north Markham Future Urban Area covers about 1,288 hectares (3,183 acres) bordered by Major Mackenzie Drive to the south, the Hydro Corridor and Woodbine Avenue to the west, the northerly City limits and Elgin Mills Road to the north, and the Robinson Creek to the east.

Approximately 675 hectares (1,668 acres) of developable lands are designated for future neighbourhoods, located primarily between Major Mackenzie Drive and Elgin Mills Road. Approximately 300 hectares (741 acres) located north of Elgin Mills Road are designated for employment uses. In total, the Future Urban Area is intended to accommodate approximately 12,000 residential units with a population of approximately 38,000 persons, and approximately 19,000 jobs.

The remainder of the lands, which contain watercourses and other natural heritage features, are designated as “Greenway” in the Official Plan and will not be developed. The Greenway comprises of natural heritage and hydrologic features and their functions, vegetation protection zones, protected agricultural lands and enhancement lands.

Markham's Future Urban Area
Markham's Future Urban Area Map
Conceptual Master Plan (CMP)

The comprehensive planning for the north Markham Future Urban Area will be documented in a Conceptual Master Plan, which will identify a community structure for the entire Future Urban Area. The Plan will address land use categories, road, transit and servicing networks, an open space system, and major community facility requirements. Along with the community structure, the Conceptual Master Plan will identify key policy requirements to be addressed in more detail in the preparation of Secondary Plans for smaller areas.

The Conceptual Master Plan is being informed by the following studies:

  • Subwatershed studies of the four watercourses within and beside the Future Urban Area;
  • Transportation;
  • Water Servicing; and
  • Wastewater Servicing.

The City is coordinating the Conceptual Master Planning process with the studies listed above so that the Plan is prepared in collaboration and at the same time as the other studies.

Subwatershed Studies

The Subwatershed Studies are being undertaken for four watercourses including the Berczy Creek, Bruce Creek, the headwaters of Eckhardt Creek, and Robinson Creek. The sub-watershed studies are an important part of the land use planning process. They provide detailed input on natural systems including watercourses, wetlands, groundwater etc. to provide an environmental context to the planning of the north Markham Future Urban Area.

Transportation Study

The Transportation Study will focus on the road, transit, cycling and pedestrian needs for lands within the Future Urban Area, as well as connectivity to the surrounding lands outside the Future Urban Area. The study will evaluate alternative vehicular and non-vehicular transportation networks to identify a preferred overall transportation system. 

Water Servicing and Wastewater Servicing Studies

Water and Wastewater studies are being undertaken to evaluate alternative servicing options required to develop the Future Urban Area based on identified population and employment targets. 

Master Plan & Class Environmental Assessment Study

The development of the Conceptual Master Plan will be a collaborative and coordinated process using information obtained through the subwatershed studies, the transportation study and the wastewater and water servicing studies.

Through the Conceptual Master Planning process, the City of Markham will meet the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process to Phase 2 Step 6. The Conceptual Master Plan will support infrastructure projects in accordance with Schedule A and Schedule B. It will also facilitate the Class EA process for Schedule C infrastructure projects. Completion of the Class EA process for infrastructure projects will follow the Conceptual Master Plan.

The Conceptual Master Plan and Class EA will include:

  • Joint notifications and presentations to public, stakeholders and agencies for all Studies;
  • Concurrent assessment/analysis of land use, environmental and infrastructure issues;
  • Concurrent decisions/recommendations;
  • Collaborative problem solving; and,
  • Coordinated documentation.

The graphic below illustrates the City’s proposed combined planning and Class Environmental Assessment process. The planning process builds on the environmental context provided in the subwatershed studies. This environmental context provides the basis for identifying and examining alternative land uses and infrastructure options

Environmental Assessment Flowchart
Collector Road Class Environmental Assessments

The North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Roads Network Class Environmental Assessments carry forward the Conceptual Master Planning (CMP) process for the proposed collector roads identified in the Community Structure Plan. The Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) classifies the proposed collector road network as a Schedule ‘C’ project and is subject to the full planning and design process. With the City completing Phases 1 and 2 of this process through the CMP, the private landowners within each of the four residential development blocks carried out the remaining Class EA Phase 3 (Examine Alternative Methods of Implementing the Preferred Solution) and Class EA Phase 4 (Prepare an Environmental Study Report) on an individual block by block basis.
 

North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Road Network Class Environmental Assessment (Berczy Glen Block)

North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Road Network Class Environmental Assessment (Robinson Glen Block)

North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Road Network Class Environmental Assessment (Victoria Glen Block)

North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Road Network Class Environmental Assessment (Angus Glen Block)

How You Can Get Involved

There will be various ways to be involved in the comprehensive planning process to guide development in the Future Urban Area in north Markham as Public Information meetings will take place throughout the process.

Please contact Stephen Lue at 905.477.7000, extension 2520 or Stephen Kitagawa at 905.477.7000, extension 2531.

For the North Markham Future Urban Area Collector Road Network Class Environmental Assement, please send all inquiries to Ian Dobrindt at NMFUAClassEA@ghd.com

Documents, News & Resources

References

Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Planning for the Future Urban Area, or if you wish to add your name to our mailing list, please contact one of the following:

David Miller
Development Manager, North District 
101 Town Centre Boulevard, Markham, Ontario, L3R 9W3 
Phone: 905.477.7000, extension 4960 
Email: dmiller@markham.ca
 

Stephen Kitagawa, MCIP. RPP 
Senior Planner, Growth Management and Secondary Plans 
101 Town Centre Boulevard, Markham, Ontario, L3R 9W3 
Phone: 905.477.7000, extension 2531 
Email: skitagawa@markham.ca