- 1. York Region Development Charges
- (Category)
- Created on 22 April 2017
- 2. Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas wants to house homeless men in York Region’s underused HQ
- (Blog)
- The Mayor of Aurora Tom Mrakas believes in “leadership that gets things done”. Except, I suppose, when it comes to providing shelter for homeless men. On Thursday, at York Region’s Committee of the ...
- Created on 05 March 2024
- 3. York Region should challenge in the Courts Ford’s decision to open-up the Greenbelt for development
- (Blog)
- ... should be challenged in the Courts. (Photo right: Clown-in-Chief Steve Clark) I’d like to see York Regional Council do this. The City of Hamilton is already testing the waters. And environmental groups are taking ...
- Created on 19 September 2023
- 4. The future of York Region and Doug Ford’s Theatre of the Absurd
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- On Thursday (14 September) York Region’s Committee of the Whole will be considering a report from the Chief Administrative Officer, Bruce Macgregor, on the Provincial review of regional government. It ...
- Created on 11 September 2023
- 5. York Region has enough housing approved or in the pipeline to meet Ford's targets without building on the Greenbelt
- (Blog)
- ... land is not needed. Figures from York Region's own Housing Affordability Task Force showed total housing supply of 1,126,960 units across the Province - that's housing approved and proposed. The figure excludes over ...
- Created on 02 September 2023
- 6. Taylor says Del Duca's attack on York Region's planners is unnecessary, derogatory and inaccura
- (Blog)
- Vaughan Mayor and former Leader of the Ontario Liberals, Steven del Duca, today accused York Regional planning staff of trying to create a role for themselves if a much touted municipal reorganisation ...
- Created on 29 June 2023
- 7. Steven Del Duca signals the end of York Region
- (Blog)
- ... regions – including our own here in York and its nine constituent municipalities. However, it is now clear Del Duca wants to see a “single tier” Vaughan taking over many services currently provided by ...
- Created on 22 June 2023
- 8. Joe Li did the right thing in running for Chair of York Region
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- Last week Markham Regional Councillor Joe Li failed in his brave attempt to become Chair of York Regional Council. I say “brave” because it was never really on the cards. But it was important Wayne ...
- Created on 20 November 2022
- 9. Province re-writes York Region's Official Plan but without explaining wh
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- Why did the Provincial Government insert a new category of “special provisions” into the York Regional Plan to allow a high-density development in Aurora (at Leslie and Wellington Street East) that the ...
- Created on 12 November 2022
- 10. York Region: the elephant in the room
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- The population of York Region is bigger than five Canadian Provinces: PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and it’s rapidly closing on Manitoba. Yet the person who ...
- Created on 19 October 2022
- 11. Ontario’s Deformed Democracy: York Region Chair Wayne Emmerson seeks a third term
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- The chair of York Regional Council, Wayne Emmerson, tells me he will be seeking a third term in November for the job which paid over $232,379 in 2021 plus generous benefits. "I will be running for ...
- Created on 25 August 2022
- 12. In 13-8 vote York Regional Council rejects recommendation to amend Code of Conduct to stop members from blocking constituents on social media without giving reasons
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- The debate on social media at York Regional Council on 30 June 2022 has received less coverage than it deserves. Background: At issue is whether elected officials whose salaries come out of public ...
- Created on 10 July 2022
- 13. York Regional Transportation Master Plan: Just published but already out-of-date
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- York Region Transportation Master Plan (TMP). updated every 5 years, guides development across the region over the next 30 years. Although it has just been published and agreed “in principle” (with ...
- Created on 08 July 2022
- 14. Confusion Reigns as York Regional Council approves Official Plan in 14-7 vote
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- Yesterday, York Regional Council gave final approval to its Official Plan which guides development over the next 30 years. In a long debate punctuated by profound procedural confusion, pointed remarks ...
- Created on 01 July 2022
- 15. York Region's Transportation Master Plan: "Heavy on roads. What about rail
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- On Thursday (30 June) York Regional Council will formally approve “in principle” a Regional Transportation Master Plan (TMP) that is too timid for words. Markham's Regional Councillor Jim Jones told ...
- Created on 29 June 2022
- 16. Taylor votes against York Region’s Official Plan and slams colleagues for undermining the entire planning process
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- Last Thursday, Newmarket Mayor John Taylor, voted against endorsing York Region's Official Plan (ROP) which guides development over the next 30 years. An angry Taylor said he had never voted against a ...
- Created on 19 June 2022
- 17. Will York Regional Council ignore its own Integrity Commissioner and allow Carmine Perrelli to continue to block people on Twitter?
- (Blog)
- Background: Carmine Perrelli is a York Regional Councillor representing the City of Richmond Hill. On 15 April 2021 the Regional Council considered a complaint against Perrelli brought by one of his ...
- Created on 08 October 2021
- 18. Taylor pushes (again) for the Direct Election of Chair of York Region
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- This Thursday (22 October 2020) Newmarket Mayor John Taylor will tell York Regional Council that it is time to have a Regional Chair that is directly elected by the voters. Ever since the Region was established ...
- Created on 19 October 2020
- 19. York Regional Council goes virtual for Covid-19 briefing on Thursday
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- York Regional Council will be going virtual at its next meeting on Thursday (2 April 2020) when members will amend the Procedural By-law “to permit electronic participation in meetings during a declared ...
- Created on 31 March 2020
- 20. York Regional Council to review its own form and composition
- (Blog)
- ... are not required to repeat the exercise. But York Regional Council is obliged to carry out this review, whether it wants to or not. If it doesn’t meet the 7 December deadline the Minister can step in ...
- Created on 17 February 2020
- 21. The Record Incompetence of the York Catholic District School Board
- (Blog)
- ... the gaps. Unfortunately, the York Catholic District School Board does neither. It cannot remember if it keeps records on a range of important matters. Its record keeping needs a complete overhaul. Obsolete ...
- Created on 03 January 2020
- 22. Former York Regional Councillor Michael Di Biase and his cottage on the shore of Orr Lake
- (Blog)
- The case of former York Regional Councillor Michael Di Biase, who was charged earlier this year with breach of trust and municipal corruption, goes to a Judicial Pre-trial at 9am on Thursday 9 January ...
- Created on 30 October 2019
- 23. Construction Vibration shakes confidence in York Catholic District School Board
- (Blog)
- The York Catholic District School Board simply doesn’t learn. It keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. More than a year ago, serious construction vibration from the Canadian Martyrs ...
- Created on 23 October 2019
- 24. Wannabe Liberal MP Tony Van Bynen gets 9 October deadline to say if he objects to details of his $67,068.33 severance pay from York Region being made public
- (Blog)
- Former Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen has been given a deadline of 9 October 2019 to tell York Region if he has any objection to their releasing to me the letter in which he claimed a severance payment ...
- Created on 25 September 2019
- 25. Former Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown removes 8 unlawful election signs but leaves others in place in defiance of York Region By-law
- (Blog)
- ... election signs which were placed on regional roads in defiance of a York Regional Council By-law which states, unequivocally, that election signs on regional roads should not be put up before Monday 23 ...
- Created on 21 September 2019
- 26. York Regional Council tells Ford to delay Homes Bill and start talking
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- York Regional Council is calling on the Ford Government to put a hold on Bill 108 (More Homes, More Choices Act) and pause its progress through the legislature to allow for more consultation with municipalities. ...
- Created on 17 May 2019
- 27. York Regional Council to tell Ford’s Regional Review things are just fine as they are
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- York Regional Council will decide its formal response to the Ford Government’s Regional Review next Thursday (16 May 2019). Bevilacqua: "There is great awareness by the Premier of the great work York ...
- Created on 12 May 2019
- 28. Ford’s Regional Review: why not kick the Mayors off York Regional Council?
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- This afternoon I wander down to the York Region Administrative HQ where I have been given the opportunity to address the two special advisers, Ken Seiling and Michael Fenn, who were appointed in January ...
- Created on 06 May 2019
- 29. York Region’s unelected chair, Wayne Emmerson, promises to do better
- (Blog)
- The unelected Chair of York Regional Council, Wayne Emmerson, last week apologised to elected members for slapping them down in public. He says sometimes he just loses it. Joe Li and Jack Heath have ...
- Created on 25 March 2019
- 30. York Region agrees its crazy Budget
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- The story so far: Last week (Thursday 28 February) York Regional Council agreed a Budget for 2019 that raises taxes by 2.96% excluding an additional 1% tax levy specifically dedicated to speeding up the ...
- Created on 03 March 2019
- 31. York Region’s Draft Code of Conduct is sent back for a re-write
- (Blog)
- York Regional Council needs a Code of Conduct. But, scandalously, the Region’s elected officials have resisted the idea for years. True. They are talking about getting one – but only ...
- Created on 03 February 2019
- 32. Taylor and Vegh rule out supporting Racco in his bid to become Chair of York Regional Council
- (Blog)
- ... and did him no harm whatsoever, either in the short or long term. If Mario Racco is serious about becoming the indirectly elected Chair of York Regional Council he should turn up and make his pitch. ...
- Created on 04 December 2018
- 33. Will Emmerson be challenged for Chair of York Regional Council?
- (Blog)
- The inaugural meeting of York Regional Council could be a moment of high drama - or it could be a damp squib. Emmerson admits he wouldn't have won a region-wide vote. At the first meeting of ...
- Created on 02 December 2018
- 34. Bill 5 becomes law and the direct election for chair of York Region is scrapped
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- This afternoon I wander along to the constituency office of my MPP, Christine Elliott, to make an appointment to see her. 238 Wellington Street East is quite an imposing building whose tenants are ...
- Created on 14 August 2018
- 35. Christine Elliott and the direct election of the Chair of York Regional Council
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- The Deputy Leader of Ford’s Progressive Conservatives, Christine Elliott, yesterday voted in favour of the Better Local Government Act which will cut the size of Toronto City Council and axe the upcoming ...
- Created on 31 July 2018
- 36. What a farce! Wayne Emmerson is back in the running for Chair of York Region
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- Ford’s chaos descends into farce. Wayne Emmerson: 273,000 reasons to smile Yesterday the current (indirectly elected) Chair of York Region, Wayne Emmerson, told us he would be withdrawing ...
- Created on 27 July 2018
- 37. Election for York Regional Chair a two horse race
- (Blog)
- Scarpitti the tease This morning, Wayne Emmerson bowed to the inevitable and withdrew from the race to become the first directly elected Chair of York Region. He was indirectly elected by ...
- Created on 26 July 2018
- 38. House Speculators Target York Region
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- Figures released by the Province’s Ministry of Finance show the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) – brought in by the Liberal Government last year to cool the housing market – collected $53m in York ...
- Created on 22 June 2018
- 39. Former Minister Steven Del Duca to run for Chair of York Region
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- Steven Del Duca, the former Transportation Minister in the last Liberal Government, has thrown his hat into the ring for Chair of York Regional Council. The way it was: Former Ministers Steven ...
- Created on 19 June 2018
- 40. Newmarket needs a new face on York Regional Council
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- Newmarket is represented on York Regional Council by the Mayor, Tony Van Trappist, and Regional Councillor John Taylor. I don't always agree with Taylor but at least he consistently makes an effort ...
- Created on 30 October 2017
- 41. Foreign Buyers and House Prices in York Region
- (Blog)
- Last week's revelation that foreign buyers bought 9.1% of all homes sold in York Region between 24 April and 26 May 2017 is, at least to me, unsettling. That's 1 in 11 homes going to people who are neither ...
- Created on 16 July 2017
- 42. York Region councillors make no comment on their Code of Conduct
- (Blog)
- At long last a Code of Conduct is to be brought in to police the behaviour of members of York Regional Council. York Region is responsible for spending billions of dollars of public money but, curiously, ...
- Created on 26 June 2017
- 43. York Regional Council forced to appoint Integrity Commissioner and bring in a Code of Conduct for its members
- (Blog)
- Today (30 May 2017) legislation was passed which will force York Regional Council to appoint an Integrity Commissioner - either its own or one drafted in from another municipality - and bring in a Code ...
- Created on 30 May 2017
- 44. Housing Supply and Sewage Treatment in York Region
- (Blog)
- New housing developments will grind to a halt in Aurora in 2019 because of water and wastewater capacity constraints that won't be resolved until the Upper York Sewage Solutions (UYSS) project is completed ...
- Created on 24 May 2017
- 45. Lights! Camera! Action! York Region set to video stream in late 2018!
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- York Regional Council has finally decided to video stream Council and Committee of the Whole meetings - from late 2018. Just in time for the first ever Region-wide election of the Regional Chair. They ...
- Created on 19 May 2017
- 46. York Region Runs Out of Cash
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- Background: Last Thursday's meeting of York Regional Council (20 April 2017) was important. I knew it the moment I walked into the Council Chamber and saw the Men in Suits with their expensive looking briefcases. ...
- Created on 22 April 2017
- 47. Looking for an interesting opportunity? York Regional Council is in the market for planning advisers.
- (Blog)
- York Region is to set up a Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) to consider and provide advice to Council on "key Regional planning matters". But where will its members come from? What kind of person would ...
- Created on 13 February 2017
- 48. Job Growth in York Region
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- On Thursday (9 February) members of York Regional Council will get a presentation on employment growth across the Region with updates on how industry and businesses are faring. We are told York Region ...
- Created on 07 February 2017
- 49. York Region must not drag its feet on video streaming
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- What is this all about and why is it important? Live video streaming of York Region meetings could be more than a year away because there is no funding for it in next year's Budget. The current chair, Wayne ...
- Created on 15 December 2016
- 50. Why is Michael Di Biase still Chair of Planning and Economic Development at York Region?
- (Blog)
- ... because it affects his reputation." Di Biase serves on two municipalities; his home City of Vaughan and York Regional Council. While Di Biase forfeited his City of Vaughan salary for 90 days he continued ...
- Created on 14 November 2016
- 51. York Regional Council pays tribute to Danny Wheeler
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- To York Regional Council (3 November) where I hear tributes to Danny Wheeler, the veteran Regional Councillor from Georgina who, sadly, died earlier this week. Outside the Regional HQ the flags are ...
- Created on 04 November 2016