About this site
This site is dedicated to protecting farmland in Markham by supporting the proposal to create a permanent Foodbelt. By protecting 4,940 acres of Markham’s remaining farmland and 3,500 acres of greenspace, we will stop urban sprawl in Markham, improve transit and gridlock, and improve Markham’s quality of life for years to come.
It is our hope that this website will help fellow Markham residents communicate with their elected leaders and protect Markham’s future.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES: Final Meeting
Tuesday May 11th will be the final meeting – please attend :
MARKHAM AT A CROSSROADS
Help put an end to urban sprawl in Markham
On May 11th Markham Council will be making a historic decision that will shape the Town for generations to come. Council will decide on one of two directions for the Town.
(1) Urban expansion option: Urban sprawl onto nine square kilometers of scarce remaining farmlands, fields and forests.
(2) No urban expansion option: Stopping urban sprawl for good by asking the Province to reduce the number of allocated new residents by 40,000 and containing 100% of growth within the existing urban boundary.
Please contact your local councillor today to let them know that Markham’s future should include further protection of green spaces and a compact urban core that attracts and retains residents by providing efficient transit and a range of local options for work and play.
Urban sprawl is simply not the answer. It will make us even more dependent on our cars, increasing congestion and traffic jams, and according to Markham staff, will raise property taxes due to increased infrastructure costs.
Markham has taken bold leadership before. Please phone (905) 475-4702 today to tell your local councillor that you support no urban expansion. And on May 11th, make your voice heard.
Markham Council’s 20 year Growth Plan Decision 7 pm Tuesday May 11 Markham
Council Chambers, Markham Civic Centre, NW corner Hwy 7 and Warden
LATEST NEWS:
Thank you to those who attended the dozens of meetings on Markham’s Growth Plan.
A motion asking to lower Markham’s growth projections and stop development past the urban boundary will be discussed at the Development Services Committee and then at Council: click here for more
David Suzuki speaks to Council on the Markham Foodbelt.
The Academic Alliance for Agriculture has released a report available here commenting on how to support Markham’s current and future farmers in the Foodbelt ~ click here!
http://protectmarkham.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/a-bright-agricultural-future-for-ontario-and-canada.pdf
An informational flyer developed by the Rouge Duffins Greenspace Coalition with key questions about the proposal can be found here. The Foodbelt proposal that has been presented to Markham Council is available here. And a general overview of the challenge facing Markham can be downloaded here.
Make a continued difference by writing your Mayor and Council to:
- show support for the Foodbelt proposal and for no further expansion of the urban boundary
- request that York Region and the Province reduce Markham’s growth numbers
- for municipal policies that support the future of farming in Markham.
To email the Mayor and Council, copy and paste: kkitteringham@markham.ca; fscarpitti@markham.ca; jjones@markham.ca; glandon@markham.ca; jvirgilio@markham.ca; jheath@markham.ca; eshapero@markham.ca; vburke@markham.ca; dhamilton@markham.ca; jwebster@markham.ca; dhorchik@markham.ca; lkanapathi@markham.ca; achiu@markham.ca; cmoretti@markham.ca
Call your councillors: http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Departments/Council/Overview.htm
THE ISSUE:
Paving Grade A Farmland
Developers and land speculators want Markham Council to expand the urban boundary by 7.27 square kilometers, into the rural area north of Major Mackenzie Drive, to allow development on 1800 acres of Canada’s finest farmland.
This proposed expansion of the urban boundary would:
a) pave irreplaceable Markham farmlands;
b) increase sprawl, traffic and pollution;
c) damage our quality of life and health.
- Sixty percent of Markham is already within the urban boundary.
- Over 127 square kilometres of Canada’s finest farmland has already been developed in Markham.
A Sustainable Alternative
Some forward-thinking Markham Councillors are proposing the protection of Markham’s remaining farmland and greenspace by expanding the Greenbelt from the Oak Ridges Moraine south to Major Mackenzie Drive by creating a Markham Foodbelt.
The Markham Foodbelt proposal would protect:
- 20 square kilometres (4,940 acres) of prime Markham farmland;
- 14 square kilometres (3,500 acres) of greenspace around the tributaries of the Rouge River.
Existing and future farmers need support to continue farming in Markham. A number of policy ideas are presented for the Town of Markham in its Agricultural Assessment Strategy.
LEARN MORE:
Here you will find a statement of the key issues; a picture gallery showing some Markham farms, including the Beckett farm, which has been sold to developers;the informative slide show and a list of emails and phone numbers that you are encouraged to use to contact your representatives at all levels of government.
The easiest way to navigate this site is to click on the items listed under the “Categories” section in the column on the right. To return to this page at any time, just click on the website title at the top of the screen. Please let us know what you think by using the comment option, which is available at the end of each article.
To learn more about this issue, please look around this website and/or contact markhamfoodbelt@gmail.com.
November 27, 2009 at 10:50 am |
I was glad to see your ad in the paper as I agree that something has to be done to gain back some resident control over what the “Town” is proposing without any public consultation.
I suggest getting a petition going in time for the Dec. 1 meeting. Also, you should try to get an actual (front page) article written in the Economist on this subject to really bring it to the forefront of residents.
November 29, 2009 at 9:10 am |
I think we need to recognize that ‘growth’ is the current world wide economic model which is part of the problem. The world, let alone Markham, does not have unlimited capacity to grow. Unfortunately, we cannot change the economic model but perhaps we can change we perceive it.
I would propose that Markham define ‘maximum capacities’ along dimensions such as population, land, resources, transportation, pollution etc that reflects the quality of life we wish to maintain. Growth would then be measure against capacity. If a position was created to manage capacity then we have a built in auditing mechanism in relation to growth.
We can’t change the world but quantitatively defining Markham’s maximum capacities we are willing to live with as a community can start a larger discussion plus provides a model to compare growth too.
November 29, 2009 at 3:31 pm |
I see no mention of the planting of trees to increase the tree canopy cover of Markham. The mayor has commited to a very aggressive tree planting program to 2020. Where is the tree planting and preservation plan ?
The farm land should be purchased back from the developers by the Town of Markham. The Town would then lease these lands on a 10 year term for farm use only. Markham should be given 1st rights of purchase on any farm land before that land is sold.
I think that many residents will agree that we have very expensive infrasturcture that needs replacing….sewers, water mains, electrical grid system etc. Why expand the infrastrucutre when we can ill afford to pay for what we already need to maintain ?
November 30, 2009 at 7:09 pm |
I came to Markham forty years ago , Markham was just a village with about fifteen thousend people , Ihave seen a lot of changes ,some for the best but most for the worst, Please leave the green fileds as God made them .
November 30, 2009 at 10:59 pm |
November 30, 2009 — Just received a flyer delivered to my home about the Council meeting on December 1st. Unable to attend due to a previous committment. Urban sprawl on our prime farmland must be stopped. Otherwise, where will the food come from to feed our future generations.
December 1, 2009 at 11:30 am |
I have lived in Markham for 40 years and it is sad to see the destruction of prime farmland and the uncontrolled building taken place all over Markham and needless to say the resulting traffic congesstion.
It is time to stop and look at where Markham is headed
Concerned Citizen
December 2, 2009 at 8:37 am |
As a long time resident of the Grandview area, I went to the last meeting at the Henderson Public School and started getting back on track with what is going on in the neighbourhood. The short answer is much, also believe it is important for residents to take notice and use our voices.
My mind goes backmany years to the land that was taken from farm use to build an airport, can anyone inform me on this?
Due to previous commitment could not attend the meeting last evening.
elva m.
December 5, 2009 at 9:46 am |
We need to be concerned, in York Region, with the entire growth plan for the region. Markham has sent a shining light of hope in its step of asking the Region to delay passing their own growth plan, or leaving Markham out of its plan until its public input process and resultant plans are in place. Every regional community needs to do the same, and the Region needs to open its doors to the citizens who despise the destruction of habitat for our wilderness dwellers, the trafffic tie-ups which are already daily occurrences due to too much growth, the pollution and the loss of farmland which is being eaten up by growth.
Let’s all do what we can to make our voices clear before Dec. 16′s meeting at the Region, and then attend that meeting to voice our concerns.
January 7, 2010 at 2:18 pm |
Great site. I was wondering if there is an Affiliated Facebook Group for this cause?
Thanks
April 26, 2010 at 11:52 am |
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-support-Markhams-Foodbelt/278850470179
January 15, 2010 at 2:10 pm |
It’s heartening to learn that our neighbours to the west are working so hard on a common cause dear to our hearts and minds!
It’s easy in this world to get so wrapped up in our own issues and causes that we miss what is going on around us (Forest/Trees Syndrome!). And so I would urge all concerned Markham residents to learn about the work of Land Over Landings, the people working to save the last best farmland in Canada, right on your doorstep –the 18,600 acres of “Airport Lands”.
We look forward to learning more about your group and working together towards a green future!
January 15, 2010 at 2:57 pm |
Excellent work. Great, informative site. We need to be concerned about food security and stop the sprawl. Sustainability is not pie in the sky, it’s bread on the table.Keep it up.
January 17, 2010 at 8:11 am |
Land Over Landings (www.landoverlandings.com) was originally formed in 2005 to try to prevent futher evictions and demolitions of the homes on the Pickering federal lands, which border on Markham to the west. More recently our mandate has shifted somewhat to press for protection of these 18,600 acres for the growing of local food, in perpetuity. We are therefore very interested in seeing the direction that Markham town council is taking. Please keep us informed of future developments.
February 11, 2010 at 11:17 am |
Protecting food-lands is noble unless it’s being used to hide true motives. A flyer received today from Councillors Shapero and Burke demonstrates that is the case. The propose, protect food-lands, expand the greenbelt and limit development in Markham to 6 stories.
These objectives are contradictory; naive at best. The suggestion that natural population expansion can be shifted to Toronto is equally uninformed.
To preserve the thriving community we value, Markham residents, especially those in the south represented by these councillors, will need to come to grips with high rise-residential development, light-rail rapid transit and many other changes. Southern Markham/Thornhill is not a farm community any longer and it’s time to start thinking of it as a “city”. Not everyone can live in a single family home with 2 or more cars in the driveway, which seems to be what the councillors support.
Real vision and leadership is needed – not pandering to a few vocal constituents who want to preserve a 1970s lifestyle that neither we nor the planet can sustain.
February 11, 2010 at 2:38 pm |
I believe that is exactly what the proposal says – that current single-dwelling homes are good for Markham, but all development, foodbelt or no foodbelt, will have to include some mixed use housing that is vibrant for the growing city and also options for people of all ages, while maintaining the integrity of the farmland (which we need for the future, not the 70s).
February 11, 2010 at 2:34 pm |
I am sad to see this farm go. I haven’t lived in Markham that long, only 5 years, but loved it because you get a good mix of green and suburbs. My 2 year old daughter LOVES seeing the cows on the farm being sold for development.
I am tired of all these new development of cookie cutter houses. When is enough enough? We need sustainable development – not a quick turnaround of precious farm land into rows and rows of houses. We need our own foodbelt here – support the local farmers and produce – and we certainly don’t need any further development where more wastes are produced, more consumptions and less supplies.
I am glad that someone is doing something about this. Markham is very courageous. We need to keep up this fight!
February 11, 2010 at 3:06 pm |
I think at the end of the day it will be the big developers with big money that will drive the development in Markham. How else is the city going to get the revenue stream required for all its services. New homes = new building permits = new families = more property taxes etc….
February 12, 2010 at 12:20 am |
Have any of you ever spoken to a Markham Farmer?
They are starving,… and they want out. Not allowing them to sell their vast property at fair market value is not a principal on which this nation was founded. Imagine if you woke up one day and was told you couldnt sell your property! Opps sorry.. too bad for you. I’m sure you understand…
Imagine if the local governent that made the decision that screwed you over was influenced by people that didnt live anywhere near you but were parachuted in with a politcal motive and little facts?
Living outside of Markham, and supporting the food belt sure sounds good… but please ask yourself, are you willing to drive up here and buy my heads of lettuce at $20 bucks each??? No.. you want cheaper food and close to your home, and that comes from California – unfortunately.
If you support the food belt, are YOU willing to come and be the farmer???? I didnt think so…
Ths emotional and factless food belt drive is not going to stop markhams commitment to urban growth. If you support the food belt, you are actually supporting growth up!! As in Apartments, ver very tall apartments. Have you ever seen Kiev? How green is that? Food belt = getto towers in markham as we know it.
the beckett farm is now scheduled for 3 HIGH RISE TOWERS.
Support Markham farmers and OPPOSE the food belt you’d never support with your out of town patronage in the first place.
April 17, 2010 at 8:31 am |
“If you support the food belt, are YOU willing to come and be the farmer???? I didnt think so…”
Actually yes, I am willing to be the farmer, and there is a growing group of younger people/families wanting to farm the land, but millions of $$$ is in their way. They can’t farm because the land is too costly.
I would LOVE to be given the opportunity by the town to farm 100 acres of prime agricultural land, and sell all my organic vegetables and fruit at reasonable prices to local supermarkets and/or at a roadside stand. If done correctly, these vegetables and fruit products would be CHEAPER than California and would have a much much much less carbon footprint.
The issue here is that the municipal gov’t is run by people who allow $$$ to direct their initiatives and goals. If the municipal gov’t cared about families, they would encourage local food production with local sales. With regards to the property value $$$ issue, that is the result of the town’s errors of the past decades — they set the expectation, they caused property owners to speculate, and now the expectation has been set and is NOT the fault of the people, but of the town. That farm should never have sold for $100 million. Shame on the town which failed to protect it’s people. The town is a bully, and is not my brother as they say they are.
February 12, 2010 at 1:39 pm |
We must serious look at urban farming. While I agree that prime farmland must be preserved within the boundaries of Markham, we must go beyond just doing that and look at innovative ways to encourage urban farming. If preserving farmland means buying out the land owners and having the land title revert back to the town I have no problem with that. We should consider the “true costs” of cheap food and start to think seriously about green economics.
February 15, 2010 at 8:42 pm |
Too late, big developers have the money and the support of the Ontario Provincial Government. Urban growth is on the way, 151,000 addtional folks in the next 20 years. Future Markham generations will inherent high density housing, sprawl, soil and water pollution, traffic congestion, California food and trip to the Zoo to see a cow. Oh well!
Not sure why council is looking for residents opinions. I thing the writing is on the wall. Welcome to the city.
Time to call two men and a truck.
February 15, 2010 at 8:58 pm |
I agree we all need to think a little “greener” and local fresh food is wonderful. But we need a balanced approach in Markham. How many of you can name one product that you have bought loyally in the past year from a single farm in the White Belt lands that are being discussed – or do you simply go to Loblaws and buy the produce that is on sale? Clementines in December, Strawberries in January and Cucumbers in February are not from local Markham farmers. The farmers from Markham came out in huge numbers to the January Town Council meeting to beg the councillors to listen to them and not well funded politcal organizations from outside of Markham.
The town has conducted surveys and held public input meetings for TWO years. Where were Councillor’s Shapero and Burke for the last two years while our tax dollars were being spent on Town staff developing a balanced growth strategy based on RESIDENT’S feedback.
The facts are simple – a protected foodbelt means 300 new residential high rises in Markham (we only have 89 today) by 2031. We need smart well designed multi-dwelling new communities in Markham not apartment ghettos.
May 10, 2010 at 2:44 pm |
Re: Article in Toronto Star GTA section May 8 by Phinjo Gombu.
There are other conflicts of interest regarding Carolina Moretti other than her some being employed by the developers. Her husband is a home builder. I’m not who he is employed with or self-employed, but no doubt the developers will look favourably in his direction given Corolina’s position. Also, both her and her husband are licensed real estate sales reps. Perhaps this should be brought up at Tuesday’s meeting.
May 11, 2010 at 5:19 pm |
One thing that I personally find disgusting about Markham is the type of subdivisions that have been permitted. In the last 20 years, the Markham suburbs have been designed with some of the worst uniformity in all of North America. The subdivisions in Markham are extremely homogeneous both in structure and visual design. Because of this, Markham is a perfect example of urban planning gone wrong in North America. The thing Markham clearly lacks is Diversity.
If we’re going to build new houses, lets make sure they look different. There should be a plan to individualize not only the interior but also exterior to every single home that will be built. This is not just an environmental issue, but also a quality of life issue. Everything is important. We might be living in one of Canada’s wealthiest communities that has low crime, but this town (city) is turning into an aesthetic ghetto! Just look at this image on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Markham-suburbs.id.jpg.jpg/File:Markham-suburbs.id.jpg.jpg
Intentional or not, when you look at the larger picture, were on a path that is enslaving Mankind. It is better to stop urban sprawl, but if development is to continue, lets do it right. I’m talking about a radical change in how we build and rebuild cities. We can’t accept the things we have allowed to occur in the past. We can all agree on one thing. Change needs to occur. So lets get innovative.