Markham Review, February 2021

Vol.10 Issue 2 February 2021 

WWW.MARKHAMREVIEW.COM 

WHAT’S INSIDE 

Markham among most expensive cities 

for car insurance 

Markham residents paid more for auto insurance 

than drivers from most other parts of the 

province. 

Celebrate Chinese New Year 

with virtual events 

SEE PAGE 2 

Many residents will be celebrating the Year 

of the Ox on Feb. 12 as part of this year’s 

Chinese New Year festivities. 

SEE PAGE 3 

MP showcases local talent 

Many local dancers performed during the 

recent virtual New Year’s Levee hosted 

by MP Mary Ng. 

MSH forges ahead with COVID-19 research 

SEE PAGE 10 

Many people do not associate their community hospital with conducting large-scale research work. But at Markham Stouffville 

Hospital, providing ‘care beyond our walls’ is more than just the vision; it is a self-imposed responsibility to patients, their families 

and the global community to participate in generating collective knowledge. 

COMMUNITY 

HEALTH & SPORTS 

York takes next steps to 

manage future growth 

SEE PAGE 4 

York Region is one of Canada’s largest municipalities 

and with its population projected to nearly 

double over the next three decades, regional council 

has approved a report to manage that growth. 

SEE PAGE 9 

Staying upbeat with 

some great jazz tunes 

The TD Markham Jazz Festival provides a way 

for you to stay upbeat and chase away the winter 

blues. The festival presents The Mark Kelso 

Jazz Project on February 28 at 2 p.m. 

YRP celebrates 50th anniversary 

York Regional Police invites you to join its 

members on a trip down memory lane as the 

service celebrates its 50th anniversary by sharing 

images that represent the achievements and 

people who have helped shape the organization. 

Blood sugar balance 

Calories refer to the energy people obtain 

from the food and drink they consume and the 

energy they expend in physical activity. 

SEE PAGE 3 SEE PAGE 8 

SEE PAGE 11 

OUR RESTAURANTS NEED YOU. 

Now. More than ever. Get hungry at 

visitmarkham.ca/eat 

200703 DMC - Show Some Markham Love_Markham Review 10.25 x 1.25_Eat.indd 1 2020-12-14 4:58 PM

2 MARKHAM REVIEW FEBRUARY 2021 MARKHAMREVIEW.COM 

COMMUNITY 

Markham among most expensive cities for car insurance 

Markham residents paid more for auto 

insurance than drivers from most other parts 

of the province, according to a leading rate 

comparison website. 

Drivers here have also been hit with the 

highest rate increase among the province’s 

most expensive cities for auto insurance. 

In December 2020, the most expensive 

cities for car insurance in Ontario were, 

in order and with estimated premiums: 

Brampton ($2,698), Mississauga ($2,372), 

Vaughan ($2,334), Richmond Hill ($2,286), 

Markham ($2,222), Toronto ($2,201) and 

Ajax ($2,141), RATESDOTCA reports. 

“Despite insurance companies offering 

$1 billion in premium relief to Ontario drivers 

to soften the impact of the COVID-19 

pandemic in 2020, the cost of car insurance 

in the Greater Toronto Area remains the 

highest in the province,” RATESDOTCA 

editor Liam Lahey says. “The premiums 

GTA drivers pay can be attributed to many 

factors, such as the number of distracted 

driving fines and car accidents in the region, 

as well as the escalating costs to repair tech- 

nologically advanced vehicles.” 

The Financial Services Regulatory 

Authority, Ontario’s car insurance regulator, 

decides whether an insurer can increase 

or decrease their rates. Other factors that go 

into determining what your premium include 

your age, gender and marital status; your 

driving record and insurance history; how 

many kilometres you drive each year; and 

the type of vehicle you drive. 

According to RATESDOTCA, the 

average Ontario auto insurance premium in 

December 2020 was $1,616 — a 9.7 per cent 

increase from December 2018. Of the most 

expensive cities for car insurance, Markham 

drivers faced the highest rate increase of 

14.4 per cent from $1,493. 

The difference between the most and 

least expensive rates in the province was 

$1,678 per year. At $1,103, Kingston, Brockville 

and Napanee are among the municipalities 

with the cheapest premiums. Ontario 

drivers can discover the average cost of auto 

insurance in their postal code by visiting 

Insuramap, an interactive online map offered 

by RATESDOTCA. All estimated premiums 

are based on a 35-year-old driver of a 2017 

Honda Civic DX 4DR with a clean driving 

record. 

Maintaining a clean driving record, 

bundling your car and home insurance 

policies from the same provider, installing 

winter tires, increasing your policy deductibles, 

signing up for usage-based insurance 

program, shopping your rate regularly, and 

comparing policies and premiums are among 

the ways you can lower your insurance rates, 

RATESDOTCA suggests. 

Podcasts to keep you entertained this winter 

BY ABDULLAH YOSSOFZAI 

Podcasts are a great way to keep you 

entertained, informed, and up-to-date on 

world affairs, depending on your preferred 

genre of entertainment. 

With such a large, and ever-increasing 

number of options, though, it can be challenging 

to sift through the many podcasts 

that exist and find the one that’s right for 

you. 

Here are some podcasts that the 

Markham Public Library team thinks you 

may enjoy: 

1) Hardcore History: If history is your 

cup of tea, then this podcast is exactly what 

you’re looking for. The host of this podcast, 

Dan Carlin, has a talent for bringing historical 

moments to life, as he examines past 

events in excruciating detail. 

2) The Monday Morning Podcast: 

In this podcast, comedian Bill Burr rants 

about his life, shares personal stories, offers 

advice, all in humorous ways. This podcast 

is much more laid-back than most, and if 

you’re a fan of his stand-up comedy, you’re 

sure to enjoy the Monday Morning Podcast. 

3) The Joe Rogan Experience: It’d be 

hard not to have heard of the Joe Rogan 

Experience. As one of the most popular 

podcasts in the world, Joe is consistently able 

to bring in interesting guests to his show and 

have enticing discussions with them. Just be 

warned that some of the hosts and guests on 

the Joe Rogan experience may have questionable 

opinions, so be sure to do your own 

research if something doesn’t quite sound 

right to you. 

4) The Truth: If you’re looking for a 

podcast that is fictional, The Truth is an excellent 

one to binge on. The writing brings to 

life a variety of short stories that range from 

serious to nonsensical, to absolutely hilarious. 

There’s stories for everyone to enjoy, 

when tuning in to this podcast. 

5) Revisionist History: Chances are, 

you’ve heard of Malcolm Gladwell, or possibly 

read some of his numerous interesting 

books (and if you haven’t, you should check 

them out at our library). Malcolm brings 

the same sort of perspective to his podcast, 

where he re-examines historical events in a 

way that really makes us think about the past. 

If you’re a lover of history podcasts, this is 

likely one that will resonate well with you. 

6) Crimetown: If you’re someone who 

is into documentaries, you might be happy to 

hear that there are audio documentaries that 

can be just as gripping as those you watch on 

Netflix, Youtube, or whichever other outlet 

you watch your shows. This documentary 

focuses on organized crime, and tells stories 

in a compelling way that is sure to draw you 

in. 

7) Beautiful Stories with Anonymous 

People: This podcast differentiates itself from 

many other podcasts, in that the people being 

interviewed are not famous, or well-known. 

Instead, a random, anonymous person calls in 

and shares own personal stories with the host 

(and us, of course). The host does a fantastic 

job of asking questions, and adding comments 

of his own to the guests he speaks to. 

8) Radiolab: The podcast is known for 

how well-researched its episodes are, and 

the fascinating (overwhelmingly sciencebased) 

stories that they explore. Some of the 

episodes can be a miss, but the ones that are a 

hit are really, really good 

9) Every Little Thing: This podcast covers 

a variety of topics as it attempts to answer 

the myriad of questions that we might find 

ourselves asking. The hosts also frequently 

inject humour into their podcast, making it 

both informative and very enjoyable. 

Once you’ve had your fill of podcasts, 

go to markhampubliclibrary.ca to check 

out the many books, movies and magazines 

available to keep you busy this winter.

MARKHAMREVIEW.COM FEBRUARY 2021 

Staying upbeat with 

some great jazz tunes 

3 MARKHAM REVIEW 

Celebrate Chinese New Year 

with virtual events 

The TD Markham Jazz Festival showcases The Mark Kelso Jazz Project on Feb. 28. 

BY JEFF JONES 

The TD Markham Jazz Festival provides 

a way for you to stay upbeat and chase 

away the winter blues. 

“Expect music that is fun and uplifting, 

performed by exceptional musicians,” said 

Linda Briggs, Chair of the TD Markham 

Jazz Festival. 

As part of its series of its ongoing virtual 

concert series, the festival presents The 

Mark Kelso Jazz Project on February 28 at 2 

p.m. This will be the fifth show in the series 

which began as a response to the Covid-19 

shutdown of in-person gatherings. 

“Our series has been, and will continue 

to be a success,” Briggs said. “We have built 

new awareness, attracted new viewers and 

followers, gained new subscribers to our 

YouTube channel, provided recognition for 

our most valuable sponsors and grantors, and 

have started building a library of archived 

and highly acclaimed concerts delivered by 

some of Toronto’s greatest professional jazz 

artists.” 

This February the artist in question is 

Mark Kelso. One of the most sought after 

drummers in the country, Kelso leads a 

number of original projects including The 

Jazz Exiles and The Chronicles of Fezziwig. 

These projects were nominated for Juno 

awards in 2016 and 2020. 

“The TD Markham Jazz Festival has a 

reputation of presenting artists working at 

the highest calibre,” said the festival’s Artistic 

Director, Sarah Kim Turnbull. ”Mark 

Kelso and his band are just that.” 

Billed for the show as The Mark Kelso 

Jazz Project. The performance will feature 

tunes from the 2020 Juno nominated, 

Chronicles of Fezziwig. The band will 

include Mike Downes on Bass, Ted Quinlan 

on guitar, Gordon Sheard on piano and Kelly 

Jefferson on tenor saxophone. Of course, 

Kelso himself will be running the show from 

behind the kit. 

“There is a long tradition of drummers 

leading jazz bands,” Turnbull said. “Jazz 

is about the conversation that’s happening 

between the musicians on the bandstand. The 

drums are a unique and integral voice.” 

Tradition meeting the future seems to 

be what this year’s festival is all about. It 

certainly seems like a risk, no matter how 

noble, to take a jazz festival online. 

“We are very happy with the way our 

concert series has been received,” Briggs 

said. “We are pleased with the whole process, 

and the resultant skills and new followers 

that have been gained as a result.” 

Indeed, since the series began, the 

organization has grown both in size and in 

terms of what they can offer their community. 

Additionally, they’ve managed to grow 

their organizing committee while trying 

to keep the festival alive and well. This 

infrastructure will certainly serve them well 

as they continue to grapple with the COVID 

pandemic and all the possible restrictions 

and guidelines while planning for the 2021 

TD Markham Jazz Festival. 

“Keep the dates open,” Briggs said. 

“The TDMJF 2021 festival will take place 

the third full weekend in August, which this 

coming year is August 20-22.” 

The Mark Kelso Jazz Project performs 

at The TD Markham Jazz Festival virtually 

at 2pm on February 28 via the link at www. 

markhamjazzfestival.com. 

BY STEPHANIE LIU 

Many residents will be celebrating the 

Year of the Ox on Feb. 12 as part of this 

year’s Chinese New Year festivities. 

Though in-person events will not be 

taking place this year, organizations and 

community groups will be turning to virtual 

events to celebrate. 

People who are born in 1913, 1925, 

1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 

and 2021 fall under the ox zodiac. People 

who hold this Chinese zodiac sign are said to 

be known for their hard-working personality 

and faithfulness to friends and family. 

To celebrate the Year of the Ox, the 

Varley Art Gallery will be kicking off the 

festivities with LunarFest which will include 

several virtual activities for people of all 

ages. From Feb. 5 to Feb. 17, LunarFest 

activities will include family storytelling, a 

music showcase, an art gallery and a virtual 

dinner. There will also be six lanterns displayed 

outside of the gallery throughout the 

festival. 

For more virtual celebrations, the 

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Chinese 

Cultural Institute and the Embassy of 

People’s Republic of China will be hosting 

a free online stream of performances and 

traditional Chinese crafting demonstrations 

on Feb. 13. 

These are just a few of the free online 

festivities taking place to celebrate Chinese 

New Year. 

For more information on the culture and 

history behind this year’s celebrations, visit 

chinesenewyear.net.


Free AI, cloud computing workshops 

Seneca, in collaboration with Microsoft 

Canada and RBC, is helping students, graduates 

and professionals enhance their digital 

expertise by offering free Microsoft Azure 

Fundamentals workshops that build indemand 

skills in cloud computing, artificial 

intelligence (AI) and productivity tools. 

The 30 two-day, eight-hour short courses 

that run until the end of June will enable 

participants to learn data analytics, AI and 

cloud computing certifications-critical skills 

for the post-pandemic economic recovery. 

The collaboration creates opportunities 

for Canadians with varying professional and 

academic experiences to acquire digital skills 

to succeed in the innovation economy. 

“Seneca is delighted to partner with industry 

leaders Microsoft and RBC to provide 

the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals to a diverse 

set of learners at various stages of their 

careers,” Seneca President David Agnew 

said. “Cloud computing and AI technology 

have been the norm across sectors. The skills 

participants will obtain are now fundamental 

to doing business.” 

Prior to the pandemic, the Information 

and Communications Technology Council 

(ICTC) estimated Canada’s demand for 

digitally skilled talent would be expected 

to reach 305,000 people by 2023. As digital 

Free Microsoft Azure Fundamentals workshops available that build in-demand skills in cloud computing, 

artificial intelligence and productivity tools. 

transformation accelerates, those who have 

lost jobs will need to acquire new digital 

skills with businesses reskilling their workforce 

and onboarding more technically savvy 

employees. 

“Whether it’s retraining or starting 

fresh, it’s clear that the skills needed to excel 

in today’s workplace are changing. We have 

a responsibility to help young people prepare 

for that change,” said Mark Beckles, Senior 

Director, Youth Strategy & Innovation, RBC. 

“That’s what RBC Future Launch, our $500 

million commitment to empowering Canadian 

youth for the jobs of tomorrow, is all 

about. 

“Through our support of this collaboration, 

we know more young people will be 

enabled to identify, articulate, and build the 

skills they need to succeed.” 

By offering the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals 

workshop for free, Seneca, Microsoft 

and RBC are ensuring these foundational 

skills are made available without barrier, 

helping to develop a Canadian workforce 

with a strong understanding of cloud computing 

that is used in most business environments. 

Interested participants can learn more 

and register by visiting www.senecacollege. 

ca. 

“The pandemic has accelerated digital 

transformation across virtually every industry 

resulting in greater demand for skills in 

cloud, data and AI,” said Kevin Peesker, 

President, Microsoft Canada. “To meet the 

needs of Canada’s growing digital economy 

and give Canadians the skills they need to 

take advantage of job market opportunities, 

industry and academia must work together to 

bridge the gap and help unlock innovation.” 

Happy New Year! 

新年快乐 

恭喜发财 

2021 

MP showcases local talent 

VYbE Dance Company performs during the recent New Year’s Levee held by MP Mary Ng. 

PAUL CALANDRA, MPP 

Markham-Stouffville 

Suite 400, 37 Sandiford Dr. Stouffville, ON L4A 3Z2 

(905) 642 2588 • paul.calandra@pc.ola.org 

On January 10th, MP Mary Ng hosted 

her annual New Year’s Levee – but this year, 

with an online twist. 

Through digital platforms, Ng and her 

team showcased many local artists. Mudra 

Dance Academy, VYbe Dance Company, 

WongMo Trio and Bhangra Siblings all 

participated with lively performances. 

VYbE emerged onto the Canadian 

dance scene in 1996. Their street style savvy 

and unique choreography has made them 

widely known and well respected within the 

dance industry. 

Ng and her guests also celebrated 

important community milestones from 2020, 

and enjoyed a family-fun competition of 

Canadian trivia. 

For those who missed the event, you 

can watch it on youtube.



‘Do your part’ under new stay-at-home order 

With the provincial government’s stayat-home 

order in effect, the City of Markham 

is reminding residents that it’s “critically 

important” that everyone does their part “to 

keep one another safe.” 

The new order requires everyone to 

remain at home and to reduce the number 

of daily contacts with those outside their 

immediate household until at least Feb. 10. 

Essential trips can be made for groceries, 

medicine, to access health-care services, for 

exercise or for essential work. All businesses 

must ensure that any employee who can 

work from home does work from home. 

Police, bylaw officers and provincial 

workplace inspectors have the power to 

enforce the stay-at-home order, issued by 

the Doug Ford government as COVID-19 

models show the province is at a dangerous 

‘tipping point.’ 

Under the order, restrictions on inperson 

shopping continue to apply to all nonessential 

retail stores. In addition, hardware 

stores, alcohol retailers and those offering 

curbside pickup or delivery must open no 

earlier than 7 a.m. (9 a.m for alcohol retailers) 

and close no later than 8 p.m. Stores 

that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas 

stations, convenience stores, and restaurants 

for takeout or delivery are all exempt from 

restricted hours of operation. Discount retailers 

and big box stores that sell groceries can 

open for in-person retail as long as physical 

distancing is possible and occupation capacity 

doesn’t exceed 25 per cent. 

York Region schools won’t return to 

in-person instruction until at least February 

10. Enhanced long-term care home visitor 

restrictions remain in effect and retirement 

homes will be on high alert with visitor restrictions. 

In addition, long-term care homes 

must implement enhanced testing requirements. 

Non-essential construction is further 

restricted. New under the State of Emergency, 

outdoor gatherings are limited to no more 

than five people. 

Community centres, arenas, pools, the 

Markham Museum, Flato Markham Theatre 

and the Varley Art Gallery remain closed 

until further notice. You can still take advantage 

of virtual winter recreation, fitness and 

library programs and skating at the Markham 

Civic Centre Outdoor Ice Rink (pre-booking 

required). 

The city will continue to offer virtual 

library services and curbside pickup of holds 

and returns will be available at Markham 

Village, Thornhill Village and Unionville 

locations. Markham Civic Centre will continue 

to operate by appointment only and all 

essential municipal services will continue 

to be offered. Markham Recycling Depots remain 

open with COVID-19 health and safety 

measures in place. 

Visit markham.ca/CovidSafety to learn 

how you can help stop the spread of the 

coronavirus and markham.ca/covid19 for 

information about how the pandemic is affecting 

City services.


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February 2021 

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YRP celebrates 50th anniversary 

YRP Chief Jim MacSween. 

York Regional Police (YRP) invites you 

to join its members on a trip down memory 

lane as the service celebrates its 50th anniversary 

by sharing images that represent the 

achievements and people who have helped 

shape the organization. 

From the swearing in of its first female 

officer to the evolution of its investigative 

and support units, YRP will be posting memories 

on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 

throughout the year. 

Fourteen municipal police departments 

and the York County Security Police 

amalgamated on January 1, 1971 to create 

YRP, which was comprised of 200 members 

who served a population of about 169,000 

residents, many of whom were “grappling 

with the thought that they may lose their 

A 

178 Main Street, Suite 306, Unionville, ON 

E 

contact@markhamreview.com 

Ph (416) 884-4343 

neighbourhood cop,” Const. Laura Nicolle 

reports. 

“High-ranking municipal officers were 

also adjusting to the idea of sacrificing their 

own professional stature to join a larger team 

– to be a part of something greater, even 

if that meant working as a constable or a 

sergeant, rather than an officer in command.” 

Upon its inception, YRP adopted the 

motto ‘Deeds Speak’ to declare that its actions 

speak louder than words. That motto 

has served as the foundation for all of its 

endeavours, it reports. Today, YRP’s 2,300 

members serve 1.2 million residents of York 

Region, which has become one of Canada’s 

fastest-growing and most diverse communities. 

Officers patrol nine municipalities 

that range from rural landscapes to urban 

cityscapes. 

“Over the years, we have worked closely 

with our community partners to promote 

equity and inclusion so everyone in York 

Region feels they belong,” Nicolle says. 

“Over the past 50 years, we have truly 

evolved as an organization to meet the 

unique needs of our residents. Our achievements 

speak to the professionalism and dedication 

of all of our members – past and present,” 

says Chief of Police Jim MacSween. 

“As we look to the future, we are excited to 

work in collaboration with our community to 

further innovate and grow. Here’s to another 

50 years of policing excellence.” 

More information can be found at yrp. 

ca/50years 

The very first YRP cruiser 

was a chrome-yellow Dodge 

Polara, seen here parked in 

front of YRP headquarters at 

240 Prospect St., Newmarket 

in 1973. 

This 1986 Chevrolet Caprice 

police cruiser featured a 

reflective red stripe and the 

YRP crest, a look that lasted 

from 1976 until the early 

2000s. 

Supporting Ontario businesses 

For generations, Ontario manufacturers 

have designed, created, and assembled innovative 

products, such as cars, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, 

technology, clothing, and more, every 

day. 

Manufactured goods, parts, components, 

ingredients, and materials are what Ontarians 

sell to the world with pride. 

It’s now more important than ever before 

to support local. Buying Ontario-made products 

supports Ontario companies and their workers. 

This helps grow the economy, feeding money 

back into the services we rely on as Canadians, 

like schools, roads, and health care. 

In partnership with the Ontario government, 

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters 

(CME) created the Ontario Made program — a 

free branding opportunity to promote the many 

world-class goods that are made across Ontario 

by helping consumers identify Ontario Made 

products, celebrate what is Ontario Made, and 

support the purchase of Ontario Made products. 

Since the program’s inception in July, CME 

has worked tirelessly to spread the word about 

Today, most YRP officers 

conduct patrols in a Ford 

Utility Police Interceptor, like 

this one, parked in front of 

YRP headquarters at 47 Don 

Hillock Dr., Aurora, in 2018. 

Ontario Made. 

To date, over 1,800 manufacturers have 

registered over 8,000 products. The program has 

had companies of all shapes and sizes register 

their products across a wide variety of industries 

— showcasing the diversity and depth of all 

different sectors of manufacturing. 

Local Markham manufacturers registered 

to the program include: Happy Hands, Spice of 

Life, Davis Group, Taste of Nature, and more. 

Wanting to buy locally-produced goods is 

one thing — being able to find these products 

creates a new challenge. This is where Ontario 

Made’s searchable consumer database comes into 

play. 

Consumers can easily find Ontario-made 

goods, while supporting their local businesses 

and manufacturers, by visiting SupportOntarioMade.ca. 

The database features products that 

are made in local communities, participating 

retailers, and company profiles. 

It’s time for us to stand up and celebrate Ontario 

manufacturers and Ontario-made products.


York takes next steps 

to manage future growth 

Building a more 

inclusive place to live 


York Region is already one of Canada’s 

largest municipalities and is the second largest 

business centre in Ontario and with its 

population projected to nearly double over 

the next three decades, Regional council has 

approved a report to manage that growth. 

According to the Regional Official Plan 

Policy Directions Report that was approved 

as part of a Municipal Comprehensive Review 

in meetings held in December, York’s 

population will nearly double from 1.2 million 

to 2.02 million by 2051. The number of 

jobs here is expected to grow from 650,000 

to 990,000 in that time. 

As part of the municipal review, residents 

are urging the region to continue to 

invest in public transit, saying it’s the service 

they will rely on most in the future. Other 

must-haves: compact, walkable communities 

that offer employment opportunities, community 

facilities, local services, stores and 

places for social connection. 

Residents are also calling for a variety 

of employment opportunities within the region 

as well as affordable housing. Additionally, 

they want their communities to reduce 

emissions and to protect forests, parks, trails, 

agricultural lands and green spaces. 

The Municipal Comprehensive Review 

will inform the Regional Official Plan update 

scheduled for late 2021. Several updates are 

being undertaken to conform with updates 

in the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement that 

forecasts York’s growth and sets the rules 

for land use planning in Ontario. It covers 

policies about managing growth, using and 

managing natural resources, protecting the 

environment, and public health and safety. 

Strengthening diversity and inclusion is 

fundamental to encouraging and promoting a 

more inclusive society, where everyone can 

fully participate. 

Racism and all forms of discrimination 

are some of the main causes of social 

and economic barriers for many Canadians. 

While progress has been made, much more 

remains to be done to address the systemic 

barriers in institutions across the country. 

The federal government has announced 

$146,030 in funding for the project ‘Addressing 

Barriers to Justice, Employment 

and Social Participation for Muslims in 

Markham’. This project aims to enhance 

positive relationships between youth and 

the criminal justice system, increase social 

participation in the community and reduce 

employment barriers due to Islamophobia. 

“As a Member of Parliament for 

Markham-Thornhill, one of Canada’s most 

diverse ridings, I see first-hand the strength 

of diversity and the importance of celebrating 

and embracing our differences,” MP 

Mary Ng said. “(This) announcement will 

go a long way in making our community a 

MP Mary Ng sees the importance of embracing 

our differences. 

stronger and more inclusive place for everyone.” 

This project is among 85 recently announced 

through the Anti-Racism Action 

Program as part of Canada’s Anti- Racism 

Strategy. The federal government is providing 

$15 million to support local, regional, 

and national initiatives that address racism 

and discrimination in all forms. 

For more information, visit Building 

a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti- 

Racism Strategy 2019–2022


HEALTH & SPORTS 

MSH forges ahead with COVID-19 research 

The Office of Research team at Markham Stouffville Hospital continue to study the benefits of 

different COVID-19 treatments. 

BY MICHELLE LEE HOY 

Many people do not associate their community 

hospital with conducting large-scale 

research work. But at Markham Stouffville 

Hospital (MSH), providing ‘care beyond 

our walls’ is more than just the vision; it is a 

self-imposed responsibility to patients, their 

families and the global community to participate 

in generating collective knowledge. 

To that end, while many other hospitals 

put research on hold during the pandemic, 

MSH actively sought opportunities to participate 

in this important work. Since the beginning 

of the pandemic, MSH has initiated 

nine COVID-19 related studies, continues 

to support the hospital’s routine practice of 

carrying out important oncology studies, all 

while taking on additional new studies. 

At MSH, there are currently two 

clinical trials testing potential treatments for 

COVID-19 in patients hospitalized with the 

virus. 

CONCOR-1 is a trial that involves 

giving COVID-19 antibodies to infected 

patients through a transfusion of blood products 

(COVID-19 convalescent plasma) from 

donors who have recently recovered from 

the infection. This trial is being conducted 

across Canada and the United States and will 

provide valuable information on COVID-19 

convalescent plasma as a potential treatment. 

The second active trial at MSH — facilitated 

by CATCO — is the Canadian arm 

of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 

solidarity trial, which evaluates the clinical 

effect of drugs on patients with COVID-19. 

This adaptive trial will continue to add or 

remove drugs as new evidence emerges. 

Along with these two inpatient trials, 

MSH is conducting several COVID-19 

related research studies with their health care 

workers. These include a study of health care 

workers’ mental health by examining the 

psychological impact of this pandemic on 

frontline staff, and a serology study looking 

at the prevalence of CoV-2 antibodies in 

the hospital’s health care team. Both studies 

will provide important information about 

the health and wellness of staff during the 

pandemic that will help them provide better 

support and add to their pandemic preparedness 

plans for the future. 

As stated best by Dr. Jeya Nadarajah, 

clinical trial primary investigator: “Despite 

the challenges faced by communities hospitals 

in developing research programs, we are 

committed to ensuring our patients receive 

the highest quality of care at MSH and this 

includes having access to cutting edge therapies 

though clinical trials.” 

Although MSH has supported research 

in the past and has significantly grown its 

research program over the last two years, 

these are the first hospital-wide clinical trials 

in the organization’s history. 

To make this happen, staff had to learn 

new skills and receive formal research training 

to support the study work all at a time 

where there were added pressures associated 

with responding to the evolving pandemic. 

This collaborative endeavour included 

involvement from not only MSH Research 

Department staff but also the pharmacy, 

laboratory and blood bank, inpatient clinical 

leaders, medical day unit, infectious disease 

clinic, the transformation office and Emergency 

Department. 

It is not surprising that with MSH’s 

collective honoured to care culture, the 

research team has embraced the challenge 

passionately. Lisa Harper is the director of 

Medical Administration and oversees the 

Office of Research, which has made strides 

in the growth of the research program at 

MSH, including the successful uptake of the 

COVID-19 studies. 

Harper praises the research team and the 

wider organization for their dedication to the 

advancement of health care and patient care: 

“The level of engagement from our staff and 

physicians has been incredible. They are 

already extremely busy in their clinical areas 

and they still find the time to support this 

important work. It is very inspiring and a 

testament to what makes MSH special.” 

MSH’s research team will continue to 

look for opportunities to do their part to add 

to the collective knowledge of COVID-19 

knowing that the results of the research 

studies conducted in the hospital will have a 

lasting impact on health care and treatment 

in the future. 

A 

178 Main Street, Suite 306, Unionville, ON 

E contact@markhamreview.com 

Ph (416) 884-4343


BY SHANA DANIEL, RHN 

If I had a penny for every study or topic 

boasting a new conclusion to how our bodies 

respond to food stimuli, I’d have oodles of 

pennies. 

Studies are done for a reason. To prove 

or disprove theories according to the times we 

live in. 

The most basic component of food — the 

calorie, is simply a unit of energy. In nutrition, 

calories refer to the energy people obtain 

from the food and drink they consume and the 

energy they expend in physical activity. 

Calories are listed in the nutritional information 

on all food packaging. 

It wasn’t until 2007 when nutrition facts 

labelling became mandatory in Canada. For 

the first time since it’s introduction on packaged 

foods, manufacturers now have until 

July of 2021 to comply with the new changes 

which (only recently) include sugars breakdown, 

added micronutrients – vitamin D and 

potassium, serving size where total calories 

within it are bolder and larger. 

Here’s my favourite — FAT. The number 

of calories from fat has been removed entirely. 

This is because research is showing that 

the type of fat consumed may be more important 

than the amount. Music to my ears! 

The total amount of fat, as well as the 

grams of trans and saturated fats, are still 

Blood sugar balance 

listed on the updated label. 

Vitamins A and C are no longer required 

to be listed on the new nutrition facts label 

since both of these vitamins are found in a variety 

of food sources and deficiencies in these 

micronutrients are now uncommon. 

A Daily Value percentage has been 

added for sugars to help consumers determine 

whether a food contains a little or a lot of 

sugar, so they can adjust their sugar intake. 

In my practice, working with clients on 

their blood sugar balance with foods is an incredibly 

important part of their health journey. 

Whether weight loss, type 2 diabetes management 

which can lead to improvement of it 

entirely, energy regain, better sleep, libido and 

balancing of hormones, the management of 

sugars are crucial. 

Note that these sugars I mention aren’t 

referencing the sweet items which a nutrition 

label identifies typically with sweets which 

most of you are tempted to reach for before 

bedtime (possibly the worst time to awaken 

your sweet tooth I might add). With the right 

education, clients understand that their blood 

sugar swing in response to certain foods impacts 

all of the above symptoms tremendously. 

We are by nature creatures of habit and with 

the wrong habits come consequences which 

can negatively impact our health. 

Here are the following attributes of a balanced 

body: weight loss, ideal blood pressure, 

ideal cholesterol levels, hormones in check, 

libido reawakens, energy boost, more restful 

sleep, and mental acuity with only positive 

thoughts towards your goals on a daily basis. 

The metabolic balance one can achieve 

by keeping a watchful eye on their digestion is 


key. And just when you might be thinking that 

being educated on metabolism in your body 

might seem overwhelming, research for decades 

has been proving that food compounds 

can exacerbate conditions or calm them in 

the body according to each individual’s blood 

chemistry. That’s right, a custom-designed nutrition 

fit for you, just like having a wardrobe 

suited to your shape and gender. Now foods 

can be determined by how they affect each individual 

based on blood chemistry — another 

tool I’ve added to my practice at Wellnessessity 

Inc. based on current requirements of my 

clientele. Here’s another example to prove 

that nutrition science evolves and uncovers 

a wealth of new information constantly. The 

coaching aspect of this model is key of course, 

thereby making the glycemic load a tool even 

more popular in conveying how digestion, 

metabolism and balance is achieved. 

So, tonight when your eyes shut for at 

least a few hours, realize that your body is preparing 

for its ritual of fat burning, systems reset 

and powering you back up for your next day. 

That is, if you ate your last meal according to 

what it required for these functions to happen. 

Could this be the year you’ve decided 

to take the plunge for the last time for your 

health and stick to it? Food science is real and 

very much crucial to an outcome which can be 

maintained for years to come.


The world loses 

one person to 

suicide every 

40 seconds. 

It claims 800,000 

lives every year. 

That’s more 

deaths than war 

and homicide 

combined. 

Over 75% of all 

suicide deaths 

are men. 

For women, the 

attempt rate is 

3 to 4 times higher. 

Transgender and 

gender diverse 

people are at 

greater risk than 

those who are 

cisgender. 

Suicide is the 

2nd leading cause 

of death for people 

aged 15–24. 

Lesbian, gay, and 

bisexual youth are 

more at risk than their 

heterosexual peers. 

Among First 

Nations, the 

suicide rate is 

3 times higher 

than the general 

population. 

These are the stats. 

And it’s time we change them. 

In Canada, 

4000 people 

die by suicide 

every year. 

For each person 

we lose, at least 

7 to 10 others are 

deeply affected. 

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are deserving of help and 

can call 1-833-456-4566. If you require immediate, in-person emergency 

care, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency department.

Markham Review, February 2021

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