Stouffville Review, December 2022

Vol.9 Issue 12 December 2022 

WWW.STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM 

WHAT’S INSIDE 

York approves long-term vision 

for transportation 

York Region plans to spend about $8.54 billion to 

ensure its growing population and workforce will 

be able to get around safely 

SEE PAGE 2 

Anti-Human Trafficking Conference 

educates and builds critical awareness 

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation is one 

of the most rapidly growing and lucrative crimes 

worldwide, and it’s happening right here in York 

Region. 

SEE PAGE 4 

Creating personalized gifts this season 

December is a month of reflection and celebration. 

We pause to reflect on the completion of another 

year, and celebrate both the year that has passed 

and another which is about to begin. 

SEE PAGE 7 

York Catholic EQAO results higher than provincial averages 

York Catholic District School Board students outscored their provincial peers in all areas of Education Quality and Accountability 

Office testing, which reveals the pandemic had a more significant impact on math than on literacy achievement among 

students across Ontario. 

Oak Valley Health recognized 

for exemplary standing 

SEE PAGE 7 

Accreditation Canada recognizes Oak Valley 

Health for being awarded with exemplary standing, 

the highest award possible from the national 

quality standards organization. 

SEE PAGE 8 

Province wants to fast track 

sewage system upgrades 

The provincial government is taking steps to improve 

the York-Durham Sewage System network to 

accommodate growth and new housing in the upper 

part of York Region over the next three decades. 

SEE PAGE 10 

COMMUNITY 

MSH gains good fortune 

Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation 

recently hosted its inaugural The Fortune 

Ball presented by TD. Guests came together 

to celebrate the modern tradition of Chinese 

culture during an enchanting evening 

filled with elegant charm and outstanding 

entertainment. 

226 Harold Avenue 

built by Boadway 

On a cool afternoon, one can walk through 

this heritage neighbourhood and find very 

different types of homes. 

SEE PAGE 2 SEE PAGE 3 

Uplifting holiday entertainment 

With the holiday season fast approaching, 

the Markham Theatre has a great slate of 

programming coming up. You won’t want to 

miss ViVA Trio, Gowan and Ballet Jörgen’s 

The Nutcracker. 

SEE PAGE 9 

You don’t have to miss out on local news and 

information. Just check out the Stouffville 

Review online at www.stouffvillereview.com for 

fresh, original articles, updated daily. Did you 

miss a print edition? Catch up with our replica 

e-paper, available anytime on our website. 

Ballet Jörgen 

Nutcracker 

Friday, December 30 // 2pm & 7pm 

Saturday, December 31 // 2pm 

flatomarkhamtheatre.ca / 905.305.7469 

220106 FMT_Markham Review - Nutcracker - NEW SIZE 10x1.75.indd 2 2022-11-18 4:27 PM

2 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY DECEMBER 2022 STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM 

York approves long-term vision for transportation 

Under its recently updated Transportation 

Master Plan (TMP), York Region plans 

to spend about $8.54 billion to ensure its 

growing population and workforce will 

be able to get around safely and will have 

transportation options over the next three 

decades. 

In that time, its population is expected 

to grow from 1.2 million people to more 

than two million and the number of jobs 

here will reach nearly one million. 

The total price tag includes $4.07 

billion for transit, $3.97 billion for roads 

– including active transportation improvements 

– and $496 million for stand-alone 

active transportation projects. Proposed 

actions and initiatives will be brought 

forward through the annual capital planning 

business and budget process. 

Among other things, the Region says 

the TMP will focus on ‘transportation 

equity,’ which means providing options that 

are inclusive and recognize a diversity of 

personal abilities, age, gender, income and 

culture. The revamped TMP will also focus 

on reducing car travel, especially during 

rush hours, as well as fiscal and environmental 

sustainability to ensure transportation 

investment remains affordable and continues 

to consider environmental impacts. 

York Region reviews the TMP every 

five years to ensure the Regional transportation 

network meets the needs of motorists, 

pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. 

“Input from the community has always 

played a lead role in the TMP since the first 

plan in 2002,” Lauren Crawford, manager 

of transportation long-term planning, says 

in a video introducing the TMP. 

Accomplishments in that time include 

the introduction of bus rapid transit to provide 

fast, convenient service and easy connections 

to urban centres and bringing subway 

connections to York to support growing 

populations, stimulate economic growth 

and reduce traffic congestion, she reports. 

Additional accomplishments include transforming 

roads and improving intersections 

to improve traffic flow, provide safer crossings 

for pedestrians and cyclists and support 

public transit service investments; and 

installing high occupancy vehicle lanes and 

bicycle facilities to provide more options to 

more people and to save travel time. 

The TMP was developed in coordination 

with the Region’s Municipal Comprehensive 

Review Process, which includes 

updates to the Regional Official Plan and 

Water and Wastewater Master Plan. Visit 

york.ca/TMP to learn more about the public 

consultation process and previous TMPs. 

Support local journalism. Businesses, 

advertise with us online and in print. 

416-884-4343, contact@stouffvillereview.com 

MSH gains good fortune 

Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation recently hosted its inaugural The Fortune Ball presented 

by TD. Performers from the Sun Ling School of Dance were some of the many entertainment 

highlights of the evening. 

Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) 

Foundation recently hosted its inaugural 

The Fortune Ball presented by TD. 

Guests came together at the Hilton 

Toronto/Markham Suites to celebrate the 

modern tradition of Chinese culture during 

an enchanting evening filled with elegant 

charm and outstanding entertainment. 

MSH Foundation aims to promote 

community pride within the local Chinese- 

Canadian population and inspire Chinese 

business and philanthropic leaders to help 

bring abundant blessings to MSH through 

the sharing of their good fortune and prosperity. 

Community leaders and founding 

members of MSH Foundation’s Fortune 

Leadership Council (FLC) have taken on 

the role of co-chairs of this inaugural gala. 

The members include Kenny Wan, Alan 

Kwong, Gordon Chan, David Ho and Stephen 

Li. FLC is a network of local Chinese 

business leaders who came together in 2016 

with a mission to give back to the hospital. 

“Our community depends on Oak Valley 

Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital 

to deliver a lifetime of care closer to home. 

And the community plays an important role 

in ensuring Markham Stouffville Hospital 

has life-saving equipment and innovative 

technology,” Wan said “There is a Chinese 

proverb that says — ‘If you always give, 

you will always have.’” 

Access to the most state-of-the-art 

equipment is essential for MSH to continue 

providing the exceptional, patient-centred 

care the community needs and deserves, 

close to home. Urgent and emerging needs 

abound within surgery, diagnostic imaging 

and emergency medicine — directly related 

to the rapidly expanding and aging population 

that MSH serves. Government can’t 

fund all critical equipment and top-priority 

needs. Community support is the reason 

patients can count on MSH for exceptional, 

life-saving care, regardless of what brings 

them through the doors. 

“The past two years have brought 

some of the most challenging times we’ve 

faced — as a community and as a hospital. 

Now, more than ever, the support from the 

community means everything, said Suzette 

Strong, CEO of MSH Foundation. “Funds 

raised through The Fortune Ball will enable 

MSH to remain on the cutting-edge of 

patient care, prepared to provide life-saving 

care and treatment to every patient, in any 

scenario.”

STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2022 

226 Harold Avenue 

built by Boadway 

COMMUNITY 

3 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW 

BY FRED ROBBINS, 

Stouffville Historian 

On a cool afternoon, one can walk 

through this heritage neighbourhood and 

find very different types of homes. 

This average-size frame house has a 

porch across the entire front with tapered 

full-length columns. It may remind some 

people of the Sears catalogue homes which 

were popular in the early 1900s. 

The streets in this area have a few 

similar homes to those catalogue homes. 

This model was a story and a half with a 

large dormer on the upper roof. 

Sears sold a variety of plans and materials 

for houses, including Modern Home 

No. 147 available for $872 in 1913. A 

century ago the typical salary was $687 per 

year. 

Elizabeth Hutchinson was living on 

Harold Avenue in 1920 purchasing the 

building for $2,000. The same day she took 

out a mortgage for $1,000 from a neighbour 

Allen Closson. The mortgage was paid off 

in ten years. She sold her house on Harold 

Avenue to Isaac Boadway. 

Boadway had been a carpenter/builder 

in town for twenty years having learned the 

trade in Toronto. He was born in a little pioneer 

cabin home right here on Main Street 

in the east end close to the street called 

Harding Gate named after the Harding family 

which had a home on the corner. He was 

likely the builder of this house on Harold 

Street as noted in the local paper. 

Closson purchased the house from 

Boadway and lived there for ten years. 

The sale on Sept. 10, 1952, from Closson 

to Archie Forfar, was for $7,250. This 

house on Harold Avenue was a rental property 

and was rented by Norman Lehman. 

Forfar and his bride moved into this home 

as newlyweds. They lived there for four 

years. 

Leonard W. J. Buckland was the next 

owner. He had moved quite a bit in town 

living on Victoria Street, then moving to 

Edward Street and then this home on Harold 

Avenue in 1956. After only a year Buckland 

sold the home for $11,500 to George 

M. Johnson of Ringwood. Johnson made 

this his long-time home and raised a family 

there for 24 years, staying until 1981. 

Electrolytes are essential 

BY SHANA DANIEL 

Hitting on buzzwords in the wellness 

industry initiates curiosity and encourages 

the reader to learn more about their health 

when stumbling upon a term or a word not 

often heard. 

Electrolytes are commonly used, but 

not many know of their importance and/or 

relevance in the diet. 

Electrolytes are essential and can 

impact the very way water is absorbed or 

not into the body’s cells. They balance the 

amount of water in your body. 

They play a role in conducting nerve 

impulses, contract muscles, keep you hydrated 

and regulate your body’s pH levels. 

Electrolytes found in your body 

include; sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, 

magnesium, phosphate and bicarbonate. 

They’re crucial to keeping your muscles 

and nervous system functioning and 

your internal body’s processes balanced. 

When it comes to exercise, hot weather 

and prescription use, water has to be kept 

in the right amounts both inside and outside 

each cell in your body. This is referred to as 

intracellular and extracellular fluid. 

Electrolytes, particularly sodium, help 

maintain fluid balance through osmosis. 

Osmosis is a process where water 

moves through the wall of a cell membrane 

from a dilute solution (more water and fewer 

electrolytes) toward a more concentrated 

solution (less water and more electrolytes). 

This prevents cells from bursting 

from being too full or shrivelling up due to 

dehydration. Additionally, electrolytes help 

to regulate your body’s pH. If levels are 

imbalanced for your body’s requirements, 

more serious symptoms can occur. 

The best way to reach and maintain 

electrolyte balance is through a healthy diet. 

The main food sources of electrolytes are 

fruits and vegetables. 

Sources of electrolytes include sodium, 

chloride, potassium, magnesium and 

calcium. Try to add some of the following 

to your diet: (sodium) pickled foods and 

cheese, (chloride) minute amounts of table 

salt, (potassium) banana, avocado, sweet 

potato and pure coconut water, (magnesium) 

seeds and nuts, and (calcium) leafy 

greens and dairy products or fortified dairy 

alternatives. 

Remember that supplementing, although 

a wise idea, can also impact a body 

negatively if not done correctly. Working 

with a wellness practitioner can help determine 

which ones are suited to your lifestyle 

and needs, as no one person is identical to 

another. 

Remember as well that hydrating with 

water is still your body’s best ally when it 

comes to regulating balance and systems in 

the body.

4 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY 

DECEMBER 2022 

Many human trafficking victims are as young as 13 

STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM 

BY JENNIFER MCLAUGHLIN 

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation 

is one of the most rapidly growing and 

lucrative crimes worldwide, and it’s happening 

right here in York Region. 

The impact on victims, survivors, families, 

and communities is devastating. 

The Anti-Human Trafficking York 

Region Conference 2022 was recently 

presented virtually over four sessions. Signs 

and risk factors of human trafficking, community 

support for victims and survivors, 

and legislation to combat it were among the 

topics discussed. 

Human trafficking involves recruiting, 

transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, 

concealing, harbouring, or exercising 

control, direction, or influence over a 

person for exploitation. 

The conference focused on human trafficking 

involving sexual exploitation, given 

its prevalence in York Region. Jasmine 

De Fina, a human trafficking specialist 

for Victim Services of York Region and 

executive director of SafeHope, Canada’s 

only long-term comprehensive program for 

survivors of human trafficking, spoke on the 

conference’s opening night. 

She explained that a widespread 

misconception about human trafficking is 

that the victim is aware of the situation in 

which they’re getting involved. The victim 

is led to believe that they have a choice, but 

through threat, force, coercion, manipulation, 

fraud, or abuse of power, the trafficker 

gets the victim to do something they don’t 

want to do. 

A trafficker may meet the fundamental 

needs of the victim by providing food, 

drugs, or alcohol. Sometimes, the victim 

will receive lavish gifts. A dependency on 

the trafficker grows. 

She explained that the cycle of human 

trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation 

is very similar to domestic violence 

in terms of the methods of control, often 

starting in a “honeymoon phase.” Initially, 

the trafficker is highly attentive and loving 

but eventually starts to pull back and seems 

angry. The victim is desperate to feel love 

and will do anything to get it back. 

In Canada, the majority of victims 

are women and girls. The average age of a 

young trafficking victim is 13. 

There are a variety of insecurities that 

can make an individual vulnerable to the 

dangers of trafficking. Low self-esteem, 

drug dependency, and abandonment are 

just a few. 

Bonnie Harkness, chief operating 

officer of 360°kids, spoke to conference 

participants about the connection between 

homelessness and human trafficking. She 

explained that some kids become homeless 

because of human trafficking, and some 

become victims of human trafficking because 

they are homeless. These individuals 

rely on “survivor sex” through trafficking 

to fulfil basic needs like food and shelter. 

The 360°kids HOPE Program provides 

transitional housing and wrap-around 

services for female survivors of human 

trafficking aged 16-26 in York Region. 

She added that given York Region is 

considered a relatively affluent area, it’s 

not only impoverished youth who become 

susceptible to trafficking. Kids from more 

wealthy families tend to be less “street 

smart” and can be more vulnerable to the 

deception that occurs when getting lured 

into trafficking. 

It’s crucial, said Harkness, to teach 

our kids what to look for so they are aware 

of the dangers that can occur in various 

settings and situations. 

Traffickers lure their victims through 

dating apps and other online connections, 

at schools, through friends or family members, 

and at social meeting places such as 

shopping malls. Visit victimservices-york. 

org and 360kids.ca for information.


COMMUNITY 

5 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW




Wayne Emmerson has been re-elected to a third term as chairman and CEO of York Region. 

York chairman and CEO 

re-elected for third term 

Dannielle Rodrigues 

imagines all the life 

moments she and her 

family would have missed 

if not for Markham 

Stouffville Hospital. 

Over the past 10 years, her 

mom, Lucy, has made 43 

visits to MSH’s Emergency 

Department and been 

admitted 21 times. 

We’re here 

for life’s 

moments 

Because of her mom’s 

health, her family has 

celebrated many special 

occasions at the hospital. 

Dannielle and Lucy’s 

story reminds us that we 

are at the heart of this 

community. To ensure that 

we can continue making 

special life moments 

possible, please give this 

holiday season. 

After being unanimously re-elected to 

a third term as chairman and CEO of York 

Region, Wayne Emmerson shared progress 

made over the past eight years but reminded 

councillors about important responsibilities 

that lay ahead. 

“We enter this term of council in a 

time of global economic uncertainty and 

in the face of a recession. Interest rates are 

rising, and life is becoming increasingly less 

affordable for our residents,” he said at the 

inaugural meeting of the 2022 to 2026 term 

on November 17. 

“This means more and more individuals 

and families will rely on us for essential 

programs and services…The issues of 

affordable housing, broadband connectivity, 

economic development, transportation and 

growth will continue to be top priorities for 

our residents.” 

The last term of council “was unlike 

any before it,” said Emmerson. “In early 

2020, we faced a global pandemic that 

brought business, the community and our 

economy to a grinding halt. In response, a 

state of emergency was declared for the first 

time in York Region’s 51-year history.” 

But the region’s response to the 

pandemic “balanced the health and safety 

of residents with the economic interests of 

local businesses” and “helped protect our 

communities and mitigate the spread of 

COVID-19,” said Emmerson. He served 

as mayor of Whitchurch-Stouffville for 17 

years before first being elected chairman and 

CEO of York Region in 2014. 

During the last term, council approved 

both the Yonge North Subway Extension, 

a top transportation project, and the 2022 

Development Charges Bylaw to help fund 

infrastructure needed to service planned 

growth. Council also supported the York 

University Markham Centre Campus, which 

will bring 4,200 new student spaces to York 

in the 2023/2024 academic year. 

Key investments in broadband connectivity, 

meanwhile, helped expand the 

YorkNet fibre network, bringing highspeed 

internet to thousands of underserved 

households and businesses across the region, 

Emmerson reported. Council also updated 

the Regional Official Plan, which helps coordinate 

infrastructure delivery to meet the 

needs of a growing population, and made 

a commitment to address housing affordability 

challenges through public and private 

partnerships. 

As chairman and CEO of York Region, 

Emmerson is an ex-officio member of all 

regional committees. Additionally, he’s 

vice chair of York Regional Police Services 

Board, a member of the YorkNet board, 

CEO of the York Region Rapid Transit 

Board, chair of the Lake Simcoe Region 

Conservation Authority, co-chair of Toronto 

Global and a member of the board of directors 

for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. 

Give today 

MSHF.on.ca 

2022 Holiday AD Lucy Half Page _News Review_FINAL.indd 1 11/17/2022 5:21:08 PM


York Catholic EQAO results 

higher than provincial averages 

COMMUNITY 


York Catholic District School Board 

(YCDSB) students outscored their provincial 

peers in all areas of Education Quality 

and Accountability Office (EQAO) testing, 

which reveals the pandemic had a more 

significant impact on math than on literacy 

achievement among students across Ontario. 

“We are very proud of our students and 

staff for the high level of achievement they 

consistently demonstrate throughout the 

school year,” says director of education Domenic 

Scuglia. “We are pleased that students 

at York Catholic performed well on the 

assessments, yet we know that there is more 

work to be done, especially in mathematics.” 

Here are Grade 3 results by subject, followed 

by board average and then provincial 

average: reading (82 per cent vs. 73 per 

cent), writing (78 per cent vs. 65 per cent) 

and math (68 per cent vs. 59 per cent). Here 

are Grade 6 results: reading (91 per cent vs. 

85 per cent), writing (93 per cent vs. 84 per 

cent) and math (55 per cent vs. 47 per cent). 

The board average in Grade 9 math was 

60 per cent, while the provincial average 

was 52 per cent. 

“EQAO scores provide one aspect 

of the overall assessment of our students 

that assists us in developing our Board and 

school improvement plans,” says Elizabeth 

Crowe, chair of the board of trustees. 

The 2021–2022 assessments marked 

a return to EQAO’s large-scale provincial 

assessment administration after a pause for 

the prior two years. The results provide important 

data on student learning through the 

COVID-19 pandemic. More than 600,000 

students completed EQAO assessments at 

the elementary and secondary levels in the 

English- and French-language school systems. 

In keeping with government direction, 

students learning in person and students 

learning remotely who wrote in person 

participated in the assessments. In 2022, 97 

per cent of YCDSB Grade 3 students and 93 

per cent of Grade 6 students participated in 

the EQAO assessments, while 94 per cent of 

Grade 9 students completed the math assessment. 

Due to several contextual differences, 

the 2021-2022 EQAO assessments serve as 

a new baseline for student achievement in 

the province of Ontario. As a result of those 

differences, there’s no meaningful comparison 

of student achievement to previous administrations 

of the provincial assessments, 

the YCDSB reports. 

YCDSB students also outpaced their 

provincial peers in the Grade 10 Ontario 

Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), 

earning a board average of 87 per cent 

compared to the provincial average of 82 

per cent. Ninety-five per cent of students 

eligible to take the test for the first time 

participated. Successful completion of the 

literacy test is one of 32 requirements students 

must meet to graduate. 

More information about the 2022 

EQAO and OSSLT results, including individual 

school results, are available on the 

EQAO website at https://www.eqao.com/ 

results/. 

Creating personalized 

gifts this season 

December is a month of reflection and 

celebration. 

We pause to reflect on the completion 

of another year, and celebrate both the year 

that has passed and another which is about 

to begin. 

Celebrations abound, and the Library 

and Latcham Art Centre have programs that 

will inspire participants to create a personalized 

gift for family or friends. 

On Dec. 6 and Dec. 12, the library will 

be offering two Cricut Creations: Holiday 

Gift Tags classes. 

In each class, participants will get ready 

for the holidays by learning how to make 

custom gift tags on the Cricut. Supplies will 

be provided to make five holiday gift tags. 

Registration can be done via WS Play 

online using barcode 24944 for the Dec. 6 

class and 24945 for the Dec. 12 class. 

Latcham Art Centre is hosting a 

sculpture/installation workshop on Dec. 14 

for adults aged 18-plus. In this three-hour 

workshop, participants will create one piece 

of artwork using mixed media to create their 

own unique sculpture/installation. Register 

at latchamartcentre.ca/programs. 

Finally, Latcham Art Centre will be 

hosting Winter Break Art Camp for artists 

aged 5-11. Participants of this art camp can 

select which days they would like to attend. 

Each day features new projects using different 

materials, styles, and techniques. 

Register at latchamartcentre.ca/programs. 

Visit townofws.ca for more details or to 

register for the various town programs.


Golden 

Student of the month 

McDonald’s is proud to salute 

this month’s Golden Student 

of the Month, 

FARAH BADR 



Oak Valley Health recognized 

for exemplary standing 

Accreditation Canada recognizes Oak 

Valley Health for being awarded with exemplary 

standing, the highest award possible 

from the national quality standards organization, 

with an even higher score than the one 

achieved four years ago. 

“We are incredibly honoured to be 

placed among top-ranked hospitals in Canada 

achieving 100 per cent of the required organizational 

practices and 99.8 per cent compliance 

with over 2,300 internationally recognized 

standards,” says Jo-anne Marr, president 

and CEO. “This achievement is a testament to 

our staff, physicians, and volunteers who are 

committed to providing exceptional care to 

our patients and families each and every day. 

“It is even more remarkable given we 

achieved a stronger result than four years ago 

despite all the challenges we have faced in 

navigating the ongoing pandemic.” 

Accreditation is a voluntary, third-party 

assessment process that hospitals across 

Canada can choose to participate in. Every 

four years, Oak Valley Health invites a team 

of surveyors from Accreditation Canada to 

evaluate the organization on quality, safety, 

and efficiency. 

Based on a four-day site visit in September, 

surveyors were particularly impressed 

with Oak Valley Health’s values and philosophy 

and how they are expressed and 

demonstrated every day. They complimented 

the organization on its strong, friendly, and 

Oak Valley Health CEO Jo-anne Marr. 

inviting culture that exhibits teamwork and 

engagement. 

Accreditation Canada also remarked on 

Oak Valley Health’s commitment to patient 

and family-centred care. Oak Valley Health 

was one of the first organizations to invite 

a patient surveyor to participate as part of 

the accreditation process. Oak Valley Health 

is committed to continuing its journey as a 

patient-led organization and evolving its approach 

from including patient feedback and 

engagement to embedding patient co-design, 

co-production, and co-evaluation. 

“This is a remarkable achievement for 

Oak Valley Health and a clear measure of the 

incredible work being done by our physicians, 

staff, and volunteers,” Marr says. “There is 

always more to do in healthcare, but today it 

is a very proud day for Oak Valley Health and 

our people.” 

Farah Badr is a very active Grade 12 student at 

SDSS. She is praised for her dedication, passion, and 

positive attitude. Known as a kind and hardworking 

student who enthusiastically supports school 

initiatives and community activities, Farah is a 

member of the Student Council, the Leadership 

Team, the Equity and Inclusivity Club, the Indian 

Student Association, the President Council, and Co- 

President of the Muslim Student Association. She is 

also a volunteer in both the classroom and the office 

at a local elementary school. In addition to all that, 

Farah also teaches an online religious course helping 

students with their spiritual journey, an experience 

that she finds truly rewarding. 

CONGRATULATIONS FARAH! 

Your passion for volunteering builds a better 

Stouffville for all of us! 

Hon. Dr. Helena 

Jaczek 

® 

Marcia and Todd Finlayson operate 7 McDonald’s 

Resturants in York region. They also championed 

the building and annual operation of the Ronald 

McDonald Family Room at Markham Stouffville 

Hospital. Through this monthly feature, Marcia and 

Todd are proud to encourage and celebrate the 

volunteers in the Stouffville community who are 

building their own legacy of social responsibility. 

C 2018 McDaonald’s 

MP, Markham-Stouffville 

If you need help with federal 

programs or services, please 

contact my office: 

905-471-8963 

helena.jaczek@parl.gc.ca


COMMUNITY 

Uplifting holiday entertainment 


BY JEFF JONES 

With the holiday season fast approaching, 

the Markham Theatre has a great slate 

of programming coming up. 

This season has been a confident but 

careful one that has seen general manager 

Eric Lariviere make great strides toward 

rebuilding the live performance audience in 

Markham back to 2019 levels. 

“Things are going well,” Lariviere reports. 

“No one has a crystal ball, but we are 

on track to getting back to where we were. 

We’ll see how it goes.” 

December starts off early with perennial 

favourites, Classic Albums Live returns 

on Dec. 2. This show will highlight the 

early 80s landmark record, Breakfast in 

America by Supertramp. Often hailed as a 

modern-day, rock orchestra, the show features 

an impeccable note-for-note recreation 

of the album in question and then a second 

set that features hits and notable tracks by 

the same artist. 

“I think it’s a brilliant concept,” 

explains Lariviere, “and their following is 

strong enough now that we can bring them 

every year. It’s a great night of music.” 

On Dec. 3, holiday spirit collides with 

rock ‘n roll royalty with Elvis: Wonderful 

World of Christmas. World-renowned Elvis 

tribute artist Steve Michaels stars in this 

holiday show like no other. Expect faithful 

renditions of Presley’s holiday classics, such 

as Blue Christmas, Here Comes Santa Claus, 

and the gospel songs that were the cornerstone 

of Elvis’ identity and inspiration. 

The Markham Theatre has a great slate of programming this holiday season. 

“I really wanted to program fun shows 

for this season,” Lariviere says. “Elvis is 

globally recognized, our audience loves 

his music, and Steve Michaels is the best 

tribute artist out there.” 

Next up, on Dec. 8 is an evening that 

promises to be part Monty Python, part Mr. 

Bean, and even part Dr. Seuss. 

O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy is 

a new work by London’s 3-time Impresario 

award-winning duo, James and Jamesy 

that they promise to be outrageously funny 

and reminiscent of classic British pantos. 

Expect physical comedy, wordplay and 

interactive elements to deliver the laughs. 

The ViVA Trio comes to Markham next 

with their Light Up the Season Holiday 

Show on Dec. 9. This Canadian, all-female 

trio of sopranos set out to build cinematic 

soundscapes featuring their soaring vocals 

and three-part harmony which they bring 

to a set of classics from O Holy Night to 

Silver Bells. 

“These great singers are right from our 

own backyard,” Lariviere says. “We showcased 

them when we launched the season, 

and I look forward to their full show too.” 

The following week the theatre welcomes 

a Canadian music legend home when 

Gowan performs. Raised a few kilometres 

south in Scarborough, the Dec. 16 performance 

is as close as it gets to a hometown 

show for him. Expect international hits 

like Strange Animal, A Criminal Mind and 

Moonlight Desires for sure but keep in 

mind that rarely does an intimate performance 

by a star like this go by without the 

feeling of magic in the air. 

“Lawrence (Gowan) has a great fanbase,” 

Lariviere says. “When he communicates 

on stage, you can feel it right away. 

He’s fantastic.” 

The month and the season come to a 

close with the restarting of a tradition with 

Ballet Jörgen’s The Nutcracker: A Canadian 

Tradition returning for three shows on 

Dec. 30 and 31. Acclaimed choreographer 

and artistic director Bengt Jörgen, whose 

recent piece based on Anne of Green Gables 

had its world premiere in Markham, 

created this version of The Nutcracker with 

both tradition and magic in mind. 

It draws modern visual inspiration 

from the renowned McMichael Canadian 

Art Collection but keeps both the music 

and the story in place, despite other choreographers 

changing the story liberally. 

The result is a production that features a 

uniquely Canadian take on an international 

classic. 

“The quality of Ballet Jörgen is 

great,” Lariviere says. “It’s a different 

show than you might see downtown, but 

there are more than a few that prefer his 

intimate, sort of, personal storytelling to 

the glitzy production at the National Ballet. 

We support them 100 per cent.”

10 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW COMMUNITY DECEMBER 2022 STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM 

Province aims to cool housing prices with increased foreign buyer tax 



According to the Ontario Housing 

Affordability Task Force Report, housing 

prices in Ontario have almost tripled in 

the past 10 years – far outpacing growth in 

household incomes. 

A recent increase in the non-resident 

speculation tax (NRST) rate is one strategy 

the provincial government is using to cool 

the housing market by reducing demand 

from foreign investors. 

“Young families, newcomers, and 

those all over the province dream of having 

their own home, a dream which continues 

to be out of reach for too many,” said Peter 

Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. 

Effective Oct.25, the provincial government 

is prioritizing Ontario families and 

homebuyers by increasing the NRST rate 

from 20 to 25 per cent province-wide. This 

comes after an increase earlier this year, 

from 15 to 20 per cent in March 2022. 

“To help Ontario homebuyers, our 

government is increasing the Non-Resident 

Speculation Tax rate by another five percentage 

points to 25 per cent,” Bethlenfalvy 

added, “making it the highest in Canada, to 

further discourage foreign speculation in 

Ontario’s housing market.” 

The NRST applies to the price of 

homes purchased in Ontario by foreign 

nationals (individuals who are not citizens 

or permanent residents of Canada), foreign 

corporations, or a trust having a foreign 

entity as either a trustee or beneficiary. 

The increased NRST rate is one of several 

strategies stemming from recommendations 

from the Ontario Housing Affordability 

Task Force and the Provincial-Municipal 

Housing Summit. Both initiatives aim to 

identify and implement measures to address 

the housing supply crisis. 

Data supplied by the Ministry of 

Finance confirms that from July 1, 2019, 

to June 30, 2020, there were 261 NRST 

payments made to the province totalling 

$45.3 million for homes purchased in York 

Region by foreign speculators. 

Scott Blodgett, a spokesperson for 

the Ministry of Finance, advises that these 

amounts may still be subject to rebates and 

refunds that could reduce the net NRST collected 

over time. 

He clarified, however, that the NRST’s 

objective isn’t to bring additional revenue 

to the province. 

“Instead, the Non-Resident Speculation 

Tax changes are introduced to help discourage 

foreign speculation and make sure 

Ontario families and Ontario homebuyers 

are the first priority for housing,” he said. 

“(This) announcement is another step 

in our government’s plan to make housing 

more attainable for all Ontarians,” said 

Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs 

and Housing. 

A commitment to building 1.5 million 

new homes over the next 10 years is 

another strategy the Ontario government is 

implementing to increase access to housing 

across the province. 

Visit ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/non-resident-speculation-tax 

for 

information. 

The Food Bank of York Region is continuing its efforts to fight food insecurity with a new program 

to support school-aged kids at both the primary and secondary levels. (FBYR photo) 

Food Bank of York Region 

expands into schools 



The Food Bank of York Region 

(FBYR) is continuing its efforts to fight 

food insecurity with a new program to support 

school-aged kids at both the primary 

and secondary levels. 

“We are very engaged and committed 

to helping to support and grow new food 

pantry and snack programs in our schools. 

Children need the right nourishment to succeed 

in and outside of the classroom, and 

we can help provide that,” said Alex Bilotta, 

founder and CEO of the Food Bank of York 

Region. 

Glad Park Public School in Stouffville, 

with a student population of about 850 kids, 

was the first York Region school to connect 

with FBYR last February. A Glad Park 

staff member who had worked with one of 

FBYR’s agencies and was familiar with the 

organization’s programming saw an opportunity 

for a partnership with FBYR and got 

the ball rolling. 

Studies have proven the correlation 

between nutrition and children’s academic, 

social, and developmental success. Kids 

with regular access to healthy food are 

more likely to succeed than their peers who 

experience poverty and food insecurity. 

The FBYR is working towards 

levelling the playing field for all children 

because no child deserves to go hungry and 

be denied the chance to thrive. 

“Inflation, the increasing number of 

families relying on low-wage work, and the 

exorbitant cost of housing in York Region 

means more families, many who have never 

experienced food insecurity before, are now 

relying on help from others. We welcome 

the support of the FBYR to establish supports 

in our schools that contribute to food 

security for students and families,” said 

Yvonne Kelly, Community and Partnership 

Developer with York Region District School 

Board (YRDSB). 

FBYR credits Kelly with connecting 

them to schools she recognized could benefit 

from their support. 

The FBYR provides a weekly delivery 

of fresh and non-perishable school-safe 

snacks and foods throughout the school 

year. A volunteer team of teachers, support 

staff, and students coordinates healthy and 

nutritious meals and snacks from the food 

supplied by the FBYR for students to eat in 

school or take home. 

“We are continuing to expand into 

schools across the region where our help 

is needed and look forward to providing 

some relief to food insecure kids and their 

parents,” said Bilotta. 

FBYR continues to engage with new 

schools throughout the region to help 

fight hunger and support the basic needs 

of school-aged children. As of September 

2022, three more York Region schools 

joined the program: Dr. J. M. Denison 

Secondary School and Maple Leaf Public 

School in Newmarket, and Sutton District 

High School. 

Visit fbyr.ca for information or to apply 

for the in-school program. 

Province wants to fast track 

sewage system upgrades 

The provincial government is taking 

steps to improve the York-Durham Sewage 

System network to accommodate growth 

and new housing in the upper part of York 

Region over the next three decades. 

Under the proposed Supporting Growth 

and Housing in York and Durham Act, 

2022, it would fast track improvements to 

the existing York-Durham Sewage System 

network connected to the Duffin Creek 

treatment facility that’s co-owned and operated 

by York and Durham Regions. 

“Expansion of this shared critical 

wastewater infrastructure for York and 

Durham Regions is needed to support their 

significant population housing and economic 

growth. Our government is proposing 

a solution that ensures the most robust 

wastewater treatment as these communities 

continue to grow,” says Minister of the Environment, 

Conservation and Parks David 

Piccini. 

The proposed legislation follows 

recommendations made by the York Region 

Wastewater Advisory Panel, which was created 

last year to advise the government on 

possible solutions to meet the region’s sewage 

servicing needs. Among other things, 

the legislation would call on York and 

Durham to work together “to do everything 

in their powers” to enlarge and improve the 

existing sewage system to transport sewage 

from Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury 

to the Duffin Creek Water Pollution 

Control Plant in Durham for treatment and 

discharge into Lake Ontario, the government 

explains. 

“The Duffin Creek treatment facility 

is one of the best performing wastewater 

The Duffin Creek Plant was built in the 1970s 

by the provincial government, and its ownership 

was transferred to York and Durham Regions 

in 1997. Photo courtesy of the Regional 

Municipality of York. 

facilities in the province that ensures the 

protection, enjoyment and welfare of Lake 

Ontario, shoreline communities and nearshore 

areas,” Piccini says. 

It has achieved world-class standards 

for high-quality treatment, phosphorus 

control and protective measures for the surrounding 

environment and watershed, with 

a capacity to process 630 million litres per 

day, the government reports. 

The facility currently operates at about 

50 per cent capacity. The proposal would 

add an additional 12 per cent to the current 

flow level, which means the facility has 

the capacity to ensure every litre of water 

received gets high-quality treatment. Phosphorous 

limits at the plant are significantly 

lower than those at other wastewater facilities 

in Ontario and will continue to drop as 

the facility implements additional upgrades 

between now and 2030, according to the 

government.


COMMUNITY 


22-MSHF Rodrigues Advertorial NEWS Review_10x13.indd 1 

2022-11-18 4:36 PM

12 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW DECEMBER 2022 STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM 

WISHING YOU 

THE BEST OF THE 

HOLIDAY 

SEASON!

Stouffville Review, December 2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?