Markham's mayor wants province to consolidate municipalities in York Region into 1 city

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti has written a letter to the province calling on the Ford government to consolidate different municipalities in York Region into one large city.

York Region consists of nine municipalities — Markham, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King Township, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Vaughan and Whitchurch-Stouffville. It also has a regional government — the Regional Municipality of York.

"The provincial government has taken bold steps restructuring the City of Toronto council and Peel Region and should be doing the same in York Region," Scarpitti said in the letter, dated June 14.

"There is no rationale for taking bold steps in other GTA cities and keeping the status quo in York Region."

The province cut the number of wards in Toronto in 2018 from a 47-ward system to 25 seats. Last month the province also announced that Peel Region will be dissolved at the start of 2025.

"I am urging the provincial government to create a new streamlined governance structure for York Region,"  Scarpitti said.

"Municipalities have evolved, they deal with more complex issues, are expected to deliver more and we need an updated governance model from the one established over 50 years ago."

Scarpitti highlighted in the letter that York Region has a total of 77 municipal representatives for 1.2 million people, whereas the City of Toronto now has 26 representatives for 3 million people.

The combined operating expenses of all 10 municipal governments in York total approximately $4.4 billion, he said.

"Consolidating into one city would result in significant savings in both operating and capital budgets," the mayor said.

"Municipalities invest millions in cyber security, water billing, tax billing and recreational registration systems. A consolidated city will generate substantial savings."

A spokesperson for Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the province will be naming regional facilitators for the upper-tier municipalities of York, Durham, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe and Waterloo in the coming weeks.

"While the review process has not yet begun, the province has no intention of unilaterally imposing amalgamations on municipalities in these areas," Victoria Podbielski wrote in an email to CBC Toronto.

"Facilitators will be tasked with making recommendations to ensure municipal governance structures can effectively respond to the issues facing Ontario's fast-growing municipalities today, including tackling the housing supply crisis."

Mayors reject Scarpitti's proposal

A number of mayors have responded to Scarpitti's proposal saying they are not in favour of amalgamation.

Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas said while he is always open to discussing how to create more efficiencies in regional government and what a new governance structure in York Region could potentially look like, he does not support consolidating the municipalities.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Mrakas said the reality is municipalities do need to continue to find more efficiencies and savings.

"But I want to be very clear: I strongly oppose the amalgamation of York Region into a single-tier megacity," Mrakas said.

"It is quite disappointing that mayor Scarpitti made such a statement — on such a complex issue that has a significant impact on peoples' lives — before reaching out to all York Region mayors to better understand their perspectives."

Mrakas said Aurora "greatly benefits from having many services and programs delivered by a regional government, while still having autonomy over important decisions on how we build our community."

He said he has his own thoughts on how the regional government could potentially be restructured to strengthen service delivery, and will be bringing those ideas forward shortly.

York Region mayors to meet Thursday

Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt says there are many opportunities to find efficiencies and reduce duplication and costs within the current two-tier municipal structure, but believes this can be accomplished without the amalgamation of York Region into one city.

Lovatt says he welcomes the province's facilitation and support in identifying those opportunities for the benefit of all residents in York Region.

Township of King Mayor Steve Pellegrini said he strongly disagrees with Scarpitti's proposal. 

"I'm disappointed that Mayor Scarpitti unilaterally made this proposal without consulting his colleagues," Pellegrini said in a statement.

He said the mayors of York Region are meeting Thursday to discuss efficiencies in the region, making Scarpitti's proposal premature.