TorontoNewsSecond suspect arrested in murder of Markham woman last summerBy Chris FoxOpens in new windowPublished: May 02, 2025 at 10:40AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account York Regional Police have upgraded the charges of one man already in custody to first-degree murder and charged a second man with the same offence in connection with the 2024 death of Markham wellness centre employee Ying Zhang Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Don't have an account? Create Account We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentOn July 27, 2024, investigators initially charged Changlin Yang, 26, of East Gwillimbury, with kidnapping, forcible confinement and aggravated assault. His charges were later upgraded to second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body, and now his charge has been upgraded to first-degree murder. Yang has remained in custody since his arrest. A second person, Xiao “Fred” Hui Li, 53, of East Gwillimbury, was charged with first-degree murder in relation to Zhang’s death on Thursday. On July 25, 2024, Zhang’s family reported her missing after she failed to return home from working at a wellness centre in the area of Woodbine Ave. and Steelcase Rd. On July 29, 2024, her body was located in Kawartha. Anyone with information regarding this murder is urged to call the Homicide Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7865, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Investigators initially considered the man’s death suspicious but a post-mortem examination determined it was homicide Durham police responded to a wellness call in Pickering on Wednesday when they found the man Durham police are investigating the region’s first homicide of the year after a man was found dead in a vehicle Wednesday Officers were responding to a call for wellness check near Fairport and Third Concession roads in Pickering when they found the man Investigators initially considered it a suspicious death but a post-mortem examination determined it was homicide, police said in a media release The victim has been identified as Joshua Ibbitson Anyone who was in the area between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning is asked to contact Det Graham of the Homicide Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext 5418 or anonymously through Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Unionville High School’s Agrowtech is a smart farming system that combines AI-integrated drone technology Their innovation might not save all 7,000 lost farms The classroom smelled faintly of plastic and solder a team of students didn’t just study agriculture — they reimagined it Their project, Agrowtech, has landed them a spot as a regional finalist in Samsung Canada’s Solve for Tomorrow competition — a national STEM challenge where students tackle big issues with even bigger ideas. This year’s focus: environmental sustainability, equity, and community health. The Unionville team aimed straight at the heart of the matter: food security and farming survival. Over 7,000 farms have disappeared in Canada since 2016, according to the team who are too modest to share their names. “Farming is getting harder, and farmers are being stretched thinner every year,” they said. “That’s what motivated us. We wanted to use tech to help them, not replace them.” Agrowtech is no pie-in-the-sky concept — it’s a full-stack smart farming system that uses AI-driven drone technology, environmental sensors and smart irrigation. Drones fly over fields, snapping images with LIDAR and photogrammetry to create 3D maps. The system can detect crop stress, pest outbreaks and soil degradation in real time. “Farmers often rely on instinct and experience. That’s valuable, but we thought — what if they had data, too?” said the team. “What if they could see the whole field, every plant, all at once?” Moisture sensors automate irrigation, saving water and cutting down on labour. Other sensors monitor soil temperature, pH and fertility. All the data streams into a central app — think of it as a command centre in your pocket. “We didn’t want this to be something only tech-savvy farmers could use,” they said. “We made it simple, plug-and-play, and we made two versions — one that’s affordable and easy to install, and one more advanced for larger operations.” Their teacher, Jeffrey Chan, assistant head of science at Unionville, watched with pride as the students presented to Samsung’s judges and mentors. “This team is just remarkable,” said Chan. “They’re not only building something technical — they’re building something human. Their empathy for farmers is at the core of this project.” “These Unionville High School students are a shining example of what happens when curiosity meets purpose,” said Tafari Jilany, head of corporate marketing at Samsung Canada. “Their AI-powered farming app isn’t just a smart idea — it’s a bold step for a more sustainable and efficient future for Canadian agriculture.” Although the competition is still underway, their focus is on the future. “We want to keep developing Agrowtech beyond this contest,” said the students. “Our dream is to see it used in real Canadian farms. If we can help make farming easier, more sustainable — and make young people want to stay in agriculture — that’s success to us.” Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account. Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video11:28 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem Sign in Join now, it's FREE! Salons in malls in Markham and Vaughan were charged for public health violations during inspections last week Q House at C58 - 4300 Steeles Ave. East at Pacific Mall in Markham was charged by York Region Public Health April 28 for failing to ensure single-use instruments are discarded immediately after use The report also notes that the personal services setting which provides microblading/micropigmentation corrected several items during the inspection that initially were not in compliance including ensuring unused equipment in the service area is removed and ensuring reusable equipment is cleaned and disinfected or sterilized between each use A future re-inspection will be conducted Trade Secrets 301B - 1 Bass Pro Mills Drive at Vaughan Mills was charged April 28 with failing to ensure single-use equipment is not discarded immediately after use Not in compliance during the inspection was maintaining fixtures in good repair of a smooth and impermeable material and in a sanitary condition The report also notes that the personal services setting corrected several items during the inspection that initially were not in compliance The report represents the condition of the personal service settings at the date and time of the inspection only and does not guarantee or warrant the condition of the personal service settings at any other time contact York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or TTY 1-866-252-9933 More Spotlight > Police have charged a second suspect and upgraded charges against another man in connection with the death of a Markham woman last summer Ying Zhang was last seen at a wellness centre near Woodbine Avenue and Steel Case Road on July 25 investigators located the remains of the 57-year-old in the Village of Kirkfield in Kawartha Lakes of East Gwillimbury was arrested and charged with kidnapping second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body 53-year-old Xiao “Fred” Hui Li of East Gwillimbury was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Zhang’s death charges against Yang have also been upgraded to first-degree murder Police say they are not looking for any other suspects Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel a mentally ill man who was killed in an Ontario prison is calling out the provincial government over the lack of correctional reform Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices YorkMotorist seriously injured after crashing vehicle into a tree in MarkhamBy Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: April 28, 2025 at 4:45PM EDT A motorist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after driving their vehicle into a tree in Markham on Monday afternoon, say police. The single-vehicle collision happened near Warden Avenue, north of Elgin Mills. York Regional Police said they were called to that area at around 3 p.m. Currently, Warden is closed between Elgin Mills and 19th Avenue as police investigate. York police have charged a second person with first-degree murder for the 2024 homicide of Ying Zhang Investigators have charged Changlin Yang and Xiao “Fred” Hui Li with first-degree murder in the death of 57-year-old Ying Zhang whose remains were found in a garbage bin in July A second person is facing a first-degree murder charge in the brutal killing of a Markham woman whose remains were discovered in a garbage bin in a rural area outside Toronto last summer York Regional Police announced Friday that Xiao “Fred” Hui Li has been charged with first-degree murder in the July 2024 death of Ying Zhang Court records show Li was charged on Thursday and appeared in Newmarket court that same day He requires a Mandarin interpreter and was ordered not to communicate with a list of people Investigators initially charged just one suspect within days of Zhang’s death Police have previously been tight-lipped on whether the victims and suspect knew one another investigators revealed that both suspects were known to each other and that the victim They cannot comment on the nature of their relationship “They do not believe the victim knew Yang.” was upgraded from second-degree murder last week a traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner was reported missing by her family on July 25 after she failed to return home from work at a wellness centre in Markham Police found evidence to suggest she had been assaulted and abducted from her workplace sometime before 11 a.m. that day. She suffered severe injuries during the kidnapping that could lead to death A suspect allegedly used a white Ford cargo van to transport and dump Zhang’s body along a stretch of a rural roadway in Kawartha Lakes Police said their search-and-rescue team found her remains inside a large bin on July 29 The coroner positively identified the remains found Monday as Ying Zhang Li is expected to return to court later this month while Yang’s next court hearing is scheduled for September Both remain in custody and police say there are no outstanding suspects Police in York Region say one man has had his charges upgraded to first-degree murder and another man is now facing the same charge in the case of a Markham woman whose remains were found last summer Police say Ying Zhang’s family reported her missing on July 25 after she failed to return home from work Police say a 26-year-old man was arrested and initially charged with kidnapping forcible confinement and aggravated assault and his charges were later upgraded to second-degree murder and indignity to a human body They say his charges have now been upgraded to first-degree murder Police say a 53-year-old man has now also been charged with first-degree murder in Zhang’s death They say there are no outstanding suspects and anyone with information is urged to contact investigators Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Liberal’s Tim Hodgson has won the seat of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill in 2025 federal election Liberal's Hodgson has won the seat of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill Liberal’s Hodgson has won the seat of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill Liberal's Tim Hodgson has won the seat of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill in 2025 federal election 請點擊閱讀中文版 Tim Hodgson has won the Markham—Thornhill riding earning 54.2 per cent of the vote with 193 out of 199 polls reporting Conservative candidate Lionel Loganathan followed with 41.9 per cent In his victory speech on the night of April 28 thanking supporters and giving a special shoutout to former MP Mary Ng “I look forward to build on her legacy each every day.” Hodgson called the result a turning point for Canada “The next four years of dealing with the challenges from Donald Trump and down south are going to be very hard,” he said “but we are going to unite as a team nation wide.” He closed by inviting the community to work alongside him an invitation to join me in uniting this community and standing up for the country we love.” Markham—Thornhill is considered a safe Liberal riding at the federal level The riding has been held by the Liberal party since it was created in 2015 Hodgson has extensive experience as a corporate leader most recently serving as the chairperson of Hydro One Limited and chairperson of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization Hodgson holds a master of business administration from The Ivey School of Business at Western University and a bachelor of commerce from the University of Manitoba He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA) Statistics from the 2021 Canadian census show that 42.8 per cent of the residents within the riding are identifying as Chinese Liberal Mary Ng has been the member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill since a byelection in 2017 Durham Regional Police Service forensics van The suspicious death of a man found inside a vehicle last week in Pickering has been ruled a homicide The body was found when officers responded to a check on well-being call in the area of Fairport Road and Third Concession Road on April 30 Suspicious Death Ruled a Homicide in PickeringThe DRPS Homicide Unit is investigating the death of a 47-year-old male in Pickering. This is Durham Region’s first homicide of 2025.See full story here: https://t.co/Dd44sJcr0m pic.twitter.com/A5YECnqfex An autopsy determined the man’s death was a homicide His death is Durham Region’s first homicide of 2025 Anyone in the area who may have witnessed suspicious activity between the evening of April 29 and the morning of April 30 is asked to call Det. Graham at 905-579-1520 462 Forbidden Region: Your request for this resource had been blocked This resource is not available in your region We use cookies to provide our services and for analytics and marketing. To find out more about our use of cookies and how you can disable them, please see our Privacy Policy. By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our use of cookies. Click here to read our privacy policy. Olympic bronze medallist Spain continues to reign supreme in the Open Team Technical discipline with the nation’s energetic water-based interpretation of the Backstreet Boy’s iconic ‘Backstreet’s back’ track securing them a third-successive victory After a winning debut of the new routine at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Paris (FRA) in February, the team then made further improvements in the second leg in Somabay (EGY) the highly-fancied line-up lived up to their pre-event ‘favourites’ tag with their highest score of the season – 279.4640 – to ensure they topped the podium again The Team Technical contest is always a key-one-to-watch in any Artistic Swimming contest and the 10 strong line-up certainly delivered for the enthusiastic audience assembled for the opening day of action in Markham Although they did not quite achieve a place on the podium missing out narrowly in fourth the Italian team are delivering encouraging signs in this new era for the sport having previously struggled with the new rule adaptation They would ultimately achieve an overall total which was just over one point short of the USA in third but showed enough to suggest they will soon be regular medal contenders again The American swimmers have made improvements to the ‘Peacock’ themed routine since they last demonstrated it at the World Cup in Paris and are confident they will be medal-contenders come the World Championships in Singapore in July Japan too will also expect to be in the mix after a highly impressive choreographed ‘basketball’ inspired routine which attained an overall score of 271.4275 Ultimately no nation was able to challenge the seemingly all-conquering Spanish side who have made significant steps since recruiting their most decorated Olympic athlete after she guided the USA to silver at Paris 2024 The team scored 279.4640 and insist their passion for the music only grows “This is the best technical team I’ve swam in,” Olympic bronze medallist Paula Ramirez told World Aquatics I went to a concert with my friends a few years ago in Barcelona and at the beginning I didn’t think it was possible but it’s so much fun to perform not just now but every day to swim with music you can also dance with.” USA Olympic silver medallist Jamie Czarkowski believes her team are benefitting from a refreshed coaching line-up and strong team dynamic “Our goal was to swim the best that we could and we didn’t really focus on a placement we just wanted to do our best with no base-marks and improve from Paris and I think we did that so we’re very pleased,” she told World Aquatics “We’re learning a lot from Tammy (McGregor new head coach) as she’s very tech focused which has been good for us but we also really learn from one another as well as our assistance coaches and we’re looking forward for the rest of the competition.” While there is still a lingering sense of disappointment in the sport following the news that the Mixed Duet discipline will not be part of the Olympic programme for the LA 2028 Games those competing are determined to prove the discipline is worthy of a place A renewed effort to push for Brisbane 2032 will inevitably grow in the coming years the field assembled in Markham showed just why there is so much excitement about the potential of pairing female and male athletes Dennis Gonzalez and Mireia Hernandez claimed the European title together in Belgrade last summer and made a winning return as a duet in Somabay last month They were pushed hard by emerging Chinese talents Guo Sitong and Shi Haoyue who would ultimately finish just 2.6550 points behind the Spaniards Hernandez and Gonzalez again proved there are the duet to beat at this level with a strong display even if they felt it was a far from perfect delivery of the ‘hip hop’ themed routine “We had a bit of a mistake in the competition but we tried to keep going with the choreography and achieve our goal but we’re going to try and keep improving,” Hernandez told World Aquatics Guo and Shi insisted their strength comes from not only their passion for the sport but their mutual appreciate of one another outside of the water which helps them push to attain their true potential “We have only been together for two months,” revealed Alferez she asked if I’d like to do the mixed duet and I said I would love to “I think my experience matched with his freshness is a really good combination We didn’t expect a medal and I don’t expect a medal we just try to give the best version of us.” Triple World junior champion Xu Huiyan (CHN) delivered her best performance of the season to date with an outstanding display in the Women’s Solo Technical final to claim first gold of the 2025 World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Markham The third leg of the series serves as the final opportunity for athletes to book places at the Super Final which takes place in Xi’an, China, from 13-15 June. China, a nation which claimed Olympic titles in both the Team and Duet disciplines at Paris 2024, aims to show further evidence of their potential to dominate this sport in their home nation and Xu has given their fans further belief, despite the absence of Olympic stars following post-Games breaks. Performing to the ‘Lovesickness’ routine she debuted earlier in 2025, Xu attained a colossal overall total of 252.3116, which was more than 13 points higher than she attained at the Paris World Cup in February. “I didn't expect anything before the competition as my body condition was not at the best,” Xu told World Aquatics. “I’m a little bit sick before the competition, especially on the way to Canada. “So, right before the competition, I just focused on myself, focused on the routine, focused on the technique and tried to do the best.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by World Aquatics (@world_aquatics) That day Spain’s Olympic bronze medallist Iris Tio Casas had taken gold but she was forced to settle for silver on this occasion “I watched China (XU) and I think she did a really amazing swim and improved in artistic impression and especially the elements but I think I’m doing a really good job in every competition and improving with small steps,” she said the way that I moved them and the way that I looked at the judges but we have five elements and I would say my last element Completing the podium places and making a welcome return to the sport is two-time World medallist Vasiliki Alexandri (AUT) who had not competed since claiming two solo titles at the 2024 Europeans in Belgrade (SRB) last June “The goal from the beginning was a medal,” Alexandri tells World Aquatics “There are of course things you can improve but I’m very happy with the way I swam in my first competition for 11 months” The next to take to the pool were the men for their Solo Technical final and for the third event in a row, Ranjuo Tomblin (GBR) claimed a podium place but the young Briton secured his second victory following Mixed Duet Tech success in Paris earlier in the year The teenager landed a maiden major individual title with European Solo Free gold last summer and is now enjoying his best World Cup season to date “I would say this season it’s going better than any season I’ve had,” he said enthusiastically about his routine which matches classic with contemporary dance and aims to short the elegant side of male artistic swimming “I maybe feel like in previous seasons I could have pushed more and I feel this year is my year and I keep getting the rewards “We had another set of rule changes (for the 2025 season) and I think it’s really playing to our strengths and it’s really nice to be able to mix more of the artistic impression into the hybrids.” Double World junior solo champion Diego Villalobos Carrillo (MEX) won the first senior solo honour of his career with silver and a score which was just 3.3000 short of victory “I came to the competition to improve with my new routine so this (senior solo podium) is new for me and I’m proud of my work and how I express myself in the water Rounding off the top-three was Colombia’s highly decorated star Gustavo Sanchez, who delivered a highly charged performance and it soon became apparent why he was demonstrating so much emotion in the water. “I felt I swam with my heart and with my family, because my boyfriend (Sebastian Cuenca) is in the hospital, and it was emotional to come here. “He will be okay, but I swam for him and I’m happy with the result.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by World Aquatics (@world_aquatics) Markham—Stouffville 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 217 of 217 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 217 of 217 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Markham—Stouffville Jaczek has 31,760 of 61,746 votes (51.44%) is in second place with 27,898 votes (45.18%) and Serena Cheung Jaczek has represented the riding since 2019 24,263 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Markham—Unionville 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 220 of 220 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 220 of 220 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is in second place with 25,133 votes (47.05%) and Sameer Qureshi Chiang and was first elected to the House of Commons in 2021 17,351 voters cast ballots at advance polls Markham—Thornhill 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 199 of 199 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 199 of 199 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election Hodgson has 27,422 of 50,393 votes (54.42%) is in second place with 21,045 votes (41.76%) and Aftab Qureshi Ng was first elected to the House of Commons in 2017 19,171 voters cast ballots at advance polls Markham-Stouffville Liberal candidate Helena Jaczek makes remarks after winning re-election April 28 The incumbent from Markahm-Stouffville was re-elected for a third-term as MP What a few months it’s been for Helena Jaczek The Markham-Stouffville MP was set to retire not too long ago She announced she wouldn’t seek re-election But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation and Mark Carney’s rise brought a change of heart and her back into the Liberal party fold That move paid off April 28 as Jaczek won re-election in Markham-Stouffville Jaczek won a comfortable victory over Conservative Niran Jeyanesan With 178 of 217 polls reporting she had a 2,405 vote lead “Most of the fall she said you have to run again you have to run again,” Jaczek said of her riding president it became so obvious that there was a chance of having a strong Liberal government in Canada.” Jaczek was especially pleased to see Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre losing in his own riding Do you remember how Pierre used to say Canada is broken Well what complete nonsense,” she said to supporters Jaczek was excited about what the Liberals could do in the upcoming term to help the people of Markham-Stouffville although she wasn’t quite sure what the Liberal government would look like with many results yet to be counted Jaczek has a long history of representing the Markham-Stouffville area She was elected MPP in the riding of Oak Ridges—Markham in 2007 before losing to current MPP Paul Calandra in the new riding of Markham-Stouffville in 2018 as she won the Markham-Stouffville federal riding in 2019 against independent candidate and former Liberal cabinet minister Jane Philpott The Markham-Stouffville riding has its northern border at Bethesda Road and western border at Highway 48 in Stouffville That leaves the massive swath of rural Stouffville as part of a the new sprawling riding of York-Durham Joe Li at a news conference held by the Chinese Canadian Conservative Association on April 16 Joe Li is calling out both the Conservative and Liberal parties for bypassing local voices in nominating federal candidates for Markham 請點擊閱讀中文版 With the federal election less than a week away, Markham regional councillor Joe Li is publicly criticizing the Conservative and Liberal parties for handpicking their Markham candidates. Speaking at a news conference held by the Chinese Canadian Conservative Association (CCCA) on April 16, Li, who serves as the national chair of CCCA and is a longtime member of the Conservative Party, said the group remains committed to the values of democracy, unity and inclusion that are central to Canada’s multicultural society. However, he said, the association’s repeated efforts to engage Conservative Party leadership in recent years have been ignored. “For the past two years, we’ve actively reached out to voice our concerns and engage in constructive dialogue about the importance of community involvement in the political process,” Li said. “Unfortunately, our efforts have been met with silence.” The CCCA’s newly elected board of directors, including Li, expressed growing frustration with what they see as both major parties sidelining local voices by appointing candidates unfamiliar with the riding’s unique issues. Take the Markham—Unionville riding for an example. Michael Ma has been confirmed as the Conservative candidate. Ma previously ran in Don Valley East in 2019 and served as electoral district association president for Scarborough-Agincourt. On the Liberal side, Peter Yuen has been nominated. Born in Hong Kong, Yuen immigrated to East York in 1975. He was formerly nominated as the candidate for Scarborough-Agincourt before being named candidate for Markham—Unionville. “Despite the presence of many qualified, experienced, engaged individuals and elected councillors within our community, many of whom are affluent visible minorities with a keen interest in serving their country,” Li said, “these voices have been pushed aside in favour of candidates chosen without proper consultation.” By bypassing open nominations, Li says that the political parties are depriving members of their right to participate in the selection of their representatives. Eric Wen, national secretary general of the CCCA, echoed this concern, noting democracy is not just about casting a ballot on election day — it’s about having a say in who represents the community and in ensuring that candidates are accountable to the people they aim to serve. He argues that party members, who pay fees and participate in campaigns, deserve the right to be actively involved in the democratic process, from selecting candidates to influencing policies. During the conference, Li revealed he had sought the Conservative nomination, but was unsuccessful. Still, he said he is undeterred — and even prepared to form his own political party if necessary. “I’m not afraid of being removed from the party,” he said. Li also urged voters not to support parties or candidates “that seek to divide, attack or undermine vital international relationships,” particularly with countries such as India and China, which he described as key global partners. 4 days agoDuration 2:31:00World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Markham: Mixed duet technical & team technical4 days agoSportsDuration 2:31:00Watch the mixed duet technical and team technical events at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Markham, Ont. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. 3 days agoDuration 2:29:57World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Markham: Mixed duet free and women's duet free3 days agoSportsDuration 2:29:57Watch the mixed duet free and women's duet free events at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Markham, Ont. 4 days agoDuration 1:59:15World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Markham: Women's duet technical4 days agoSportsDuration 1:59:15Watch the women's duet technical event at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Markham, Ont. You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter, First Up, soon. Police are searching for a man who allegedly used a Markham couple’s credit card to make luxury purchases that were then stolen from their porch.  The alleged thief used a white vehicle to flee the scene after taking the package from Steve’s front steps, he said.  One expert said the merging of digital and physical fraud is uncommon. In the video, a white vehicle pulls up in front of the Markham home in broad daylight. A man, clad all in black jumps out, runs up the front steps, swipes the package and drives away.  It may sound like your run-of-the-mill porch pirate operation, where opportunists steal packages from the front steps of unwitting homeowners. In Steve’s case, however, there was an added layer of deception: someone was able to gain access to his and his wife’s credit card, make the two luxury purchases, using variants on their names and email, and ship the items to their home in an effort to intercept the deliveries before the homeowners caught on. “I just thought it was so brazen, almost clever,” said Steve. The Star agreed not to publish his surname over concerns about identity theft. “We would have never even realized this was happening if it wasn’t for our security cameras,” Steve said. It was late March, while Steve was working from home, when he heard a knock at the door. It was a UPS delivery person with a package for his wife, May. He “didn’t think anything of it,” he said, and placed the box inside for his wife. When May opened it that evening, however, the couple began to suspect something was awry.  “It was a brand new windbreaker, that we hadn’t ordered, with a $600 price tag and no packing slip,” he said. Steve checked their credit card statements. The $600 charge was there, along with an identical charge for a second windbreaker. With the second package still nowhere to be found, Steve and his wife checked their ring camera and saw the package thief in action. “That’s when we figured it out,” he said. Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly used a Markham couple's credit card to ship luxury items to their home last month, then retrieve the packages off their front step. The couple ran the footage back even earlier — the same person had been there earlier that day, presumably in search of the windbreaker already delivered by UPS. “They had been parked outside our house for hours that day,” Steve said. “They must have been following the tracking and waiting for the delivery.” I’ve had my credit card compromised before, and there are porch pirates here in Markham, but I was just surprised that they would actually think to order the item using our name, to our address, and then follow the tracking.” Steve called his credit card company and was reassured the charges would be refunded to their cards. He reported the incident to York Regional Police, who confirmed they were investigating the report, and then he took to social media to warn others. Almost immediately, he said, he got a message from another Markham resident, who said they’d been targeted in a nearly identical scam. “In their case, it was $1,600 of Lululemon merchandise,” Steve said. The Star was unable to reach the other homeowners ahead of publication. The merging of digital fraud with real world theft is not all that frequent, said David Coffey, a detective sergeant with Toronto police’s Financial Crimes Unit. “That’s because it’s not as straight forward,” Coffey said. “There’s a heightened risk for the fraudster, who has to physically show up to someone’s home to collect the goods.” “A lot of people wonder why these fraudsters would send the items back to their victim’s homes and not a P.O. box, for instance,” Coffey said. “A lot of times, merchants of luxury items will only deliver to the address of the cardholder.” While uncommon, cases like Steve and May’s are not unheard of. Somewhere along the line, Coffey said, the couple’s information had to have been compromised. In most cases, that happens when a company the cardholder has purchased from in the past suffers a data breach. Phishing scams and malware are also common culprits. So far in 2025, Toronto police estimate residents have lost $115 million to fraud. A “significant number” of cases were closed without investigation last year, investigators say. As a general practice, Coffey advised being “very, very wary” of emails, texts, or calls where your information is being requested, and exercising extra vigilance in checking your credit card and banking statements. Don’t click on links sent via text, even if they appear to come from an official source. “In this day and age, when fraud is so prevalent, everyone should be extra vigilant, always,” he said. “It really should be second nature.” If you receive notification that your information has been compromised in a data breach, Coffey recommended changing all passwords and in some cases, seeking credit monitoring services. Still, in some case, like Steve and May’s, cardholders can take all available precautions and still find themselves victims of fraud. “It seems like they were monitoring their statements regularly, and they had security cameras installed,” Coffey said, “so if they didn’t know their data had been breached, there isn’t much else they could have done.”  “Often, these things happen through no fault of the victims.” 4 days agoDuration 2:27:10World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Markham: Women's and men's solo free4 days agoSportsDuration 2:27:10Watch the women's and men's solo free events at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Markham, Ont. Aurora and most of York Region are awakening to a Liberal government but will be represented by a Conservative MP following last night's election Newmarket-Aurora Conservative Sandra Cobena won the riding the first time the riding has not gone with the winning party in five federal elections Much of York Region similarly voted Conservative, including Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill with Markham-Stouffville and Markham-Thornhill remaining red Newmarket Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh offered congratulations on social media the people are never wrong,” Vegh said “Congratulations to Sandra Cobena (Conservative) on her decisive win in Newmarket-Aurora I am looking forward to working with Sandra to make Newmarket and York Region even better.” Cobena won with more than 2,483 votes over Liberal contender Jennifer McLachlan Newmarket-Aurora’s voter turnout was slightly above the national average Elections Canada estimated a turnout of 67.4 per cent based on polls voting so far excluding electors who registered on election day 61,419 ballots have been counted with only one poll left to be counted which would be a turnout of about 69.6 per cent the national voter turnout was 62.6 per cent while the Newmarket-Aurora turnout was about 60.7 per cent Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas also offered congratulations to Cobena and Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill Conservative winner Costas Menegakis who unseated incumbent Liberal Leah Taylor Roy “I am looking forward to working together with both for the betterment of Aurora!” Mrakas said on social media While the Conservatives made gains in York Region the Liberals are set to form a minority government with a projected 168 seats Newmarket-Aurora MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy was at Cobena’s event on election night and also offered congratulations “I look forward to working with you as our representative in Ottawa,” Gallagher Murphy said “To all the candidates who put their name on the ballot - thank you for your participation in our democratic process.” Liberal Tim Hodgson won Markham Thornhill with 54.3 per cent of the vote over Conservative Lionel Loganathan Longtime Liberal MP Helena Jaczek won with 51.3 per cent of the vote in Markham-Stouffville The death of 47-year-old man is Durham Region’s first homicide of 2025 Durham police were asked to do a well-being check on a person in the area of Fairport Road and Third Concession Road Officers found a man deceased in a vehicle A post-mortem examination has determined that the male’s death is the result of a homicide Police have not released the exact cause of death The victim has been identified as 47-year-old Joshua Ibbitson from Markham Anyone who was in the area or may have witnessed suspicious activity between the evening of April 29 If you have any information about this incident 5418 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter ON L1J 8P5 | 905-571-1019 | newsroom@kx96.fm the best artistic swimmers on the planet will unite in the Canadian city of Markham as they bid to secure the results that will land them places in the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup 2025 - Super Final Around 430 athletes from more than 20 nations are set to take to the water across three days of competitions in Markham, with the 11 medal events taking place between 1-3 May The USA and Spain shared the headlines with spectacular team performances in the opening World Cup leg in Paris claimed two of the three team titles on offer in Somabay They will go head-to-head again in Markham, while Ukraine, who won the Team Acrobatic  event in Egypt Italy and Japan are each expected to deliver a range of dazzling displays as momentum builds ahead of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore China’s rising star Muye Guo, a double gold winner in Somabay, is one of the leading male ones-to-watch, with Spaniard Dennis Gonzalez and Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin On the women’s solo side, Austria’s two-time World championship medallist Vasiliki Alexandri will take to the water competitively for the first time since winning double gold at the 2024 European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade last summer Canadian World champion and three-time Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau certainly knows about solo She gave World Aquatics her thoughts on what the 2025 Markham World Cup is likely to have in store but what made me smile the most is seeing how much the athletes are pushing the limits of creativity and athleticism under the new rules,” says Simoneau “There’s a sense of freedom and boldness in the routines that is incredibly exciting to watch.” but they are helping to modernise and evolve the sport in a really positive way,” Simoneau tells World Aquatics “It’s been fascinating to see different nations interpret the rules through their own styles and strengths — some are focusing on higher technical difficulty while others are emphasizing artistry and precision It’s creating a really diverse and dynamic field!” “I’ve been especially impressed by the adaptability and innovation shown by both athletes and coaches this season,” she says “What’s been truly inspiring is seeing strong male athletes not just participating but becoming key contributors to their teams “Dennis Gonzalez (Spain), Kantinan Adisaisiributr (Thailand), Artur Maidanov and Aldiyar Ramazanov (Kazakhstan) have really stood out. Simoneau continues; “Kazakhstan, in particular, is leading the way by fully embracing the strength and unique qualities that male athletes bring, integrating two men into their team. I “It’s exciting to see this new direction for our sport — one that’s more inclusive, dynamic, and reflective of the broader athletic potential within artistic swimming.” “The integration of more men into team performances has been a major, and very positive, development for the sport,” Simoneau tells World Aquatics. “It brings a new energy and physicality, and it’s inspiring to see more male athletes finding a place in artistic swimming at the highest level. “I absolutely believe that with three more years of development, we will see strong male participation in LA28 — and not just participation, but athletes who are truly essential to the teams’ successes!” “Watching this season has been incredibly exciting!” she reveals. “It’s inspiring to see how the sport is evolving and how athletes embrace the new era. “Alongside my academic pursuits, I’m thrilled to be staying involved in new ways — supporting athlete development, mentorship, and helping to grow the sport both nationally and internationally. “Artistic swimming continues to be a huge part of my life, and it’s energising to contribute to its future from a new perspective! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Canada Artistic Swimming (@canadaartisticswimming) “You can expect the Canadian athletes to bring a lot of heart, technical innovation, and resilience to Markham,” says Simoneau. “They have been working so hard to adapt to the new system and to build routines that showcase both their athleticism and their creativity. They’re hungry to perform in front of a home crowd, and I think they’ll certainly rise to the occasion! “The Markham crowd is going to be electric! “Canada has a very passionate and supportive fan base for artistic swimming, and with the energy of a home competition, I have no doubt the athletes will feel that boost from the stands! It will be a memorable atmosphere for both the athletes and the fans.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by World Aquatics (@world_aquatics) “The sport is looking stronger and more dynamic than ever!” Simoneau tells World Aquatics. “The athletes are adapting quickly to the new demands, and there’s a real excitement around where the evolution of artistic swimming is heading. “With the increased integration of men, the new emphasis on difficulty and creativity, and the broader global participation, I think Singapore 2025 is shaping up to be a historic event! “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be part of the artistic swimming community — whether as an athlete, coach, fan, or ambassador. “The sport is growing, becoming more inclusive, and constantly pushing its own limits. I’m so proud to be part of this journey and can’t wait to see where it leads next!” Copyright 2018 - 2025 World Aquatics. All rights reserved. 1 month agoDuration 2:10Carney says Chiang staying on as Liberal candidate in Markham-Unionville1 month agoNewsDuration 2:10Liberal Leader Mark Carney says Paul Chiang will stay on as the Liberal candidate in the battleground riding of Markham-Unionville despite comments he made suggesting people attempt to claim a Chinese bounty on a Conservative candidate. New PC leader apologizes for party's handling of landfill search, commits to better decorum4 minutes agoVideo2:00 Liberals will form the next federal government but party candidates shut out in York Region except for these 2 ridings While the Liberals will form the next federal government they were virtually shut out of York Region with the majority of ridings going to Conservative candidates Liberal Helena Jaczek won a comfortable victory over Conservative Niran Jeyanesan in Markham-Stouffville Tim Hodgson has won the Markham–Thornhill riding show a number of Conservative gains in York Region ridings Conservative Michael Guglielmin took over the Vaughan-Woodbridge riding in a decisive win over incumbent Liberal Francesco Sorbara Melissa Lanstman easily retained her Thornhill riding with well over 43,00 votes by the end of the night Conservative Costas Menegakis has been declared the winner of the Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill riding unseating Liberal incumbent Leah Taylor Roy Conservative Sandra Cobena has been declared the winner of the Newmarket-Aurora riding over Liberal Jennifer McLachlan Conservative Michael Ma defeated Liberal Peter Yuen for the Markham-Unionville seat with 51.3 per cent of the vote Jacob Mantle has been declared the winner over Liberal candidate Rob Grossi in the new riding of York-Durham Conservative Vincent Ho turns new riding of Richmond Hill South Tory blue And incumbent MP Anna Roberts kept King–Vaughan as a Conservative riding in a sweeping victory on Monday With more than seven million Canadians already having voted in advance polls the Canada Elections Act allows the counting of ballots cast at advance polls to start one hour before polls close on election day with a large number of voters who turned up to vote in advance “Given the high turnout for advance voting in this election the counting of ballots from advance polls can begin two hours before polls close on election day,” Elections Canada said on its website Ballots from advance polls are counted at the local Elections Canada office or at a local polling place in front of candidates’ representatives or other witnesses Results are never shared before local polls close poll workers will begin to manually count votes after the polls close Electoral districts are often referred to as ridings Here’s a guide to York Region’s ridings and the candidates What you need to know about voting in Markham-Thornhill April 28 With Prime Minster Mark Carney officially calling the 2025 federal election Canadians are heading into a five-week campaign leading up to the election day April 28 Here’s what you need to know about the Markham-Thornhill riding Markham-Thornhill covers a portion of the City of Markham with boundaries starting at the city’s eastern limit and Highway 407 It extends southwest along Highway 407 to Bayview Avenue continues south on Bayview to the city’s southern boundary then follows the southern and eastern city limits back to the starting point Tim Hodgson: Liberal Party of Canada Mimi Lee: People’s Party of Canada Lionel Loganathan: Conservative Party of Canada In addition to voting at your assigned polling place on election day, you can cast your ballot in person at any Elections Canada office across the country until 6 p.m. April 22. Advance voting is also available from April 18 to 21. Visit the Elections Canada website for more information Liberal Mary Ng has been the member of Parliament for Markham-Thornhill since a byelection in 2017. However, she announced Feb. 10 she would not seek re-election New procurement strategy aims to support Canadian vendors while staying trade-compliant as cross-border tensions mount tariffs that threaten to destabilize cross-border trade Markham is adopting a flexible “buy Canadian” procurement strategy aimed at protecting local operations and supporting Canadian businesses The move follows a series of tariffs announced by the U.S administration in early 2025 and includes a 25 per cent levy on steel aluminum and automobiles; 10 per cent on energy products and certain potash exports; and targeted tariffs on goods that fall outside the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement While some of the initial measures have been scaled back the overall trend has unsettled businesses on both sides of the border debate arose over whether Markham should exclude U.S companies that have a Canadian presence from municipal contracts,” said Mayor Frank Scarpitti foreign direct investment remains the largest among all countries and supports over 22,000 jobs in our community.” Markham’s economy is deeply tied to international markets local companies exported $2 billion in goods to the U.S. which accounted for 71 per cent of international exports about a third of all goods brought into the city are expected to bear the brunt of tariff-related disruptions city staff proposed and council approved a set of procurement reforms that prioritize Canadian goods and services “We want to ensure we’re doing our part to support Canadian industry without compromising operational integrity or running afoul of existing trade obligations,” city staff noted in their report to council the city acknowledged flexibility is needed because some goods particularly information technology hardware specialized software or certain public works materials may only be available from U.S vendors or Canadian distributors sourcing from the U.S there’s still opportunities for us to attract additional investment toward our community from the U.S.,” Scarpitti said He added he supports buying Canadian and buying products and services from U.S.-based companies that have a presence in Canada “I don’t think we should be excluding those companies that provide jobs and economic prosperity in our community from competing fairly for the goods and services we purchase on behalf of taxpayers,” he stated The city is preparing for ripple effects in the private sector Although more than 60 per cent of Markham’s employment is in knowledge-based industries 658 local companies engage in exporting and employ more than 18,000 people while only seven per cent of total employment Early feedback from employers suggests firms heavily dependent on U.S markets could face job losses of 25 to 40 per cent some businesses are delaying expansion plans conducting feasibility studies on entering new markets reducing staff hours or even exploring setting up a physical presence in the U.S Several have reactivated their COVID-19 contingency playbooks to navigate the uncertainty the city anticipates rising costs tied to infrastructure and capital projects as tariffs inflate the price of imported materials Procurement teams expect some vendors may request price adjustments on existing contracts which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis with oversight from the city solicitor and treasurer This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Multiple Markham residents have alerted police about a suspect linked to a scam involving package delivery last month York Regional Police began an investigation March 6 after packages were delivered to a residence at Riverwalk Drive and Oakborough Drive with slightly altered personal information a man rang the doorbell and said his sister’s package was delivered there accidentally The suspect fled when told police would be called When the victim checked a credit card statement it had transactions for high-end clothing items they did not order the victim reported a similar incident involving the same suspect The victim again confronted the suspect who fled in a black sport utility vehicle a person who resides at Joseph Glover Avenue and Sharon Lee Drive reported a similar incident Security cameras from the area show the same man exiting the driver’s seat of what appears to be a white Mercedes-Benz and retrieving packages at the victim’s door A dark grey Range Rover was seen driving in tandem with the Mercedes-Benz Anyone with information is asked to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or by visiting www.1800222tips.com the York force said that Abdool Hamid had been located on April 28 at his home in the area of Denison and Elson streets in Markham A missing 60-year-old man described as “vulnerable” has been found Abdool Hamid was last spotted around 8 a.m. on April 28 at his home in the area of Denison and Elson streets in Markham the York force said that Hamid had been located Anyone with information is asked to call 1-866-876-5423 Markham’s municipal mascot — Millie the butterfly The advanced AI chatbot is expected to provide faster and more accurate information for visitors 24/7 Markham’s official city mascot and the new face of its upgraded AI-powered virtual assistant Markham is now the first municipality in Canada to introduce a mascot that also serves as an interactive chatbot enhancing how the city connects with its residents online While many may already recognize Millie as the beloved host of the award-winning Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival she’s now taking on a bigger role in civic life As the face of chatbot 3.0, available on markham.ca Millie is powered by advanced artificial intelligence technology that helps visitors navigate city services through faster more accurate and more natural conversations She’s available 24/7 to answer questions and can connect users to contact centre agents when more assistance is needed Millie’s multi-coloured wings reflect the diversity of Markham The city hopes she will help deepen connections with families and children and foster lifelong relationships with the community “We have always been customer-focused and Millie aims to bring exceptional services to the people with a smile,” the city said in a media release Markham has a strong track record in AI innovation it was the first municipality in Canada to use the AI-enabled virtual agent to offer 24-hour customer service for residents looking for reliable consistent and accurate COVID-19 information was launched for voters to find information about the 2022 Markham municipal election After supporting the municipal election and receiving a total of more than 42,791 COVID-19 inquiries the city hopes to make the online experience even more personalized and engaging “Millie is a vibrant symbol of our dedication to uniting the community and updating our Chatbot ensures our city remains a trailblazer in technological innovation which is a cornerstone of our digital Markham strategy,” said Mayor Frank Scarpitti Keep an eye out for Millie at events and programs across Markham throughout the year Apr 9, 2025 | Local Governance, Local News While much of the geographic area of Whitchurch-Stouffville has been moved into the new York–Durham riding the bulk of the municipality’s population will continue voting in the Markham–Stouffville electoral district for federal elections The updated riding (map) includes the urban community area of Stouffville which is bound by York–Durham Line to the east the riding’s Markham area includes lands north of Highway 407 and east of Highway 48 until Bur Oak Avenue Bur Oak forms part of the northern boundary until McCowan Road which continues the western limit south to Highway 407 The new Markham–Stouffville district covers 78 square kilometres and includes an estimated 87,221 eligible voters This represents a reduction of approximately 9,466 electors compared to the broader boundaries used in the last three federal elections Six registered candidates were confirmed by Elections Canada as of Wednesday Bullet Point News has approached all candidate campaigns or their party with a profile questionnaire and will publish responses in the order they are received Early voting has begun at Elections Canada offices across the country. Markham–Stouffville voters can visit their local office at the Boxgrove Medical Arts Centre in Markham located in Suite 400 at 110 Copper Creek Drive Voting at Elections Canada offices concludes at 6 p.m Those wishing to vote by mail must register by April 22 at 6 p.m. Information on mail-in voting and the application process can be found online. New voters, or those wishing to check their registration status, may visit Elections Canada’s Online Voter Registration Service Randy is a Stouffville resident reporting on civic affairs He can be reached at stouffvilletownhall@bulletpointnews.ca Bullet Point News focuses on news that’s happening right here in Stouffville Contact us: stouffville@bulletpointnews.ca Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress a routine sales call changed the trajectory of John Solomos’ career.  a representative from the non-profit OntarioMD reached out looking for recommendations on the best computers for doctors “Markham has done a fantastic job at showing people I knew right away they were looking at making a push to get medical clinics digitized I incorporated BlueBird,” Solomos recalled Starting as a one-man operation in his basement in Markham BlueBird IT Solutions evolved into a trusted IT provider for medical professionals across Canada BlueBird became the preferred vendor for OntarioMD.  the company partners with physicians across Canada helping them adopt and implement technology systems and hospital practitioners in leveraging electronic medical records (EMR) and other technologies to enhance patient care nationwide Solomos said starting a business wasn’t completely out of the blue he was accepted to Osgoode Hall Law School but ultimately chose to decline and take his first job in tech instead he approached the role as if he were running his own business When OntarioMD first introduced the initiative to digitize medical clinics the necessary infrastructure simply didn’t exist Solomos said BlueBird IT Solutions aimed to bridge that gap partnering with all the approved and major EMR companies across Canada which helped drive EMR adoption to over 90 percent across the country “That foundation is now enabling the next wave of medical innovation,” Solomos added “Without the infrastructure we helped put in place—allowing doctors to run software and securely store and access patient records—none of the advancements we see today would be possible.” Markham’s tech ecosystem created the conditions for his company’s expansion.  The City of Markham sits just 30 kilometres north of Toronto, but it’s playing an outsized role in Canada’s tech sector. More than 1,500 tech companies employ more than 35,000 sector workers in the city backed by a strong education system and support from all levels of government ​Markham’s emergence as a tech hub dates back to the 1980s a period during which numerous high-tech companies established their presence in the city This influx spawned a number of other high-growth companies in the following decades and earned Markham the moniker of “Canada’s high-tech capital.” Alongside a strong network of accelerator resources like ventureLAB and YSpace Markham welcomed York University’s highly anticipated campus last spring work-integrated programs focused on technology and entrepreneurship As a way to give back to the city he loves Solomos donated $75,000 to York University’s new Markham campus in 2022 the university named the “John Solomos Collaborative Study Room” in his honour “Seeing that York University decided to make their high-tech entrepreneurial campus have a home in Markham just shows that the university is also buying into the fact that Markham is really trying to become an entrepreneurial hotbed,” said Solomos “When the opportunity came to invest in something that represents what I’m good at BlueBird has grown to support 700 clients on monthly contracts earning industry recognition and securing major partnerships along the way including collaboration in a Canadian Space Agency-funded consortium to develop a prototype medical pod for space exploration BlueBird is Canada’s largest IT-managed services provider in healthcare “We’re gearing up to become a global leader,” Solomos added “Our vision is not just to support Canadian healthcare but to help Canada become an exporter of health tech solutions worldwide an effort that would put Markham on the map as a hub for cutting-edge health technology and innovation.” Solomos believes Markham is the perfect place to grow a company thanks to its diverse talent pool and high quality of life.  He said Markham has deliberately positioned itself as a destination for high-growth businesses and believes that the city offers a hub for tech companies to scale without the cost pressures founders face in Toronto He also sees recent investments in developing Markham’s downtown core and university partnerships making the city a stronger magnet for talent and companies.  Markham is an enabler of tech startups with a growth mindset. Learn more about how we support local entrepreneurs The publication of record for Canadian technology and innovation news. Learn more This resource is not available in your region.