Preliminary design concepts for new dome facility in Ballantrae will include a FIFA regulation soccer pitch which can be divided into smaller indoor turf fields The new facility will include a FIFA regulation soccer pitch which can be divided into smaller indoor turf fields Stouffville is announcing a new partner for the Ballantrae Multi-Sport Complex After extensive efforts working with Ballantrae Sports Group to see the facility constructed at Ballantrae Park the town announced it terminated the lease agreement with Ballantrae Sports Group a new partnership has been finalized with Mentana Group the town said the company has a “proven track record in delivering high-quality community sport and recreation infrastructure” in places like Cambridge and Vaughan “Detailed design will be completed in the coming months and shovels are expected to be in the ground late summer to support indoor play for the 2026 season,” the release notes “The new complex design is being finalized and once completed will feature a dynamic and flexible design to accommodate a wide range of sports and community programming it will include a FIFA regulation soccer pitch which can be divided into smaller indoor turf fields fitness spaces and amenities designed for all ages and abilities.” and we have worked diligently to honour it,” Mayor Iain Lovatt stated in the release “After exhausting every option with the previous leaseholder it became clear that a new direction was required to ensure the delivery of this much-needed facility.” have remained engaged throughout the process “We’ve remained in close communication with the town,” Corrado Panacci “We shared the same frustration with how the project progressed but I’m confident that the town has done everything they could to get this project back on track and ensure our players and families have a future home at this facility.” Earlier this week Lovatt hinted at news about the sports dome at a town hall “We are very frustrated on what’s happened with the vision for the dome We are working very diligently with staff to try and put a deal together with another operator that I hope we will be announcing next week,” Lovatt said at the event April 29 “Our goal is to see that dome come to completion we will be taking legal action against the company that was awarded the tender because they have taken out the soccer field The town held a groundbreaking for the facility in April 2023 But in the intervening two years little progress was made and the baseball diamond and soccer field were removed a town spokesperson said the dome opening was still on target for the end of 2024 Panacci also said in the fall he expected the facility to be ready sometime this past winter The long-term agreement between the town and the sports group required the town to commit to providing land to the dome builder for a nominal fee to allow for the design build and operation of a multi-sport dome for the next 25 years Town staff originally started investigating adding an indoor soccer facility to fill a service level gap after the town sold SoccerCity in 2021 staff decided that air-supported structures were the optimal choice because of the low costs in both construction and maintenance when compared to a fixed building All operational expenses related to the structure are the sole responsibility of the owner and not the town Town staff said they were unable to find a suitable location closer to Stouffville for the facility Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: 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 Stouffville announced four new locations for photo radar that will come online in the months ahead The new cameras will bring the town's total to 12 photo radar locations The new cameras will bring the town’s total to 12 photo radar locations If you have been one of “thousands” ticketed by Stouffville’s new photo radar over the past couple months take note — cameras are on the way to four new locations which will be coming online in future months The town is installing photo radar cameras at: Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt took to Instagram to say since the cameras started March 17 thousands of speeding violations have been issued “I can tell you they’re working and they are here to stay and I will not apologize for that,” Lovatt said The town approved its automated speed enforcement program last year and selected eight camera locations which came online March 17 Tickets will be issued through the administrative monetary penalty system and mailed to the vehicle owner within 30 days but do not result in demerit points or impact insurance premiums The penalties also include a victim’s justice fee and a Ministry of Transportation search fee The town said it will never issue tickets or request payment by phone Official tickets will only be sent by mail York Region operates its own separate automated speed enforcement program that operates the speed camera on Ninth Line and Aurora Road May 2, 2025 | , After years of stalled progress and growing community frustration Stouffville has scrapped its original deal and is moving forward with a new partner to deliver the long-awaited Ballantrae Multi-Sport Complex in Ballantrae Park The Town formally announced the end of its agreement with Ballantrae Sports Group the initial proponent contracted to build the facility A new partnership with Mentana Group—a firm the Town credits with successful delivery of high-quality community sports and recreation infrastructure—was finalized today and construction is expected to begin late this summer Plans for the dome complex include a versatile layout capable of supporting a wide range of sports and community programming The official opening is anticipated sometime in 2026 with a more detailed timeline expected in the coming months and amenities designed for all ages and abilities,” a recent Stouffville press release explains New conceptual renderings reveal Mentana’s vision for the “Air Dome Sportszone,” which includes a restaurant and lobby with timber accents and large exterior and interior windows and we have worked diligently to honour it,” Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said in a Friday press release The original project broke ground in April 2023 First contemplated during the early days of Lovatt’s first mayoral term the development struggled to gain momentum and ultimately stalled the site saw the removal of an existing soccer field and baseball diamond A significant portion of Ballantrae Park has remained fenced off in anticipation of construction exacerbating community frustration over the lack of visible progress one resident voiced concerns about the long-delayed project and diminishing access to youth sports facilities our kids have less and less opportunities to play these sports because the facilities are not available.” Lovatt acknowledged those concerns and pointed to the ongoing work with Mentana Group “We are very frustrated…with what’s happened with the vision for the dome,” he said “Our goal is to see the dome come to completion we will be taking legal action against [Ballantrae Sports Group] They would need to restore [the park] back to the way it was before.” While some community members have questioned the decision to replace public parkland with the privately operated sports dome the Town continues to stress the need for expanded indoor sports infrastructure and they need additional facilities to expand their own programming This is an efficient way of delivering that space,” Rob Braid the Town’s Commissioner of Community Services “I think it’s going to be a phenomenal addition to the community.” Braid noted that Mentana will not be charged for use of the land protected rates will be offered to local sports organizations Some facility use will also be made available for Stouffville’s recreation programming at no cost to the Town Usage fees for other community bookings will be set by the dome’s operators As Stouffville takes a second swing at delivering the new community asset all eyes will be on whether the new plan—and new partnership—can deliver where the previous one fell short 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 You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter 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 Account processing issue - the email address may already exist 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 A hotel developer has expressed interest in building on the eastern end of the Clippers Sports Complex parking lot ● Stouffville is proposing a zoning change for municipally owned land at 100 ● The site includes the Clippers Sports Complex ● A hotel developer has expressed interest in building on the eastern end of the lot ● The land is already designated for hotel uses under the new Official Plan ● Mayor Iain Lovatt said a hotel would keep tourism dollars in town and support economic growth ● Public consultation will be part of the planning process if development proceeds The Town is proposing a zoning change for its properties at 100, 110, and 120 Weldon Rd., which include Fire Station 5-1, the Clippers Sports Complex, a modular daycare facility under construction Officials say the eastern portion of that lot may soon serve a new purpose “There is somebody who wants to put a hotel...on the east end of the parking lot which is actually a pretty interesting idea because we have 126 more spots than is required for the arena,” Mayor Iain Lovatt said during an April 23 town hall meeting at Latcham Hall arenas must provide two parking spaces for every 100 square metres of sports fields or rink space that translates to a requirement of 143 spaces Excluding those designated for Fire Station 5-1 the adjacent surface lot contains 269 parking spaces “This is a conversation that we are having with the proponent, who is a seasoned hotel operator,” Lovatt noted. The stated interest from the hospitality sector was also included in a related Staff report coming to a Public Planning Meeting on Wednesday The site falls within the Western Approach Mixed-Use area of Stouffville’s new and in-force Official Plans This means no Official Plan Amendment would be required for the project to proceed the property is currently zoned “Institutional” under the Town’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law Town Staff are recommending the zoning be changed to “Commercial Mixed Use – Western Approach” (CM2) a designation that would accommodate a hotel and align with the broader land-use permissions laid out in the Official Plan the CM2 zoning would also allow for residential development such as condominiums or apartment buildings “The proposed CM2 zone permits a maximum height of 20 metres depending on the architectural style of the building,” Staff explained to Bullet Point News “The total number of rooms will be dependent on the amount of parking that is able to be accommodated and the specifications of the eventual hotelier It has been indicated that the site could accommodate a 70-100 room product.” “We need a hotel in our community,” Lovatt said “We have families that come here who have kids that play hockey and they go stay in Markham and spend all of their money there and we’re seeing money leave our community.” Beyond addressing a local shortage of hotel rooms the project would bolster Stouffville’s economic tax base Hotels are considered employment-generating uses which means they are subject to commercial property taxes Lovatt also pointed out that guests would pay an additional Value Added Tax (VAT) Stouffville’s Economic Development team has been working with a hotelier to find a viable location for some time An earlier investigation considered land near Highway 48 and Hoover Park Drive “All we’re doing at this point is looking at changing the zoning in the eastern part of the parking lot to allow this to happen,” Lovatt explained “I’m not saying that it is going to happen Any future development would still need to go through the formal planning process “People can come and speak about the application during a Public Planning Meeting and whether that is a good use of those parking spaces just south of the Fire Hall,” Lovatt added The May 7 Public Planning Meeting presenting the rezoning proposal will take place in Council Chambers at 7 p.m Whether or not the hotel is ultimately built the zoning change would represent a strategic shift that could turn underutilized asphalt into an economic anchor for the community Sign in Join now, it's FREE! As housing affordability continues to dominate municipal and provincial agendas Whitchurch-Stouffville is joining another call for supply-supportive change—this time targeting rules that limit housing flexibility in Ontario’s protected natural areas Council has endorsed a resolution from the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio asking the province to amend restrictions that prevent property owners on Oak Ridges Moraine lands from building additional residential units (ARUs) It urges a formal review of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) to “permit ARU’s generally” within the area the Ontario government announced changes requiring municipalities to allow up to three housing units per serviced lot paired with the Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program offering up to $80,000 in low-interest loans is part of a broader effort to address the housing crisis While the measures benefit property owners in serviced settlement areas provincial policy does not permit ARUs in Natural Core and Natural Linkage Areas within the ORMCP area A staff report from June 2024 confirms that the same restrictions apply to Natural Heritage System lands within the Greenbelt Plan Area Those three designations apply to much of Whitchurch-Stouffville’s rural lands and a map has been posted online detailing where ARUs can and cannot be permitted throughout the municipality It shows a patchwork of different rules and regulations Properties within the Greenbelt’s Protected Countryside Area can build one ARU either as an addition to the main home or to an existing accessory structure those in ORMCP-designated Countryside Areas are allowed only one ARU but it must be physically attached to the primary dwelling According to the Adjala-Tosorontio resolution such regulatory inconsistencies create inequalities between different parts of the municipality leaving some residents unable to benefit from the same housing opportunities as their neighbours “Allowing for multi-family residential units with ARUs in the Oak Ridges Moraine would permit older residents to stay in their own homes for longer and further allow for younger people and families to live in their own units with their own independence,” it states This is especially relevant for senior farm owners in the moraine who hope to age in place Supporters believe enabling younger family members to independently live on the property could ease succession planning and help preserve family farms for future generations Council voted to endorse the resolution at its April 2 meeting She expressed worry about setting consequential precedents and argued that such requests must include clear parameters and limits before receiving support “I think there are special circumstances when this is warranted,” she said during the meeting “But a blanket request can turn over from being an 1,100 square foot ARU to a 2,100 square foot ARU which would be building another home.” Sherban expanded on her concerns and referenced council’s recent support for a minister’s zoning order (MZO) request to sever a property in the Oak Ridges Moraine—another motion she opposed “Once one landowner gets permission to add another house to their property or they are granted an MZO allowing them to sever another person is going to ask for the same “I appreciate that local farmers would like to retire in their own dwelling and on their own property,” she added there is an increased risk that somebody is going to ask us to sever off that piece of property to sell the home who wouldn’t at least consider it?” Sherban warned that such changes could lead to broad and it will change the fabric of what we're trying to do with the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine conservation plans: keep the natural state in order and take care of our environment,” she said “And let’s not forget flood mitigation which can be impacted by increased development.” Mayor Iain Lovatt offered a more tempered view advocating for a nuanced approach that respects local contexts while maintaining some environmental protections Lovatt issued a Strong Mayor Powers directive tasking town staff with producing a comprehensive report on policy challenges related to ARUs in both the Greenbelt and ORMCP areas expected in council chambers by the end of June will also include recommended policy amendments for the province to consider and contradictions within these policies,” Lovatt told Bullet Point News “We have lands in Markham along our border that are not considered ecologically or environmentally sensitive but the same field in Stouffville is protected Oak Ridges Moraine land.” After reiterating his and the majority of council’s long-standing desire to utilize Greenbelt lands for new employment opportunity along Highway 404 Lovatt addressed one of the more visible contradictions found within the moraine: a homeowner can tear down an existing house and build a luxury mansion “Does it make sense that someone can build a 50,000 square foot home on their property but they are not permitted to build a 2,000 square foot ARU on that same piece of land?” he asked “I don’t support fully opening up the Greenbelt or the Oak Ridges Moraine but each municipality has different circumstances and realities that only local councils are tuned into,” Lovatt said “I’d love for the province to set new guidelines for conversions and let local councils make the decisions as to what’s best for our communities.” The endorsed resolution will be sent to Premier Doug Ford Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and other municipalities within the Oak Ridges Moraine Randy Barba is a federally funded Local Journalism Initiative reporter at Bullet Point News Stouffville More Spotlight > York Region is closing Kennedy Road in Stouffville between Vivian Road and St John’s Sideroad May 3-4 for rail work York Region is closing Kennedy Road between Vivian Road and St Drivers looking to use Kennedy Road this weekend in Stouffville will might have to find an alternate route The closure is required for railway track repairs that have identified by CN Rail the road sections will be closed to through traffic; however the road will be open to local traffic on either end of the closure Apr 25, 2025 | , A youth was injured during an altercation involving a hammer at the Memorial Park basketball courts in Stouffville Friday evening Reid said a call reporting the incident was received at 5:17 p.m The assault is believed to have occurred during a dispute among a group of youths The hammer used in the assault was recovered at the scene and has been collected as evidence Police say it will form part of their ongoing investigation The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available Apr 9, 2025 | , 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 Stouffville is hosting an electronic waste event May 3 at its operations centre on Bethesda Road The event will take place at the Stouffville Operations Centre on 5061 Bethesda Rd Got old electronics cluttering up your house paint and light are banned from curbside collection so the event gives residents an opportunity to drop off unwanted computers For more information, please visit townofws.ca/wasteevents Apr 29, 2025 | , In a night marked by variability and narrow victories voters in the two Stouffville-area ridings delivered a split decision—re-electing Liberal Helena Jaczek in Markham–Stouffville and sending Conservative newcomer Jacob Mantle to Ottawa from York–Durham are currently projected to form a minority government Carney won his first election handily in the riding of Nepean solidifying his leadership following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s departure Jaczek, who had announced her retirement plans in 2023, returned to the race earlier this year after Trudeau announced his plans to step down A seasoned politician with more than 17 years of experience in both provincial and federal governments Jaczek previously worked as a physician at Women’s College Hospital and served in senior public health positions at York Region or 51.4 percent of the ballots cast in Markham–Stouffville defeating Conservative challenger Niran Jeyanesan Voter turnout in the riding stood at 68.83 percent as 61,097 of 88,770 registered electors participated with all 217 polls reporting Mantle secured a decisive victory with 39,422 votes and 55.6 percent support in York–Durham Mantle was the Township’s youngest-ever elected councillor and is currently a senior associate at Osler Liberal candidate Robert Grossi finished second with 27,970 votes (39.5 percent) Both ridings saw voter participation rates above the national average with 70,874 of 99,713 registered electors casting ballots Preliminary data shows 19,387,730 Canadians voted nationwide with 99.57 percent of all polls reporting—reflecting a turnout rate of 67.97 percent The Liberals are projected to win 169 seats with 43.6 percent of the popular vote The Conservatives followed with 144 seats and 41.3 percent while the Bloc Québécois captured 22 seats (6.3 percent) The NDP and Greens secured seven and one seats Elections Canada has cautioned that final results remain provisional Numerous races remain tight as the count of advance and special ballots continues and turnout figures exclude those who registered on election day a former Bank of Canada governor and political newcomer Amid escalating trade tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump his win marks a striking reversal of fortune for the Liberals The party had faced daunting unpopularity at the close of Trudeau’s time in office Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is set to lose his seat in Carleton where Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy holds a lead of just under 4,000 votes with nearly all polls reporting Poilievre confirmed during his speech last night that he would remain as leader of the party The Carleton race was complicated by an unprecedented ballot featuring 91 candidates—85 of them nominated by electoral reform advocacy group Longest Ballot The volume significantly slowed the vote count which Elections Canada said has taken more than three times longer than in typical ridings NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was defeated in Burnaby Central placing third with just 18.2 percent of the vote and Singh announced plans to resign once a new party leader is selected Neither Jaczek nor Mantle had responded to requests for comment at the time of publishing This piece was last updated at 13:03 EST on April 29 Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt flanked by Ward 4 Coun Mayor Iain Lovatt hosted the last of his April town halls with Ward 4 Coun Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt held three town hall meetings with members of council in April The final town hall was April 29 with Ward 4 Coun Here are some of the most interesting things that were said during the evening: “One of the biggest challenges municipalities face today is these Airbnbs and party houses kind of popping up I would say to you that there are bylaws that exist for us in our community There are parking bylaws for the number of cars; there are noise bylaws I would normally say you don’t want to be that neighbour if you’re complaining on your neighbour you would be calling on renters that probably don’t know our bylaws,” Lovatt said “The whole reason Edward Street is being reconstructed this year is to create a bypass for Main Street when we start reconstruction in the fall of 2026 that’s going to change some driving behaviour just over that course of the construction I think we’re going to have to wait and see what happens So the trucks will be entering off of Edward Street and Millard all through the construction of the Main Street because they’re not going to want to get stuck down here,” Lovatt said We are working very diligently with staff to try and put a deal together with another operator that I hope we will be announcing next week So our goal is to see that dome come to completion except the hospital was not willing to finance what he needed and now it’s frozen So where the frustrating thing is that he’s got a fence around it and the windows boarded up it looks like hell but it fits into our bylaws and it’s safe and not accessible to anybody So it’s very unfortunate … We have no authority to go in there and say we are going to tear it down “We rent a vehicle that goes around and drives all of our streets and it’s got — it’s almost like an X-ray machine that gives us a grading of the road condition and so that’s how staff create their capital list every year,” Lovatt said “There is a lot of development activity and interest but there is not a lot of development actually happening,” Lovatt said “So that field is owned by York Region school board and we the town have let the school board know that we would like to buy that land if it ever were to come available We think there were two soccer fields on there I think they were used even before the construction happened We think that could be a good extension of the park at Stouffville arena but we get ready to first refusal to buy it when they decide that they don’t need it anymore,” said Lovatt The deadline to participate in the community satisfaction survey is May 7 That’s the question the town is asking in its latest community satisfaction survey designed to gather feedback to better understand your level of satisfaction The results will be used to inform planning The online survey is open to all Stouffville residents business owners and visitors and takes less than seven minutes to complete “Council values the voices of our residents,” Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said “Your feedback plays a critical role in our decision-making process and helps us align services with what matters most to our community.” The town plans to use this year’s results as a baseline repeating the survey annually to track progress Findings will directly indicate where improvements are needed with action items created and prioritized accordingly “We’ve taken great strides in recent years to enhance service delivery across the board,” said Sunny Bains Stouffville’s chief administrative officer “This survey gives us a clear outlook so we can continue improving and ensure we remain a leading municipality in York Region.” Participants have the option to enter a draw for a chance to win a $100 gift card from a local business of your choosing To fill out the survey, visit townofws.ca/townsurvey or go to the customer service desk at Town Hall (111 Sandiford Dr. Stouffville) or the Leisure Centre (2 Park Dr. Stouffville has put the Ballantrae Fire Station site A public meeting is scheduled for May 7 at 7 p.m Stouffville announced plans to sell the Ballantrae Fire Station in March Now there are plans to have the site rezoned is zoned for institutional use and is 4.39 acres but Stouffville is looking to change it to commercial mixed-use Stouffville is in the process of building a new fire station at 4902 Aurora Rd. which allowed the town to put the current station property up for sale Council approved the design of the new $9.75-million fire station in December The joint fire and paramedic response station is intended to provide a base for emergency response operations and serve as a community asset that blends seamlessly with the surrounding area The main structure will be a steel-framed building clad in traditional red brick The town is using a construction loan to help finance the structure with annual repayment estimated at $645,000 over 25 years Staff anticipate the long-term loan will not actually be needed as funds from the sale of the existing station will be used to help pay for the new one Stouffville announced the purchase of the 3.5 acre site on Aurora Road in 2022 The total purchase price was $4.168 million a facility review of the current Fire Station 5-2 was conducted by Thomas Brown Architects prepared the 2022 Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire Master Plan Among the recommendations listed in the 2022 study was the construction of a replacement fire station in a location near the existing facility that could better serve residents Due to the age of the existing facility and the required major upgrades it was determined that investing in a new fire station will provide a much better value for taxpayer dollars it can be designed and built specifically to serve the needs of our growing town.” Stouffville started its photo radar program at eight locations March 17 Iain Lovatt said since the town's automated speed enforcement program went live March 17 at 8 locations Iain Lovatt said since the town’s automated speed enforcement program went live March 17 at 8 locations Are you one of “thousands” of people to receive a speeding ticket from Stouffville over the past couple of weeks Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt has a message for you: the speed cameras aren’t going anywhere Lovatt took to his Instagram account April 7 to provide an update on the automated speed enforcement program after there were complaints on social media He said since the cameras started March 17 More than 20 per cent of the violations have been for people going more than 20 kilometres over the posted speed limit in community safety zones “It’s easy to get behind a keyboard and create and stir up a frenzy about our cameras and how unfair they are and how unjustified they are But I can tell you they’re working and they are here to stay and I will not apologize for that.” Lovatt was responding to criticism online that some people were getting tickets for going a two or three kilometres over the speed limit He challenged residents to send him any ticket in that range and also checked with town staff “Not a single ticket has been issued in the range of a couple kilometres an hour over the limit,” he said Lovatt also added that local residents living on roads such as Hoover Park Drive and Baker Hill Boulevard have reached out thanking him because the cameras are slowing down traffic The town approved the program last year and selected eight camera locations The ASE system operates by using a camera and speed sensor to detect speeding vehicles the system automatically captures an image of the vehicle A provincial offences officer then reviews the image and a ticket is issued to the vehicle owner by mail The province has set standardized fines for ASE-detected speeding violations: The penalties also have victim’s justice fee and the Ministry of Transportation search fee The town said they will never issue tickets or request payment by phone There were 117 Town of Stouffville employees who made the sunshine list in 2024 The number of names on the Sunshine List from the Town of Stouffville grew from 93 in 2023 to 117 in 2024 The sun was shining for many Town of Stouffville employees in 2024 as 117 employees from the town made the province’s sunshine list which discloses annual salaries of government employees making more than $100,000 Topping the list in Stouffville this year was the town’s chief administrative officer Sunny Bains • Commissioner of engineering and public works Giacomo Graziosi • Commissioner of development services Dwayne Tapp $218,588; • Commissioner of community services Robert Braid • Director of human resources Claudette Banks A notable name that was the very last person to make the list in Stouffville was Rob Adams the town’s former chief administrative officer after four years as chief administrative officer Adams brought in $100,904 from the town in 2024 The average salary on the sunshine list in Stouffville was $129,814 The home was demolished by the town to make way for the expansion of the Civic Square Other things set to arrive in 2025 include glow-in-the-dark mini-putt and a new public school so what do Stouffville residents have to look forward to in 2025 There are quite a few new things coming down the pike but nothing affects Stouffville residents quite like Main Street Not only is it where the majority of town businesses are located but it is also the main thoroughfare to get from west to east there have been plans to reconstruct Main Street While the road won’t go under the jackhammer in 2025 Mayor Iain Lovatt said the town will be finalizing the design of Main Street reconstruction The road needs to be completely rebuilt between Park Drive and Ninth Line work to complete the opening up of Edward Street to Millard Street will be the first domino in the Main Street reconstruction The town has viewed opening Edward Street to Millard as essential to create more options for traffic The town hired Accardi Engineering Group to lead the redesign and create a walkable distinctive downtown with social gathering points renew streetscapes and underground infrastructure improve accessibility and include sustainable Lovatt said he is also looking forward to the Civic Square expansion project advancing in 2025 in 2022 for close to $1.1 million and demolished the century home on the property You might not know a new park and school are currently being built on Baker Hill Boulevard the new school is scheduled to open its doors in September 2025 and welcome students from grades 1 to 8 The school will serve as a single-track French immersion school Many people were upset when Giant Tiger closed its store in Stouffville in 2023 While the location sat empty for the past year Glow Town Putt N Play plans to open in half of the old Giant Tiger facility in spring 2025 The facility will feature glow-in-the-dark minigolf When Mon Sheong broke ground on the facility in 2023 it initially expected to welcome its first residents in fall 2026 The 224-bed facility is now scheduled for completion in spring 2025 The new 97-unit affordable housing complex next to Metro is set to welcome its first residents in 2025 two- and three-bedroom rental apartments for older adults Thirty per cent of the units at the 5676 Main St. location are expected to be rented at market rates Stouffville is revitalizing Aspen Crescent Parkette with a new playground The park is scheduled to be closed from now until mid-July Aspen Crescent Parkette is getting a redesign near the intersection of Forsyth Farm Drive and Tenth Line will be closed from now until mid-July while the work gets completed Construction has started on the full-revitalization A public open house was hosted in May 2025 where residents reviewed the plan and provided insights A map of the Markham—Stouffville riding for the 2025 federal election Here’s what you need to know about voting in Markham-Stouffville in the federal election on April 28 Here’s what you need to know about casting your vote in the federal election on April 28 The boundary follows Highway 48 south into Markham until 16th Avenue where it roughly follows the Rouge River to the southeasterly limit of Markham It will be the first election under a new configuration for Markham-Stouffville The riding previously included all of Whitchurch-Stouffville but now it just includes the urban area of Stouffville Population centres such as Ballantrae and Vandorf are now part of the newly formed York-Durham riding Liberal: Helena Jaczek. The incumbent in Markham-Stouffville but had a change of heart after Justin Trudeau stepped down Jaczek has served as MP for Markham-Stouffville since 2019 she was MPP in the area for the Ontario Liberal government from 2007 to 2018 Conservative: Niran Jeyanesan Jeyanesan has worked with the Toronto Police Services the past decade as a constable His community involvement includes youth leadership at his church mentoring at-risk youth and transforming neighbourhoods through community revitalization projects People’s Party: Rene De Vries De Vries also ran for the People’s Party in the Markham-Stouffville Riding in 2021 A long-time resident of Stouffville he works for a international engineering firm Green Party: Myles O’Brien O’Brien has run for the Greens in the riding in the past He was the candidate in the 2015 Federal Election and the 2022 and 2025 provincial election residents of Markham-Stouffville are worried about the cost of living President Donald Trump’s changing tariffs and his warnings about making Canada the 51st state • Vote on election day (April 28) at their assigned polling station 19 and 20) at their assigned polling station • Vote early at any Elections Canada office across the country until April 22 at 6 p.m • Vote by mail: Electors must apply by April 22 and 6 p.m and return their special ballot by mail (deadlines apply) or in person at their local Elections Canada office before polls close on election day • Electors planning to return their special ballot by mail should plan ahead and make sure there is enough time to receive a voting kit and return their completed ballot to Elections Canada by the deadline indicated in their kit Check back here for updates as the election progresses Screenshot from a dashcam video April 2 that shows a near-miss collision involving a Stouffville fire truck Stouffville Fire Chief Bill Snowball said the incident showed the importance of drivers pulling over to the right when an emergency vehicle has lights flashing Jimmy Sukhija didn’t expect his life to flash before his eyes while driving April 2 but that’s exactly what happened Sukhija was driving east on Stouffville Road around 3:50 p.m — road conditions were poor with sleet and freezing rain — when his car was nearly hit by a Stouffville fire truck that was attempting to dodge a tow truck the owner of Vibe Event Space in Stouffville said he noticed an emergency vehicle coming “I pulled over as a I normally would and put my hazards on I noticed the fire truck dodged the tow truck and that’s when I just closed my eyes and braced for impact — 32 tonnes of steel; nothing is going to help.” Near accident on Stouffville Road April 2 after Stouffville fire truck had to swerve to avoid a tow truck that pulled out in front of it the fire truck was just able to veer out of his path “I texted my wife after I opened my eyes and said I think I died cause I don’t know how I survived that.’ Call it muscle memory or instinct I forced the car over and probably missed rig 511 by an inch of my side view mirror,” he said Sukhija posted the dashcam footage on the Stouffville Bulletin Facebook page which prompted an outpouring of support for the firefighter driving the truck Sukhija was thankful for the firefighter’s quick thinking and driving skills ”I legitimately thought I was done for,” he said Sukhija’s dashcam footage shows a tow truck veer into the passing lane in front of the Stouffville fire truck The fire truck veers out the way of the tow truck and only narrowly misses oncoming traffic Stouffville Fire Chief Bill Snowball said the incident showed the importance of drivers pulling over to the right when an emergency vehicle “A lot of the credit goes to the drivers who pulled over to the right Bike Asylum in Stouffville was the site of a break-and-enter April 15 Police responded to the the break-in a little after 2 a.m The owner of a Stouffvile store is looking for help finding the person responsible for a break-in on April 15 Bike Asylum owner Andrew Willison said the store’s door was smashed in around 2 a.m and an intruder made off with the cash box and credit card machine York Regional Police said there are no suspect descriptors to share. Anyone with any information or who may have been in the area with dashcam footage is asked to contact the Stouffville Sub-Station Willison said the door at the location was changed after the store suffered two break-ins in 2020 He hopes that anybody with footage will come forward to help police identify who was involved Long and McQuade’s new Stouffville store is expected to open at 178 Sam Miller Way on March 31 Music store moving from its Markham location There’s a new business coming to Stouffville’s busiest plaza and you might not have even noticed it being built behind Walmart and Winners Apr 25, 2025 | , Mounting arrears and mandatory costs are prompting Stouffville to consider tax sales a measure it hasn’t taken in more than a decade The legal process allows the Town to auction off properties whose owners have failed to pay their property taxes Stouffville maintained 19,922 individual property tax accounts payments had been collected from 14,215 accounts the remaining 5,707 accounts represented nearly $10.3 million in unpaid taxes Additional outstanding amounts include $3.64 million from 738 accounts linked to 2023 and a further $5.22 million from 281 accounts tied to 2022 and earlier only about 36 percent of those funds stayed within the municipality last year 45 percent of the revenue was forwarded to York Region and 19 percent was allocated to the Ontario government for education funding These transfers must be remitted regardless of Stouffville’s collection status from taxpayers outstanding tax accounts create a dual financial burden: the mandatory payments must still be made while the Town simultaneously goes without revenues needed to support its operating budget “Even though it is our responsibility…to collect taxes our bills and payments of taxes to the school boards and to the Region continue,” Councillor Maurice Smith said during Council’s April 16 meeting “We get no reprieve from these payments simply because we cannot collect we must still pay them their particular allocations.” Stouffville has made progress in collecting outstanding taxes in recent years Commissioner of Finance and Treasurer Jeremy Harness noted that the Town had recovered roughly $50,000 in arrears Mayor Iain Lovatt commended Staff efforts in collecting nearly $1.7 million tied to 2022 and earlier but he noted that over $5.2 million remain outstanding He explained that Staff have the authority to conduct tax sales through Ontario’s Bill 86 “We’ve already paid the Region and we’ve already paid the Province for education costs associated with that,” Lovatt said “The whole of the municipality and our residents are paying for those arrears Council directed Staff to report back on initiating tax sales as a means to close delinquent accounts and recover lost funds A tax sale is a legal tool that allows municipalities to auction properties whose owner has fallen significantly behind on their tax payments a property becomes eligible for tax sale when outstanding taxes go unpaid for more than two years—double the one-year period allowed through Bill 86 Residents with overdue taxes receive multiple communications under Stouffville’s current policy and overdue collection and arrears notices the Town paused arrears notices in appreciation of financial struggles residents may have been experiencing There has been a recent push to reintroduce them and that effort resulted in the April collections noted by Harness “Arrears notices really started again about a month ago and Staff are now working through the list of accounts,” he said in recent comments to Bullet Point News “So someone who could be in arrears may not have received a notice yet.” The Town’s extended window before initiating a tax sale gives property owners additional time to pay off their account or sell their home and proceeds go toward settling the tax debt Town Staff prioritize working with property owners to establish payment arrangements 45 of the 281 tax-sale-eligible accounts had entered into such agreements representing tax receivables of over $4.6 million Harness said the Town has not conducted a tax sale in over 10 years “The intention is that we are able to work with property owners to arrange for payment and that can be full payment or setting up payment arrangements,” he explained “As long as those arrangements are maintained and adhered to then we’re perfectly fine to continue working with that over a tax sale.” He added that the process itself is lengthy meaning owners have additional time and opportunity for payment even after a tax sale process has been initiated “In cases when property owners don’t engage with us at all a tax sale becomes our final recourse,” Harness concluded Other municipalities warn that tax sales carry substantial risks for buyers. According to the City of Markham, tax sales are conducted on a “buyer beware” basis—meaning no viewings and potential responsibility for eviction proceedings Markham officials advise potential buyers to seek legal counsel before submitting bids Town Staff will review and clarify Stouffville’s tax sale procedures and conditions As part of yorkregion.com's commitment to covering important election issues we invited federal election candidates in the Markham—Stouffville riding to share their perspectives As part of yorkregion.com’s commitment to covering important election issues As part of yorkregion.com’s commitment to covering important election issues we invited federal election candidates in the Markham—Stouffville riding to share their perspectives on inclusion equity and accessibility (IDEA) in a brief questionnaire Liberal party of Canada: Markham-Stouffville is a diverse and a respect for diversity are principles that are at the core of Canada’s values These values are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act Our Liberal government will continue to defend and promote an inclusive diverse and welcoming country in the face of increasing global uncertainty People’s Party of Canada: The PPC is the only major party advocating for a temporary moratorium on immigration to sort out our unbalanced budgets our housing issues and inflation related to both these issues We are a Canada First party and will always stand up for Canadian families and businesses In an international world with many trade agreements this includes good relationships with our neighbours and trading partners We would be striving to negotiate the trade disputes to a swift end Canada must be a country that embraces diversity stands up against racism and discrimination and implement inclusive policies that make Canada stronger Our Liberal team will continue to defend inclusivity and diversity so that all voices are heard As a senior vice-president of a large company that is very much tuned in to and has been a fair applying of the IDEA principles I am certainly familiar in detail with the practical application of these principles in a competitive environment giving candidates a fair chance and setting them up for success All other candidates that do not have a response were sent the questions or did not provide available contact information Mar 10, 2025 | , The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and York University have formalized a partnership aimed at fostering innovation and enhancing community development through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) A signing event was held at Stouffville’s Municipal Offices on the afternoon of March 10 The agreement will “formalize years of collaboration and shared interests in building strong and vibrant communities,” a York University press release states It outlines opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions and will remain in effect for five years they will work together on key initiatives that address local challenges and create new opportunities for Town Staff and students alike The MOU identifies several priority areas for joint efforts “We are pleased to deepen our partnership with the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to further our shared objective of building more sustainable and prosperous communities,” York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton said “Collaboration is the cornerstone of driving positive impact and innovation while creating new opportunities for talented individuals to succeed.” designated liaison officers from both the Town and York University will oversee projects Regular meetings and action plans will guide the implementation of joint initiatives “Partnering with York University marks a significant milestone for Stouffville,” Mayor Iain Lovatt added “As the first post-secondary institution to have a partnership with Stouffville York University will bring transformative educational opportunities to our town we aim to create lasting benefits and opportunities for all our community members.” Cover image provided by and used with permission from York University Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said Mosaic House on Main Street is set to have full occupancy in June The first move-ins are scheduled for mid-March A 97-unit affordable housing complex on Main Street in Stouffville is nearing completion Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt provided an update on social media regarding Mosaic House with approximately 40 per cent of leases executed with an expectation of 100 per cent by end of April The first move-ins are scheduled for mid-March and we anticipate full occupancy by early June,” he said The six-storey building is a Housing York Project that will be a mix of 97 affordable and market rent units 26 two-bedroom units and six three-bedroom units Lovatt said market rent units were offered to those on the market subscriber list and made available on a first-come He said the current market rents range from $2,150 to nearly $3,000 per month Offer for the subsidized units go to applicants on the centralized Housing York wait list In 2022 it was reported the total budget for the building was $44 million with $11.2 million coming from the federal and provincial governments The region  reported  this year the project received $32.1 million in funding from federal provincial governments towards the total project budget of $50.96 million Feb 14, 2025 | , Ontarians will decide the future balance of Queen’s Park in a rare winter snap election It marks the first winter election since Premier Bill Davis called voters to the polls on March 19 The only other February election in Ontario took place in 1883 The candidate registration period has closed and four challengers have put their names forward to contest Progressive Conservative incumbent and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra They include Kelly Dunn of the Ontario Liberal Party Myles O’Brien of the Green Party of Ontario and Brendan Sorenson of the New Blue Party According to a recent Nanos survey President Donald Trump rank as Ontarians’ top three election issues residents regularly discuss affordability and cost of living concerns Stouffville’s population growth and housing targets and land use planning matters such as the use of Minister’s Zoning Orders The Regional Municipality of York outlined several priority concerns in a recent Ontario budget consultation submission These include the need for Provincial investments in the Region’s rapid bus transit network and community housing projects as well as sustained funding to meet growing demand for social services and facilitate growth-enabling water and wastewater infrastructure The Region is also calling on the Ontario government to fill revenue gaps caused by reduced Development Charges (DCs) collections stemming from Provincial legislation That assistance would help prevent the need for tax levy and user rate increases especially as calls grow for broad reductions to DCs to accelerate delivery of new housing and lower development costs “As a high-growth municipality requiring significant growth-related infrastructure investments, shifting those costs to existing residential and commercial property taxes and water and wastewater rates would lead to unsustainable increases to maintain service levels,” the Regional Staff report explains “This would further exacerbate housing affordability challenges and hinder the region’s economic competitiveness.” Bullet Point News is submitting a panel of questions to each candidate A profile piece outlining related policy positions from each respondent and their party will be published before voting day Markham-Stouffville voter participation in recent provincial elections has slightly outpaced the Ontario average with 45% of local voters narrowly surpassing the province-wide rate of 44% Voter turnout in Stouffville’s past three municipal elections has declined sharply highlighting the need for greater civic engagement followed by 48% in 2018 and just 34% in 2022 “To make voting faster and easier, voters are encouraged to confirm, update, or add their information…at RegisterToVoteON.ca so that they will be mailed a voter information card with information on when and how to vote,” an Elections Ontario news release explains but voters can also register in-person on election day For those voting early ballots can be cast at the local election office in Markham located in the Boxgrove Medical Arts Centre at 110 Copper Creek Drive In-person voting at the location ends on Feb Local advance voting locations include the Leisure Centre at 2 Park Drive and the Whitchurch-Stouffville Firehall at 15400 Highway 48 Applications for voting by mail are due by 6 p.m Approved applicants will receive a voting kit at their provided address and completed kits must be returned by 6 p.m Kits can be mailed using a provided prepaid envelope or dropped off at the Copper Creek election office To find your nearest election day polling station, simply enter your postal code on the Elections Ontario Ontario Voter Information Service website 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 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 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 A rendering for the proposed 509 unit development on Tenth Line in Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said two hotel operators are looking for locations to build in Stouffville Tenth Line is one of the future areas of growth in Stouffville So when the developer Ambria brought forward a proposal for 509 units of stacked townhouses and apartments on 12762 Tenth Line it seemed like a pretty conventional high-density development It turns out Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt had a slightly different suggestion for how the development should move forward “I would like to throw out the front Tenth Line block (that) you consider a hotel,” he told the developers “I know this is probably right out of left field but it’s something that we need in our community.” the town has a report saying it could support two hotels in town and economic development officials have two hotel operators lined up looking for sites Lovatt recommended the developer look at something like the newly built Postmark Hotel in Newmarket Ambria seemed open to the Mayor’s idea with a spokesperson saying at this stage in the zoning the best thing to do is allow for all retail The proposal was to rezone lands to permit medium to high density development on the land on 12762 Tenth Line The proposal had a townhouse block and a mid-rise apartment building It would include 148 stacked townhouse units and 361 apartment units The apartment building would be a maximum of 10 storeys high Council did have several concerns about the lack of commercial businesses involved in the development Sue Sherban pointed to the new ground level stores on Tenth Line at the south end of town and how well received its been “It creates places for residents to go,” she said Keith Acton said the Tenth Line area is going to welcome 10,000 new people as high density development comes around the GO station “The east end of town is currently under serviced due to lack of commercial,” he said “We need to have some planned designation and direction in regard to larger commercial places to serve our communities.” Lovatt added that Metro is looking for a site on the east end of Stouffville to open a second grocery store Stouffville approved the draft plan for a 1,162-unit development on 12724 and 12822 Tenth Line just south of the transit station last month 548 stacked back-to-back townhouse units and 52 back-to-back townhouse units The Ambria proposal is just south of the development The town has long been planning for Bethesda Road/Tenth Line to be a key growth area with development of a major transit station area (MTSA) around the Old Elm GO Station The map for the riding of Markham-Stouffville Conservative Paul Calandra is the incumbent MPP Here’s what you need to know about casting your vote in the provincial election on Feb The riding takes in Whitchurch-Stouffville the boundary follows Highway 48 south into Markham until 16th Avenue The riding was created for the 2015 federal election after the Oak Ridges-Markham riding was split due to having too high a population for a single riding The riding finds itself in the York Region portion of the Rouge National Urban Park and is home to Markham Stouffville Hospital Conservative Paul Calandra was the first person elected MPP in the Markham-Stouffville riding in 2018 The Liberals have won three federal elections in the riding including Jane Philpott in 2015 and Jaczek in 2019 and 2021 For more information, visit Elections Ontario Markham-Stouffville MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra told the crowd at the opening of the Memorial Park Skating Trail on  Jan 10 he would approve a seniors’ apartment project in Stouffville Paul Woo Long-Term Care Centre is set to open in spring of 2025 in Stouffville Markham-Stouffville MPP and Housing Minister Paul Calandra said he would approve new seniors' apartment building in Stouffville Markham-Stouffville MPP and Housing Minister Paul Calandra said he would approve new seniors’ apartment building in Stouffville Welcome to Stouffville; where the tallest building in town gets approved out of thin air overnight When Markham-Stouffville MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra told the crowd at the Memorial Park Skating Trail grand opening Jan 10 that he would be approving 800 additional seniors’ homes in Stouffville many didn’t know what he was talking about he was referencing what could be Stouffville’s tallest building being approved without much of a whisper of public consultation a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) came to the province from the Mon Sheong Foundation for an apartment building with approximately 900 units for 162-176 Sandiford Dr The MZO came with a letter of support from Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt and would permit buildings up to 70 metres in height adjacent to the Mon Sheong buildings currently located on Sandiford I’m happy to say that I will be using my authority as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to approve an additional 800 homes for seniors in this community,” Calandra said at the event The manner in which the decision was made upset some councillors “It’s time to stop this gravy train of MZOs hitting our town It’s not providing us a huge amount of benefit,” she said at the Jan Sherban put forward a motion at the meeting for staff to report back how the MZO will impact the business tax base Sherban said she is fed up with the MZO process which bypasses municipal planning and sees approvals for 900 units without any input from council “Are we going to continue to plan the municipality under the province’s planning (agenda)?,” she said Rick Upton was the only other member on her side “It has never come to council and it has never come to staff,” Upton said He pointed to previous MZOs having come to receive council’s endorsements While Sherban said the properties on Sandiford could have been used to boost the town’s commercial and industrial base Lovatt said that when council changed the zoning for the properties to allow for apartments and seniors facilities in 2019 He said he would not have supported an MZO for apartments on employment lands but the land in question already has zoning that permits apartments “Until we can bring solutions to the housing crisis we need to do everything that we can,” Lovatt said “There is not a developer in our community that builds faster and better than Mon Sheong.” He pointed to the rapid progress on Mon Sheong’s 224-bed Dr that broke ground in November of 2023 with completion set for the spring a year ahead of schedule While industrial uses are also permitted on the land Lovatt said Mon Sheong owns the land and isn’t interested in commercial development “We know they are wanting to build seniors’ apartments,” he said Glow Town Putt N Play is set to open this spring at the Giant Tiger location in Stouffville Centre will have an 18-hole Canada-themed mini-putt course The old Giant Tiger location in Stouffville won’t be vacant for much longer Joe Vitale is busy getting ready to open Glow Town Putt N Play later this spring/summer Vitale knows there aren’t a lot of activities for younger people in Stouffville “Kids have nothing to do other than hang out in Memorial Park,” he said Vitale said he was ready to try something new after 25 years working in the financial industry it kind of opened the door for us,” he said It was important to get this space.” Vitale said the minigolf course will be completely unique to Canada and will represent a walk through the country starting from the west coast down to the east coast through famous landmarks which can host up to eight people with headsets on in the room and feature a wide variety of games for people of all ages There will also be a host of arcade games for people to enjoy “This will not be a cheap looking place,” Vitale said “You are going to be wowed when you walk in.” Glow Town Putt N Play is targeting May to open The palpable excitement in the community for the facility has been noticeable ever since Vitale announced Glow Town was coming to town “We know this is going to pop here,” he said The old Giant Tiger location on Main Street is being split into two businesses with Glow Town being located on the east side Vitale said residents can stay updated on the project’s progress through their website at glowtown.ca where monthly updates will be available Palgong Tea is one of the businesses for sale on Stouffville Main Street is one of the buildings for sale on Stouffville Main Street Greezy’s is one of the businesses for sale on Stouffville Main Street The Corner House is one of the buildings for sale on Stouffville Main Street 6282-6280 is one of the buildings for sale on Stouffville Main Street Variety is one of the businesses for sale on Stouffville Main Street Wine Wine Wine is one of the businesses for sale on Stouffville Main Street Former Corner House and Greezy’s Vape Shop among properties and businesses up for grabs One stroll down Stouffville Main Street and you will see several businesses that are for sale They may not all have a for sale sign in the window Here is a look at what properties and businesses are up for grabs The Corner House closed last spring when owner Paul Walker got sick The property at the corner of Park and Main Street equipped with a beautiful rooftop patio is about to hit the market according to real estate agent Gord Conway Listed this month, interested suitors can have a chance to own the bubble tea franchise in Stouffville. Located directly across from the Corner House on the northwest corner of Park Drive and Main Street, the business first opened in 2019. The listed price for the business on realtor.ca is $388,000 The vape shop next to the Princess Buds marijuana store has been listed on the market for a little more than 2 months The cost to buy the established business is listed at $199,000 Full set up is included with current rent at $2,500 month The chance to own an established convenience store on Stouffville Main Street is available Sales of Beer and Wine have been started at the location with a liquor license How much does a commercial building on Stouffville Main Street cost service and office use with the space consisting of a front lobby kitchen area and a bathroom and two offices on the second flood The property is extra deep going back 264 feet It has been listed for close to three months this semi-detached building has 4 offices on the main floor with a 3 bedroom newly renovated 1.5 storey apartment up stairs The property is listed at $900,000 and has been on the market for around 3 months The mixed-use commercial property provides various business and residential uses One side includes a two-bedroom two-storey apartment with the other having a 1 bedroom apartment at the rear The property has been listed for around three months at $1,998,000 You could own your own custom wine making business Located across the road from the Stouffville GO Station the shop has been listed for around a month at $50,000 Paul Woo Long-Term Care Centre in Stouffville in July and has opened the wait list for the facility There are more than 8,500 people waiting for a placement at Mon Sheong’s four long-term care centres in operation there’s a waiting list for the new Mon Sheong Dr in Stouffville is accepting resident applications through Ontario Health atHome Eligible people are encouraged to apply to the wait list for placement The centre is Mon Sheong’s second care home in Stouffville coming four years after its Stouffville Long-Term Care Centre “Construction began in fall 2023 and is expected to wrap up in May 2025 one year ahead of the original schedule.” The eight-storey building will provide 224 new care beds helping ease the urgent demand for long-term care adding there are more than 8,500 people waiting for a placement at Mon Sheong’s four long-term care centres in operation The centre is designed to prioritize seniors’ health The state-of-the-art facility offers enhanced infection prevention and control measures and individual heating ventilation and air conditioning units are installed in every room The care home is one of the first in Ontario to provide ensuite washrooms in both basic and private accommodations While requiring a higher construction cost and usage of space these upgraded rooms offer increased safety and privacy for all residents Ontario Health atHome care co-ordinators will assess the care needs and determine eligibility of all applicants and help with the application process Details on the application and admission process are outlined in the Guide to Placement in Long-Term Care Homes or by calling Ontario Health atHome at 310-2222 (no area code required) Coming soon signs were installed in November Stouffville officially launched its photo radar program otherwise known as automated speed enforcement The program is specifically focused on areas with vulnerable populations such as school zones and community safety zones The town said the program is designed to increase speed compliance alter driver behaviour and reinforce the importance of adhering to speed limits Studies have demonstrated it is an effective tool in reducing vehicle speeds improving driver awareness and decreasing pedestrian injuries and fatalities coming soon signs were installed at all eight council-approved locations where the pole-mounted speed cameras would be placed These cameras are now active and operational The Province of Ontario has set standardized fines for ASE-detected speeding violations: The penalties will also be subject to a victim’s justice fee and the Ministry of Transportation search fee Tickets will be issued through the administrative monetary penalty system and mailed to the registered vehicle owner within 30 days of the offence Stouffville’s community safety camera program works alongside other traffic control measures to reduce speeding and enhance safety for all road users The revenue generated will help cover program costs and support other safety initiatives in the town Residents are reminded the Town of Stouffville will never issue tickets or request payment by phone Official tickets will only be sent by letter mail Any amount over the posted speed limit can result in a ticket For more information, visit townofws.ca/ase Feb 21, 2025 | , Kelly Dunn has been a Markham resident since 2003 and is running as the Ontario Liberals’ Markham-Stouffville candidate An educator with more than 20 years of experience Dunn has served on the boards of the Women’s Liberal Association of York Region the Social Planning Council of York Region This is her second run as an Ontario Liberal candidate Additional information about Dunn can be found on her website, and the Ontario Liberal platform is available online. Our complete election guide for Stouffville voters can be found here Bullet Point News presented Markham-Stouffville’s five registered candidates with a series of questions on priority issues and concerns under provincial jurisdiction Each responding candidate will be covered in the same manner What are your top priorities for the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville “Health care is a key part of our platform and I want every Whitchurch-Stouffville resident to have a family doctor within four years Primary care is our on-ramp to the whole health care system which leads to long wait times and hallway medicine Development is another key issue in Whitchurch-Stouffville and housing prices are skyrocketing alongside rents We want to work to bring down the cost of housing as so much of Whitchurch-Stouffville is located in the Oak Ridges Moraine We have to find a way to meet the housing needs of Whitchurch-Stouffville and ensure the voice of the community is heard all while prioritizing environmental sustainability.” How would you and your party address Ontario’s growing housing crisis “Housing is a key issue for the Ontario Liberals we would eliminate Development Charges on new housing—fees that can add more than $100,000 to the cost of a home—and replace them with the Better Communities Fund to ensure municipalities have the funding they need we would eliminate the Provincial land transfer tax for first-time home-buyers and seniors looking to downsize work to resolve Landlord and Tenant Board disputes within two months and establish the Rental Emergency Support for Tenants Fund to help vulnerable renters avoid eviction during financial emergencies.” What will you focus on to make life more affordable for your constituency and how will your party mitigate impacts from possible U.S “We all know life has become increasingly unaffordable over the past few years but it certainly doesn’t feel that way at the grocery store We will eliminate the 8% provincial portion of the HST from hydro and home heating bills We will also bring in an income tax cut for the middle class decreasing from 9.17% to 7.17% on taxable income between $51,446 and $75,000 This will benefit almost half of all Ontario taxpayers we will cut the small business tax from 3.2% to 1.6% which currently provides a maximum of $1,368 per month In strengthening our economy and ensuring people can afford their day to day living we can mitigate whatever it is that Trump has in store for us.” What are your and your party’s plans to improve healthcare service provision for Stouffville residents “We have pledged to get every Ontarian a family doctor within four years but it’s necessary for the system to survive we need to make family medicine more attractive to graduating medical students We can do this by focusing on team-based care and eliminating the administrative burden that often falls on family doctors This can be done through utilizing virtual care and streamlining referral systems We also need to accelerate the process of integrating internationally trained doctors to meet the demand for primary care.” Ontario’s per-pupil education funding model is not keeping pace with inflation putting pressure on school boards and limiting student support How will you and your party work to better support Ontario’s students and what education deficiencies would you focus on addressing so I see first-hand the state of education in Ontario Supports for students with any kind of exceptionality have not kept pace with demand and we are still working to close gaps caused by the pandemic It was under a previous Liberal government that Ontario invested heavily in education such as implementing full-day kindergarten We will work to close gaps by reversing cuts imposed by the Ford government and building new schools to eliminate the need for portables What are your and your party’s views on the use of Strong Mayor Powers and Minister’s Zoning Orders Would they change under a Liberal government The Liberal Party platform does not currently include a formal position on these issues we object to how frequently they are used by the current government At the time of publishing, Bullet Point News had received responses from only two candidates: Kelly Dunn of the Ontario Liberal Party and Brendan Sorenson of the New Blue Party A Green Party spokesperson stated that their Markham-Stouffville candidate, Myles O’Brien, would not engage with the media and referred us to the party’s platform Neither incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Paul Calandra nor New Democrat Gregory Hines has responded or indicated an intention to do so Apr 17, 2025 | , In a move signalling a more firm stance on community safety and environmental stewardship the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has implemented its by-law prohibiting the sale and use of personal fireworks within municipal boundaries Formally passed by Council earlier this month after being introduced last year the new regulation is designed to reduce the risk of injury and property damage often associated with consumer fireworks Town officials say the blanket ban provides a consistent enforcement standard that benefits residents can pose significant risks,” Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said in a recent press release and disturbances that affect not only those directly using them but also surrounding residents and livestock.” we aim to prevent such incidents and ensure a safer community for all,” he added Infractions will be addressed through the Town’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System Stouffville’s Commissioner of Corporate Services and Town Clerk said the regulation gives by-law officers clearer guidance and helps standardize enforcement practices “Creating a clear and consistent rule makes it easier for our enforcement teams to do their jobs,” she said “We thank residents for their understanding and support.” “Only a federally approved fireworks technician can discharge display fireworks with a permit,” the Town has explained conduct a site inspection before granting the permit.” Further information about the by-law and permit application process is available online or by contacting Customer Service at 905-640-1900 Cover image by Competitive Insight on Unsplash Apr 23, 2025 | , Bullet Point News asked the six registered Markham–Stouffville candidates to respond to a series of questions on key federal issues Focusing on their platforms and how they would affect the riding each candidate’s responses are being shared in the order received He is running under the People’s Party of Canada banner “to make the world a better place” for future generations “I am currently a Senior Vice-President of a large noting his consulting career spans over 35 years “I have extensive experience in business and the environmental and infrastructure sectors of the economy.” only de Vries and Shahzad Ahmed of the Centrist Party of Canada had responded Incumbent Helena Jaczek (Liberal) and candidates Niran Jeyanesan (Conservative) and Serena Cheung (NDP) did not submit replies Q: How would your party deal with President Trump and his tariffs and economic threats and what policies will you pursue to provide relief should the worst economic outcomes be realized and we must come to the table with the U.S administration to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement around the concerns that have been raised We also must not be afraid to tackle difficult subjects such as the dairy cartel in Canada I believe in free trade and in good relationships with our neighbours and our most important trading partner and we can achieve a renegotiated agreement by removing trade barriers This way we will also reduce inflation within our own system.” Q: With new economic challenges stemming from the U.S. what is your vision for developing Canada’s economy and how would your party’s policies support job creation “We will balance the budget in our first year through drastic reductions in spending including cuts to corporate welfare and foreign aid and significant downsizing of a bloated bureaucracy six times the number of people as the United States’ IRS I will be sure to take a chainsaw with me to Ottawa.” de Vries said the PPC would implement “significant” cuts to corporate and personal income taxes The party also supports an immigration moratorium to protect Canadian jobs the removal of interprovincial trade barriers “I recently received the endorsement of local entrepreneur and founder of Magna International: Frank Stronach I will introduce a motion to adopt his Economic Charter as a new policy and growth tool for Canada.” Q: What specific policies would your party implement to help address affordability issues and provide relief while also addressing long-term fiscal and economic stability “Inflation is ultimately a hidden tax: governments use it to pretend to help us but it only makes the rich richer and the poor poorer Our aim is to instruct the Bank of Canada to have a zero percent inflation goal and price interest rates accordingly and resource development will return the Canadian economy to growth and prosperity.” Q: High immigration rates have played a role in the intensification of Canada’s housing crisis however it is well recognized that immigration is crucial to our long-term economic outlook and desired growth trajectory What would a PPC government’s immigration policy look like “I believe this issue is the one item the other parties do not want to talk about An irresponsible and unsustainable increase in immigration levels has led to an explosion of social The primary aim of Canada’s immigration policy should be to economically benefit Canadians and Canada as a whole It should not be used to forcibly change the cultural character and social fabric of our country and it should not put excessive financial burdens on the shoulders of Canadians in the pursuit of humanitarian goals.” De Vries supports a temporary moratorium on new permanent residents until housing and perceived social and economic issues are addressed followed by a permanent cap of 150,000 new immigrants annually He advocates for prioritizing highly skilled immigrants and enhanced security screening to assess alignment with “Canadian values.” The PPC platform also calls for deporting visa overstayers and criminals reducing temporary foreign workers and international students withdrawing from the UN Global Compact for Migration and lowering family reunification quotas—including abolishing the parent and grandparent sponsorship program The party would also outlaw birth tourism and end automatic citizenship for children born in Canada to non-citizen parents Q: What combination of federal policies are you and your party proposing to address both housing affordability and the need for supply in such a challenging macroeconomic environment key pillars of the PPC’s housing policy are tightly linked to immigration levels and their temporary ban on new permanent residents will help resolve housing affordability issues They also advocate for changing the Bank of Canada’s inflation target from 2% to 0% to address housing costs The party supports ending federal pressure on municipalities to increase housing density and wants to dismantle or privatize the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation which he claims encourages unsustainable debt and inflated home prices Q: Municipalities continue to struggle with downloaded responsibilities and costs while facing the prospect of Development Charge revenue cuts to incentivize new housing What will your government do to support municipalities and ensure growth-related costs are not put onto existing property taxpayers “Growth will return once we have our financial house in order We must reduce inflation and energy costs with our proposed economic measures and this will also benefit municipal budgets.” Q: With the consumer carbon tax now removed what climate policies would you and your party champion that will drive down emissions without excess economic consequences “There is no scientific consensus on the theory that human-produced CO2 is causing dangerous global warming or that the world is facing environmental catastrophes unless these emissions are drastically reduced Many renowned scientists continue to challenge this theory The policy debate about global warming is not grounded on science It has been hijacked by proponents of big government who are using crude propaganda techniques to impose their views They make exaggerated claims to scare people and they publicly ridicule and harass anyone who expresses doubt.” de Vries says he will support withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord and ending greenhouse gas reduction targets He also promises to draw on his business and environmental experience to reduce environmental toxins and implement life cycle costing for large infrastructure projects Q: What concrete steps would your party take to strengthen Ontario’s healthcare system “It is time for Canada to implement reforms in line with the more efficient and less costly mixed universal systems of other developed countries Throwing more federal money at the problem A PPC government will repeal the Canada Health Act and create conditions for provincial and territorial governments to set up mixed public-private universal systems like other developed countries We will also replace the Canada Health Transfer cash payments with a permanent transfer of tax points of equivalent value to the provinces and territories to give them a stable source of revenue It will include a temporary program to compensate poorer provinces whose revenues from the tax will be lower than the transfer payments they used to receive Provincial governments will never make the tough decisions if they can always blame Ottawa for not sending enough money We must end the current confusion over who does what and who is responsible for the problem.” Q: What is your and your party’s position on the decision to cancel the Pickering Airport and move a majority of the lands into the Rouge National Urban Park “I have never supported turning the Pickering lands into an airport and support the Liberal decision to cancel it and move the majority into the Rouge National Urban Park.” Q: While Bullet Point News tends to focus on policy we know there is a large percentage of voters who make their voting decision based on party leaders De Vries referred readers to Maxime Bernier’s profile on the PPC website Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt speaks to residents at a town hall in 2024 The town released its annual remuneration and expenses report for council The 2024 salary and benefit numbers are in for Stouffville mayor and council Mayor Iain Lovatt topped the list with a salary of $172,150 The town portion of the salary is $108,864 Lovatt also received a $12,000 car allowance and $41,397 in benefits Richard Bartley and Sue Sherban each received the salary of $54,009 with a $9,000 car allowance as well as benefits ranging from $14,000 to $17,000 Members of council also receive a public relations budget that varies depending on the size of the ward they represent Lovatt spent $19,777 of his allotted $25,000 budget Kroon spent $3,615 of his allotted $3,800; Smith spent $2,538 of his allotted $4,100; Acton spent $1,173 of his allotted $3,600; Upton spent $3,299 of his allotted $5,000; Bartley spent $524 of his allotted $4,000 and Sherban spent $1,111 of her allotted $4,900 With just days remaining before Canadians head to the polls early signs point to a nation highly engaged in the 2025 federal election A record-breaking 7.3 million citizens voted during the four-day advance polling period held over the Easter weekend marking a 25 percent increase over the 5.8 million who voted early in 2021 Ontario followed the national trend closely with 2,792,881 voters participating in advance polls—up from 2,229,342 in 2021 including mail-in voting and early ballots cast at local Elections Canada offices more than 1 million voters returned their ballots out of the 1,255,825 voting kits issued. Local ridings reported notable early turnout. In Markham–Stouffville, 24,263 voters—about 27 percent of the roughly 88,230 registered electors—cast ballots in advance. In the York–Durham riding which includes parts of four former federal districts about 31 percent of an estimated 99,505 electors These figures suggest the potential for strong overall turnout this year potentially surpassing the 62.6 percent national participation rate recorded in 2021 Ontario’s turnout that year was slightly lower Markham–Stouffville’s turnout in 2021 matched the provincial average at 61 percent The newly drawn York–Durham riding encompasses areas from several former ridings where 2021 participation ranged from 54 to 66 percent Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock led that year with 66 percent while York–Simcoe had the lowest at 54 percent Durham and Pickering–Uxbridge recorded turnouts of 61 and 62 percent Elections Canada reminds voters that it is not too late to register. Those who have not yet done so can register at their polling station on election day or use the Online Voter Registration Service to generate a registration certificate to print and bring along To locate your local polling station, visit the Elections Canada website Stouffville council unanimously approved a 59-unit 21-metre-tall development at 6031 and 6037 Main St The 0.71-acre site is located on the south side of Main Street west of Orchard Park Boulevard The Mill Woods Corporation (the applicant) submitted its initial application in May 2024 Following feedback from a June 2024 public planning meeting and subsequent work by town staff the approved submission reduced both the height and unit count The building’s interior six-storeys will include five one-bedroom A seventh storey will feature a rooftop amenity area and a mechanical penthouse Mill Woods’ initial proposal included 105 parking spaces falling short of the town’s zoning bylaw requirements the approved 101 spaces now exceed Stouffville’s parking minimum by 12 The site will be accessed from Main Street and a private roadway on the west side of the building A two-level underground garage entrance will be located at the rear with ground-level stilt parking providing nine visitor spaces and two car-share spaces The building’s design has been modified to better complement the surrounding area the updated facade will feature “a more contemporary brown and white brickwork design that is more in keeping with architectural attributes of the neighbourhood.” “The building has been designed to incorporate a step back along the Main Street frontage…above the third storey to promote a sense of pedestrian scale at grade,” the report states “The building facade will be cladded with precast white and brown brick An official plan amendment was granted to re-designate the site from existing residential area to western approach mixed-use The previous designation permitted only townhouses and low-rise apartments “The proposal does represent a larger scale building than existing neighbouring properties…but efforts have been made to respect the character of the area,” the staff report notes Excessive height and resulting shadow impacts were concerns expressed through public comments on the application Following the height reduction from 29 metres to 21 metres staff highlighted a resulting shadowing study showing “limited and acceptable level of shadowing during warm-month daylight hours.” To address privacy concerns from neighbouring properties some limitations on windows and balconies were incorporated Staff will also ensure that balconies and outdoor amenity areas “have adequate privacy features and buffering incorporated into the design” through future planning stages Although the site will now fall within the western approach mixed-use area The report states that Stouffville’s in-effect official plan does not allow staff to require commercial space While the town encouraged the applicant to include non-residential units on the ground floor none were added in Mill Woods’ revised submission “The delivery of desirable multi-bedroom and multi-family unit housing options…is a town and provincial priority at this time,” the report adds “This critical increase in population is located at a prime walkability location to support the GO station and…both businesses and services in the downtown and western approach areas.” The approved 16-condo development at 5531 Main St Topfar Developments also has an approved eight-townhouse development at Main and Charles Street that hasn’t progressed since 2021 Stouffville council approved official plan amendments to allow for the 16-storey condo building with 309 residential units at 5531 Main Street Topfar Developments also has an approved eight-townhouse development at Main and Charles Street that hasn't progressed since 2021 What was once supposed to be the tallest condo in Stouffville is up for sale A for sale sign is up in front of 5531 Main St and real estate agent Simon Han said it is power of sale as the owner of the property defaulted on their loan for eight months really tough market for condos right now with high interest rates is trying to sell the property as quickly as possible They are trying to attract someone with deep pockets for the prime location on Main Street “Nobody is buying condos right now,” he said Stouffville council approved official plan amendments to allow for the 16-storey condo building Topfar Developments is still advertising the project A spokesperson for Topfar said they sold the project in 2023 and have kept it on their website as a performance record the maximum height allowed for the building was 10 storeys some residents were concerned about the added height of the building but Mayor Iain Lovatt told them it was part of Stouffville’s future plans for the area “What this represents is growing up and not out,” Lovatt said at the time “We have a choice on how we are going to grow.” With a provincial growth target of around 100,000 people by 2041 Lovatt added things have to be done differently or the town will have “miles and miles of cookie-cutter homes.” Rick Upton said something is definitely wrong noting the market seems to be drying up and it’s not just happening in Stouffville Upton referenced the 28 year low in condo sales in Toronto Han said while the property is approved for a 16-storey condo there is a chance a buyer could purchase with a different plan of what to do with the land The property isn’t the only approved development from Topfar that has sat in Stouffville in recent years Topfar also has an approved development of eight townhouses on the corner of Main Street and Charles Street in downtown Stouffville Topfar took the town to the Ontario Land Tribunal in 2021 and were able to reach a settlement The development was approved by the OLT on June 25 2025 — This story has been updated from an earlier version to clarify that the project was sold by Topfar in 2023 The town is currently in the process of building a new $9.75-million fire station on Aurora Road in Ballantrae Stouffville has put the current Ballantrae Fire Station property up for sale The town said all offers must be received by 4:30 p.m Stouffville is in the process of building a new fire station at 4902 Aurora Rd which allowed them to put the current station property up for sale The joint fire and paramedic response station is intended not only to provide a base for emergency response operations but also to serve as a community asset that blends seamlessly with the surrounding area Stouffville announced the purchase of the 3.5 acres on Aurora Road in 2022 Among the recommendations listed in the 2022 study was the construction of a replacement fire station in a location near the existing facility that could better serve residents throughout the town “Due to the age of the existing facility and the required major upgrades it was determined that investing in a new fire station will provide a much better value for taxpayer dollars,” Fire Chief Bill Snowball said Live Ontario election results for the riding of Markham—Stouffville 51 of 51 polls are reporting as of 12:54 a.m Follow our full coverage of Ontario election 2025 of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is projected to be re-elected in Markham-Stouffville Calandra has 22,757 of 44,940 (50.64%) votes cast is in second place with 18,624 votes and Gregory Hines Calandra has represented the riding since 2018 Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for Ontario election 2025. the Progressive Conservatives have 80 races called in their favour They have 2,158,452 votes and 42.97 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have 27 races called in their favour They have 931,796 votes and 18.55 per cent of the popular vote The Liberals have 14 races called in their favour They have 1,504,688 votes and 29.95 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have 2 races called in their favour They have 242,822 votes and 4.83 per cent of the popular vote Independents have one race called in their favour While the new skating trail in Memorial Park has been up and running since Dec its formal grand opening will take place during the Mayor and Council’s New Year’s Levee on Jan The event will begin with remarks from local officials and a ribbon cutting at 6 p.m. followed by a performance on the trail by the Stouffville Skating Club at 6:10 Additional entertainment will include an off-ice fire performer as well as costumed snowflake and Swan Lake princesses skating alongside attendees Residents can join Mayor Iain Lovatt and members of town council on the ice and participate in a variety of on-ice activities organized by Stouffville’s Recreation Department A DJ will be playing music throughout the evening “I’m very excited the town is bringing back the first Mayor and Council’s New Year’s Levee in 10 years,” Lovatt said “Our new skating trail is the perfect location to gather as a community to celebrate 2025.” The levee will mark Stouffville’s first event of the new year following the conclusion of 2024 with New Year’s Eve fireworks in Memorial Park 31 and feature on-stage performances and food trucks To accommodate the New Year’s Eve event from Booth Drive to the northern Leisure Centre entrance Parking will be available at the Leisure Centre and in the lot across from Latcham Hall Randy Barba is a federally funded Local Journalism Initiative Reporter at Bullet Point News Stouffville Oak Valley Health is moving Community Health Clinic Stouffville from its location at 5402 Main St The new location will be at 37 Sandiford Dr It’s been less than two years since it opened but Oak Valley Health’s Community Health Clinic is on the move The expansion will allow the team to grow and access other specialty and interprofessional services The new clinic will also offer more space and larger waiting area CHC Stouffville will move into the bigger clinic space on April 14 The new clinic has seven exam rooms and a consultation office that will be better equipped to provide comprehensive assessments The nurse practitioner-led clinic provides health-care services to individuals of all ages who do not have access to a primary care provider or who cannot get an appointment with one in a timely manner CHC Stouffville offers unique services such as rapid access for children with providers who specialize in pediatric care there is also a virtual urgent care clinic (VUCC) for patients to access from 1 p.m Appointments can be made online and are available seven days a week The VUCC sees patients of all ages facing a broad range of urgent non-life-threatening health issues including mental health Same or next-day appointments can be made at Oakvalleyhealth.ca/chc  The operating hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m The clinic’s new phone number is 905-472-7658 and new fax number is 1-833-664-4807 CHC Stouffville will be closed on Friday to accommodate the move Apr 18, 2025 | , The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville ended 2024 in the black with a preliminary operating surplus of $29,500 the surplus represents a balanced finish to a year marked by rising operational costs and lagging development revenues The final numbers will be confirmed in June following the annual audit total 2024 expenditures exceeded the approved $74.1 million budget by more than $1.1 million The overspending was largely a result of staffing pressures. Full-time personnel costs surpassed the budget by $882,900, while part-time staffing came in at $501,300 over. In their report Staff attributed the increases to restructuring costs and expanded service offerings Material and supply costs also ran over budget by more than $500,000 Contributing factors included enhanced programming increased production costs for the On the Road magazine and unplanned expenditures such as pavement markings and portable radios for by-law officers The implementation of the new Administrative Monetary Penalty System also introduced transition costs not originally budgeted grants and sponsorships helped offset some of these additional expenditures the Town benefited from greater-than-expected revenue on several fronts Total revenue exceeded the budget by roughly $1.18 million Property tax collections brought in $1.36 million more than anticipated while investment income outpaced estimates by $552,500 mostly due to elevated interest rates Recreation programming was another strong performer with expanded aquatics and fitness offerings boosting registration Facility and arena rental income also surpassed projections and fuel helped cushion some of the shortfalls Stouffville approved $65.5 million in spending for 2024 That included $21.5 million in new projects and $30.6 million in carry-forwards from prior years the Town had spent approximately $16.3 million Coming in under budget by nearly $4 million Stouffville completed 109 capital projects and just under $40 million remained for future work Staff noted that many are multi-year undertakings with progress ongoing Key capital projects moved into 2025 include the $6.3 million Edward Street reconstruction and a combined $1.6 million in early-phase design work for Main Street Reconstruction and the new firehall in Ballantrae Stouffville experienced a sharp downturn in development-driven revenues The Town’s forecast had anticipated 578 residential units and 271,060 square feet of non-residential growth only 192 residential units and 215,104 square feet in non-residential development were delivered Corresponding Development Charge collections therefore fell short Just $3.03 million was collected from residential development Non-residential Development Charge revenue reached $1.45 million of the $1.65 million target the Development Engineering and Development Planning divisions fell $1.1 million short of revenue targets due to fewer subdivision and site alteration applications Building Services reported a $291,700 deficit stemming largely from reduced residential construction and lower building permit revenues Staff emphasized that development activity follows a cyclical pattern and remains sensitive to broader macroeconomic conditions they will work to refine revenue projections and budget expectations in future cycles Water and Wastewater Operations faced their own financial challenges The rate-supported division ended the year with a combined $735,800 deficit driven by increased payments to York Region not matched by equivalent growth in Town user fee revenues as meter sales and bulk water revenue fell short of budgeted targets The final operating surplus will be allocated to the Tax Stabilization Reserve which protects against sudden financial shocks and prevents major impacts on Stouffville’s tax levy above the $4.9 million mandated minimum but below the Town’s target of approximately $9.5 million Staff have flagged the reserve’s declining balance and noted the importance of restoring it through disciplined fiscal planning over the coming years GO train service on the Stouffville Line rail service will be cancelled on weekends 14 to 15, to accommodate track work that will bring faster GO buses will replace train service along the Stouffville line and will only stop at Old Elm running express to and from Union Station bus terminal Agincourt and Kennedy GO stations are encouraged to use the TTC Stouffville GO customers: Please be advised due to the Stouffville Santa Claus Parade on Dec will not be in service between 2:30 and 9 p.m Customers are encouraged to connect with the GO bus replacement service from Old Elm or Mount Joy GO stations More information about Stouffville line service adjustments and alternate route options is available here You can also check the GO Transit service updates page for real-time details