Markham council held its first General Committee and council meetings of 2026 on Tuesday, Jan. 27, two days after a record-setting snowstorm. Much of the agenda focused on the people and money behind city services.

Moments of silence

Council opened with a moment of silence for former Markham councillor Tom Gove, and noted that flags were at half-mast in his honour. Members also remembered Ron Waine, a heritage advocate and former chair of Heritage Markham, and George Merkel, a supporter of many charities including the York Region Safety Village and Markham Stouffville Hospital.

Awards for roads and parks

Council recognized the city's operations department for two awards tied to its road maintenance work with the technology firm CityRover: a CityRover community award for industry advancement, for roadway maintenance and pavement condition assessment, and a 2025 Global Road Achievement Award from the International Road Federation, for asset management and maintenance.

Parks planner Nory Takata was honoured with the Ontario Parks Association's Parks Champion Award, which recognizes staff who show a passion for the environment through their commitment, green strategies or mentorship. Council also recognized three Somerset Academy students whose invention idea was chosen as a winning entry in an international design challenge. A model of the idea has been displayed at the Preston Park Museum in north-east England.

City investments

General Committee received the city's 2025 investment performance review. Mark Visser, senior manager of strategy, innovation and investments, said most city investments are managed through CIBC Wood Gundy and Bank of Montreal, and that Markham's portfolio has outperformed the municipalities it benchmarks against. He said audits by KPMG look at process compliance rather than individual investment decisions.

Asked about reserves with negative balances, Visser said a small number are in that position, including the parks, cash-in-lieu and land acquisition reserves. He said the land the city has bought is worth more than those shortfalls, and that the city in effect borrows internally from reserves with positive balances at a variable rate based on prime.

Fees deferred, contracts reviewed

  • A staff report proposing new environmental services user fees, along with increases above inflation to some existing fees, was deferred to an upcoming General Committee meeting.

  • The committee endorsed a provincial drinking water inspection report on the Markham distribution system dated Oct. 15, 2025.

  • Councillors asked about contracts staff awarded in the last quarter of 2025, including one for an online voting system and another for the design and installation of a nine-hole disc golf course.

  • A one-year fire and life safety systems testing and maintenance contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Onyx-Fire Protection Services Inc., at an estimated $115,740.70 a year including HST, with options to extend for up to seven more years.

  • The committee received a staff memo on the cancellation of the automated speed enforcement program and the province's road safety initiatives fund, after a brief discussion.

  • Council granted further 60-day extensions to decide on heritage designation for 10224 Highway 48 and 7635 Highway 7.