Conservation authority that oversees Markham's rivers picks Uxbridge mayor as chair

The conservation authority responsible for the rivers, ravines and flood plains running through Markham has new leadership at the top of its board.

At its 69th annual general meeting on Feb. 20, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) elected Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton as chair of its board of directors. Paul Ainslie, a Toronto deputy mayor and the councillor for Scarborough-Guildwood, was elected vice-chair. Both were acclaimed.

The two effectively traded places. Barton moves up from vice-chair, while Ainslie, who had been chair, becomes his deputy.

Markham's seat at the table

Markham Regional Councillor Joe Li is one of five York Region members on TRCA's 2026 board, along with representatives from Vaughan, King, Stouffville and Richmond Hill. Li is not on the board's executive committee this year; York Region's two executive seats are held by members from Vaughan and King.

That board matters to Markham. TRCA's watersheds include the Rouge River and Don River systems that cut through the city, and the authority reviews development near valleys and flood-prone land, issues flood messages and manages conservation areas.

Who the new chair is

Barton has been on the TRCA board since January 2023. The authority said he helped support Ontario's first urban provincial park in Uxbridge, has served on two other conservation authority boards and currently chairs Conservation Ontario, the network of the province's conservation authorities.

Ainslie has been on the board since 2006. During his three years as chair, TRCA pointed to work on the Scarborough Waterfront Project, the Meadoway and the opening of its new administrative office building.

The chair and vice-chair lead board meetings and the executive committee and guide the authority's priorities under its 12-year strategic plan.

The annual meeting also added a new member to the 2026 executive committee: Toronto Councillor Dianne Saxe, who represents University-Rosedale and was acclaimed to the seat. The full board, drawn from Toronto, Peel, Durham, York and two smaller townships, sets TRCA's strategic direction and is responsible for making sure the authority complies with provincial law.

The meeting also recognized six board members for three years of service. They included Stouffville Deputy Mayor Hugo Kroon and Richmond Hill Mayor David West, both appointed by York Region.