York Region is setting up its own insurance pool, and Markham, like the region's other cities and towns, now has to decide whether to buy in.

York Regional Council has approved the York Region Municipalities Insurance Pool, the region announced on Feb. 4. Rather than each municipality buying coverage on its own from an insurer, participating governments would pool their buying power and risk. The region says that approach should lower costs and make premiums more stable from year to year.

The projected savings

The region says its analysis of the plan's financial viability points to savings of about 20 per cent, or roughly $5.5 million a year, for York Region and the municipalities that join. Over five years, it projects about $30 million in savings.

Positioning our communities for a strong, sustainable future includes providing residents with value for their tax dollars.

— Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO

Pools like this are not new in Ontario. The region pointed to the Simcoe Municipalities Insurance Pool, which launched in June 2025, as an example of neighbouring municipalities already sharing coverage this way.

How it would work

An Insurance Pool Board will be created to direct future decisions and oversee the pool. York Region will act as host and handle management and administration, including risk-management practices, standardized claims handling, contract reviews, accounting and common operating procedures for every member.

In addition to financial efficiencies, this new program will promote and strengthen alignment of our collective risk-management practices to report, investigate and manage claims.

— Steve Pellegrini, King Township mayor and chair of Finance and Administration

What it means for Markham

The pool is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Local municipalities that want to take part must first get approval from their own councils, so Markham council would need to vote to join before the pool starts.

Markham is represented at the regional table by its mayor and four regional councillors. Insurance is one of the costs built into the city operating budget that property taxes help pay for, so savings from a shared pool could ease some of that pressure. The region has not released a breakdown of how much each local municipality could save.