Vaughan moves closer to scoring 5th York Region council seat

Yorkregion.com
April 13, 2017
By Lisa Queen

Vaughan is one step closer to getting another politician.

The city wants a fifth seat on York Region council following the 2018 municipal elections to match Markham, arguing the populations of the two municipalities are fairly evenly matched and deserve equal representation.

About 335,700 residents call Vaughan home compared to about 366,000 in Markham.

The move would cost Vaughan taxpayers $300,000 a year for the salaries of the councillor and support staff, benefits and discretionary spending, a city report last fall said.

In order for the provincial government to grant the request, what’s called a triple majority is needed.

That means the majority of York’s nine local municipalities representing the majority of the region’s population of 1.1 million and the majority of regional councillors must approve.

On April 13, regional councillors agreed to ask York’s nine local municipalities to say whether or not they support the extra councillor by May 31.

Regional councillors would then debate the idea on June 29.

Vaughan lost its bid for a fifth seat in 2013 when Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King and Whitchurch-Stouffville voted down the proposal.

Newmarket and Richmond Hill made no decision on the matter.

Only Markham backed its neighbour.