Goodbye urban sprawl: 5 things to know about York Region’s future growth

Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Markham and Vaughan to see higher concentrations of development

Lisa Queen
May 13, 2019
Yorkregion.com

1) These are York Region’s growth numbers, dictated by the provincial government, and ignoring them is not an option. By 2041, the region’s population will be 1.79 million. That’s about 600,000 more than the almost 1.2 million residents who now call Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, King, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan home. The census showed there were 532,895 jobs in the region the week of May 10, 2016. That will grow to 900,000 by 2041.

2) The region’s new intensification strategy will figure out where to put all those new residents and jobs, concentrating them in key areas, the region’s director of long-term planning, Sandra Malcic, said. In the past, the region’s development has followed a traditional suburban script. In 1991, 83 per cent of housing was single-family or semi-detached homes. Even with more condos and townhouses built in recent years, 69 per cent of the region’s current housing stock is singles and semis.

3) Traditional housing isn’t sustainable, Malcic said. Today’s already congested roads would result in gridlock if historical housing development remained dominant. While detached and semi-detached homes will still be built, urban sprawl has to give way to more intensification. That means concentrating growth in certain areas. The region says 50 per cent of new development will be built in those key areas. Any more than that would too drastically change the character and lifestyle of the region that residents want, officials believe.

4) Every municipality in the region will have areas where development will be focused. That means Keswick, Sutton and Pefferlaw in Georgina, Holland Landing, Queensville, Mount Albert and Sharon in East Gwillimbury, Nobleton, Kettleby and Schomberg in King City, Stouffville and much of Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Markham. The region may extend the borders of those areas for additional development. Even higher concentrations of development will be focused in the four urban growth centres of Newmarket, Richmond Hill and Vaughan.

York Region 'applauds' announcement of Yonge North subway extension

Rhetoric around budget time forgets taxes fund services we depend on

'Already made up their minds': York Region mayors brace for amalgamations
5) The highest growth is slated around transit stop and corridors, subway stations and GO stations. Significant intensification of housing and jobs will happen along Yonge Street and Davis Drive in Newmarket, along Yonge from Steeles Avenue to 19th Sideroad in Richmond Hill and along Hwy. 7 through Vaughan and Markham. While growth numbers are set in stone, the region wants to hear from residents about where is best to focus development, Malcic said. For more information, visit York.ca/mcrgetinvolved.