Markham interested in being home to York U. campus

Markham Economist & Sun
April 2, 2014
By Amanda Persico

What has a better ring, Markham University or Vaughan University?

During Tuesday’s development services committee meeting, Markham council announced its willingness to be the home of a future York University campus.

“Don’t listen to the rumours saying Markham hasn’t been working on this,” Mayor Frank Scarpitti said. “We’ve been working on this file for a few years.”

In that time the province’s process for landing a university has changed dramatically, Mr. Scarpitti added.

“We were working toward this under the old process,” he said. “And we are still working toward this under the new process.”

City staff is working on a presentation that will be held in camera during the next general committee meeting April 7.

Markham is not alone in trying to interest the school in setting up within its borders.

In February, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua made his pitch to York U. at his annual mayor’s luncheon.

“We consider ourselves very much tied to York University,” said Mr. Bevilacqua, a York graduate. “I want to really ask you (York University) to consider our city for a new campus.”

East Gwillimbury has been working on its university attraction business plan for more than two years and the town has had a university in its plans for more than two decades. Newmarket and Aurora are also working on plans to attract a university.

While municipalities clamour to attract a post-secondary institution, Whitchurch-Stouffville announced last week it is out of the running.

The town does not have the land or the money, Mayor Wayne Emmerson said. The town should have been working on its pitch more than a year ago, he added.

York U. will hear from each interested municipality privately, Markham development services commissioner Jim Baird said.

In December, the province released its post-secondary institution expansion policy, where the province will issue a call for expansion projects from interested institutions. Proposals will be reviewed and finalized by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.