MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Markham Set for Second Year of Zero Tax Rate in 2010
Council approves 2010 budget with no tax rate increase

MARKHAM, ON — November 12, 2009 — Markham Council has approved its 2010 Budget with no tax rate increase for a second consecutive year.

Markham was the only GTA municipality to achieve a zero tax rate in 2009, attributing its success in savings to an extensive program to find efficiencies in its operations and future business practices. Council and staff continued the Excellence through Efficiency and Effectiveness program (E3) in 2009 with a continued focus on how municipal business operations and services could be improved and more cost effective.

"Once again, Council and staff have stepped up to the challenge on behalf of taxpayers," said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. "Throughout 2009, we continued to look for ways to improve our services and reduce costs. And, this year again we have seen positive results including additional savings from the investments we made in key areas. I'm extremely proud of our accomplishment and our ability to hold the line once again on taxes during a fragile economy, and without any reduction in services."

Markham's 2010 budget includes a $153.8 million Operating Budget, $77.9 million Capital Budget, $67.3 million Waterworks Budget, a $7.2 million Building Services Budget, $4.9 million for Planning and Design and $5.1 Engineering Budget for a total of $316.2 million. Overall, Markham receives about 25 cents of every dollar of residential property taxes collected, with the remainder divided between education (25 cents) and the Region of York (50 cents).

Budget Chief and Ward 6 Councillor Dan Horchik said, "Markham was able to hold the line on taxes again this year through revenue enhancements and a number of important expenditure reductions. Energy efficiency programs and reduced fuel costs alone provided $0.65M in savings. We also saved $1 million through an innovative pavement preservation strategy that preserves the life of our roads, employs green technologies and recycles aggregates and asphalt; and an additional $300,000 by extending the lifecycle of our fleet vehicles. These expenditure reductions, along with revenue enhancements, such as increased investment income, provided a budget with no tax rate increase in 2010."

Mayor Scarpitti remarked, "We began E3 over two years ago when we detected a worsening economy. This way of doing business is now an integral part of our annual business planning process. The fact we are able to achieve these cost reductions and efficiencies without using our reserves, or reducing staff levels critical to service delivery, is a great testament to the power of innovation and our strong focus on continuous improvement."

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2010 Budget Presentation  (1MB/39p)
November 4, 2009 Public Meeting

Some of the projects and priorities funded in the 2010 budget include:

Infrastructure Stimulus Fund and Recreational Infrastructure Canada

• There was $13.2 million committed through the federal-provincial stimulus program. The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and Markham each contribute $4.4 million to fund the Thornhill Community Centre and Library renovations and addition; Facility accessibility and energy retrofits; and an Emergency Operations Centre retrofit.
  
  
• Under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada and Recreation Ontario programs, the Governments of Canada and Ontario contributed $5.13 million and Markham $3.3 million to fund an Outdoor Civic Centre artificial ice rink; the St. Roberts Catholic High School artificial turf and bubble and the Angus Glen Community Centre tennis courts and facility.

Environment

• Continuing the Green Print Community Sustainability Plan
  
  
• Continuing to fund Trees for Tomorrow – year four of four – with new tree planting in parks and replacement of trees – with 75,000 trees planted by 2010
  
  
• New waste management recycling programs
  
  
• Erosion protection and ongoing maintenance of stormwater management ponds

Diversity

• Increased funding and support for facility accessibility retrofits
  
  
• Continuing to be involved in the Career Bridge/Ability Edge program – an internship program that provides employment opportunities for foreign trained immigrants in their field of expertise
  
  
• Continuing to provide Language Line interpretive services in more than 170 languages

Transportation and Transit

• Work on the Rodick Road extension from 14th Avenue to Esna Park
  
  
• Main Street, Markham – design of road improvements
  
  
• Work on traffic control signals and intersection improvements
  
  
• Continued streetlight replacements and upgrades; illumination and sidewalk programs
  
  
• Work on Highway 404 mid-block crossing, north of Highway 7
  
  
• Continuation of the travel demand management program – a car pooling program to promote the reduction of single-person vehicle use

Managed Growth

• Construction of the Cornell Fire Station
  
  
• New parks, design and construction for: Box Grove Town Centre Gateway Parkette; Greensborough Woodlot Playground; Cornell Greenway; design of South Unionville Ray St. Parkette; Playground and waterplay area for Victoria Square/Cathedraltown; first phase of Tridel/Circa Linear Park east
  
  
• Development of guidelines and policies to support a made-in-Markham strategy for community growth

Parks, Recreation, Culture& Library Master Plan/Public Safety

• Funding for renovations and addition at the Thornhill Community Centre and Library
  
  
• Update of the Fire Services master plan
  
  
• Ongoing work on the integrated parks, recreation, culture and library master plan to provide strategic direction for these services being delivered to residents
  
  
• Development of an Emergency Operations Centre

Service Levels

• Ongoing roads rehabilitation program
  
  
• Watermain and sanitary sewer construction and replacement program
  
  
• Facility improvement program at community centres, libraries, fire stations and the Civic Centre
  
  
• Development of Markham Main Street permanent washrooms and storage facility
  
  
• Upgrade at Milliken Mills Community Centre pool

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Dennis Flaherty, Markham
905-415-7520
dflaherty@markham.ca

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