Summer 2025 Newsletter
- imews6
- Aug 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 18
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Development News
Yonge Corridor Secondary Plan Study
On June 23, 2025, RORA attended the City of Markham Stakeholder Workshop on the Yonge Corridor Secondary Plan Study – Interim Report. The purpose of this session was for the consultants to seek stakeholder feedback on the proposed directions set out in the Interim Report. The Study area is bound by Yonge Street to the west, the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery to the north, Dudley Avenue and Inverlochy Boulevard to the east and Steeles Avenue to the south. The Interim Report can be accessed at https://yourvoicemarkham.ca/yongecorridor
The Interim Report’s draft directions promote a “compact, transit-oriented urban form, with significant intensification around the three subway stations – Steeles, Clark and Royal Orchard”. The densities are projected to bring 58,700 new residents. Currently, the population for all of Ward 1 is 45,000 residents.
Workshop participants were asked to flag two or three key concerns or opportunities in response to the emerging directions. Non-developer participants overwhelmingly expressed concerns about building heights and the overall built form strategy. RORA also raised concerns regarding the over-reliance on residential and the lack of employment and commercial opportunities.
There were continuing concerns with:
the lack of green space and whether new parks would be delivered;
the lack of clarity on how new infrastructure would be funded and built (water, wastewater and stormwater systems) given Bill 17 -- the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025;
the lack of amenities (e.g., schools, libraries, community centres, services) to support a “complete” community;
the adequacy of the new Yonge North Subway Extension to support the proposed densities on Yonge Street (estimated 58,700 new residents) and at the Bridge and High Tech Transit-Oriented Communities (estimated 80,000 new residents).
The consultants committed to using the input shared by participants to refine and update the Interim Report which will form the basis of the study’s Final Report and draft Secondary Plan. As the Yonge Corridor Secondary Plan Study moves forward, it is more important than ever that YOU become involved. Subscribe to Your Yonge Corridor to receive updates and notifications of public meetings: https://yourvoicemarkham.ca/yongecorridor
Yonge North Subway Extension
Advance Tunnelling Contract
The Ontario government announced on August 6, 2025, that North End Connectors has been awarded a contract to design and build the tunnels for the subway extension. The contract was awarded through a competitive procurement process led by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.
The construction team is comprised of the following firms:
Applicant Leads: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd., Ghella Canada Ltd.
Construction Prime Team Members: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd., Ghella Canada Ltd.
Design Prime Team Members: EXP Services Inc., TYPSA Inc.
Previously, Metrolinx committed to holding a Town House with the Royal Orchard community after the advance tunnelling contract has been awarded. With the achievement of this milestone, RORA will work with Metrolinx to hold a fall Town Hall. This may be an opportunity for the tunnelling team to meet with our community and hear directly our concerns.
Emergency Exit Buildings (EEBs)
As residents may recall, there will be two EEBs located within the Royal Orchard community. There is considerable concern regarding the placement and construction of these two EEB’s in our community. Metrolinx had previously advised that they would be holding a summer Open House at their Community Office to provide residents with more information on EEBs. Subject matter experts would be at the Open House to answer residents’ questions. While we wait for Metrolinx to finalize planning for this Open House, we could look at progress with other provincial transit projects to get an idea on how EEB’s will be constructed.
In its April 2022 newsletter, Metrolinx outlined the first steps needed to build stations and EEBs for the new Scarborough Subway line. “Headwalls” were created to support the construction and installation of future stations and EEBs (https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/headwall-construction-begins-for-scarborough-subway-extension).
Metrolinx described “headwalls” as “underground support structures made up of a series of
concrete columns, called piles, that create a watertight wall around the area of future subway stations and emergency exit buildings”. Furthermore, “piles [are] drilled into the ground using large drill rigs, which are usually over 33 metres high… Approximately 19 piles will be required for each headwall.”(photo above of a drill rig used for piling at the Scarborough subway extension launch shaft site).
Metrolinx further noted that “At each future station and emergency exit building site, crews [would] be installing a pair of headwalls to mark where the buildings will start and end. After the tunnel boring machine bores through these headwalls and tunnelling is completed, the successful stations, rail and systems (SRS) contractor will use the headwalls as frames to complete building the future stations and emergency exit buildings… The headwalls need to go deeper than the future tunnels to ensure that water and soil don’t disrupt the area during tunnelling or construction.”
In their newsletter, Metrolinx estimated that it would take “crews roughly four to six months to build each headwall”.
Based on this information, we could anticipate 33 metres high drill rigs parked on Inverlochy Blvd and Kirk Drive for up to a year for the construction of four headwalls. This is particularly worrisome for the Kirk location given its proximity to St. Anthony’s Catholic Elementary School and the impact on children’s safety and learning. Metrolinx has stressed that specific details related to the EEBs in the Royal Orchard community have not been finalized.
We urge all residents to attend the EEB Open House to better understand the scope and impact of the EEB construction on our community.
Neighbourhood Watch
It’s official! The Neighbourhood Watch signs are up in our community. We want to thank York Regional Police and the City of Markham for making this happen.
Neighbourhood Watch aims to reduce crime through the active participation of residents in crime prevention. It involves working with neighbours to keep an eye on each other's property and reporting suspicious activity.
If you are interested in joining us to keep our community safe, please contact us at: royalorchardra@gmail.com
Movie Magic
Many thanks to Sam and Nancy Cuda for hosting our very first “Movie Under the Stars” with a gala showing of Night at the Museum. And a huge shoutout to Willow, one of our brilliant young residents, who set up a table of beautiful handcrafted items to raise money for Ronald McDonald House. Altogether, $495 was raised. Close to 300 people attended -- it was a wonderful evening of community generosity and kindness.
RORA Membership
If you found this newsletter informative and our work of value, please join RORA or renew your membership. Membership is $20 annually. Joining or renewing is easy. Go to: https://www.royalorchardra.ca/join
Together we are stronger!
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