MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Ward 3 By-election Called by Markham Council
Councillor Joseph Virgilio Appointed to Vacant Regional Councillor Seat

MARKHAM, ON — September 16, 2009 — At the September 15, 2009 Council meeting, Members of Markham Council appointed Ward 3 Councillor Joseph Virgilio to the Regional Councillor seat left vacant as a result of the passing of Regional Councillor Tony C. Wong.

As a result, a by-election has been called for Markham’s Ward 3 – bordered by 16th Avenue in the north, Hwy 407 in the south, McCowan Road in the east and Warden Avenue in the west.

Candidate nominations begin Wednesday, September 23, 2009 and will be open until 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 9 (Nomination Day). To run as a candidate, an individual must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• 18 years of age or older;
• The owner or tenant of property in the Town of Markham or the spouse of such an owner or tenant; and
• Not legally disqualified from running for office.

A Candidate Information Session will be held Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at the Markham Civic Centre.

Voting Day has been set for Monday, November 23, 2009. On this day, eligible voters in Ward 3 will have an opportunity to vote to elect a new local Councillor, who will serve the remainder of the current term of Council, ending November 30, 2010.

The Town of Markham will also be recruiting for a variety of temporary customer-service focused election officials to assist with the by-election.

Candidate nomination forms, as well as general information on candidate nominations, voter eligibility, key dates and election employment opportunities will be available online at www.markham.ca starting Monday, September 21, 2009.

Candidate nomination forms will also be available from the Clerks Department, located at the Markham Civic Centre, 101 Town Centre Blvd. A prescribed nomination fee of $100 must be paid when the nomination form is submitted.

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Markham, a municipality of over 300,000 residents centrally located in the Greater Toronto area, is Canada's most diverse community and home to many of Canada's leading life science and technology businesses. It is renowned for a rich heritage, vibrant neighbourhoods, and leadership on the environment and urban design.

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