A vibrant mix of activities will be available on the streets and squares where people live, work, shop and play.

A Place for All:
A community-wide focus for cultural, entertainment and institutional activities will be provided for all the residents and businesses of Markham.

A Vibrant Centre:
A vibrant mix of activities will be available on the streets and squares where people live, work, shop and play.

A Sense of Place:
Public spaces and public Streets framed by human-scale buildings with high-quality design that generates an attractive and comfortable environment.

A Community Integrated with Nature:
The Rouge River valley is a green spine connecting the broader Markham community to its Centre and knitting the Markham Centre community together.

A "Walkable" Downtown:
A place where pedestrians move safely, easily and comfortably on streets and in public spaces, gaining equality with the automobile.

An Accessible Centre:
A high-performance, accessible transit system will be supported by a highly connected roads to allow for easy movement to and around Markham Centre.

In the early ’90s, Markham set out on a path that would protect our natural environment and give residents the quality of life they expect. The idea was to limit outward expansion and concentrate our growth on a vibrant centre that would emphasize mixed use development and rapid transit. In other words, we would build a community where people come first.

Markham Centre, the 988 acre area between Highways 7 and 407, around Warden Avenue, is regarded as a model for sustainable development. It will have a distinctly urban character – higher density development with strong streetscapes – complemented by ample green spaces. It will provide a diverse range of housing opportunities to encourage seniors, singles, empty-nesters and families to live and work in our community.

Markham Centre will be integrated into the natural beauty of the Rouge River Valley, with a walkable downtown and a high-performance transit system. When finished, it will be a place where residents, businesses, culture, entertainment and institutions thrive side by side.

Putting people and families first, bringing jobs closer to home, and protecting our environment – this is the vision for Markham Centre, and that vision is now well on its way to becoming reality.