In 2016, Markham launched the Cat Adoption & Education Centre – the first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area – located at Thornhill Community Centre & Library. It is the first municipally funded cat adoption storefront in Ontario, housing 18 cats on a regular basis and provides a convenient, accessible location for adoption and education services.
To date, the Adoption Centre has helped find over 800 felines a new home, welcomed approximately 60,000 visitors, hosted countless community events and logged over 3,000 volunteer hours. The Cat Adoption & Education Centre operates in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and provides a unique solution towards reducing cat euthanasia rates in the Region.