Candidates for Markham Council Pledge Support For Sustaining Markham’s Biodiversity
Candidates for Markham Council say they will support investments and programs that help sustain the biodiversity of Markham’s green spaces and public parks.
In a survey initiated by Friends of Swan Lake Park (“FOSLP”) candidates for Markham Council in the October 2026 municipal elections were asked for their views on issues related to sustaining Markham’s green spaces and the impact of the Mount Joy redevelopment on the Mount Joy Community Centre and neighbouring parks.
FOSLP Chair, Fred Peters, noted that Markham has established meaningful policies for sustaining the biodiversity of our green spaces, but recent staff reports to Council suggest that Markham has not committed adequate resources to implement those policies. The 15 candidates who responded to the FOSLP survey indicated that they would be willing to address those shortcomings by supporting necessary staff increases and encouraging volunteer-led stewardship efforts in Markham’s green spaces.
In June 2026, Markham staff reported that additional staff were needed to address the city-wide backlog of tree maintenance issues. They also noted that current resources are sufficient to address only 7 to 8 of the 41 invasive species of concern, and only on an “opportunistic” basis. The Invasive Species Management Plan approved by Council in 2024 recommended that Markham increase volunteer involvement to help manage the 41 invasive plant species found throughout the city’s green spaces.
Peters noted that other municipalities are successfully turning to partnerships with community stewardship groups to scale their invasive‑species management programs. Toronto’s collaboration with Toronto Nature Stewards shows how modest staff support can unlock the capacity of more than 1,000 trained volunteers, enabling coordinated action across more than 50 parks and addressing nearly all of Markham’s 41 species of concern while Ottawa’s rollout of a city‑wide volunteer‑led program demonstrates the essential role that volunteer stewardship can play in managing our green spaces.
In May 2026, FOSLP requested Council’s approval of a two-year pilot program to remove invasive plant species from Swan Lake Park. FOSLP’s proposal was endorsed by the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of Markham Council.
In June 2026, staff submitted a preliminary report to Council recommending against the program, noting that staff lacked the resources to adequately address all of the oversight-related issues. Council asked staff to report back by February 2027 on FOSLP’s proposed program.
The respondents also expressed support for investments in the Mount Joy Community Centre and neighbouring parks in light of the planned redevelopment of the Mount Joy area, which is expected to house 25,000 new residents.
Most respondents agreed that Markham could do more to help sustain the biodiversity of Swan Lake Park, one of the most biodiverse areas in Markham but threatened by the increasing urbanization of the area. Some candidates indicated they would require additional information before committing to specific enhancements such as adding recreational nodes recommended by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and endorsed by FOSLP.
The attached Appendix summarizes the candidates responses to the 17 survey questions. Candidates were also asked to share their views on what Markham should be doing to enhance the environmental stewardship of the Greenway System and their priorities for Markham’s community facilities and parks.
A detailed summary of the candidates responses is available at Preserving-Markhams-Biodioversity-Survey_Candidate-Responses_Sept-21-2026.pdf
In June, Mayor Scarpitti, on behalf of Markham Council, presented FOSLP with a Certificate of Appreciation for FOSLP’s “valuable contribution to environmental conservation and community engagement”. Peters noted that while Markham could, and should, do more to preserve the biodiversity of our green spaces they should know that volunteer groups like FOSLP are willing to help.
Our thanks to the candidates who took the time to share their views and for their service to our community.
– 30 –
For more information, please contact
Fred Peters, Chair
Friends of Swan Lake Park
416-460-7090
Additional information available at www.friendsofswanlakepark.ca