More Housing Options in the Box Grove Community

Housing is the foundation of strong and caring communities. Safe, secure and affordable housing is essential for everyone. Community housing provides subsidized or affordable rents to households with low and moderate incomes, delivered by non-profit and cooperative housing providers and Housing York Inc. At the end of 2021, there were more than 15,600 households on the wait list for affordable housing in York Region. 

Affordable housing is one of the greatest challenges facing the Region today. In the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, York Region has the lowest proportion of rental housing at 14%, and the highest proportion of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs, with 52% of renters facing affordability challenges. In early 2021, York Regional Council passed a resolution declaring a housing affordability crisis. York Regional Council is committed to building complete communities with a full range of housing options and services to support residents at all ages and stages of their lives. This commitment includes investing in community housing.

The property at the corner of 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway is owned by York Region, and a portion of the site is already home to some critical underground infrastructure The site  was selected for housing based on the established need for affordable housing in Markham, the existing neighbourhood that includes numerous parks, shops, and community amenities, and it’s alignment with City and Regional land use planning objectives. The site is located close to schools, the Box Grove Community Centre, cycling routes and the Rouge National Urban Park. Major shopping centres with grocery stores, medical offices and daycare are within 1.5 kilometres of the site. The site is serviced by York Region Transit.

There is a significant need for affordable housing options in the City of Markham. Research shows:

• One-in-three households in Markham have housing affordability issues
• Nearly one-in-five households in Markham are spending 50% or more of their income on housing alone
• Average price of a resale home in Markham has doubled over the last 10 years
• Average market rent is increasing faster than inflation

The proposed location at 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway provides an opportunity to help address the significant need for more housing options.

York Region started the planning process and community engagement early on to ensure the site is development ready for the future. At this stage, we are exploring provincial and federal funding opportunities. Construction will not begin until funding is secured, and all planning applications and building permits have been approved by the City. Once funding is secured, and development plans are finalized and approved by the City, the earliest construction could start would be in 2023.

The preliminary proposal included two buildings between four and six storeys in height with both affordable and market rental units.

York Region submitted the proposal in an initial planning application to the City of Markham in January 2022. The application has been reviewed by City departments and other commenting agencies like the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. The proposal was shared at a Statutory  Public Meeting held by the City of Markham in June 2022.

We are currently incorporating feedback and making improvements to the plans. There will be further opportunities for community members to ask questions and provide feedback for consideration as plans progress.

The development proposal will also be subject to Site Plan Control. Through the Site Plan Application process the City will review the design and layout of the development including building location, landscaping, parking, drainage, pedestrian access, sidewalk improvements, etc. to ensure compliance with City standards and urban design guidelines.

Yes! All new HYI developments take great consideration of the existing neighbourhood context, and this is reflected in the high-quality building materials and design elements incorporated in the final plans for the development. For examples of recently completed York Region community housing developments and design features, please visit the New Developments and Proposed Projects page. 

As part of the required planning approvals process, a traffic impact study has been completed to look at how the development will impact the transportation network. Traffic counts of existing traffic are done to better understand current traffic flow, and then projections for the future traffic caused by the new development are considered. A detailed analysis is undertaken, and findings are incorporated into the consultants final report, which is distributed to the City for consideration There is a trunk sewer located on the property and access must be maintained. This portion of the property will not be developed. This impacts the design and the location of entrances/exits to the site. 

Any development  would also include installing sidewalks at the front of the site along 14th Avenue. York Region and the City of Markham are working closely to establish sidewalk and road connections.   

The new development will provide housing for seniors, families and individuals. The building will offer a mix of affordable and market rent units. Typically, a new Housing York Inc. building has 30% of apartments for rent to the general public at market rental prices, and 70% of apartments at rents that vary, but are approximately one third of the residents’ income.

Once construction is complete,  apartments will be offered to eligible people who are on the top of  York Region’s centralized wait list for affordable housing  

Market rent vacancies are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and are open to everyone. More information about market rentals is available at york.ca 

York Region provides high-quality homes that are open to all community members. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. 

We will continue to engage the community throughout the planning and design process.

The City of Markham hosted a Statutory Public Meeting on June 7, 2022 at Development Services Committee where community members were invited to share feedback and ask questions about the proposal. In addition, York Region is planning a second Public Information Centre in Winter 2022/2023 to share project updates and an updated  concept plan that incorporates some community feedback heard to date.

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For more information about this housing development, future engagement opportunities, or the work of the Community Liaison Committee, please contact the project Community Liaison:

Phone: 289-338-8063
Email: @email 

If you have general inquiries, please contact Access York:

Phone: 1-877-464-9675
TTY: 1-866-512-6228
Email: @email