York Regional Council – Thursday, January 29, 2026

February 12, 2026

Live streaming of the public session of Council and Committee of the Whole meetings is available on the day of the meeting from 9 a.m. until the close of the meeting. Past sessions are available at york.ca/CouncilAndCommittee

York Region advancing community safety and well-being through collaborative actions

York Regional Council received a progress update on the Community Safety and Well-being Plan, which continues to strengthen safety, improve access to services and support residents across York Region. Guided by a provincial framework and local priorities, this plan uses a placed-based approach to address risks and deliver community-driven solutions in collaboration with York Regional Police, local municipalities and community partners.

In 2025, initiatives supported by Community Action Tables and the Building Safer Communities Fund reached more than 24,900 residents, with 99% of initiatives completed or in progress. Building on these successes, York Region will continue expanding programs, gathering targeted feedback and updating the plan for Council consideration in early 2027.

For more information on the Community Safety and Well-being Plan, visit york.ca/CommunityAction

Ontario’s 2026 Budget consultation process

Regional Council received an update on York Region’s participation in the Province of Ontario’s 2026 Budget consultation process. As in previous years, the Ontario Minister of Finance invited stakeholders, including York Region, to provide input into the provincial budget process, which ran from December 4, 2025, to January 30, 2026.

As part of the Regional Council-endorsed 2026 capital plan, $2.2 billion in critical investments from senior levels of government is needed to support housing and transit initiatives, including $216 million to meet the Province’s one-third share toward approximately 1,345 community housing units and $1.9 billion for two new bus rapid transit projects along Jane Street in the City of Vaughan and Highway 7 East in the City of Markham.

York Region is committed to ongoing advocacy efforts to advance Regional priorities and will continue to monitor provincial budget announcements, expected in spring 2026.

York Region establishes municipal insurance pool

Regional Council approved the establishment of the York Region Municipalities Insurance Pool program.

Implementing an insurance pool increases purchasing ability and lowers overall cost of insurance for participating cities and towns by offering greater premium stability than if coverage was purchased directly from an insurance provider individually. Analysis of financial viability and sustainability indicates potential insurance cost savings of approximately 20% or $5.5 million annually for York Region and participating municipalities.

An Insurance Pool Board will be established to direct future decisions and oversee management of the insurance pool. York Region has been selected as host and will provide management and administrative functions needed to support the pool. This includes implementing proactive risk-management practices, standardized claims handling, contract reviews, accounting services and consistent operating procedures across all participating municipalities.

The pool is set to launch on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, with interested municipalities seeking prior approval from their respective municipal councils to participate.

Audit Committee and Audit Services Charter updates

Regional Council approved revisions to the Audit Committee Charter and the Audit Services Branch Charter to clarify roles, responsibilities and authority and to align with the Institute of Auditor’s Global Internal Audit Standards. These updates strength oversight of financial reporting, internal controls and audit functions, ensuring York Region continues to uphold best practices in governance and accountability.

York Region recognized as an Age-Friendly Community

Regional Council celebrated York Region’s formal recognition by the Government of Ontario as an Age-Friendly Community, marking an important milestone in the Region’s ongoing commitment to supporting older adults through the 2024 to 2027 Plan to Support Seniors. The designation reflects strong leadership and collaboration across the Seniors Services team, Regional Seniors Core Team, community partners and seniors themselves.

The recognition highlights York Region’s shared commitment to fostering inclusive, accessible and age-friendly communities where older adults can thrive.

York Region response to extreme winter weather

Regional Council thanked staff who worked throughout the holidays and during recent extreme cold and significant snowfall to ensure essential services continued without interruption. Council recognized Public Works, Paramedic Services, Transit, Social Services, street outreach teams and community partners for their professionalism, compassion and commitment in keeping roads safe, communities moving and vulnerable residents supported during challenging winter conditions.

With the older adult population expected to double over the next 30 years, the plan continues to guide actions that promote healthy aging, support aging in the right place and strengthen coordination of services across the community.

Black History Month

Regional Council recognized February as Black History Month, celebrating the achievements, contributions and lived experiences of Black residents and communities. Council also acknowledged the importance of advancing equity, inclusion and belonging across York Region and called on staff and residents to help address systemic barriers and build a more inclusive community for all. 

January Observances

Regional Council recognized the following observances in January 2026:

Next meeting of York Regional Council

The next Meeting of York Regional Council will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the York Region Administrative Centre Council Chambers, located at 17250 Yonge Street in the Town of Newmarket. The Council meeting will be streamed on york.ca/Live 

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to over 1.25 million residents and 57,000 businesses with more than 629,000 employees. More information about York Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

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Media Contact:

Kylie-Anne Doerner, Corporate Communications,
The Regional Municipality of York
Cell: 905-806-7138 
Email: @email