What do new development applications near transit mean for Markham homeowners?

Why Markham Is Growing Around Transit

Ontario directs most new housing to places where people can take transit. Markham signed a pledge with the Province on 22 March 2023 to help deliver 44,000 new homes by 2031. Much of that growth is planned along Highway 7, Markham Road, Leslie Street and around GO stations.

Michael John Lau, a REALTOR® with the Kaizen Real Estate Team, one of the most active real estate teams in Markham and York Region, checks the City’s current planning applications for any nearby file before clients set a list price or firm up a purchase, so there are no surprises on the street.

A major transit station area is the land within about 500 to 800 metres of a station, roughly a 10-minute walk. York Region’s 2022 Official Plan, which still applies in Markham after the Region’s planning role moved to local cities on 1 July 2024, sets these targets for some Markham stations:

Provincial rules also changed what gets built. Since Bill 185 received Royal Assent on 6 June 2024, Ontario cities cannot require minimum parking in protected major transit station areas. That is one reason some new proposals include far fewer parking spaces than units. For the transit side of the story, see whether bus rapid transit is expanding in Markham.

Five Applications Worth Watching

These five files appear on the City of Markham’s current planning applications page, with public meetings held between March and June 2026. The details below come from each Public Meeting Information Report.

Highway 7 East near Warden

The current designation allows up to 3.5 storeys and a density of 2.0 times the lot area. The owners are asking for 12 storeys and 4.4. About 75% of the proposed units are one-bedroom.

Markham Road near Mount Joy GO

This is the densest file in the group: 1,218 units with 453 parking spaces. Council approved a Markham Road and Mount Joy Secondary Plan on 27 June 2024, but it was appealed. While it is under appeal, the older 1987 Official Plan still applies.

Leslie Street and Commerce Valley

These lands sit in the Leslie-Highway 7 protected station area, but they are designated for office and employment uses. Approving housing here would mean converting employment land, which is a larger policy question than height alone.

Ferrier Street and Elgin Mills Road

Not every file is about transit. Ferrier Street would rise from a mid-rise limit of 8 storeys to 33. The Elgin Mills Road lands joined the urban area in York Region’s 2022 Official Plan and would add low-rise family homes.

A Proposal Is Not an Approval

City staff describe these reports as “preliminary information” that “should not be taken as Staff’s opinion or recommendation.” Here is the usual path from proposal to keys:

1. Application deemed complete. The Planning Act clock starts.
2. Public meeting. Residents can speak or send written comments to Development Services Committee.
3. Revisions. Owners often change heights, unit counts or parking after comments.
4. Recommendation report and Council decision.
5. Appeal window. If Council does not decide within 120 days for an Official Plan and zoning file, or 90 days for zoning only, the owner can appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
6. Site plan, sales, permits and construction. This stage alone can take years.

One change matters for neighbours. Since June 2024, most third parties, including residents and ratepayer groups, can no longer appeal a Council approval to the Ontario Land Tribunal. The public meeting is now the main place where a neighbour’s voice is heard.

What It Could Mean for Nearby Homeowners

New density brings change. Some of it helps, and some of it takes adjusting to.

• Services. More residents can support new shops, parks and better transit frequency. The 28 Main Street Unionville proposal, for example, includes a 0.45-hectare public park.
• Traffic and construction. Large sites can mean years of construction traffic and busier intersections.
• Schools. School boards plan for new students over time, so nearby schools may change boundaries or add portables.
• Shadows and privacy. Homes directly beside a tower site feel the most change.

What about property values? Some owners worry towers will lower values. Others expect better transit to raise them. There is no published Markham data that shows one clear effect. A home backing onto a construction site and a home a short walk from a new station are in very different positions, so look at your specific street rather than a general rule.

What Buyers and Investors Should Know

For buyers, a planning check is part of good due diligence. Before firming up, look at what the Official Plan allows on nearby lots and whether any applications are active close by.

For investors, the pipeline shows how much new supply may arrive. Beyond the five files above, the City also held public meetings in early 2026 on 1,711 units at 3085 Highway 7 and 401 rental units at 28 Main Street. A large share of proposed units are one-bedroom, which could mean more competition for tenants in that segment when buildings finish. The new rental housing coming to Markham is worth reviewing before buying a unit to rent out.

If you are buying pre-construction, remember that proposals change and timelines stretch. Understand the difference between occupancy and closing before you sign. For a large example already in the pipeline, see the Verdale Crossing and Birchmount proposal in Markham Centre.

How to Follow an Application Near You

1. Check the City’s list. The City of Markham’s Current Planning Applications and Agendas page posts each Public Meeting Information Report.
2. Note the file number. For example, PLAN 25 141723 for Leslie Street. Use it in every email to the City.
3. Send written comments to the City Clerk before the public meeting, and ask to be notified of future reports and decisions.
4. Watch for revisions. A second submission can look very different from the first.
5. Ask for a planning check before you list or buy, so price and timing reflect what may happen nearby.

Next Steps

• Explore Markham neighbourhoods: compare areas by transit, schools and growth plans.
• Request a free home evaluation: see how nearby changes may factor into your home’s value.
• Investing in Markham real estate: review supply, rents and risk before buying near a new tower.

Work With Michael John Lau in Markham

Michael John Lau helps Markham homeowners and buyers understand what is planned around a property before making a decision. That includes checking active applications, reading Official Plan designations, and explaining what each stage means for price and timing. Ultimately, the decision is yours. The goal is to make sure you have all the information.

📞 Contact Michael John Lau, REALTOR®
🌐 www.callmikelau.com

Michael John Lau, REALTOR® · Markham, Ontario · (416) 700-0286
Disclaimer. Michael John Lau is a licensed REALTOR® serving buyers and sellers in Markham, Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. Application details in this article come from City of Markham Public Meeting Information Reports for meetings held between March and June 2026, the York Region Official Plan 2022, the City of Markham’s housing pledge of March 2023, and Ontario’s Bill 185 (June 2024), as available on 2 October 2026. Proposals can change or be refused. This article is general information, not legal, tax, planning or financial advice. Speak to a lawyer, a land use planner or the City of Markham about a specific property.