These were historic moments for the University, the City of Markham and York Region. York’s vision for a state-of-the-art campus, was firmly rooted in its confidence that the University could leverage its strengths and contributions by working in close collaboration with the City of Markham, contributing not only to the city but also York Region and the Province of Ontario.

The new Markham Centre Campus consolidates and expands York University’s already strong academic presence in the City of Markham and York Region through YSpace, the IBM Innovation Space – Markham Convergence Centre and a partnership with IBM. In addition to York’s academic presence, the University has been increasingly involved and engaged with both the City of Markham and York Region communities.

In the City of Markham, York participated in several high-profile community events including:

• The 2019 and 2020 Lunar New Year Festival hosted by City of Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti.
• The February 2020 Markham Community Skate Day at the Markham Civic Centre.
• The 2018 and 2019 Markham Santa Claus Parades.

York University also signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with City of Markham, providing the University with a significant presence at four major municipal events each year. The events are the Markham Youth Expo, Markham’s Canada Day Event, the Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival and the Markham Santa Claus Parade.

York has also been involved in several major events and activities in York Region, including.

• A major memorandum of understanding with Mackenzie Health in the communities of Vaughan and Richmond Hill that will focus on developing collaboration opportunities in the areas of education, and community and professional development as well as health research and innovation.
• The Vaughan Health Centre Precinct, which is a partnership between the City of Vaughan, Mackenzie Health, VentureLab and York University that will explore collaborative opportunities in the spaces around the new Cortellucci-Vaughan Hospital.

During the pandemic, the University has also been helping to support local businesses across York Region.  This work has involved the following activities:

• Supporting the Digital Mainstreet and ShopHere programs through the involvement Schulich School of Business student interns.
• Sector-specific roundtables for Newmarket Chamber of Commerce Members facilitated by subject matter experts from the Schulich School of Business.
• Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC) participation in the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce “Business Thrives” Conference.
• Partnership between SEEC and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Business Recovery Hub.
• Participation by York University on York Region’s Human Services Planning Board and in the York Region Business Recovery Support Partnership.

As construction of the new campus continues with an anticipated opening in the fall of 2023, the University continues to embrace its involvement in the City of Markham and York Region communities and in future projects and events.

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Ensuring that Indigenous traditions and values are honoured and reflected in the design of York University’s Markham Centre Campus (MCC) remains a high priority for the University as plans for the campus continue to be developed.

The site of the new campus is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. A formal acknowledgement ceremony recognizing the traditional land and the site’s Indigenous heritage was held in July 2018 before construction broke ground.

In its design, the MCC will incorporate several key principles that are included in York University's , which was developed by the Indigenous Council, an independent body that advises the University on Indigenous initiatives, with the support from other Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

The design of the new campus directly addresses three of the key principles outlined in the Indigenous framework:

• Engage with Indigenous communities to enrich the learning process.
• Establish spaces for Indigenous cultures and community within the University.
• Ensure that the perceptions and experiences of Indigenous community members are reflected in the classroom, on campus and in university life.

The MCC will provide places for Indigenous cultures and community within the University that support Indigenous life, cultures and traditions. The design of the building and landscaped areas includes several features that respond to the needs of Indigenous communities within and around the University’s new campus. These include an outdoor learning circle surrounded by sacred plant species that grow in our region; the organic form of the building and its main public spaces; a large multifaith space on the second level that is equipped to enable smudging ceremonies; the use of natural materials of wood and stone; as well as an overall atmosphere within public spaces where Indigenous values are present.

Development of these design features has been undertaken in collaboration with the University’s Indigenous leaders and academic staff, and as plans for the new campus continue to unfold, Indigenous communities both inside and outside York University will remain engaged as key partners in the process.  

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The pan-University Markham Research, Innovation and Research Partnerships committee (RIRP), headed by Vice-President Research and Innovation Amir Asif, is exploring research areas that align closely with academic programs at the new campus, and will tap into the spirit of research and innovation already happening in the City of Markham and across York Region. The goal is to create a distinct vision that will encourage synergies, while avoiding duplication with the University's Keele and Glendon campuses.

“The research will have a strong interdisciplinary focus and be collaborative with tri-councils, local industry and regional organizations, and should enhance and engage research and innovation across all York University campuses,” says Asif. “The initial goal is to establish several transdisciplinary research and innovation clusters at the new campus, which will be complemented by the strong entrepreneurship focus already established with Markham Centre by YSpace Markham.”

RIRP has the primary responsibility for developing and implementing research and innovation plans for MCC with recommendations flowing to the Markham Steering Committee and the Academic Policy, Planning and Research Committee.

“MCC is a once in a lifetime opportunity for faculty members and University administrators to become part of building research programs from the ground up. It’s an opportunity for us to do something unique,” says Asif.

The three research clusters emerging as the most likely eventual candidates are Artificial Intelligence and Society (AI), Digital Cultures, and Financial Technology (FinTech), but consultation is ongoing. York’s Artificial Intelligence and Society Task Force is already looking at AI scholarship in a holistic way that includes development of new AI technologies  and applications in numerous fields, and how it could have a presence at the Markham Centre campus.

“MCC will be a research-intensive centre on par with the Keele and Glendon campuses with research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. It will be important to build on existing research and innovation partnerships and expand on those with our researchers,” says Asif.

Having experiential education opportunities such as placements of undergraduate and graduate students in industry and community organizations as well as those within the York start-up ecosystem is another important element the team is working toward.

“One big advantage of the MCC is that industry is right in our neighbourhood, which would allow for many different research partnerships, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities, not only for Faculty members, but also for our undergraduate and graduate students,” says Asif. “York Region is Canada’s second largest technology hub, and that could lead to interesting research and innovation possibilities for York researchers.”

Collaborating with industry, social organizations and the community will allow for a flow of ideas both ways. Students and faculty members will have the opportunity to connect with industry and community organizations and have opportunities to innovate, solve socially relevant problems and collaborate on new initiatives. In addition, will deliver entrepreneurial programming to mentor student and community entrepreneurs in developing, launching and growing their start-up ventures, as well as support Faculties and research clusters to connect to and leverage the entrepreneurial ecosystem in York Region. 

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The new $275.5 million campus, the biggest expansion project undertaken by York University since the development of the central Keele Campus more than 40 years ago, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023, with a first phase accommodating a projected 4,200 students.

Situated in the heart of the City of Markham, the campus will be located on approximately 4.5 acres of land bounded by Enterprise Boulevard and Rivis Road.

Diamond Schmitt Architects, working in consultation with York University, created a design that brings together social justice values, sustainability and high tech within a seamless whole. The building and surrounding landscaped areas derive from a series of architectural design principles, explains the project’s Managing Principal Architect Greg Colucci, each supporting and strengthening York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton’s overarching vision for the new campus – a destination focused on accessibility, connectedness, impact and excellence. Here’s how:

Accessibility

• The overall design of this accessible building creates a collegial academic community for faculty, staff and students within a series of interconnected, multi-storey spaces for community gathering and interaction.
• Bright and natural light binds the stacked campus together, featuring large and small common areas encouraging student interaction throughout the building.
• Academic learning and research spaces are highly flexible, allowing various modes of curriculum delivery.
• A range of design features enable access to those with disabilities including induction hearing loops, tactile warning strips, universal washrooms on every floor, additional clearances around doorways and many other features.
• Through its proximity to the Unionville transit hub, highway 407, major roads, bicycle paths and the Rouge Valley Greenway, the site is accessible to students, staff and faculty from across York Region and beyond.

 Connectedness

• The building is open, transparent and a vertical, accessible campus that is fully integrated with Markham’s diverse and growing network of commerce, athletics, arts, and entrepreneurial activity.
• Interconnected, multi-storey interior spaces link to the sloping Campus Green at each of the building’s first three levels: creating a continuous sequence of informal interior and exterior public spaces.
• The Campus Green provides a unique outdoor focal point for social gathering, Indigenous learning and respite. Low-incline curved pathways connect with a nearby civic athletic centre, transit hub, cinemas and commercial district.

Impact

• The building’s organic form distinguishes the University campus as a landmark within Markham Centre, providing a softer, welcoming appeal to those who use it and pass by.
• Elevated floor-to-floor heights; permeability and transparency at grade levels; variegated patterns of vision glass and bronze anodized aluminum panels; deep building recesses at mid-levels and curved building lines in plan are specific details that further distinguish the University building within its context.

Excellence

• Significant sustainable features are embedded in the design to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and lower energy consumption through its operation.
• Through a design focused on student life and connection with the community, this sustainable, state-of-the-art campus provides a landmark destination that will serve as a catalyst for this rapidly growing region and be an inspiration for the next generation of post-secondary learning.

“I think the design is very effective in fulfilling the objectives set by President Lenton”, says Colucci." The new campus will be a dynamic, distinctive, highly accessible and enjoyable learning environment for students and faculty.”

The 10-storey building will also include a large multifaith space equipped to enable smudging ceremonies and an outdoor learning circle surrounded by sacred plant species indigenous to the region. The campus site will also feature designated accessible parking, service dog relief areas and exterior wheel-chair friendly ramps throughout landscaped areas to enable people with disabilities to access all parts of the campus common.

Energy efficiency is also built into the design to achieve LEED Silver as a minimum sustainability standard. The plan is to add more sustainable elements to the building going forward, including student engagement and wellness areas, to allow the building to attain LEED Gold certification status. 

I think that once open, we will have a really beautiful and functional building,” says YUDC President Gary Brewer, who is managing the delivery of the new MCC project for the University. “It’s going to be an iconic structure that I think will showcase well in Markham Centre, and make all of us at York feel proud.”

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And now, that vision is becoming a reality. Last July, we announced that we would be moving ahead with a new Markham Centre Campus, and in September, we officially broke ground. When we open the doors to the campus in 2023, we will offer flexible programs that respond to the needs of the region’s students and employers – including in business, digital media, engineering and technology, entrepreneurship, new media and communications – and research that addresses the complex global challenges affecting the world today.

York University has an extensive history of engagement with York Region, which has steadily increased over the years to keep pace with the incredible growth of the region’s population and industry. is a major partner in the IBM Innovation Space-Markham Convergence Centre, and York’s innovation hub, , supports budding entrepreneurs in Markham. York also introduced academic programming in Markham for the first time in fall 2019, with classes at the IBM Canada headquarters. 

The idea for York’s Markham Centre Campus came from local interest, and we hope that local community members, businesses and other stakeholders will continue to be engaged at every step of the process. In addition to our regular community town halls, we will soon be organizing roundtables and focus groups with prospective students, parents, employers and community members to seek feedback on our academic programs.

The Markham Centre Campus has always been a collaborative endeavour for York, and we want to ensure that it serves the needs of local students, professionals, entrepreneurs, businesses, governments and citizens. We see the campus as an opportunity for us to strengthen cross-sector collaboration in driving positive change and building resilient and sustainable communities. If you have ideas for the new campus or how you or your organization can collaborate with us, I encourage you to visit or to email us at markham@yorku.ca.

Thank you for your ongoing support of York’s new Markham Centre Campus, and for sharing our vision for a state-of-the-art campus that will provide the next generation of students with increased access to a high-quality, research-intensive learning experience closer to home.

Sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor

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“Through its new social procurement program, York University is exploring ways to consider how our purchasing across capital projects and our supply chains can positively impact the social well-being of our surrounding communities and reduce poverty, promote economic and social inclusion, and support local economic development and social enterprise,” says Dexter King, director of procurement services for York University.

York’s Social Procurement Policy, which underpins the program, supports the University’s vision, policies and role as an to create a responsible and sustainable supply chain process. The policy promotes equal opportunity and inclusion by removing barriers experienced by those equity seeking communities and others who disproportionately experience unemployment, underemployment and discrimination.

Over time, King says the goal is to build a culture of social procurement at the University by leveraging the institution’s purchasing processes to benefit local economies, establishing an effective balance between equity goals, accountability, transparency and efficiency.

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“Those building blocks have informed our decision to offer programs that prepare students for life and work in York Region, by focusing on themes of technology and entrepreneurship and how these are changing all fields of study, from the sciences to the arts and the professions,” says York University’s Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps.  “By pursuing these themes in credit and non-credit programming at all levels, we reflect the intersection between new academic directions and York Region’s economic and civic landscape.”

When the doors to MCC open in 2023, undergraduate students will begin studies in computer science and digital technologies, creative technologies, financial technology, communications, sports management, or business with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation. All these areas of specialization will also provide opportunities for students to learn from each other and collaborate across programs.

“Integration is also a key aspect of our MCC planning, and this takes many shapes and forms,” says Philipps. “York Region industries, businesses and organizations have taken a keen interest in MCC, and we are planning focused discussions so University colleagues and the York Region community can get to know each other better and begin the work of creating the experiential education and work-integrated learning opportunities we expect every student to have.” These conversations also include graduate programs in management, biotechnology, and public policy, administration and law, as well as offerings provided by York University’s School of Continuing Studies, adds Philipps, noting that all these subject areas address current and emerging areas of interest for the community.

Undergraduate student experience would not be complete without exploration and education beyond their areas of specialization. The University’s Markham Academic Program and Curriculum working group has just begun to turn its attention to the broader conversation of how elective courses will be offered and how Libraries and Student Services can contribute to student learning and development at MCC. Led by the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, Lassonde School of Engineering, and the Faculty of Science,  (all involved in offering undergraduate programs in Phase 1 of MCC), this process will involve consultation across York University and opportunities to propose additional course offerings. 

Students enrolled at MCC will have access to courses at Keele and Glendon, however, the University is committed to ensuring that students can complete all their requirements on site if preferred.

“Online and hybrid models of course delivery will likely play a role in expanding access to an array of courses,” says Philipps “And we also anticipate that some of the MCC offerings will appeal broadly to York students. Indeed, paying close attention to movement back and forth from MCC, and connecting all our campuses virtually, will be invaluable for our ongoing planning both to improve the initial suite of programs and to add new ones.”

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