Photo: ChadPerez49 · CC BY-SA 3.0One councillor per 28,580 residents: Markham is more thinly represented than 97% of Ontario municipalities
Michael Ma (Liberal Party of Canada) is the MP for Markham—Unionville, the riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) that takes in Buttonville. Buttonville sends one MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from Markham—Unionville, though no open record we can reuse gives the name. Buttonville is part of Markham, which elected Frank Scarpitti as mayor in October 2022. These names are from the 2022–26 term: Ontario’s municipalities voted on 26 October 2026, but the province’s open list of the results isn’t out.
What stands out in how Buttonville is governed
Many residents per seat
Across Ontario the median is one seat per 1,540 residents, well under the ratio on Markham council. Council size ↓
Low spending per resident
In 2024, 83% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities spent more per resident than Markham council. Council money ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Buttonville is governed by Markham, with Ontario and Ottawa.
The city council decides local matters.
Spends most on social services and child care, then roads and transit (2024 return).
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Markham is a lower-tier municipality: York Region, the upper tier, has its own council and services over it.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Buttonville, from the most recent elections.
- 1Markham councilelected October 2022Frank Scarpitti
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioMarkham—Unionville
- 3House of CommonsMarkham—Unionville
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Markham council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Frank Scarpitti
- Keith Irish
- Isa Lee
- Amanda Yeung Collucci
- Andrew Keyes
- Reid McAlpine
- Karen Rea
- Ritch Lau
- Juanita Nathan
- Jim Jones
- Joe Li
- Michael Chan
- Alan Ho
13 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor | 44,172 | 64% | Yes |
| Keith Irish | Councillor | 6,095 | 74% | Yes |
| Isa Lee | Councillor | 6,549 | 81% | Yes |
| Amanda Yeung Collucci | Councillor | 4,921 | 79% | Yes |
| Andrew Keyes | Councillor | 5,120 | 73% | Yes |
| Reid McAlpine | Councillor | 5,007 | 57% | Yes |
| Karen Rea | Councillor | 8,563 | 92% | Yes |
| Ritch Lau | Councillor | 3,012 | 36% | No |
| Juanita Nathan | Councillor | 5,388 | 48% | No |
| Jim Jones | Local and Regional Councillor | 26,578 | 13% | Yes |
| Joe Li | Local and Regional Councillor | 25,823 | 12% | Yes |
| Michael Chan | Local and Regional Councillor | 30,095 | 14% | No |
| Alan Ho | Local and Regional Councillor | 24,735 | 12% | Yes |
The mayor is chosen at large; everyone else on Markham council answers to a ward. With 64% of the votes, Frank Scarpitti carried the vote for mayor.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Buttonville voted less than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
32% of those on the list cast a ballot for Markham council on 24 October 2022, fewer than in a typical municipality.
How Buttonville voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Buttonville votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Markham council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario was last elected on 27 February 2025, and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025. Markham votes next on 28 October 2030: the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 sets municipal elections on the fourth Monday in October every four years. Counts from April 2025 can’t appear here, since Elections Canada allows only non-commercial reuse of them.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Buttonville votes in Markham—Unionville for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
MPP: see the legislature’s list
ola.org ↗For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Buttonville votes in Markham—Unionville, which has one MPP. Ontario’s southern ridings copy the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), and the town is placed by them.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Michael Ma represents Markham—Unionville in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Markham—Unionville · Liberal Party of Canada · member since 11 December 2025
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
With Michael Ma, the Liberal Party of Canada counts 71 of the 122 MPs elected in Ontario.
The MP’s record
Michael Ma won the seat as a Conservative Party of Canada candidate and moved to the Liberal Party of Canada on 11 December 2025. Michael Ma was elected to the Commons for the first time in April 2025. Elections Canada’s transposition of the 2021 vote onto today’s Markham—Unionville gives the Liberal Party of Canada 48%, a lead of 5.8 points over the runner-up (Conservative Party of Canada).
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
A new party in Markham—Unionville in 2021: Paul Chiang (Liberal Party of Canada)
These are the 2019 and 2021 results on the 2013 map of Markham—Unionville; its boundaries changed for the 2025 election.
Turnout in Markham—Unionville was 52% in 2021, against 63% nationally. Paul Chiang won the 2021 race in Markham—Unionville for the Liberal Party of Canada, polling 49% and beating Bob Saroya (Conservative Party of Canada) by 2,999 votes. Back in 2019 a different party held it: Bob Saroya (Conservative Party of Canada), on 49%.
All 4 candidates in Markham—Unionville, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Chiang | Liberal Party of Canada | 21,958 | 48.6% |
| Bob Saroya | Conservative Party of Canada | 18,959 | 41.9% |
| Aftab Qureshi | New Democratic Party | 3,001 | 6.6% |
| Elvin Kao | Green Party of Canada | 1,306 | 2.9% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Markham council spends less per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
Long-term debt at Markham council stood at $6.7M, or $18 a resident, below the $440 median. Taxes on property make up 16% of what comes in, less than the province-wide 42%. No service costs more than water, sewers and waste, at $509 per resident and 37% of the total. 1,208 full-time positions are funded, 3.3 per thousand residents. Residents are also served by York Region, which spent $2,226 each across its area, chiefly on social services and child care. In 2024 the median among Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities was $1,901 a resident; Markham council spent $1,381.
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, sewers and waste | $185.8M | $509 | 37% |
| Recreation and culture | $107.4M | $294 | 21% |
| Roads and transit | $72.5M | $198 | 14% |
| Police, fire and protection | $64.6M | $177 | 13% |
| General government | $52.7M | $144 | 10% |
| Planning and development | $21M | $57 | 4% |
| Social services and child care | $212K | $1 | 0% |
| Public health and paramedics | $18K | $0 | 0% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Markham council beside its neighbours
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
How Markham council compares is at the top of the page; here it stands beside its neighbours.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Buttonville is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Election results. Where the page says “today’s boundaries”, it means Elections Canada’s estimate of the 2021 vote on the 2023 ridings; every other count is official and on the 2013 map.
- Which riding. A riding is listed when 5% or more of the place’s 2021 Census residents live in it; the largest share comes first.
- Who holds each seat. Each MP’s name and party are Wikidata’s statements for the 45th Parliament, read in November 2026.
- Not on this page. No party tally for the council, which the open lists don’t record, and no band councils.
- Council money. Per resident means the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals over the population it reports. Since a county or region spends in its lower tiers too, those are compared only with each other.
- Council size. For residents per seat, the head of council is counted as a seat, and the population is the 2021 Census figure.
Questions about how Buttonville is run
Who is the MP for Buttonville?
For Buttonville, it’s Michael Ma (Liberal Party of Canada), who holds Markham—Unionville.
Which party won Buttonville in the 2021 federal election?
The Liberal Party of Canada, with Paul Chiang in Markham—Unionville; since 2025 Michael Ma represents Markham—Unionville.
Who is the MPP for Buttonville?
Markham—Unionville is the riding; its sitting MPP is on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s own list of members for Buttonville and its neighbours.
Who heads the council in Markham?
The open record gives Frank Scarpitti, elected mayor of Markham council in October 2022.
How much does Markham council spend?
In 2024, Markham council spent $504.2M in all, for some 365,051 residents, of which $185.8M went on water, sewers and waste, the biggest line.
Which regional body is Markham part of?
The council of York Region sits above Markham’s and runs region-wide services, police and water among them.
How is Markham council elected?
By ward for councillors and at large for the mayor, on Markham council.
What was the turnout in Buttonville?
32.1% of electors voted when Markham council was elected in October 2022; the Ontario median was 35.5%.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).