Photo: Transportfan70 · CC0Markham has one council seat for every 28,580 residents, more than 97% of municipalities in Ontario
Markham—Unionville is the riding Cathedraltown votes in for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and its MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) isn’t named here because no open list records the members. The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering Cathedraltown is Markham—Unionville, and Michael Ma (Liberal Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons. Markham, which governs Cathedraltown, elected Frank Scarpitti mayor in October 2022. Ontario’s councils were renewed on 26 October 2026, but the only open list so far is 2022’s, so that is the term shown.
What stands out in how Cathedraltown 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
Most of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities spent more per resident in 2024 than Markham council: 83% of them. 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
Cathedraltown 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.
Above Markham’s council sits York Region, the upper tier, which runs services across all its municipalities.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Cathedraltown, 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 |
Frank Scarpitti became mayor on 64% of the votes cast. The mayor is chosen at large; everyone else on Markham council answers to a ward.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Cathedraltown voted less than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
Turnout for Markham council on 24 October 2022 was 32% of electors, lower than the Ontario norm.
How Cathedraltown voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Cathedraltown 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 | – |
Markham votes next on 28 October 2030: the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 sets municipal elections on the fourth Monday in October every four years. The last general elections came on 27 February 2025 for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and on 28 April 2025 for Parliament. No open copy of the 2025 counts exists, and Elections Canada’s own terms rule out commercial reuse, so 2021 is the last vote shown.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Cathedraltown 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 ↗Ontario’s southern ridings copy the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), and the town is placed by them. The riding is Markham—Unionville: it sends one MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and Cathedraltown votes in it.
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.
Michael Ma sits with the Liberal Party of Canada, which holds 71 of the 122 seats from Ontario.
The MP’s record
Elected under the Conservative Party of Canada banner in 2025, Michael Ma crossed the floor to the Liberal Party of Canada on 11 December 2025. April 2025 was Michael Ma’s first election to the House of Commons. 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
Paul Chiang (Liberal Party of Canada) took Markham—Unionville in 2021
These are the 2019 and 2021 results on the 2013 map of Markham—Unionville; its boundaries changed for the 2025 election.
In 2021, 52% of electors cast a ballot in Markham—Unionville, under the national 63%. Markham—Unionville elected Paul Chiang (Liberal Party of Canada) in 2021: 49% of the vote, a lead of 2,999 over Bob Saroya (Conservative Party of Canada). The 2019 vote had gone another way, to Bob Saroya (Conservative Party of Canada) at 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.
Markham council carried $6.7M of long-term debt, $18 per resident against a typical $440. At 16%, property taxes count for less of the revenue than the 42% seen across the province. 1,208 full-time positions are funded, 3.3 per thousand residents. More goes to water, sewers and waste than to anything else: $509 a resident, 37% of all spending. Each resident’s share of Markham council’s 2024 spending came to $1,381, where the middle of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities sat at $1,901. Residents are also served by York Region, which spent $2,226 each across its area, chiefly on social services and child care.
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.
Nearby councils are drawn here for scale; the headline already says where Markham council stands.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Cathedraltown 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
- Who holds each seat. Wikidata, edited by volunteers, is the source for each MP, and it can trail a change of seat by a little.
- Not on this page. Band councils, and which party runs the council: the open lists carry no party, and most councils have none.
- Election results. The 2019 and 2021 figures are Elections Canada’s official counts on the ridings drawn in 2013; the “today’s boundaries” figures are its transposition of the 2021 vote onto the 2023 ridings, an estimate built from polling divisions.
- Which riding. A place belongs to the riding where most of its 2021 Census residents live, plus any other with 5% or more.
- Council size. Every seat counts, the head of council’s too, against the population of the 2021 Census.
- Council money. The 2024 Financial Information Return, totals after adjustments by service, per resident with the return’s own population. A lower tier’s figures leave out its county’s or region’s spending, so lower tiers are compared only with lower tiers.
Questions about how Cathedraltown is run
Who is the MP for Cathedraltown?
For Cathedraltown, it’s Michael Ma (Liberal Party of Canada), who holds Markham—Unionville.
Which party won Cathedraltown in the 2021 federal election?
Markham—Unionville went to Paul Chiang (Liberal Party of Canada) in 2021. Since 2025, Michael Ma has been the MP for Markham—Unionville.
Who is the MPP for Cathedraltown?
The riding for Cathedraltown is Markham—Unionville, and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario lists the MPP who holds it.
Who heads the council in Markham?
For the 2022–26 term, Markham council was led by Frank Scarpitti, elected mayor 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?
Markham is part of York Region, the upper tier, whose regional council runs services such as water and policing.
How is Markham council elected?
Markham council: the mayor is chosen by the whole municipality, the councillors ward by ward.
What was the turnout in Cathedraltown?
It was 32.1% for Markham council in 2022, with Ontario’s municipalities at a median of 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).