Newmarket ( 2021 population: 87,942) is a town and regional seat of the
Regional Municipality of York
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. The region was established after the passing of then Bill 102, An Act to Establish The Regional ...
in the Canadian
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. It is part of
Greater Toronto
The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. In total, the region contains 25 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. The Greater ...
in the
Golden Horseshoe
The Golden Horseshoe is a secondary region of Southern Ontario, Canada, which lies at the western end of Lake Ontario, with outer boundaries stretching south to Lake Erie and north to Lake Scugog, Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. The ...
region of
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a primary region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the other primary region being Northern Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada. The exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disp ...
. The name stems from the fact that the settlement was a "New Market", in contrast to
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
as the ''Old Market''.
The town was formed as one of many farming communities in the area, but also developed an industrial centre on the
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a railway in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was the first steam railway to enter service in what was then known as Upper Canada. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a p ...
's mainline, which was built in 1853 through what would become the downtown area. It also became a thriving market town with the arrival of the
Metropolitan Street Railway
The New York Railways Company operated street railways in Manhattan, New York City, United States between 1911 and 1925. The company went into receivership in 1919 and control was passed to the New York Railways Corporation in 1925 after which a ...
in 1899. Over time, the town developed into a primarily residential area, and the expansion of
Ontario Highway 400
King's Highway 400, commonly referred to as Highway400, historically as the Toronto–Barrie Highway, and colloquially as the400, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario linking the city of Toronto in the urban and agricultura ...
to the west and the construction of
Ontario Highway 404
King's Highway 404 (pronounced "four-oh-four"), also known as Highway 404 and colloquially as the 404, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) in Toronto with Ea ...
to the east increasingly turned it into a bedroom town since the 1980s. The province's Official Plan includes growth in the business services and knowledge industries, as well as in the administrative, manufacturing and retail sectors.
Landmarks include
Upper Canada Mall
Upper Canada Mall is the 25th largest shopping mall in Canada, located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The mall is situated on the northwest corner of the Davis Drive West and Yonge Street intersection. The mall is owned and operated by Oxford Pro ...
,
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Southlake Regional Health Centre (formerly York County Hospital) is a hospital located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Through various expansions during its history, it has grown into a university-affiliated teaching and research facility, specifi ...
, the Main Street Heritage Conservation District, and Wesley Brooks Conservation Area (locally called "Fairy Lake Park" or "Fairy Lake").
History
Newmarket's location on the
Holland River
The Holland River is a river in Ontario, Canada, that drains the Holland River watershed into Cook's Bay, the southern extremity of Lake Simcoe. The river flows generally north, and its headwaters lie in the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Holland Riv ...
enabled travel between
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
and
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called ''Ouentironk' ...
Toronto Carrying-Place Trail
The Toronto Carrying-Place Trail, also known as the Humber Portage and the Toronto Passage, was a major portage route in Ontario, Canada, linking Lake Ontario with Lake Simcoe and the northern Great Lakes. The name comes from the Mohawk term '' ...
, ran one of its two routes up the Holland River through the Newmarket area, and over the
Oak Ridges Moraine
The Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough. One of the most sign ...
to the Rouge River and into Lake Ontario. A more widely used route ran up the western branch of the Holland River, over the moraine, and down the Humber River. In 1793,
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe (25 February 1752 – 26 October 1806) was a British Army general and the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 until 1796 in southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior. He founded Yor ...
travelled the trail northward along the main route to the west, and south to
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
(now
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
) along the lesser used eastern route through Newmarket. Selecting the eastern route as the better of the two, Simcoe started construction of
Yonge Street
Yonge Street (; pronounced "young") is a major arterial route in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes.
Once the southernmost leg of provincial H ...
along the former trail in late 1795, starting in York in
Toronto Bay
Toronto Harbour or Toronto Bay is a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a natural harbour, protected from Lake Ontario waves by the Toronto Islands. Today, the harbour is used primarily for recreational b ...
, and ending at the newly named St. Albans (
Holland Landing
Holland Landing is a community in the town of East Gwillimbury, located in the northern part of the Regional Municipality of York, in south-central Ontario, Canada. Its major road is Yonge Street (bypassed by the former Highway 11) and the commun ...
), north of Newmarket.
Early settlement
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...
from the
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of Kingdom of Great Britain, British Colony, colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Fo ...
moved to the area to avoid violence they were expected to take part in during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
. In June 1800, Timothy Rogers, a Quaker from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, explored the area around the Holland River to find a suitable location for a new Quaker settlement. He, Samuel Lundy and their group of Religious Society of Friends received the grant of around the Holland River. In 1801, Rogers returned along with several Quaker families who had left their homes in Vermont and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, and settled here between 1801 and 1803.
Joseph Hill constructed a mill on the river, damming it to produce a
mill pond
A mill pond (or millpond) is a body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill.
Description
Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam or weir (and mill stream) across a waterway.
In many places, the c ...
today known as Fairy Lake. The settlement of "Upper Yonge Street" developed around the mill and the Holland River. Hill also built a
tannery
Tanning may refer to:
*Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather
*Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin
**Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun
**Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
north of the mill, the first general store and house, and additional mills.
In 1802, Elisha Beman, who owned land in the area, establish a mill, and then a distillery. Mordecai Millar also built mills, and Joseph Hill opened a tannery. During the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
a resident, William Roe, was hid the settlement's gold treasury from invading American troops. The war helped the settlement prosper, as the British army purchased goods and food and hired locals to build structures.
By 1814, the settlement had two frame and several log buildings used as residences. The settlement continued to grow through the early 19th century, along with the formation of
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
and
Holland Landing
Holland Landing is a community in the town of East Gwillimbury, located in the northern part of the Regional Municipality of York, in south-central Ontario, Canada. Its major road is Yonge Street (bypassed by the former Highway 11) and the commun ...
. A post office opened in 1826, and until 1890 the name was spelled "New Market".
Newmarket is noted for its role in the
Rebellions of 1837–1838
The Rebellions of 1837–1838 (french: Les rébellions de 1837), were two armed uprisings that took place in Lower and Upper Canada in 1837 and 1838. Both rebellions were motivated by frustrations with lack of political reform. A key shared g ...
, and was a centre of discontent against the manipulations of the governing
Family Compact
The Family Compact was a small closed group of men who exercised most of the political, economic and judicial power in Upper Canada (today’s Ontario) from the 1810s to the 1840s. It was the Upper Canadian equivalent of the Château Clique in ...
. Rebel leader
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie (March12, 1795 August28, 1861) was a Scottish Canadian-American journalist and politician. He founded newspapers critical of the Family Compact, a term used to identify elite members of Upper Canada. He represented Yor ...
organized a series of meetings leading to the Rebellion; the first of which, on August 3, 1837, was delivered from the veranda of the North American Hotel in Newmarket. This speech contributed to the rebellion, as it was heard by about 600 farmers and others sympathetic to Mackenzie’s cause, who later that year armed themselves and marched down Yonge Street to take the capital. A number of leaders from this area were attainted for
high treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
, convicted and
hanged
Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging i ...
.
By 1846, the population was about 600. Much of the settlement was built on the south side of the town, with farms surrounding it. There were six churches or chapels, a post office, five stores, three taverns, and tradesmen of various types. Industry included two grist-mills, two breweries, a distillery, one tannery, a foundry, a carding machine, and a cloth factory.
In June 1853, the first train pulled into Newmarket on the Toronto, Simcoe & Lake Huron Union Railroad, the first railway in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of th ...
. It was later called the
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a railway in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was the first steam railway to enter service in what was then known as Upper Canada. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a p ...
, and carried passengers, agricultural products and manufactured goods. The line eventually linked Toronto to Collingwood on
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To ...
, a major shipbuilding centre. Today, this line is the "Newmarket Subdivision" of the
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN i ...
system, running north out of Newmarket towards
Bradford
Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
, and south towards Toronto.
From village to town
Newmarket was incorporated as a village in 1857 with a population of 700, with Donald Sutherland as the first reeve. In 1858, Robert Simpson co-opened "Simpson & Trent Groceries, Boots, Shoes and Dry Goods" in downtown Newmarket, the first store in what would become the
Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
department store chain. In 1880, Newmarket became a town with a population of 2,000. William Cane was elected as the first mayor. Some years later, his sash and door factory would become the first Canadian manufacturer of lead pencils, the Dixon Pencil Company.
In 1869, the population was 1,500 and a gazetteer described Newmarket as one of the most flourishing villages on the Northern Railway line. In addition to the train, stagecoaches were available to nearby communities. By the time of the 1871 census, the population was 1,760 and by 1881, it had increased to 2,006; an elementary school and a high school were already in operation by then.
The
Toronto and York Radial Railway
The Toronto and York Radial Railway was a transit operator providing services to the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was a subsidiary of the Toronto Railway Company. The company was created by merging four Toronto-area interurban operatio ...
arrived in Newmarket in 1899. This service operated along Yonge Street south of Newmarket, but turned east to run through the downtown area along Main Street; it would later be extended north to
Sutton
Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to:
Places
United Kingdom
England
In alphabetical order by county:
* Sutton, Bedfordshire
* Sutton, Berkshire, a location
* Sutton-in-the-Isle, Ely, Cambridgeshire
* ...
. At the time, it brought significant numbers of
day-tripper
A day trip is a visit to a tourist destination or visitor attraction from a person's home, hotel, or hostel in the morning, returning to the same lodging in the evening. The day trip is a form of recreational travel and leisure to a location tha ...
s to Newmarket to shop at the market. Automobile traffic on Yonge Street, and the already existing mainline railway, had a significant effect on ridership, and the Radial was discontinued in the early 1930s.
North of Davis Drive in Newmarket, the East Holland River was straightened to prepare it for use as a commercial waterway to bypass the railway, whose prices were skyrocketing around the turn of the 20th century. Sir
William Mulock
Sir William Mulock (January 19, 1843 – October 1, 1944) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, educator, farmer, politician, judge, and philanthropist. He served as vice-chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1881 to 1900, negotiating th ...
, the local
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
, proposed a canal system running down the Holland River through Holland Landing and into Lake Simcoe. This would allow boats to connect from there to the Trent-Severn Waterway for eventual shipment south. The Newmarket Canal was almost complete by the summer of 1912, when it was cancelled by the incoming government of
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World War I.
Borde ...
. Today, the locks are still visible and are known as the "Ghost Canal". The turning basin in downtown Newmarket was filled in and now forms the parking lot of The Old Davis Tannery Mall, on the site of the former Hill tannery.
Recent developments
For much of the 20th century, Newmarket developed along the east-west Davis Drive axis, limited to the area between Yonge Street on the west and between Bayview and Leslie Street in the east, and running from just north of Davis on the north to the Fairy Lake area on the south. By the 1950s, Newmarket was experiencing a suburban building boom due to its proximity to Toronto. The population increased from 5,000 to 11,000 between 1950 and 1970.
The
Regional Municipality of York
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. The region was established after the passing of then Bill 102, An Act to Establish The Regional ...
was formed in 1971, increasing the size of Newmarket with land from the Township of East Gwillimbury, from the Township of King and from the Township of Whitchurch.
The construction of
Upper Canada Mall
Upper Canada Mall is the 25th largest shopping mall in Canada, located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The mall is situated on the northwest corner of the Davis Drive West and Yonge Street intersection. The mall is owned and operated by Oxford Pro ...
at the corner of Yonge Street and Davis Drive in 1974 started pulling the focal point of the town westward from the historic Downtown area along Main Street.
By the early 1980s, the historic Downtown area suffered as most businesses had built up in the area around Upper Canada Mall, with additional
strip mall
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
s developing directly across the Yonge Street/Davis Drive intersection to the south and southeast. A concerted effort to revitalize the historic Downtown area during the late 1980s was successful. More recently, a $2.3-million investment was made by the town in 2004 in streetscaping and infrastructure improvements to roads and sidewalks in the historic Downtown. The historic area of Downtown's Main Street is once again a major focal point of the town.
The arrival of
Highway 404
The following highways are numbered 404:
Australia
- Victoria
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 404
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 404
* Ontario Highway 404
Costa Rica
* National Route 404
Israel
* Route 404 (Israel)
Japan
* Japan N ...
reversed the westward movement, pulling development eastward again, and surrounding the formerly separate hamlet of Bogarttown at the intersection of Mulock Drive and Leslie Street. Since then, Newmarket has grown considerably, filling out in all directions. The town limits now run from Bathurst Street in the west to Highway 404 in the east, and from just south of Green Lane to just north of St. John's Sideroad, taking over the former hamlet of Armitage at Yonge Street south of Mulock Drive. The southern boundary of the town is contiguous with
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
to the south.
Armitage was the first settlement of
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
township, named in honour of its first settler Amos Armitage. He had been recruited by Timothy Rogers, a Loyalist from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, who in 1801 had travelled along Yonge Street and found the area appealing, and so applied for and received a grant for land totalling 40 farms, each of .
Other defunct communities once located within the modern boundaries of Newmarket include Garbut's Hill, Paddytown, Petchville, Pleasantville, and White Rose.
Geography
Newmarket's geographical coordinates are 44.05°N, 79.46°W, and its elevation above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
is 252 m. It has an area of 38.33 km². The town is bounded on the south by
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, on the west by
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
, on the north by
East Gwillimbury
East Gwillimbury is a town (lower-tier municipality) on the East Holland River in the upper-tier municipality the Regional Municipality of York. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area of southern Ontario, in Canada. It was formed by the amalgama ...
and on the east by
Whitchurch–Stouffville
Whitchurch-Stouffville ( 2021 population 49,864) is a town in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada, approximately north of downtown Toronto, and north-east of Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is in area, and located in the ...
.
The main river in Newmarket is the
East Holland River The East Holland River is a river in Ontario, Canada that is part of the Holland River watershed that empties into Cook's Bay in Lake Simcoe. The headwaters of the East Holland River rise in the Oak Ridges Moraine. The river runs generally north fr ...
(known locally simply as "The
Holland River
The Holland River is a river in Ontario, Canada, that drains the Holland River watershed into Cook's Bay, the southern extremity of Lake Simcoe. The river flows generally north, and its headwaters lie in the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Holland Riv ...
"), and all other streams in the town are tributaries thereto. These include Bogart Creek, a brook that weaves its way into the town from the
Oak Ridges Moraine
The Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough. One of the most sign ...
by way of Bogarttown, emptying into the Holland River in north-central Newmarket; Western creek, another brook rising just west of the town, and reaching the Holland River in the town's north end; Tannery Creek, a stream that joins the Holland River in south Newmarket after flowing through
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
; and a number of other small watercourses.
There are two
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
s in Newmarket; Fairy Lake (which is managed by the
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority is a conservation authority established in 1951, and is among the oldest in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The LSRCA is responsible for the waters, wildlife, and plants within the Lake Simcoe water ...
), a favourite recreational area in the centre of town, is a former
mill pond
A mill pond (or millpond) is a body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill.
Description
Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam or weir (and mill stream) across a waterway.
In many places, the c ...
on the East Holland River; and Bogart Pond, also a former mill pond, is fed and drained by Bogart Creek in Bogarttown. Furthermore, the water level in the reach of the East Holland north of Davis Drive is controlled from an unfinished Newmarket Canal lock, now used as a
weir
A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
.
Newmarket also lies south of and above the Algonquin Shoreline, where elevations suddenly drop off from the gently rolling hills that characterize much of Newmarket to the much flatter, lower land down below in the
Holland Marsh
The Holland Marsh is a wetland and agricultural area in Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. It lies entirely within the valley of the Holland River, stretching from the northern edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine near Schomberg to the river mo ...
.
The land is characterized mainly by
glacial deposits
image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
from the last
ice age
An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
, known as "Newmarket Till". The town is underlain mainly by sand and gravel, ground by the icesheets that covered the area until about 10,000 years ago. No
outcrop
An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth.
Features
Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficia ...
s are to be found anywhere in Newmarket, so deep are the glacial deposits.
Planning
Newmarket is identified as one of the Golden Horseshoe's 25 Urban Growth Centres in Ontario's Places to Grow Growth Plan.
Four areas of Newmarket have been selected to absorb the majority of planned population growth and accommodate mixed usages on sites well served by transit. These are the Yonge-Davis intersection, Yonge Street (south of Green Lane), the Regional Healthcare Centre (
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Southlake Regional Health Centre (formerly York County Hospital) is a hospital located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Through various expansions during its history, it has grown into a university-affiliated teaching and research facility, specifi ...
) and Historic Downtown Centre (surrounding Main Street South). Further construction of big box retail stores in the Yonge Street corridor will not be permitted and the long-term objective of the town is redevelopment or the addition of new buildings to these areas through controlled intensification.
The southwest portion of the town is located in the
Oak Ridges Moraine
The Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of between Caledon and Rice Lake, near Peterborough. One of the most sign ...
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
( Köppen climate classification ''Dfb''), with four distinct seasons featuring cold, somewhat snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Precipitation is moderate and consistent in all seasons, although summers are a bit wetter than winter due to the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes.
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...
, Newmarket had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
In 2015, the median household income in Newmarket was $95,589, exceeding the provincial average for the same year of $75,287.
According to the 2016 census, the town's population was 87,942. The York Region Planning Department projects a population of 98,000 by 2026. Newmarket's population density is just over 2000 inhabitants per square kilometre, ranking the
census subdivision
The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of stat ...
third in Ontario and 33rd in Canada.
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
is the mother tongue of 71.4% of Newmarket residents, according to the 2016 Census. The ten most common mother tongues after English are
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
(2.9%),
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
(2.3%),
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
(2.1%),
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
(2.0%),
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
(1.8%),
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
(0.8%), and
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
(0.7%).
Economy
Newmarket features a diverse and growing economy based largely in the business services, healthcare and knowledge sectors, as well as manufacturing and retail industries.
The following are some of the town's major public sector employers:
*
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Southlake Regional Health Centre (formerly York County Hospital) is a hospital located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Through various expansions during its history, it has grown into a university-affiliated teaching and research facility, specifi ...
*
Regional Municipality of York
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. The region was established after the passing of then Bill 102, An Act to Establish The Regional ...
* Town of Newmarket
*
York Regional Police
The York Regional Police (YRP) are a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region of Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto. YRP was formed in 1971 from the police forces maintained by the nine municip ...
*
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
"O" Division, Toronto North Headquarters
*
Ontario Court of Justice
The Ontario Court of Justice is the provincial court of record for the Canadian province of Ontario. The court sits at more than 200 locations across the province and oversees matters relating to family law, criminal law, and provincial offence ...
York Region District School Board
The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) is the English-language public school board for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. The York Region District School Board is the province's third-largest school board after Toronto' ...
*
York Catholic District School Board
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 42 prior to 1999) is the English-language public-separate school district authority for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canad ...
*
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority is a conservation authority established in 1951, and is among the oldest in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The LSRCA is responsible for the waters, wildlife, and plants within the Lake Simcoe water ...
The following are some of the town's major private sector employers:
* Celestica Inc.
* RNS Health Care Services
* TS Tech Canada Inc.
*Bill Gosling Outsourcing
* Mars Canada Inc. (formerly known as Effem Inc.)
* Rockets Candy Company
* Exco Technologies
*
Magna International
Magna International Inc. is a Canadian parts manufacturer for automakers. It is one of the largest companies in Canada and was recognized on the 2020 ''Forbes'' Global 2000. The company is the largest automobile parts manufacturer in North Americ ...
*
Cintas
Cintas Corporation () is an American corporation headquartered in Mason, Ohio which provides a range of products and services to businesses including uniforms, mats, mops, cleaning and restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire e ...
*
BYD Company
BYD Co. Ltd. ("Build Your Dreams" Chinese: 比亚迪股份有限公司) is a publicly listed Chinese conglomerate manufacturing company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It was founded by Wang Chuanfu in February 1995.
For over 100 years, the town's downtown area, centred around Main Street, has acted as a hub of commerce and cultural activity. This area contains numerous early 19th century buildings worthy of preservation, and in October 2013, this area was recognized as a Provincial
Heritage Conservation District
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...
. This status serves to protect and officially recognize many of the heritage sites and buildings along this historic thoroughfare and its many side streets.
Recent investments have been made to improve the aesthetics and function of the historic area. These include:
* In 2003, Newmarket completed approximately $3 million of streetscape and infrastructure improvements along Main Street South.
* In 2010, construction began on the
Davis Drive Rapidway
The Davis Drive Rapidway is a Canadian bus rapid transit system in Newmarket, Ontario, Newmarket, Ontario, built by Vivanext. The rapidway opened for service on November 29, 2015. The Viva Yellow service uses the rapidway. Total budget amount for ...
. The project was finished in 2015. The buildings comprising the Union Hotel, dating from 1881, at the intersection of Main Street and Davis Drive were moved as an alternative to being demolished.
* In 2011, an urban park called "Riverwalk Commons" was created east of Main Street South, north of Water Street at a cost of $10 million.
* In 2011, extensive renovations were completed to the Newmarket Community Centre & Lions Hall, located in the Riverwalk Commons.
* In 2016, extensive $10 million renovations were completed on Old Town Hall, off Main Street.
Architecture and heritage
Numerous buildings and sites located in Newmarket possess a high degree of architectural and/or historical significance; most of these are concentrated in the historic Main Street area. The following is a list of some of these sites; many of the below-listed buildings located along Main Street are within the Main Street
Heritage Conservation District
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...
:
* Charles Hargrave Simpson Building, 184 Main Street South
* Wesley Block (origin of the 1837 Rebellion), 200 Main Street South
* Robert Simpson Store (first
Simpson's
The Robert Simpson Company Limited, commonly known as Simpson's until 1972, then as Simpsons, and in Quebec sometimes as Simpson, was a Canadian department store chain that had its earliest roots in a store opened in 1858 by Robert Simpson.
...
Store in Canada), 226 Main Street South
* King George Hotel, 232 Main Street South
* Cawthra House, 262 Main Street South
* Roadhouse And Rose building, 157 Main Street South
* Charles E. Boyd Building, 240 Main Street South
* William N. Starr building, 189 Main Street South
*
Old Newmarket Town Hall and Courthouse
Old Newmarket Town Hall and Courthouse is a historic structure in Newmarket, Ontario and served as town hall, county offices and courthouse.
Architecture
The structure was designed in the Italianate style by the architectural firm of Mallory & So ...
, 460 Botsford Street
* Canadian National Railway Building and former Station, 470 Davis Drive
* Christian Baptist Church, 135 Main Street South
* Doane House, 17100 Yonge Street
* Quaker Meeting House and Cemetery, 17030 Yonge Street
* Hicksite Cemetery, 16580 Yonge Street
* Elman W. Campbell Museum (formerly the North York Registry Office), 134 Main Street South
* Pioneer Burying Ground, Eagle Street
* Al Casale Ristorante (Rogers House), 17766 Leslie Street
* St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 484 Water Street
* St. Paul’s Anglican Church and Rectory, 227 Church Street
* Trinity United Church, 461 Park Avenue
* Union Hotel, 425 Davis Drive - The two buildings comprising the Union Hotel were relocated to the back of the former site due to construction of the
Davis Drive Rapidway
The Davis Drive Rapidway is a Canadian bus rapid transit system in Newmarket, Ontario, Newmarket, Ontario, built by Vivanext. The rapidway opened for service on November 29, 2015. The Viva Yellow service uses the rapidway. Total budget amount for ...
* The NewRoads Performing Arts Centre (formerly the Newmarket Theatre) is the largest performing arts theatre in the town, with a capacity of 400. It hosts a selection of world-class artists and local performing arts events annually. The NewRoads Performing Arts Centre is operated by the Town of Newmarket.
* Old Town Hall has hosted organized theatre and performing arts for over 100 years, and in March 2012 the Town of Newmarket announced that a formal 250-seat theatre would be included as part of its revitalization. Construction on this initiative started in 2013 and was completed in 2016.
Coat of arms
Newmarket's
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
is actually taken from the town's old corporate seal. The town flag is a navy blue field with this same design in the middle. The beehive and bees are said to represent industry. There are nine bees, representing the town's nine most prominent businesses at the time that Newmarket was incorporated as a Village. The latest form of the
seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...
was introduced in 1938 with the arms somewhat altered from – but very similar in concept to – one that was earlier used. The arms' origin is something of a mystery, however. It is unknown what artist created the current version – or indeed the earlier version – and the town has no official record as to the purchase or redesign of the arms.
Sports
Hockey
Newmarket was previously home to the following teams:
*
Newmarket Hurricanes
The Newmarket Hurricanes were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Newmarket, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The franchise existed from 1972 until 2019, based in Newmarket starting in 1975.
History
In 1972, the Seneca Fly ...
Milton, Ontario
Milton ( 2016 census population 110,128) is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Between 2001 and 2011, Milton was the fastest growing municipality in Canada, with a 71.4% increase in popu ...
Newmarket Saints
The Newmarket Saints were a minor league hockey team in Newmarket, Ontario. It played in the American Hockey League from 1986 to 1991 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Ray Twinney Complex.
After the 1985–86 season, the Tor ...
from 1986 to 1991, an American Hockey League franchise and
farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
of the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
who moved from St. Catharines. The franchise was later moved to
St. John's, Newfoundland
St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.
The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...
and became the
St. John's Maple Leafs
The St. John's Maple Leafs were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, at Memorial Stadium from 1991 to 2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001 to 2005. The team was ...
.
*
Newmarket Royals
The Newmarket Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1992 to 1994. They played out of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
History
The Royals franchise started in 1969 as the Cornwall Royals of the Quebec Major Junior Hock ...
from 1992 to 1994. This was a franchise of the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
who were previously the
Cornwall Royals
The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team based in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team shared its name with o ...
and in 1994 moved again to become the
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron fl ...
.
* Newmarket Flyers from 1975 to 1986, OPJHL Jr. A (formerly The Seneca Flyers).
* Newmarket Redmen from late 1920s to 1972 Jr. B.
Junior Leagues
Newmarket is also home to many rep and select teams. They go by the name of the Newmarket Renegades and range from divisions of Tyke to Midget.
Golf
One golf course is located within Newmarket's town limits; St. Andrew's Valley (a public club), which straddles the Aurora/Newmarket border. Glenway Country Club was a private club with a course within Newmarket's boundaries, but it was closed before the 2012 season and is being redeveloped for housing.
There are also several courses in the surrounding communities and countryside.
Swimming
Three public swimming places exist throughout Newmarket:
Ray Twinney Complex
The Ray Twinney Complex, formerly known as the Newmarket Recreational Complex, is a multi-purpose recreational facility in the southwest portion of Newmarket, Ontario, built in 1985. The complex was named for former Newmarket mayor Ray Twinney. ...
, Gorman Pool, which is open only in the summer, and the Magna Centre.
John Taylor was elected in October 2018 to become mayor, succeeding
Tony Van Bynen
Tony Van Bynen (born April 5, 1950) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2019 Canadian federal election. He represents the district of Newmarket—Aurora as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada ...
who was
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
from 2006 to 2018. (See list of previous mayors)
The town's council includes a mayor, seven councillors elected on the basis of one per ward, and a regional councillor who is elected to join the mayor at meetings of
York Regional Council
York Regional Council is the political body for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. Created in 1970, it consists of 20 elected representatives plus the Regional Chair. The elected members are the mayors of each of its nine munici ...
. The members of council elected in 2018 are:
Mayor: John Taylor
Deputy Mayor & Regional Councillor: Tom Vegh
Councillors:
* Ward 1: Grace Simon
* Ward 2: Victor Woodhouse
* Ward 3: Jane Twinney
* Ward 4: Trevor Morrison
* Ward 5: Bob Kwapis
* Ward 6: Kelly Broome
* Ward 7: Christina Bisanz
Provincially, Newmarket is part of the riding of
Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004.
The district contains the towns of Newmarket, Aurora, and a very small portion of East Gwillimbury. ...
PC Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur de l'Ontario), often shortened to the Ontario PC Party or simply the PCs, colloquially known as the Tories, is a centre-right political party in Ontario, Canada ...
, and elected in 2022 general election. The province realigned its ridings to match those of the federal government in 2004.
Federally, Newmarket is part of the riding of federal riding of
Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004.
The district contains the towns of Newmarket, Aurora, and a very small portion of East Gwillimbury. ...
. The riding is represented in the
House of Commons of Canada
The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada.
The House of Common ...
by
Tony Van Bynen
Tony Van Bynen (born April 5, 1950) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2019 Canadian federal election. He represents the district of Newmarket—Aurora as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada ...
, a member of the
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada (french: Parti libéral du Canada, region=CA) is a federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism,McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson"Liberal Party". ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' ...
The town offices are located at 395 Mulock Drive, which is the fourth location for the offices. Purchased as an abandoned factory in 1995, it was opened in 1996. The location was found after years of unsuccessful attempts to purchase the Tannery Mall (465 Davis Drive) or Office Specialty Factory (near 543 Timothy Street c.1912 and now mostly demolished).
Prior to 1996, the town offices were located a various temporary locations:
* King George Hotel - 234 Main Street South (corner of Timothy and Main Streets) and was built in 1825 Now commercial building.
* Town Hall and Registry Offices - 140 Main Street South at northwest corner of Main Street South and Millard Street 1863-1942. Council met above fire hall. Town Clerk office and Fire Hall were demolished and now home to Old Flame Brewing Company. Registry Building next door is now a museum.
* Widdfield Building - Main Street South and Botsford Streets was formerly an Imperial Bank of Canada branch. Used from 1942 to 1952 (or 1959?) and now home to cafe.
* 171 Main Street South - moved here in 1981 and remained until 1996. Building was acquired in 1950. Now 171 Main Street South Professional Building.
Police
The
York Regional Police
The York Regional Police (YRP) are a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region of Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto. YRP was formed in 1971 from the police forces maintained by the nine municip ...
is the primary police agency in Newmarket.
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is the provincial police service of Ontario, Canada. Under its provincial mandate, the OPP patrols provincial highways and waterways, protects provincial government buildings and officials, patrols unincorp ...
patrol on provincially maintained highways in Newmarket like
Highway 404
The following highways are numbered 404:
Australia
- Victoria
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 404
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 404
* Ontario Highway 404
Costa Rica
* National Route 404
Israel
* Route 404 (Israel)
Japan
* Japan N ...
.
The
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
North Toronto Detachment is located in Newmarket.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Newmarket is connected to Toronto by
highways
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
. It is served by two
interchanges
Interchange may refer to:
Transport
* Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways
* Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies
* Interchange station, a rai ...
(Davis Drive, as well as Vivian Road / Mulock Drive) along
Highway 404
The following highways are numbered 404:
Australia
- Victoria
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 404
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 404
* Ontario Highway 404
Costa Rica
* National Route 404
Israel
* Route 404 (Israel)
Japan
* Japan N ...
York Region Transit
York Region Transit (YRT) is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road.
YRT operates 65 full-time, rush hour and limited routes, 35 school services, and six Viva bu ...
, which operates the
Viva Blue
Viva Blue, also known as the Finch/Richmond Hill/Newmarket line or the Yonge St. Corridor Line, is a line on the Viva bus rapid transit system in York Region, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is operated by Tok Transit, under contract fr ...
Finch Bus Terminal
Finch GO Bus Terminal is a bus terminal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It serves to connect the transit services of York Region to the north and the transit services of Toronto. It is located at 5697 Yonge Street on the northeast corner of Bishop A ...
in Toronto. YRT/VIVA has built the
Davis Drive Rapidway
The Davis Drive Rapidway is a Canadian bus rapid transit system in Newmarket, Ontario, Newmarket, Ontario, built by Vivanext. The rapidway opened for service on November 29, 2015. The Viva Yellow service uses the rapidway. Total budget amount for ...
along Davis Drive between Yonge Street and
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Southlake Regional Health Centre (formerly York County Hospital) is a hospital located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Through various expansions during its history, it has grown into a university-affiliated teaching and research facility, specifi ...
, with fully separated bus only lanes and centre street station platforms for their
Viva Yellow
Viva Yellow or the Davis Drive corridor line, is a Viva bus rapid transit line that serves Newmarket, Ontario, Canada on the Davis Drive Rapidway. This route is within York Region Transit's North Division, and is operated by Tok Transit under ...
service. The bus travels in mixed traffic between
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Southlake Regional Health Centre (formerly York County Hospital) is a hospital located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Through various expansions during its history, it has grown into a university-affiliated teaching and research facility, specifi ...
and
Highway 404
The following highways are numbered 404:
Australia
- Victoria
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 404
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 404
* Ontario Highway 404
Costa Rica
* National Route 404
Israel
* Route 404 (Israel)
Japan
* Japan N ...
. The project was completed on November 29, 2015.
Commuter rail is provided by
GO Transit
GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven millio ...
through the
Newmarket GO Station
Newmarket GO Station is a train station in the GO Transit network located in the Old Davis Tannery Centre on the north side of Davis Drive East in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, and is a stop on the Barrie line train service. It is a little over ...
with service south to Toronto and north to Barrie, with five trains each direction during rush hour. Regular bus service is also operated by
GO Transit
GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven millio ...
, with service operating between 5am and 2am.
The town has many trails, the most useful of which is the Tom Taylor, which extends from the border of Aurora on St. John's side-road all the way north through downtown and down into Holland Landing in the Town of East Gwillimbury.
Library
Located in the historic Downtown area, the Newmarket Public Library provides residents with free access to 175,000 items, including books, audio books, magazines, multilingual materials, DVDs, CDs, video games, e-books and online databases. The library also runs the York Info service, which provides information about local organizations, groups and services, and helps develop a stronger volunteer presence in the community by connecting people who would like to volunteer with non-profit agencies looking for assistance. The library also produces a quarterly newsletter called "Off the Shelf" to inform patrons of its programs, services and events. The library is a founding member of the Shared Digital Infrastructure project, an initiative to plan for an Intelligent Community in Newmarket.
Education
Public elementary and secondary education in Newmarket is overseen by York Region's two school boards: the
York Region District School Board
The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) is the English-language public school board for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. The York Region District School Board is the province's third-largest school board after Toronto' ...
(YRDSB), and the
York Catholic District School Board
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 42 prior to 1999) is the English-language public-separate school district authority for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canad ...
(YCDSB).
The YRDSB operates four secondary schools in Newmarket:
Dr. John M. Denison Secondary School
Dr. J.M. Denison S.S. is a public high school in the York Region District School Board located on 135 Bristol Road, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It opened in 1989, additions were built in 1991, and a new technological studies wing was completed in l ...
Newmarket High School
Newmarket High School is a secondary school located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It is one of four high schools in Newmarket under the jurisdiction of the York Region District School Board and currently educates approximately 1400 students from ...
, and
Sir William Mulock Secondary School
Sir William Mulock Secondary School is a secondary school located at 705 Columbus Way, off Mulock Drive in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It is one of four high schools in Newmarket under the jurisdiction of the York Region District School Board (a ...
, in addition to 15 elementary schools.
The YCDSB operates one secondary school in the town: Sacred Heart Catholic High School, and six elementary schools. There is also a Christian private elementary school, Newmarket District Christian Academy (NDCA), and a private Christian academy, Innova Academy.
Newmarket is also the home of
Pickering College
Pickering College is an independent, co-educational school for children in grades from Junior Kindergarten through grade 12. It is located in Newmarket, Ontario, Newmarket, Ontario in Canada on a 17-hectare (42 acre) property on Bayview Avenue. The ...
, an independent day and boarding school, as well as a campus of
Seneca College
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a multiple-campus public college in the Greater Toronto Area, and Peterborough, Ontario, Canada regions. It offers full-time and part-time programs at the baccalaureate, diploma, certificate an ...
.
Media
Print
Newmarket is within the coverage area of all major Toronto publications/newspapers.
Local print media is provided by ''
The Newmarket Era
''The Newmarket Era'' is a weekly newspaper that has been published in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, since 1852.
History
1850s
The ''New Era'' began as a four-page weekly on February 5, 1852, under GeorgeS. Porter, born in 1813 and originall ...
'' (formerly the ''Era Banner''), founded in 1852 when English immigrant printer G.S. Porter first published ''The New Era'' in Newmarket. Today, it is published twice a week (on Thursdays and Sundays).
Radio
Newmarket is also well served by radio stations from Toronto.
Newmarket is also the town of licence for 88.5 CKDX-FM. Originally launched on February 28, 1980 as 1480 CKAN. Its studios were located in the Newmarket Plaza then relocated to the Tannery. The studios are currently located in Toronto with the transmitter located in King Township west of Newmarket/Aurora.
Notable people
*
John Candy
John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its '' SCTV'' seri ...
Munro Chambers
Munro Chambers (born July 29, 1990) is a Canadian actor who is best known for his roles as Wilder on ''The Latest Buzz'' (2007–2010), Elijah "Eli" Goldsworthy on '' Degrassi'' (2010–2015), Frankie Chandler on ''Lockwood'' (2016–present) an ...
, actor
*
Frances Champagne
Frances A. Champagne is a Canadian psychologist and University Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin known for her research in the fields of molecular neuroscience, maternal behavior, and epigenetics. Research in the Champ ...
, professor, neuroscientist
*
Vince Corazza
Vincent Corazza (born December 6, 1972) is a Canadian actor, known for playing the role of Alden Jones in the television series ''Braceface'' and Darien Shields/Tuxedo Mask in the anime ''Sailor Moon''.
Career
Corazza began acting at the age o ...
H.R. MacMillan
Harvey Reginald MacMillan, (September 9, 1885 – February 9, 1976) was a Canadian forester, forestry industrialist, wartime administrator, and philanthropist.
Born in Pine Orchard, Whitchurch Township, Ontario (today part of Whitchurch–Sto ...
,
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, C.C., forestry specialist and industrialist, wartime administrator, philanthropist
*
William Mulock
Sir William Mulock (January 19, 1843 – October 1, 1944) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, educator, farmer, politician, judge, and philanthropist. He served as vice-chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1881 to 1900, negotiating th ...
Supreme Court of Ontario
The Supreme Court of Ontario was a superior court of the Canadian province of Ontario. Created in 1881 pursuant to the Ontario Judicature Act (1881), the Supreme Court of Ontario had two branches: the High Court of Justice Division and the Appell ...
Belinda Stronach
Belinda Caroline Stronach (Born May 2, 1966) is a Canadian businesswoman, philanthropist and a former Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the fl ...
, businesswoman, philanthropist, and former politician
The Elwins
The Elwins were a Canadian indie rock band from Keswick, Ontario, consisting of singer and guitarist Matthew Sweeney, drummer Travis Stokl, guitarist/keyboardist Feurd and bassist/singer Frankie Figliomeni.
Biography Early days
The Elwins starte ...
, rock band
*
Hannah Georgas
Hannah Georgas (born 30 August 1983) is a Canadian pop/rock singer-songwriter, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was nominated in the categories of "Best New Artist of the Year" and "Songwriter of the Year" at the 2011 Juno Awards, and ...
, pop singer
*
Glass Tiger
Glass Tiger is a Grammy Award-nominated Canadian rock band from Newmarket, Ontario that formed in 1983. The band has released five studio albums. Its 1986 debut album, '' The Thin Red Line'', went quadruple platinum in Canada and gold in the Uni ...
, rock band
* Lorne Lofsky, jazz guitarist
* Alexander Muir, composer of The Maple Leaf Forever
* Steven Lee Olsen, country musician
* The Salads, punk rock band
* Serial Joe, rock band
* Tyler Stewart, drummer for Barenaked Ladies
* Tokyo Police Club, rock band
* Tim Oxford, drummer for Arkells
Sports
Hockey
* Darren Archibald, American Hockey League, AHL hockey player with the Belleville Senators
* Quinton Byfield, NHL hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings
* Herb Cain, former NHL hockey player, 1943–44 NHL season, 1944 NHL scoring champion
* Daniel Catenacci, former NHL hockey player (Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo and NY Rangers)
* Dit Clapper, Hall of Fame ice hockey, hockey player
* B. J. Crombeen, former NHL hockey player
* Travis Dermott, NHL hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks
* Steve Downie, former NHL hockey player
* Brian Elliott, goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL
* Kurtis Gabriel, former NHL hockey player
* Wes Jarvis, former AHL and NHL hockey player; former head coach of the
Newmarket Hurricanes
The Newmarket Hurricanes were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Newmarket, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The franchise existed from 1972 until 2019, based in Newmarket starting in 1975.
History
In 1972, the Seneca Fly ...
of the OPJHL; assistant coach with the Barrie Colts
* Mike Kitchen, former head coach for the St. Louis Blues
* Corey Locke, American Hockey League, AHL hockey player and NHL draft pick
* Chuck Luksa, former World Hockey Association, WHA hockey player with Cincinnati Stingers
* Jamie Macoun, former NHL hockey player
* Connor McDavid, NHL hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers
* Joe Murphy (ice hockey), Joe Murphy, member of the 1989–90 NHL season, 1990 Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers
* Shayne Stevenson (ice hockey), Shayne Stevenson, former NHL player (Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning)
* Bill Thoms, former NHL star for the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Black Hawks and Boston Bruins
* Rob Zepp, former hockey player in Europe and the NHL (Philadelphia Flyers)
Soccer
* Jim Brennan, Canada men's national soccer team member, first player signed to Toronto FC soccer club
* Marcel de Jong, Dutch-Canadian soccer player for Pacific FC
Other
* Gabrielle Daleman, figure skater
* Michelle Long, figure skater
* Scott Goodyear, Indycar racing driver
* Neil Harrison (curler), Neil Harrison, curler
* Carlos Newton, former UFC Welterweight Champion; trainer/teacher at Warrior Martial Arts
* Pete Orr, :Baseball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics, Olympic baseball player and former Philadelphia Phillies infielder
* Kevin Pangos, basketball player at Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball, Gonzaga University and Canada youth international
* Sheila Reid (athlete), Sheila Reid, Olympic Games, Olympic cross country runner
* Lindsay Seemann, swimmer; 200m Backstroke, 2008 Olympics, Beijing, China
* Elvis Stojko, figure skater
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Newmarket, Ontario,
Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario
Towns in Ontario