In December 2013, the City of Markham adopted a new Official Plan that will guide land use and development in Markham over the next 20 years. The OP recommends that a “complete streets” philosophy be applied to the future development of the City’s road network to balance mobility between modes, increase safety for all users, and position streets as places within Markham’s communities. In February 2014 TCAT released a synthesis report analyzing the strength of the Complete Streets components of this OP based on the 10 elements outlined by TCAT on the Complete Streets for Canada website.
Overall, Markham’s OP includes a robust but incomplete Complete Streets approach. It applies this approach to all road projects, encourages connectivity and context sensitivity, regularly references design guidelines, and outlines a clear implementation plan. It could benefit from more clearly defined exceptions, performance measures, and more detailed planning for pedestrian, bike and transit users of all ages and abilities.