Oak Ridges—Markham

Oak Ridges—Markham is a large suburban riding in York Region, north of Toronto, that in 2011 had one of the largest populations of any federal riding in Canada at approximately 229,000 residents. The riding includes the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, most of the township of King, the northern portions of Richmond Hill including the Oak Ridges community, and the northern and eastern sections of the city of Markham.

Candidates

Paul Calandra (Conservative) — Born in Toronto, Calandra studied history with a minor in political science at Carleton University. Before entering politics, he was a small business owner and insurance broker. He lived in Stouffville with his family and was first elected to Parliament in the 2008 election, narrowly defeating the Liberal incumbent by 545 votes. He entered the 2011 campaign as the one-term incumbent.

Lui Temelkovski (Liberal) — Temelkovski was a veteran of the Canadian insurance industry with roughly two decades of experience, having begun his career with London Life in 1984 before rising to serve as director of advisor development with Freedom 55 Financial, a division of London Life Insurance. He had lived in Markham since 1983. He served as the Liberal MP for Oak Ridges—Markham from 2004 to 2008, winning election twice before losing to Calandra in 2008. He sought to reclaim the seat in 2011.

Janice Hagan (NDP) — Hagan was the NDP candidate for the riding in the 2011 election.

Trifon Haitas (Green Party) and John Siciliano (Progressive Canadian Party) also stood as candidates.

About the Riding

Oak Ridges—Markham exemplified the rapid suburban growth transforming York Region in the years leading up to 2011. Markham, one of Canada's most diverse cities, had a population that was more than 40 percent immigrants by 2011, with large Chinese Canadian and South Asian communities shaping the commercial and cultural landscape. The Markham portion of the riding was home to a concentration of technology firms and corporate offices, anchored by areas near Highway 7 and the 404 corridor. Stouffville retained more of a small-town character despite rapid residential development, while the township of King in the riding's northwest offered a rural landscape of horse farms and estate properties along the Oak Ridges Moraine. The moraine itself was a major environmental concern, as this ecologically sensitive glacial landform serves as a vital groundwater recharge area for the Greater Toronto region. Suburban growth brought persistent issues around transit, as the riding had limited public transit options and heavy automobile dependence, with GO Transit commuter rail the primary link to downtown Toronto. Federal issues in the riding included immigration and settlement services, infrastructure to manage growth, environmental protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine, and transportation investment.