Markham—Unionville

Markham—Unionville occupies the central portion of the City of Markham in York Region, radiating outward from the heritage village of Unionville through a landscape of residential subdivisions, condominium towers, and busy commercial plazas along the Highway 7 corridor. The riding sits north of Highway 407, extending to the city's northern edges where suburban development gives way to open land.

Candidates

Bob Saroya (Conservative) — Born in India, Saroya immigrated to Canada in 1974 and built a career in the food-service industry, eventually becoming a sales director with Pizza Pizza. He ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in Etobicoke North in 2008 and in Markham—Unionville in 2011 before winning the seat in 2015.

Alan Ho (Liberal) — Ho had served as a Markham city councillor since 2010, first representing Ward 6. He was an active figure in Markham's municipal politics.

Gregory Hines (NDP) — Hines ran as the NDP candidate in the riding, carrying the party's banner as he had in the 2015 contest.

Elvin Kao (Green Party) — Raised in Markham—Unionville by first-generation Canadian parents, Kao held a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and worked as a data analytics manager. He was drawn to the Green Party's commitment to evidence-based policy and sustainability.

Sarah Chung (People's Party) also appeared on the ballot.

About the Riding

Main Street Unionville, a designated heritage conservation district founded in 1794, is the riding's cultural centrepiece — a stretch of nineteenth-century buildings housing independent shops, galleries, and restaurants that draws visitors from across the GTA. Beyond this heritage core, the riding is defined by modern suburban growth: condominium towers, planned residential communities, and the sprawling commercial plazas of the Highway 7 corridor.

Pacific Mall, with more than 450 retail units, is the largest indoor Asian shopping mall in North America and a symbol of the riding's large Chinese-Canadian population, which forms the majority of residents. The riding sits within Markham's technology corridor, with access to employers in software, semiconductor design, and IT services. Many residents commute to Toronto and other GTA employment centres via Highway 404, Highway 407, and GO Transit's Stouffville line.

Canada–China relations were a particularly sensitive issue in the 2019 campaign, given the detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China, which began in December 2018. Housing affordability, immigration and family reunification, and transit infrastructure were also prominent concerns in a riding characterized by rapid population growth and deep ties to international trade.