Markham—Stouffville

Markham—Stouffville sits in the northeastern corner of York Region, combining the suburban and commercial development of Markham's eastern neighbourhoods with the small-town character and surrounding farmland of Whitchurch-Stouffville. Paul Calandra, one of the Ford government's most prominent cabinet ministers, sought a third provincial term after a 2022-2025 period in which he held some of the government's most consequential portfolios. Appointed government house leader in 2019, Calandra became Minister of Long-Term Care in 2022 before being elevated to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in September 2023 following Steve Clark's resignation amid the Greenbelt scandal. In that role, Calandra was tasked with restoring public confidence in the housing file and overseeing the government's ambitious homebuilding targets.

Before entering provincial politics, Calandra served as the federal Conservative MP for the Oak Ridges—Markham riding from 2008 to 2015, including a stint as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister. His background includes work in the insurance industry and small business ownership.

Candidates

Paul Calandra (Progressive Conservative) — A former federal MP (2008-2015) first elected provincially in 2018. Calandra served as government house leader, Minister of Long-Term Care, and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing during the 2022-2025 term. As housing minister, he inherited the file following the Greenbelt controversy and was responsible for advancing the government's plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031, including reforms to municipal planning and development charges.

Kelly Dunn (Liberal) — A high school history and social science teacher with over twenty years of experience in education. A Markham resident since 2003, Dunn has served on the boards of the Women's Liberal Association of York Region, the Social Planning Council of York Region, and York Communities for Public Education. She also worked with Alliance for a Liveable Ontario's York Region chapter and advocated for better education funding and responsible growth.

Gregory Hines (NDP) — The NDP candidate in the riding, Hines brought a distinctive personal story as a former backup dancer who entered political life. He represented the party's effort to build support in a riding that has voted Conservative in recent elections.

Minor candidates included Myles O'brien (Green Party) and Brendan Sorenson (New Blue Party).

Local Issues

Housing affordability and the pace of development were central issues in Markham—Stouffville during the 2022-2025 term. York Region had the lowest proportion of rental housing in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area at fourteen per cent, and more than eighteen thousand households sat on the region's subsidized housing wait list by late 2024, an increase of one hundred and seventy per cent since 2008. The town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, which had committed to provincial housing targets, met only a fraction of its annual goal, with just forty-two of a targeted five hundred and forty-two homes completed as of late 2024. The tension between the province's push for rapid housing construction and local concerns about preserving small-town character and agricultural land animated municipal and provincial debates.

The Greenbelt controversy resonated in a riding where the boundary between suburban development and protected countryside is immediate and visible. A community petition had called on the local MPP to oppose Greenbelt land removals, and the subsequent reversal of the land swaps, following damning reports from the Auditor General and Integrity Commissioner, did not fully allay concerns about the integrity of land-use planning in York Region. Calandra's appointment as housing minister in the wake of the scandal placed him at the centre of efforts to rebuild trust, and his record on the file was scrutinized during the campaign.

Transportation and community infrastructure needs grew alongside the riding's population. York Region's transit network continued to expand, but residents of Stouffville in particular sought more frequent GO Transit service and improved local connections. The opening of community housing projects, including a ninety-seven-unit building in Stouffville with a mix of subsidized and market-rate apartments, represented progress on the affordable housing front, but the scale of need far exceeded supply. Seniors' services and access to health care in a growing community rounded out the local conversation.