From the Desk of Mayor David West
November E-Newsletter 2025
Dear Neighbours,
As we ‘fall back’ with Daylight Savings ending on Sunday and we head into shorter days and cooler temperatures, I can’t believe that our whole country is still talking about baseball! Whether you follow the sport regularly or not, I think that Canadians have rallied during the World Series with a sense of unity that is contagious. News articles globally are carrying the story of the Blue Jays fantastic performance and the spirit of the country that stands behind them.
This sense of unity is something we can hold on to – this month we will recognize Remembrance Day and honour the veterans for their sacrifice. When we stop for 2 minutes of silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we honour the Fallen and acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices of all who serve and served. This is the day and time in 1918 when the First World War ceased hostilities. This is a good time to reflect on our unity, and acknowledge there is more than unites us than divides us.
Lest we forget.
Mayor David West
City of Richmond Hill
Community Safety
I want Richmond Hill residents to know that I hear your concerns about safety in our city. As your Mayor, I am listening and working to do all I can to ensure our city is a safe one.
This is a new, regular column that I am adding to my monthly e-newsletter to share information with Richmond Hill residents. I will offer insights from my close working relationship with the York Region Police District 2. ‘Community Safety’ is very broad, so I will focus on one topic each month.
This month I am answering a Richmond Hill resident question about what we are doing about crime and safety in our city.
Investments in Safety
As your Mayor, the most impactful tools I have to tackle crime and safety are advocacy and voting at York Region Council.
Last year, I supported the significant investments in policing through the York Regional Police budget. In 2025, the increased YRP budgets allowed investments such as:
- hiring of additional officers to investigate and deter the recent surges in both violent and property crime.
- the purchase of specialized equipment for investigative and forensic purposes;
- equipment and vehicles needed for additional members; and
- information technology to refresh and modernize service delivery to enhance our engagement with the community.
This translates into more officers present in our city, with the right tools and technology to defer criminals, and the numbers show that it is working – the YTD YRP Crime Stats show a downward trend in major crimes.
I was encouraged by the recent Federal announcements around justice system reform. Clearly, advocacy from myself and other Mayors has achieved some positive results. While more changes will be required, this seems like a good first step. I will continue to voice the need for strong justice system and bail reform to the Provincial and Federal governments, who create and control this legislation.
Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Community Cameras have been shown to decrease crimes by up to 6% in the area they’re installed. This is another action that Richmond Hill is taking that both deters criminals and supports the YRP if a crime takes place by providing information.
In addition to the YRP CCTV cameras, there is a secondary program that invites residents to register their residential and commercial cameras. Through the Security Camera Registry partnership, Richmond Hill residents can actively assist YRP if a crime occurs in that area later.
To learn more about these programs, visit YRP.ca
News from the
Office of the Mayor
October was a busy month culturally and politically. I was honoured to join many special celebrations of the Mid Autumn Festival and also joyful Diwali gatherings in our city.
Richmond Hill welcomed dignitaries from around the world to the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, for the UEF7 Forum. I was privileged to host the Mayors’ Round Table discussions at the conference, as my Mayoral colleagues shared the successes and lessons learned in the quest to address the housing crisis.
Ontario Big City Mayors met in October in Thunder Bay, with a brief visit to Kakabeka Falls. We continue to collaborate our advocacy efforts to the Provincial and Federal governments. Municipalities across Ontario are facing similar challenges and we are a stronger voice when we work together, calling on other levels of government.
The persistent topics of this meeting were the housing crisis, funding models for municipalities, and health care systems including mental health.
This week, I was invited to attend the Advocacy Days in Ottawa where I had meetings with MPs, ministers and government officials to advocate for numerous issues of importance to Richmond Hill residents, including community safety, transit infrastructure, affordable housing, and a more equitable and sustainable funding models for cities. These are important issues and getting them right will help cities and help with affordability and quality of life for our residents. I will continue to fight hard for solutions!
State of the City 2025
Thank you to the Richmond Hill Board of Trade for another very successful Annual State of the City Luncheon. I was proud to share the many achievements of the City of Richmond HIll over the past year and offer a glimpse to the future.
To watch the speech and the “Question and Answer” period, moderated by Muhammad Kermalli, visit my YouTube page.
During the Q&A, Muhammad asked a what the highlight of the last year has been and I couldn’t answer with just one – there are so many good things happening in Richmond HIll right now! Of course, there is always more to be done but for a quick recap, here are a few highlights:
Housing:
- Richmond Hill approved over $1 billion dollars’ worth of building permits by the end of July – that represents about 1273 building projects.
- We’re on pace to exceed last year’s total permits.
- Richmond Hill is also launching an affordable housing concierge program to provide a streamlined process and single point-of-contact to speed up these high-priority applications.
- Made planning and zoning changes for a number of our key areas,
- implemented a financial incentive plan for developers and non-profits to build more affordable homes
- seniors housing groundbreaking for Schlegel Villages, the Carefirst Campus of Care, and we look forward to breaking ground on Mon Sheong’s new Seniors Housing development. These three developments will bring jobs, educational opportunities, and over 1300 housing options for our older adults.
Economic Development:
- Richmond Hill is home to over 4,500 companies, who are designing and developing next generation products and solutions.
- RH Small Business Enterprise Centre has provided 552 business consultations, an increase of 24% over the previous year.
- They also supported 81 new businesses and the expansion of 32 existing businesses, plus the creation of almost 100 jobs.
- And overall, they disbursed over $100,000 of grant funding to support businesses in our city.
- I am invited to Grand Opening events every week – there is no question that businesses are choosing Richmond Hill!
Crime and Safety:
- Homicides are down 67%
- Carjackings have decreased by 49%
- Residential and commercial break and enters have declined by 11%
- Due largely to YRP’s “Operation Auto Guard”, auto theft in York Region is down by 37%.
Health Care Announcements:
- Hill House Hospice received funding to double their capacity and
- City of Richmond Hill continues to support HHH with the finalization of a long term lease
- the Schroeder Ambulatory Centre opened in Richmond Hill, offering our residents more health care options close to home
- Mackenzie Health announced a new 20-bed adult inpatient mental health unit boosting acute mental health capacity by over 60%.
I invite you to visit my YouTube channel to watch the whole address and to stay up to date on video content from my office, please subscribe.
Cultural Centre Opens in the Village core
The new Cultural Centre is open at 10184 Yonge Street, in one of Richmond Hill’s historic buildings – originally built in 1936 as the town’s first purpose-built post office. The transformation of this historic site reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to revitalizing its downtown and nurturing local arts and culture.
This cultural hub consists of newly renovated studios, digital production rooms and flexible creative spaces designed to host artists, cultural groups and community programs. By giving this landmark a new life, we’re preserving an important part of our past while creating space for future generations.
To learn more about the Richmond Hill Cultural Centre, visit RichmondHill.ca/CulturalCentre.
One of my priorities this term of council was to make Council meetings civil and welcoming to Richmond Hill residents. It is important to me that everyone in Richmond Hill feels able to attend these meetings which shape our city. You can visit the City of Richmond Hill website and select “Council, Council Calendar” to get to the search page shown here and learn about what your elected official are discussing.
Please remember that you can attend Committee of the Whole meetings and Council Public Meetings in person at City Hall Council Chambers, watch live from home, or watch the recordings of any meetings you missed at the link below.
Thank you for your civic engagement.
City of Richmond Hill News
Merry Marketplace and Winter Lights are Back!
Step into a winter wonderland and join the fourth annual Merry Marketplace. The spirit of the holiday season will come alive under the twinkle of thousands of lights, which will illuminate daily until 10 p.m.
Discover the perfect gift from one of the many artisan vendors, cozy up by the fire and grab some food or a warm beverage and create memories with friends, families, and loved ones, and visit the Agricultural Building #2 for fun activities and contests! Of course, no holiday experience would be complete without a meet and greet with Santa Claus! Santa is excited to greet you each Saturday night from 4 – 8 p.m. (lineup will close at 7:30 p.m. sharp) so don’t forget to bring your cell phone to capture your Santa selfie!
City of Richmond Hill staff are also collecting non-perishable food at the Information Booth (located near the entrance) in support of the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank.When dropping off your food donation, be sure to fill out a ballot for your chance to win a prize pack. *1 entry per donation, per week * One winner will be selected after December 13.
November 15: Reindeer Games
November 22: Grinchmas
November 29: Frosty The Snowman
December 6: Santa’s Village
December 13: Gingerbread House
*Schedules are subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates.
City of Richmond Hill video “The City Budget is Your Budget“
Learn how Richmond Hill’s budget works
The process of creating the City of Richmond Hill budget is a rigourous one, following numerous steps each year. You can learn more about that process by watching the YouTube video linked above, or visiting the City website on the topic.
The Budget Committee of the Whole meeting on November 18th is the final opportunity to residents to provide comment, so should you wish to speak at the meeting, remember to notice Clerks of your interest by noon November 17th, 2025.
Community Events and News
An Evening with Terry O’Reilly at Richmond Hill Public Library
Join a special evening with award-winning podcaster, author, and host of CBC’s Under the Influence, Terry O’Reilly.
Hear fascinating stories from his 18 seasons on air, discover insights from his new book Against the Grain, and enjoy lessons on creativity and mentorship. The event will be hosted by Andrew Applebaum of the Toronto Legends Podcast, with a Q&A and meet-and-greet to follow.
Mackenzie Health and Southlake Health have forged a multi-year collaboration to bring advanced cardiac care closer to home for western York Region patients, beginning with the launch of a pacemaker follow-up clinic at Mackenzie Health.
Over the coming years, the partnership will add more services, including pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) procedures and a cardiac catheterization lab, laying the groundwork for a future Level 4 cardiac centre of excellence at Mackenzie Health. Learn more about this exciting partnership.
Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week: Protecting Your Family from the Silent Killer
Ontario observes Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness Week from November 1-7, 2025, marking over a decade of this crucial safety initiative. Richmond Hill Fire & Emergency Services reminds you that this invisible, odourless gas poses a significant threat, with more than 80% of CO-related injuries and deaths occurring in homes.
To safeguard your family:
· Install CO alarms outside all sleeping areas
· Test alarms monthly and replace batteries annually
· Have fuel-burning appliances inspected by certified technicians yearly
· Keep vents and chimneys clear of snow and debris
Remember, CO poisoning can mimic flu symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, and nausea. If your alarm sounds, evacuate immediately and call 9-1-1 from outside.
Big News: Ontario Fire Code Is Changing – starting January 1, 2026, CO alarms will be required on every storey of most homes, not just near sleeping areas. This update reflects the growing need for whole-home protection.
Stay vigilant and protect your loved ones from this invisible hazard. For more information about our CO Week activities, and CO safety, visit RichmondHill.ca/CarbonMonoxideAwareness.
Climate Action and AI Use
Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world — from education and healthcare to city planning and road safety. But behind every chatbot and algorithm is a network of energy-intensive data centres.
Did you know?
In Richmond Hill, 7 data centres at full capacity, can use 170 MW of electricity just for IT equipment — enough to power 170,000 homes (Source 1, Source 2, Source 3). As data centres expand in Canada, Greenhouse gases emissions are very likely to rise if renewable energy can’t keep pace (Source 4).
Embrace AI — Mind Its Environmental Footprint
- Limit AI queries — one ChatGPT request uses ~10× more electricity than a Google search
- Delete unused cloud data. Save data on external hard drives. Replace streaming with low-impact options — e.g. Richmond Hill Public Library DVD collection.
- Unsubscribe and delete emails, unnecessary apps, and files
- Talk about AI’s hidden cost, and work with local leaders to strengthen sustainability of data centres
To meet Richmond Hill’s 2050 net-zero target, let’s make mindful digital choices, so we can harness AI power without sacrificing our planet!
Richmond Hill has a Climate Plan – you have a role to play in it!
November Dates of Significance
Watch out for celebrations and memorials of the following Significant Heritage Dates-
Federally, there are numerous dates of significance in November:
- Hindu Heritage Month
- Lebanese Heritage Month
- November 5 – 11 Veterans’ Week
- November 8 Indigenous Veterans Day
- November 11 Remembrance Day
- November 20 National Child Day
- November 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
- Fourth Saturday of November Holodomor Memorial Day
- November 25 – December 10 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
Provincially, there are also several dates of significance to acknowledge:
- Albanian Heritage Month
- Scottish Heritage Day – November 30
Thank you for your ongoing engagement as we cultivate an inclusive community.
What's On in #myRichmondHill
The calendar of events in Richmond Hill continues to offer something for everyone.
Here are a few ideas to fill your free time. Please also visit the following calendars for local events:
Richmond Hill October Events
Here are a few of the events I was privileged to participate in lately,on behalf of the City of Richmond Hill
I wanted to end the growing season with a big shout out to the Forster Collective Group(FCG) at Phyllis Rawlinson Park. In 2025, these dedicated folks have grown and donated 360kg, which equals almost 800 lbs, of fresh, organic produce to the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank.
The Vision of the FCG is “Food Security in our Community” and the Mission is
“Enabling community members to grow, eat and share nutritious food, while being good stewards of our environment.”
Thanks to another engaged and dedicated resident, I heard about the good work of these gardeners and I had an opportunity to stop by on the garlic planting day to extend my thanks to them in person.
I am so grateful to the many unsung heros we are fortunate to have in Richmond Hill – thank you for making a tremendous impact on the wellbeing of the whole community.
Important Numbers and Information
ACCESS Richmond Hill
905-771-8800
Ac****@**********ll.ca
City services, updates on damaged City property, snow clearing, streetlight maintenance
Animal Services
905-832-2281
Animal control and shelter services contracted through City of Vaughan
Alectra Utilities
1-833-253-2872
Hydro outage information, downed power lines
Inclement Weather Hotline
905-771-5487
City facility closures and recreation program cancellations
Parking Control
905-771-8860
Cars parked illegally on the street
York Region Roads
1-877-464-9675 ext 75200
Snow removal on regional roads
York Region Transit/Viva
905-762-2100
Snow removal at bus stops