Author: LisaH

Happy Norouz!

Mayor and Council from the City of Richmond Hill wish everyone who celebrates Nowruz around the world a bright, prosperous, and peaceful New Year! To the brave people of Iran, we stand in solidarity with you. Happy Nowruz! from Richmond Hill Council:Mayor David West, Mayor, Richmond Hill, OntarioDeputy Mayor Godwin ChanRegional Councillor Joe DiPaolaWard 1 […]

March 3, 2023

Dear Neighbours, Spring is in the air! March heralds the changing seasons in many familiar ways: the time change as we ‘spring’ forward on March 12th, March Break for those in the school system, Spring Equinox, and if you are a maple syrup lover like me, the Mayor’s Maple Syrup Festival. Maple Syrup Festival – […]

February 3, 2023

Dear Neighbours, January treated us to some wild winter weather, and although the snow and cold temperatures made driving challenging at times, those same factors are going to contribute to a wonderful Richmond Hill Winter Carnival! February 4th and 5th. You are invited to come join this free, family friendly celebration at Mill Pond. In […]

In Support of Recreation and Culture

Posted with permission of the publisher of NRU Publishing Inc. Original article first appeared in Novae Res Urbis GTHA Vol. 26, No. 2, Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

What a Game!

What a game! Team Canada brought it all today and we couldn’t be prouder. It was great to see about 450 #richmondhill#soccerfans⚽️ coming together to cheer our team on. Exciting regardless of the outcome! Thanks to @rhcentre for the Performing Arts for hosting the watch party.#fifa2022⚽️

The Nutcracker Ballet – right here in Richmond Hill!

A seasonal highlight – The Nutcracker Ballet – right here in Richmond Hill!I was delighted to have the honour of meeting some of the talented artists in today’s performance from Victoria International Ballet Academy at our Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (RHCPA). Thank you for bringing this holiday classic to Richmond Hill and […]

Community Safety

Thank you Superintendent Thai Truong and Inspector Lindsay Newlove from York Regional Police #2 District headquarters in Richmond Hill for taking the time to talk about community safety as we work together for a safe community.#richmondhill

National Day of Remembrance and Action

It was an honour to join representatives from Yellow Brick House and Sandgate Women’s Shelter today on #NationalDayofRemembranceandAction on Violence Against Women as their flags were raised in #RichmondHill.Thank you for your work to educate and promote awareness about #genderbasedviolence

Christmas Kettle Campaign

It was terrific to join the Richmond Hill Salvation Army today at Hillcrest Mall to kick off the Christmas Kettle CampaignThanks to Russ and the many #volunteers who give their time to support this annual campaign.The Salvation Army in Canadahttps://salvationarmy.ca/christmas-kettles/

January 6, 2023

Dear Neighbours, Happy New Year! As we welcome 2023, I am filled with optimism and boundless energy to tackle all that awaits me at City Hall. I continue to have great passion for our City and am prepared to work hard for all the residents of Richmond Hill.  In this newsletter, you will find some […]

Happy Hanukkah

Today we gathered to celebrate Hanukkah with JYN – Jewish Youth Network Rabbi Warmflash at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (RHCPA)It was an honour to share the joy of this Festival of Lights with our community and my Council colleagues.Remembering that light will always triumph over darkness.

Friday, December 2, 2022

From the Desk of Mayor David WestNovember E-Newsletter 2022 Dear Neighbours, In November we celebrated the Inauguration of the new Richmond Hill. As I listened to the Council speeches, I was struck by the reoccurring theme of collaboration, gratitude, and mutual respect each Member expressed. My initiative to kick start our new term was to […]

It’s All About Community…

at the Inauguration of the #richmondhill Council November 21st with Zain-ul-Abedin Yousaf Ali with Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Trust, Reverend Robert Hayashi with the Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church and Reverend Lambert with The Nativity of the Mother of God Christian Orthodox Church

The City of Richmond Hill 2022-2026 Council had their Inaugural Council

The City of Richmond Hill 2022-2026 Council had their inaugural Council meeting last night. As each member of Council took to the podium a theme emerged: collaborative commitment to working hard and focusing on the betterment of our City. It was encouraging and motivating – I really can’t wait to see what we can achieve […]

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

From the Desk of Mayor David WestNovember E-Newsletter 2022 Dear Neighbours, It has been a time of incredible highs and lows since I last wrote you a newsletter in July.  On October 24th, I experienced one of the happiest moments of my political career. Richmond Hill voters gave me a clear message that they agree […]

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

From the Desk of Mayor David WestSummer 2022 Kick-Off E-Newsletter Dear Neighbours, Summer weather is here and activities are endless, it seems.  This spring, as I have watched the news headlines from Ukraine, I have been looking for a way to make a positive contribution. Maybe you have been experiencing similar feelings? I have decided […]

Hilltop Place Retirement Home Open House

I had the pleasure of a tour of the newly renovated Hilltop Place Retirement Home Open House on Sunday. Hilltop Place has been a long time part of our community and these new renovations compliment this beautiful facility. Thank you Spring Living Retirement Communities for the invitation. While there I had the pleasure of speaking to a […]

Hill Potters Guild Show 

Every year I enjoy the Hill Potters Guild Show and sale. The Hill Potters Guild has, over the years, become the “official morning coffee mug supplier” to the West Family. I would also like to congratulate Kathy Verbeek winner of the Mayor’s Choice Award for her beautiful and creative pottery artwork! The sale continues this weekend and […]

Thank you @LEAF – Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests and City of Richmond Hill 

Thank you @LEAF – Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests and City of Richmond Hill for the opportunity to plant trees Saturday. It was terrific to learn from the experts on the correct technique to ensure the sapling’s survival and I enjoyed contributing my efforts to our beautiful green spaces in #richmondhill . Together with Ward4Councillor Raika Sheppard we had a great time […]

York Region (The Regional Municipality of York) wants to hear from you

 #RichmondHill. Please add your voice to help shape our region. #InclusiveRH   Did you know we have an e-newsletter called #yrmatters all about (you guessed it) topics that matter in York Region? Whether you’re already subscribed or have never heard of it before, help us deliver a quality digital publication by telling us what matters to you, what doesn’t […]

Monday, June 2, 2022

From the Desk of Mayor David WestJune E-Newsletter 2022 Dear Neighbours, It feels like summer is here as we announce Richmond Hill Blooms, in-person City celebrations and…. road work! In June we celebrate Fathers Day, so I am wishing a Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads and father figures in our community. Please read […]

May 29 Tree Planting

More tree planting today – this time with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority in the Oak Ridges Conservation Reserve. Thank you to the volunteers and to our great environment partner, theToronto and Region Conservation Authority for their efforts to green our community! When I was a kid in Cub Scouts we planted hundreds of trees in the Trees […]

Join us at a virtual open house!

Join us at a virtual open house to learn more about the exciting future of the parks in our city! May 26, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Register today at RichmondHill.ca/ParksPlan.

Thank You to Everyone !

Thank you to everyone who supported #mchappyday this year. Our collective efforts will help many families when their children need to stay at Markham Stouffville Hospital. Thanks to the crew for letting me join the team for a while! For an overview of some of the events in #RichmondHill and #YorkRegion, subscribe to my monthly […]

Eid Celebration

Thank you to the Dawoodi Bohras community for the invitation to participate in a wonderful #Eid Festival. It was an honour to join this joyful celebration and to celebrate the community’s long history in Richmond Hill. @Bohras_Canada #InclusiveRH#inclusiveYR

Thank you York Region (The Regional Municipality of York) for keeping us informed.

With the warmer weather upon us, you may be seeing more construction crews hard at work on Regional roads #YorkRegion cares about our communities and we are committed to delivering transportation improvements safely, while minimizing disruptions as best as possible. We’re building, reconstructing and repairing Regional roads for all travellers within our communities. Stay informed […]

York Region (The Regional Municipality of York)

York Region is making improvements to Stouffville Road from Yonge Street to Bayview Avenue in the City of Richmond Hill. Road work will begin May 9 and occur weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Temporary lane closures will be required. For more information, visit  york.ca/roadconstruction #onYRRoads

Monday, May 2, 2022

From the Desk of Mayor David WestMay E-Newsletter 2022 Dear Neighbours Spring is underway and we are well prepared for it! Thanks to the educational efforts of the City of Richmond Hill we know how to manage the Spongy Moth population numbers and throughout the month of May the Spring Greening Speaker Series is offering a range of interesting […]

May is Jewish Heritage Month

#inclusiverh I am proud to live in Richmond Hill and York Region, where we value our diverse population and welcome all our neighbours. I look forward to celebrating the important role of Jewish Canadians in our city. May is #JewishHeritageMonth – a time to recognize the important contributions Jewish Canadians have made and continue to […]

May is Asian Heritage Month

May is #AsianHeritageMonth. In #InclusiveRH and #inclusiveyr we are fortunate to welcome a diverse Asian population and to share opportunities for education & appreciation of the cultures and histories of our friends and neighbours. This May, we celebrate #AsianHeritageMonth and recognize the invaluable contributions Canadians of Asian origin have made, and continue to make, to […]

Happy #EarthDay

Happy #EarthDay a day to bring awareness to actions that we can all do, everyday, to live sustainably. I will be participating in Earth Day activities and #cleanupgreenup activities around Richmond Hill this weekend starting tonight at the virtual Smart City conference.

Tree City of the World

Continuing our countdown to Earth Day, let’s celebrate our status as “Tree City of the World”. To view a list of upcoming tree planting events, and a terrific webinar schedule, visit https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/things-to-do/Community-Stewardship-Program-and-Tree-Planting.aspx

International Day of Pink

Wednesday April 13th is International Day of Pink which was started by two students in Nova Scotia in 2007 when they saw a friend who was gay being bullied for his pink shirt.  From those simple roots, now it is acknowledged internationally as a day against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia and transmisogyny in communities around the […]

April is Daffodil Month

I am pleased to support the #DaffodilMonth Campaign.  When you wear a daffodil you help to spread awareness about cancer and raise hope.

York Region Economic Development 

Exciting news for ventureLAB in York Region, a provincial investment of $2.5 million to create a medical technology stream within the Hardware Catalyst Initiative, Canada’s only hardware and semiconductor-focused lab and incubator.  Read all about it here: https://www.venturelab.ca/news/venturelab-announces-2-5m-from-the-government-of-ontario-to-expand-hardware-catalyst-initiative-introduces-medtech-stream The funding from the Government of Ontario’s Ontario Together Fund will enable ventureLAB to create a MedTech-specific stream to […]

Draft 2023 Transit Initiatives – YRT is seeking input!

Tuesday From Tuesday, April 19 to Friday, May 27, 2022, York Region Transit (YRT) will be hosting a virtual public consultation on yrt.ca, seeking input from travellers on the Draft 2023 Transit Initiatives. Learn more: http://yrt.ca/TransitPlan

Building a more sustainable Richmond Hill

2021 Achievements Include Energy Efficiency Upgrades and 17,000 More TreesCreating a healthy and sustainable environment really is a community effort and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done together. Over the last seven years as we’ve implemented our Environment Strategy, we’ve made huge strides in reducing our environmental footprint. I encourage everyone to continue […]

Richmond Hill Collective Gardens

As we focus on Health on April 7th,#UNWorldHealthDay, garden fresh food offers wonderful nutrients and growing that food yourself also provides opportunities for exercise! Sign up today. #RichmondHill#collectivegardens

Virtual Meeting with L’Arche Daybreak Community Members

It was fantastic to meet, virtually, with the L’Arche Daybreak Community. Thank you for inviting me to talk about 3 of my passions: healthy environments, the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge and Monarch Butterflies. Your artwork was beautiful, thank you for sharing it with me. L’Arche Daybreak (https://www.larche.ca/communities/daybreak). L’Arche Canada – L’Arche Daybreak A large, well-established community […]

44th RHGA Juried Exhibition and Sale

On April 8th, 2022, It was terrific to participate in the Richmond Hill Group of Artists (RHGA) Opening Night of the 44th RHGA Juried Exhibition and Sale. It is an honour to celebrate a tradition that goes back to Mayor Bell, acknowledging and supporting local artists.  The paintings from previous City of Richmond Hill and the Mayor’s […]

You’re invited to the Third Virtual Open House for City Plan 2041!

At this open house, City of Richmond Hill staff will present proposed amendments to the Official Plan: OPA 18.3 – Vision and City Structure and OPA 18.4 – Neighbourhoods. These proposed amendments implement several key directions identified in the City Plan 2041  Key Directions report. The proposed changes to the Official Plan relate to matters such […]

HELP US PLAN THE NEW SOUTH YORK GREENWAY

The new South York Greenway is a cycling, pedestrian and micromobility (e-bike, electric scooter and electric skateboard) route that is more than 50 kilometres long. The South York Greenway active transportation route could span the entire west to east limits of York Region. Join the project team on Thursday, April 7th, at 7 p.m. for […]

Statement from Mayor David West: Response to Province’s New Housing Legislation

Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2022 Richmond Hill – Yesterday, the Province introduced Bill 109, the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022, outlining actions to address Ontario’s housing crisis, including introducing changes to municipal land use planning processes. Richmond Hill Council remains deeply committed to the issue of affordable housing and we continue to make […]

Climate Change Action Plan

About the project York Region is already experiencing impacts of a changing climate: warmer temperatures leading to an increase in blacklegged ticks, flooding due to more frequent and powerful rainstorms, and power outages and tree loss because of ice storms. The draft Climate Change Action Plan (Action Plan) is York Region’s plan to fight climate change by […]