Author: Markham Review

Social justice group, The Giving Tree Unionville, was set up by founder and Unionville resident, Shanta Sundarason. It’s made up of youth, aged 10-14, who meet every week to positively share, educate and empower each other. “We all have unique gifts to give and when bonded together we build a movement that’s diverse and exciting,” says Sundarason. “We are defined by our daily efforts. If we don’t take action, who will? We believe that our actions will inspire others to do the same. These actions will help create a tidal wave of impact. We know that small things add...

The City of Markham and Markham Museum recently celebrated Mary and Isabel Champion, founding members of the History of Markham committee, by dedicating the Champion Research Centre, an archival research facility to honour the two women and their great impact on the city’s history. As editors, Mary and Isabel worked tirelessly to make the first two Markham history books a reality. While conducting their research, they incorporated a catalogue system that set the stage for the archive repository that is still used by Markham Museum today. “Isabel and Mary Champion shared a passion for history,” says Mayor Frank Scarpitti....

Casalova, a real estate platform for prospective buyers and renters, is setting a new standard of service with its on-demand marketplace. House-hunters using Casalova are connecting with agents and receiving replies in less than 30 seconds, far surpassing the industry average of 15 hours. “The real estate market in Canada is a $14 billion annual industry, yet it takes 15 hours – on average – for an agent to respond to client inquiries,” said Ray Jaff, Casalova co-founder and CEO. “We live in an on-demand world: from Uber and Airbnb to online banking and shopping, people expect a response the moment they’re looking for it....

Durham Regional Police Service is warning the public about a kidnapping scam after the parents and friends of an 18-year-old student were defrauded of more than $200,000. The scam, known as “virtual kidnapping,” has recently surfaced in Durham Region but has been going on for many years in North America. Virtual kidnapping is an extortion scheme designed to leverage ransom money from the victim’s parents, spouse or friends. The 18-year-old female victim, a student in Montreal, was approached and told she had been implicated in a crime ring. She would be arrested and incarcerated if she didn’t follow instructions....

Ninety-eight York Region District School Board students recently received awards from the Alliance of Educators for Black Students (AEBS). Nine were awarded scholarships to pursue post-secondary education. The awards and scholarships are given to students who demonstrate high achievement in academics, athletics, school involvement and the arts. Award-winning graduating students received plaques and non-graduating students received medals presented by school board staff including Louise Sirisko, education director; Corrie McBain, board chair; and veteran superintendents. “These students have a positive effect in their schools and communities and we hope events like these continue to reward and encourage excellence,” said Cecil...