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Markham owner guides

Markham window guides: what to know before anyone measures

Two questions come up in Markham homes above all. Does a fogged sealed unit, often a half-round or tall foyer unit with grilles, mean the whole window has to go? And in the four heritage villages, what will the district plan allow? These guides answer both from the City's documents and the provincial programs. When you want a price, we connect you with an independent local glass professional who measures, quotes and does the work.

Light oak kitchen table in front of a white casement window, set with a tape measure, a blank spiral notepad, a pencil, a mug and a cutaway corner of a white frame holding a double-glazed sealed unit, with a snowy backyard and brick houses outside
A cutaway sealed unit: two panes, a spacer and the seal between them.

Repair the glass or replace the window?

Nearly half of Markham's homes went up between the early 1980s and the mid-2000s, and many have arched, half-round or tall foyer glass. When one of those sealed units fogs, the frame is often sound; sometimes it isn't. The repair-or-replace guide starts at the frame and weighs new glass, a parts repair and full replacement windows evenly.

Heritage district window rules and the Markham heritage grant

In Unionville, Markham Village, Thornhill and Buttonville, exterior changes, windows included, need a heritage permit first. The heritage district guide starts with that permit, quotes what the plans ask of windows, and explains the City's new grant for repairing original ones. The source documents are on the City's Heritage Districts page.

Rebates and programs that actually exist in 2026

Checked September 2026. Rules change, so open the linked page before you sign.

  • Home Renovation Savings (Ontario). A rebate per rough opening for ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors, generally with a home energy assessment. New glass in an existing frame doesn't qualify. Program site.
  • Heritage Property Grant (City of Markham, 2026). Part of the cost of eligible heritage work, including repair of original windows; two professional quotes required. Guidelines (PDF).
  • Heritage property tax reduction for designated properties. Financial assistance.
  • Closed: the federal Greener Homes program, loan included, though the City's energy retrofit page still lists the loan. NRCan notice.

Official contacts: Building Standards and Heritage Section

Building Standards issues building permits. Its permit process page lists same-size window and door replacement among projects that don't need one; altering a structural or exterior wall does. It says nothing about heritage approval. Email [email protected].

The Heritage Section handles heritage permits in the districts and for designated properties, and keeps a directory of skilled trades. Email [email protected]. Thornhill west of Yonge Street is in Vaughan, which has its own district and staff.

Common questions answered elsewhere on the site

  • Sealed unit. Two panes and the seal around their edge; Unionville's heritage plan still says thermopane. Fog between the panes means the seal has gone: see foggy sealed units.
  • Grilles. The bars that divide the glass: between the panes in most newer houses, real wood muntins outside in heritage work.
  • Retrofit or brick-to-brick. An insert inside the old frame, or the GTA term for taking the frame out.

Broader questions are on the FAQ page. If yours isn't, ask it in the notes of a quote request with a photo of the whole window and one of a frame corner.

Common questions

Where can I check Markham's heritage rules?

On the City's Heritage Districts page, which links each district plan; the window guidance sits in each plan's section on alterations to heritage buildings. The Heritage Section can confirm whether your house is in a district or designated. Our heritage guide sets the window wording side by side.

Is there a window rebate in Ontario in 2026?

Yes: Home Renovation Savings, run by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy, pays per rough opening for ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors, generally through a home energy assessment. It doesn't cover a new sealed unit in an old frame, which is often still the sensible fix. Check the program page before you order on the strength of it.

Can I still apply for the federal Greener Homes loan?

No. The loan stopped taking applications on 1 October 2025, and the federal grants under the same program have closed as well. The City's energy retrofit page still lists the loan, but it is closed. For windows in Ontario, the open program is Home Renovation Savings. See NRCan's closure notice.

Who do I contact at the City about a window permit?

Building Standards for building permits, which a same-size replacement usually doesn't need but a new or enlarged opening does: [email protected]. The Heritage Section for heritage permits in the districts and on designated properties: [email protected]. In a district, the heritage permit comes first; the heritage guide explains Minor and Major permits.