diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
index a34615e18dee..0fcf8fb909b7 100644
--- a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/2018-02-15-AL-deprecations.rst
@@ -48,3 +48,6 @@ The following rcParams are deprecated:
 The following keyword arguments are deprecated:
 - passing ``verts`` to ``Axes.scatter`` (use ``marker`` instead),
 - passing ``obj_type`` to ``cbook.deprecated``,
+
+The following call signatures are deprecated:
+- passing a ``wx.EvtHandler`` as first argument to ``backend_wx.TimerWx``,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 657e543f45c3..986b40806b0a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -118,19 +118,15 @@ class TimerWx(TimerBase):
 
     '''
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if isinstance(args[0], wx.EvtHandler):
+            cbook.warn_deprecated(
+                "3.0", "Passing a wx.EvtHandler as first argument to the "
+                "TimerWx constructor is deprecated since %(version)s.")
+            args = args[1:]
         TimerBase.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
-
-        # Create a new timer and connect the timer event to our handler.
-        # For WX, the events have to use a widget for binding.
-        self.parent = parent
-        self._timer = wx.Timer(self.parent, wx.NewId())
-        self.parent.Bind(wx.EVT_TIMER, self._on_timer, self._timer)
-
-     # Unbinding causes Wx to stop for some reason. Disabling for now.
-#    def __del__(self):
-#        TimerBase.__del__(self)
-#        self.parent.Bind(wx.EVT_TIMER, None, self._timer)
+        self._timer = wx.Timer()
+        self._timer.Notify = self._on_timer
 
     def _timer_start(self):
         self._timer.Start(self._interval, self._single)
@@ -144,9 +140,6 @@ def _timer_set_interval(self):
     def _timer_set_single_shot(self):
         self._timer.Start()
 
-    def _on_timer(self, *args):
-        TimerBase._on_timer(self)
-
 
 class RendererWx(RendererBase):
     """
@@ -704,7 +697,7 @@ def new_timer(self, *args, **kwargs):
             will be executed by the timer every *interval*.
 
         """
-        return TimerWx(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        return TimerWx(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def flush_events(self):
         wx.Yield()