Promoting the Vaughan Advantage

Montrealgazette.com
April 19, 2016



Mayor Bevilacqua and Minister Del Duca talk city-building at Economic Club of Canada

At a sold-out event hosted by the Economic Club of Canada in the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel yesterday, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca discussed the Vaughan Advantage and the benefits of investing in the City of Vaughan. The session explored the City's relationship with the Province of Ontario to advance key city-building initiatives.

The province has made substantial infrastructure investments in Vaughan. It is the first municipality outside of Toronto that will connect to the Toronto-York Spadina Subway, providing significant advantages for attracting business and talent. The next phase of the York Viva Bus Rapid Transit is underway and Highway 427 is being extended, which will greatly improve the flow of traffic, goods and services. As well, later this year construction will begin on the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, a state-of-the-art medical facility that will provide residents with access to world-class healthcare close to home.

As Vaughan celebrates its 25th anniversary, the City is embarking on one of the largest and most ambitious projects in its history - the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC). With 442 acres of development opportunities available, it will be a vibrant, modern urban centre for residents and businesses that will include multi-use office towers, residences, open green space, urban squares, pedestrian shopping areas, restaurants, and walking and cycling paths. As significant investments have been made and several buildings are already completed, the VMC is highly attractive for investors.

With a well-educated population, strong business community and location in the heart of the GTA, Vaughan is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada and continues to be a magnet for investment and job creation.

QUOTES

"City-building is a team effort that requires focus, discipline, hard work as well as the co-operation of the private sector and all levels of government. The Province of Ontario understands the important role cities play in the global economy. They are magnets for investment, capital and attracting individuals who want to live and work in an environment they can thrive in. We greatly value this relationship and remain committed to working together to advance our shared goal of bringing Vaughan to the next level. Our vision of creating a world-class city is coming to life through major city-building initiatives that are currently underway including the hospital, the subway, the extension of Highway 427 and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Minister Steven Del Duca for his participation as well as the Economic Club of Canada for recognizing the importance of highlighting the Vaughan Advantage. The City of Vaughan has come a long way and the best is yet to come."

-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

"Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in the province's history which will help people spend more time with their families, move goods more efficiently and support the creation of local jobs throughout the region. In particular, the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension is expected to create an estimated 20,000 jobs during construction and will add 36 million trips per year. This is a significant project that will benefit the local economy for generations, as the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre continues to take shape. Whether you live, work or visit Vaughan, congestion will be reduced and commuters will have a better means to get around with improved rapid transit."

-Steven Del Duca, MPP for Vaughan, Minister of Transportation

QUICK FACTS

The Economic Club of Canada (EC) is a non-partisan policy platform. Each year the EC stages events across the country with the goal of bringing its members and guests face-to-face with the most important, relevant and influential leaders.

Rhiannon Traill is the President and CEO of the Economic Club of Canada.

The discussion on April 18 was moderated by Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of the World Council on City Data and professor of political science and the Director of the Global Cities Institute at the University of Toronto.

The event was sponsored by KPMG.

ABOUT VAUGHAN:

The City of Vaughan is one of Canada's fastest growing cities with a population of more than 320,000. Incorporated in 1991, Vaughan is marking its 25th anniversary as a city this year. It is an award-winning city, and only the second one in Canada to be named a member of the World Council on City Data and ISO 37120 Platinum Certified for reliable and useful statistics. Located in the heart of York Region and the Greater Toronto Area, Vaughan is home to a diverse and expanding business community of more than 11,200 businesses. A centre of business excellence, it supports innovation and opportunity for its strong entrepreneurial community.