Mayor Del Duca welcomes $59 million in historic federal housing investment

MunicipalInfonet.com
Oct. 10, 2023

The following is a statement by Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that the City of Vaughan will receive $59 million to build more housing units as part of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund:

“Vaughan has always been a destination of choice that people dream of calling home and where future generations wish to raise their families, start businesses, and enjoy an unrivalled quality of life. Working with my fellow Members of Vaughan Council, we were pleased to work with the federal government to ensure Vaughan secured this critical city-building investment. I am proud to stand alongside Prime Minister Trudeau for this historic announcement as part of the Housing Accelerator Fund to build new housing units in Vaughan and to help bring this dream closer to reach for countless families and residents.

"As part of the Housing Accelerator Fund, the Government of Canada and the City of Vaughan have agreed to expedite the creation of more than 1,700 new housing units and incentivize thousands of additional homes over the next three years. This is the most significant housing investment in Vaughan's history and marks only the second agreement by an Ontario municipality under the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund.

“From the moment I became Mayor less than a year ago in November 2022, I have worked alongside my Council colleagues to advance critical initiatives that will shape and strengthen Vaughan’s promising future, like more housing options and plans to improve the road network throughout our city to combat gridlock and support our already growing population. In fact, between 2011 and 2021, Vaughan experienced a population increase of almost 30 per cent, with more expected in the coming decade – we must act now.

“This past March the federal government launched the Housing Accelerator Fund program. That same month, Vaughan Council committed to achieving the Ontario government's Housing Pledge and the City's provincially mandated housing targets to facilitate the construction of 42,000 new homes in the city by 2031. A recent forecast by York Region suggests that by 2051, Vaughan’s population will increase by more than 66 per cent to be nearly 570,000.

“In April, Vaughan Council endorsed a Nine Point Action Plan to Fight Traffic Gridlock. Reducing congestion is essential to advancing Council-approved secondary plans to develop new residential units in prominent areas throughout the city, like the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), Weston Road and Highway 7, Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue, Vaughan Mills and the Promenade Centre.

“In June, we announced a major milestone as part of the work to extend Kirby Road between Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street by 2026. That month, Council took further steps to advance our Housing Accelerator Fund application.

“This past week at the October 3 Committee of the Whole meeting, Vaughan Council also supported my Member’s Resolution to develop a plan that would allow the building of up to four residential units on a property wherever zoning permits single, semi or street townhouses, which will create more housing opportunities in our community.

“I have repeatedly said Vaughan is committed to guaranteeing more housing options for our residents, but we cannot do it alone. I am committed to working with partners at all levels of government to secure investments for the services necessary to build homes and complete communities – and this unprecedented Housing Accelerator Fund investment of $59 million is proof of that unwavering commitment.”