Reasons to Love Vaughan

We’ve scoured the city, chatted with prominent people and examined the evidence, all in our attempt to unearth the source of Vaughan’s allure. This is what we found.

Mayor Linda Jackson

Green Initiatives
With numerous green initiatives in place such as the Greening Vaughan program and an impressive 740 hectares of parks and acres of land ensured by the Woodlot Protection Strategy, Vaughan is committed to painting the city green. “The woodlots that you see that are speckled through our subdivisions are going to be there through perpetuity. Vaughan is one of the first municipalities in the province of Ontario to do this,” says Vaughan Mayor Linda Jackson.

Sandra Yeung Racco

Transportation
Getting in and around the city is easy and affordable, thanks to the mobility offered by York Region Transit, the Toronto Transit Commission System, VIVA Rapid Transit and GO Transit.

A more efficient means of transportation will debut in the near future, with the highly anticipated Spadina-York subway line extension. Spanning 203 kilometres across Vaughan, this exciting new project is scheduled to arrive in 2015. “We must remind people that the subway is coming,” explains Vaughan Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, who is chair of the Vaughan Corporate Centre Advisory Committee. “It’s a reality that we need to remember and we need to develop a plan accordingly.”

Isabel Araya

Health
Dedicated to taking care of its residents, Vaughan boasts a myriad of medical facilities and health-care professionals. “I see very caring family members worried about the well-being of their relatives and wanting to help them get the services they need,” says Isabel Araya, executive director of the Vaughan Community Health Centre. Expanding at the pace of its growing and varied population, Vaughan has established a wealth of walk-in clinics, specialized rehabilitation programs and long-term care centres. The arrival of a new hospital is the latest addition to Vaughan’s medical endeavours. “We are pleased to finally say that the Vaughan Health Campus of Care has purchased 82 acres at the corner of Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive, which is north of Canada’s Wonderland, with the hopes that one day the province of Ontario will designate those lands for the hospital,” says Mayor Jackson, who sits on the Vaughan Health Care Foundation board.

Aslam Daud

Culture
Vaughan is a blended community that treasures and celebrates all cultures and ethnicities. In an effort to strengthen ties with cities around the world, Vaughan’s International Partnership Program involves collaborations with places like Sora, Italy; Ramla, Israel; Sanjo, Japan; Yangzhou, China; Baguio, Philippines and Lanciano, Italy. The diversity of Vaughan’s residents is evident in the international cuisines offered by its restaurants and the collection of religious institutions it houses. The Baitul Islam Mosque in Maple is one such place. “With the building of the mosque, Muslims flocked to this area and made Vaughan their home,” says Aslam Daud, national general secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Canada. “It offers religious and community activities and promotes peace and tolerance. It has attracted tourists and has positively contributed to the city both economically and socially,” adds Daud.

David Rocco

Entertainment
Whether you’re looking to enrich your life with a visit to an art gallery or experience the ride of your life on a bevy of rollercoasters, Vaughan delivers exciting entertainment of all kinds.

“Vaughan is not how it was when I was growing up here 15 years ago,” muses David Rocco, host/producer of the Food Network’s David Rocco’s Dolce Vita. “It’s changed – it has everything that a large metropolis has to offer. It’s accessible and is close to different amenities, like malls,” he adds. As home to Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan Mills, Kortright Centre for Conservation, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the city has an impressive list of venues. “The McMichael has special exhibitions that attract the attention of people all across the country,” says Steve Weir, a representative of the gallery. “It is a place for reflection and for the enjoyment of Canadian art.”

Fire Chief Greg Senay

York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge

Safety
“Vaughan is a safe place to live for many reasons, although the primary reason is that the community as a whole works together as partners in order to make the city what it is,” says Vaughan Fire Chief Greg Senay. Safety has always been at the top of Vaughan’s agenda. The results of a 2008 statistical report from the Crime Rate and Clearance Rate rankings conclude that York Region continues to be one of the safest communities in Canada. The city of Vaughan has been a chief contributor to the region’s safety and a major player in the areas of law enforcement, crime prevention and community safety initiatives. According to York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge, the city has seen a significant decrease in crime this year. “The city of Vaughan is a really safe community,” says La Barge.  “It’s a safe place to start a family – that’s why it’s growing.”

MP Maurizio Bevilacqua

Vivian Risi

Quality of Life
“I’ve always been promoting Vaughan as a city of great potential. As a city that can in fact become world-class and can not only lead the way for other cities within our borders in Canada, but throughout the world,” says Vaughan MP Maurizio Bevilacqua. Vaughan clearly understands the importance of fulfilling every aspect of life. From housing to education, the city sets a standard that’s far above satisfactory. As one of Canada’s fastest growing cities, Vaughan attracts people from across the province. Acknowledging the diversity of its populace, Vaughan’s list of public and private schools offer the luxury of variety and the option of selectivity. With low-traffic communities that are comprised of affordable homes and several new high-rise developments on the vertical horizon, Vaughan’s residential sector is varied and exciting. “Being a resident and a business owner in Vaughan, real estate is booming! I can think of no other location in Ontario with its diversity and growth that offers city amenities while maintaining a small community feel,” says Vivian Risi, Broker of Record and owner of Royal LePage – Your Community Reality.

MP Peter Kent

Entrepreneurial Spirit
“I’m proud of Vaughan’s status as one of Canada’s commercial capitals. We’re fortunate to have a broad range of innovative businesses that have chosen Vaughan as their home,” says Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas) Peter Kent, a Member of Parliament for Thornhill. Home to the corporate head offices of MDS Sciex and Bausch & Lomb Canada, Vaughan’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. With over 9,000 enterprises and Canada’s highest employment increase from 2001 – 2006, Vaughan’s business community is growing at an astounding pace. Low industrial and commercial taxes make it easier for new businesses to thrive and flourish. The city’s latest addition will be The Vaughan Corporate Centre, a regional and urban growth centre that will act as the city’s downtown core.

Kevin Goldthorp

Charity work and Fundraising
When a natural disaster shook the community of Vaughan on Aug. 20, 2009, its spirit of giving soared even higher. “There was a family in Maple that was housing and feeding and letting people use their washrooms,” says Mayor Jackson. “I have stacks of e-mails [from the community] saying, ‘Whoever needs anything, just let me know.’ People aren’t just taking their money and putting it into their pocket and running, they turn around and step up to the plate. That is an example of the heart that people who have located their businesses in Vaughan and what type of heart they have because they love Vaughan,” she adds. Striving to better the lives of others is an eternal quest for residents of the city. Numerous organizations such as SickKids Foundation, The Heart and Stroke Foundation, United Way, Princess Margaret Hospital, and much more, are touched daily by the generous gifts of Vaughan residents. “A large number of our patients and donors come from Vaughan,” says Kevin Goldthorp, CEO of the Sunnybrook Foundation. “There is a very important link between Sunnybrook and the city of Vaughan. We actually have over 16,000 donors from Vaughan who support Sunnybrook,” he adds.