Apply to join Vaughan’s Official Plan Community Working Group
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Email submissions to oprmanager@vaughan.ca before Friday, Nov. 5
Get Inspired; Get Involved! The City of Vaughan’s Official Plan Review is progressing and you can play a big role in the process. The City is seeking up to 20 members of the Vaughan community to join the Vaughan Official Plan Review Community Working Group and provide vital input to help shape the draft updated Official Plan, including the revised vision for Vaughan.
Get Inspired; Get Involved! The City of Vaughan’s Official Plan Review is progressing and you can play a big role in the process. The City is seeking up to 20 members of the Vaughan community to join the Vaughan Official Plan Review Community Working Group and provide vital input to help shape the draft updated Official Plan, including the revised vision for Vaughan.
Vaughan is continuing to grow and evolve, and it is important the City plans for new growth in a way that is strategic, thoughtful, appropriate and aligned with what residents and businesses value most. Community Working group members will address questions such as:
- How and where should growth happen?
- What kind of city do you want Vaughan to be in 30 years?
- How would you like to get around the city?
- What does a complete community look like to you?
- How can Vaughan be more sustainable?
This group will not be a decision-making body. Its mandate is to provide insight and guidance to the City in support of the Vaughan Official Plan Review. A total of four virtual meetings will take place from 2021 to 2023 at key milestones in the Official Plan Review Process. For more information, view the application package at vaughan.ca/OPR. If interested, email a complete application to oprmanager@vaughan.ca before Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Individuals can call 905-832-8585 ext. 8699 with any questions.
Other ways to have your say
Vaughan community members are encouraged to continue to help shape the draft updated Vaughan Official Plan at every stage of the review. Multiple public engagement will be available throughout the review process, including online surveys, workshops, public meetings and more. Your participation in the Vaughan Official Plan Review will help answer questions like:
- What should communities in the future look and feel like?
- What kind of business development and job opportunities should the City plan for?
- How will people move around Vaughan?
- How can the City continue to act as environmental stewards, create a sustainable environment and increase resilience to climate change?
- How can the City continue to create a vibrant place for people to live, work and play?
- How can the City design accessible communities which include everyone?
- How can the City design a community which will continue to meet the needs of all residents and allow people to age-in-place?
What is an Official Plan?
An Official Plan outlines the vision for the future of a city, including responsible governance, sustainable planning, economic leadership, transparency, accountability and inclusivity. It is a strategic planning document that establishes a policy framework to guide the physical, social, environmental and economic development of the city’s communities. The City of Vaughan’s Official Plan:
- implements goals, objectives and land use policies to serve the community.
- directs density, housing supply, protection of environmental features and agricultural areas, cultural heritage preservation and more.
- guides growth and development to implement the vision for Vaughan’s long-term evolution.
The updated Official Plan must align with new Provincial policies and plans, including the Provincial Policy Statement, Greenbelt Plan, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and 2051 growth targets for people and jobs. It must also conform with the York Region Official Plan, currently being updated through the York Region Municipal Comprehensive Review.
Why is the City’s Official Plan being reviewed?
Vaughan’s communities are constantly growing and changing. Vaughan is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada with a population of 341,600 people and 240,200 jobs in 2021. Over the next three decades, Vaughan will become home to 227,100 more people, bringing the total population to 568,700 people. Vaughan will also provide nearly 111,800 more jobs bringing the total employment to 352,000 jobs. This expected growth will account for almost one third of the region’s growth to 2051. The City is updating the existing Vaughan Official Plan 2010 to better meet the needs of current and future citizens, workers and visitors, and help guide this expansive growth to ensure Vaughan continues to be a great place to live, work and play.
How long will the Official Plan Review take?
As a progressive and growing Greater Toronto Area municipality, Vaughan is large and complex. It is expected the Official Plan Review will be completed in approximately two years. The City will need time to review all existing policies, conform with recent changes to Provincial Plans and Policies and with York Region’s ongoing Municipal Comprehensive Review, involve the community every step of the way, and report back to you on our progress throughout the life of the project. The process will be broken out into four phases, with public engagement being a vital component throughout. Learn more about each phase at vaughan.ca/OPR.
For more information or to be added to the project’s mailing list, visit vaughan.ca/OPR, call 905-832-8585 ext. 8699 or email oprmanager@vaughan.ca.