Building Vaughan
City building doesn’t happen overnight. Well before construction begins, developments undergo a careful review by City of Vaughan staff, Vaughan Council, public agencies (such as the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, York Region and provincial ministries, where appropriate) … and you!
Public feedback is a vital part of the planning process and there are many ways to have a say before applications are approved.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Click on the corresponding Public Meeting dates below to view the planning reports and development applications presented to Vaughan Council in October 2023:
Committee of the Whole (1): Tuesday, Oct. 3
Special Council: Tuesday, Oct. 3
Committee of the Whole (Public Meeting): Tuesday, Oct. 3
VMC Sub-Committee: Wednesday, Oct. 4
Committee of the Whole (2): Wednesday, Oct. 11
Council: Tuesday, Oct. 17
For a full schedule of Public Meetings, agendas and staff reports, visit vaughan.ca/CouncilMeetings.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Here are four ways you can get involved in the decision-making process:
1. Learn more about the application. Review the public notice and learn more about the development proposal on PLANit, the City’s application tracking platform, available at vaughan.ca/maps.
2. Speak to Council during a Committee of the Whole Public Meeting. You can participate by speaking live in person, via teleconference or from a telephone (regular landline or cellphone), or by submitting a written communication as part of an agenda item. Pre-register to speak at an upcoming Public Meeting by sending a completed Request to Speak form to clerks@vaughan.ca or calling Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281. Written communications should be emailed to the Office of the City Clerk at clerks@vaughan.ca. Requests must be received by noon on the business day before the meeting.
3. Speak directly with your local Councillor. You may telephone or email comments directly to Members of Council. For details on how to contact a Member of Council, visit vaughan.ca/council.
4. Contact the City planner directly. You may contact the planner on file by phone, email or letter. Contact details are found on the Public Meeting notice sent by mail or can be provided by contacting Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or service@vaughan.ca.
Note, only the people who make an official submission, in person or in writing, before Council’s ratification are entitled to appeal the decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal or seek a party status to a hearing. Learn more about how you can get involved.
WHAT HAPPENS AT A PUBLIC MEETING
The purpose of a Public Meeting is to inform and request feedback from Vaughan Council and you, members of the community. No decisions are made during these meetings. At the meeting, landowners who have submitted a planning application will have the opportunity to share their plans. Members of Council may comment or ask questions, and members of the public may share their feedback in writing or verbally if they have pre-registered to speak at the meeting. All feedback received will be compiled into a report to be presented at a future Committee of the Whole meeting – this is where a recommendation on the application is made. It is then forwarded to the next Council meeting so the decision can be ratified.
Under the provincial Planning Act, Vaughan Council is mandated to review all planning applications that are formally submitted to the City. Many factors beyond Vaughan Council can dictate how an application proceeds, including plans, policies and legislations from regional and provincial levels of government.
Watch this video for an overview of what happens in a Public Meeting.
Visit vaughan.ca/PlanningProcess for more information about the City’s planning process. A digital step-by-step guide (PDF) is also available, in addition to this video.
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