Celebrating the life of the Honourable David C. Onley
Vaughan City Hall accessibility ramp dedicated in tribute
The City of Vaughan is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. This includes integration and fair access for residents, visitors and employees with visible or non-visible disabilities.
To further demonstrate this commitment, the City held a special ceremony earlier today to dedicate the accessibility ramp outside Vaughan City Hall in memory of the late David C. Onley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Mr. Onley’s wife, Ruth Ann, joined Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of Council to unveil The Honourable David C. Onley Accessibility Gateway.
Mr. Onley was a celebrated journalist, educator and champion for accessibility who passed away on Jan. 14, 2023, at age 72. When Mr. Onley assumed the role of Lieutenant Governor in 2007, he made accessibility the overarching theme of his mandate. He was passionate about ensuring everyone had opportunities to succeed, working hard to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Following his time as Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Onley was appointed senior lecturer in the department of political sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, of which he was a distinguished alumnus. There, he sought to educate the next generation of Canadian leaders. Mr. Onley received numerous honours, including the Order of Ontario and Order of Canada, and held 11 honourary degrees.
The date for today’s ceremony was selected to coincide with National AccessAbility Week, which runs until June 1, 2024, and is proclaimed by the City annually. The week celebrates the valuable contributions of persons with disabilities throughout Canada and raises awareness for the need to become a more accessible and inclusive community.
The event comes following Council’s endorsement of Mayor Del Duca’s Member’s Resolution (PDF) in February 2023, which called for naming the accessibility ramp in Mr. Onley’s honour.
QUOTES
“The Honourable David C. Onley was a leading voice for improving accessibility in our province and spent his time as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario advocating for it. He was a public servant for all the right reasons and dedicated much of his life to making our province more inclusive. The City of Vaughan is proud to honour him by dedicating our accessibility ramp, ‘The Honourable David C. Onley Accessibility Gateway,’ which will serve as a symbol to everyone who enters City Hall that all are welcome in Vaughan. I want to express my gratitude to his wife, Ruth Ann, whose presence at today’s event made this ceremony all the more meaningful. Unveiling the newly named accessibility ramp during National AccessAbility Week is a fitting tribute to Mr. Onley’s remarkable life’s work, and one I hope he would have appreciated.”
- Mayor Steven Del Duca
“Throughout his life, David met each obstacle and barrier with courage and determination. He cherished his family and was actively involved in the lives of our sons, attending baseball and hockey games and sharing family trips. As the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, he sought to make the province more accessible and worked hard to provide opportunities for everyone to reach their full potential. David found joy in teaching and seeing the growing social consciousness of tomorrow’s leaders. He was also a person of faith who now rests peacefully in his Eternal Home. David has left Ontario a better province than the one he grew up in, and we are all better for knowing him. I think David would have been so grateful for this thoughtful honour.”
- Ruth Ann Onley
QUICK FACTS
The City of Vaughan dedicated City Hall’s accessibility ramp, “The Honourable David C. Onley Accessibility Gateway,” in memory of the late David C. Onley, Ontario’s former Lieutenant Governor.
The Hon. David C. Onley was Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from Sept. 5, 2007, to Sept. 23, 2014. He passed away on Jan. 14, 2023, at age 72.
- The City’s 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (PDF) is a comprehensive five-year plan that aims to create an accessible and barrier-free environment for all Vaughan’s residents, visitors and businesses. Approved by Council last year, it reflects the City’s commitment to building an inclusive and accessible Vaughan. It is aligned with fostering Active, Engaged and Inclusive Communities – a strategic priority in the 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan (PDF).
LEARN MORE
Mayor Steven Del Duca’s Member’s Resolution (PDF)
The Hon. David C. Onley’s biography webpage
The City of Vaughan’s Accessibility webpage
The City of Vaughan’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan webpage
