Council 101
Image
Learn about Vaughan’s local government and the upcoming
municipal election
Vaughan citizens – Council 101 is in session! How much do you know
about the local government structure and the upcoming municipal election? The
City of Vaughan is here to keep you informed about everything you need to know.
Levels of government
In Canada, we live in a
democracy. This means citizens have the opportunity to have a say in how the
country is run by voting in federal, provincial and municipal elections. How
much do you know about the different levels of government?
Municipalities,
including Vaughan, hold elections every four years. The City is within a
two-tier government system. There are two levels of local government
providing services to our community – York Region, as the upper-tier
level of government, and the lower-tier governments are the cities and towns
within York Region, including Vaughan. The cities are responsible for many programs,
services and infrastructure you rely on each day. Here is a breakdown of some
of the key services provided by each level:
York Region provides:
- Family and children services
- Paramedics
- Police services
- Public health
- Public transit (YRT/ Viva)
- Regional roads
- And much more
The City of Vaughan
provides:
- Building permits
- By-law and enforcement
- Fire and rescue services
- Parks, forestry and horticulture maintenance
- Recreation and fitness services and centres
- Snow removal and salting
- Waste collection
- And much more
Vaughan’s government
structure
Vaughan Council is currently made up
of nine members – one Mayor, three Local and Regional Councillors, and five
Ward Councillors.
The Mayor is
elected as the head of Council, and Local and Regional Councillors are elected to
represent Vaughan at local and regional levels. Ward
Councillors are elected to represent their wards on Vaughan Council. School
Board Trustees are also elected to act as their community’s advocate for public
education. In the 2022 Municipal
Election, Vaughan will add a fourth Local and Regional Councillor.
Why vote in the election?
A
municipal election decides who will govern a city and school board. Your voice matters in the decision-making
process. Voting ensures your values, goals and ideas are reflected in the
people who represent you, which allows you to help shape the future of where
you live.
How you can vote in the
2022 Municipal Election
Are you registered to
vote in the 2022 Municipal Election? The Municipal Property Assessment
Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for collecting information from eligible
Ontario voters for the 2022 Municipal Election in October. To find out if you
are on the Voters List, visit voterlookup.ca. Ensure the information
is accurate and up to date. If necessary, you can make changes and additions
for yourself or others in your household at this time.
To be eligible to vote
in the 2022 Municipal Election, you must be a Canadian citizen, over the age of
18, and either a resident of the city of Vaughan, or an owner or tenant of
property in the city of Vaughan, or the spouse of an owner or tenant of property
in the city of Vaughan. Vote online from Thursday, Oct. 6 to Thursday, Oct. 20
or vote in-person on Voting Day – Monday, Oct. 24.
Stay
tuned for much more information on voting, including accessible options, how to
vote online and more.
Learn more about your
local government and how to vote in the 2022 Municipal Election by visiting vaughan.ca/elections.
For
updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the
official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
-30-