Mayor Bevilacqua committed to bringing university to Vaughan during this Term of Council
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Mayor announces
city-building taskforces to be chaired by Councillors
The
following is Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s keynote address, delivered
during the inaugural meeting of the 2018 to 2022 Term of Council:
“Thank
you to Flight Sgt. Prajapati for the thoughtful introduction. I had the pleasure
of meeting this talented, disciplined and focused young woman during our
Remembrance Day ceremony. Goral delivered a moving speech, marking the 100th
anniversary of the end of the First World War by paying tribute to the brave
men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. I appreciate your dedication to
this community and wish you the best on your journey. It is bright as it is
promising.
“We are
blessed to have future leaders among us. I want to acknowledge the children of
the Herbert H. Carnegie School Choir. Thank you for that wonderful rendition of
the national anthem – a constant reminder of how fortunate we all are to live
in this great country.
“I
extend my sincere appreciation to Angelica Di Castro. Your voice is a true
gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.
“Good
evening, Members of Council, honoured guests, esteemed colleagues, ladies and
gentlemen. Let me begin by expressing my
heartfelt gratitude to my children, my parents and my entire family. Thank you
for your unconditional love and support.
“To the
hundreds of volunteers–under the leadership of Michelle DeBuono–who worked on
my campaign and gave countless hours of their time and talent, I offer my
sincere appreciation for always believing in me and my mission.
“I would
like to thank the members of my office staff: Joy Ciafardoni, Ally Liscio and
Laura DiSevo.
“I also
want to pay special tribute to City Clerk Todd Coles and the Inauguration
Committee who worked tirelessly to make tonight’s ceremony possible.
“From
our administration, let me also recognize City Manager Daniel Kostopoulos and
Margie Singleton, CEO of Vaughan Public Libraries.
“In
attendance are Stuart Betts, Commanding Officer of #4 District–with York
Regional Police–and Deryn Rizzi, Chief of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service. Thank
you for all you do to keep residents and neighborhoods safe.
“I wish
to thank Joyce Usher-Mesiano, Chair of the Board of the Vaughan Chamber of
Commerce, for joining us this evening as well. I look forward to delivering my
annual Chamber Address in February.
“I am
grateful to the Honourable Justice Phillip Sutherland for administering the
Declaration of Office to all of Council.
“On
behalf of all of Council, we thank the voters who have given us their trust to
represent them at City Hall. It is greatly appreciated, cherished and
treasured.
“I
congratulate my elected colleagues who will join me over the next four years in
service to our fellow neighbours.
“I thank
outgoing Regional and Local Councillor Sunder Singh for her contributions. As
well, I welcome back Regional and Local Councillor Linda Jackson. I want to
acknowledge former Councillor Mario Racco, who is in attendance.
“This Council
is made up of engaged and experienced individuals. We must always be mindful
that it is a privilege to serve. Through the democratic process, we have earned
our mandates – and our seats in Council Chamber–from the citizens of this great
city. It is our responsibility to set the vision for the next four years and
beyond. It is the role of our professional administration to implement it.
“A few
weeks ago, on November 21st, I marked my 30th anniversary in public office. I
find myself recalling that day when I first entered the House of Commons as a
28-year-old Member of Parliament. I was hopeful, confident and focused on
making a positive difference in my community and my country. My enthusiasm,
sense of purpose and dedication have never wavered.
“Over
the years, I have been fortunate to have acquired a lot of experience at the
local, national and international level. Experience is important. Experience is
important for the road ahead. It is important in 2018 and it will be important
in 2022.
“As we
prepare to write the next chapter, I find myself reflecting on the covenant I
made with all of you when I first recited the Declaration of Office. I remain
humbled, grateful and energized to have received yet another strong vote of
confidence to serve in our city’s highest office and to lead this Council and
our City.
“Eight
years ago, I spoke of fulfilling the promise of our city. My vision was crystal
clear. I saw a Vaughan that would be praised for its character and integrity. Acclaimed
for its responsible, sustainable planning and economic leadership. Renowned for
its first-class administration, transparency, accountability and respect for
the hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars.
“I
envisioned a place where sports, the arts, music, theatre and architectural
excellence would thrive and where new and innovative ideas would be nurtured
and shared widely. I believed we could build a downtown core that was so
vibrant, people from all walks of life would be drawn to this dynamic
expression of modernity and avant-garde thinking. I envisioned a place where
diversity was celebrated. Where thinkers and innovators gathered to share their
knowledge. Where reaching higher, aiming farther and thinking outside of the
box were encouraged and supported.
“So, it
is with confidence and conviction that I stand before you to state that over the
past eight years, we have achieved transformational results. We have neither
wavered, questioned nor shied away from stepping out of our comfort zone and
taking bold, necessary and courageous action to create a new Vaughan—a
destination of choice. It’s no longer a debate of whether we can or whether we
will because we have and because we are.
“In this
election, the voters were also clear. The people overwhelmingly endorsed our
agenda for positive change that embodies the past two terms. They are in favour
of improving access to modern, front-line and world-class healthcare. They are
thrilled that Vaughan has a subway. They have faith in our inclusive approach
to city-building. They trust our approach to governance. They want to stay the
course, press ahead and never return to the days of old–where the potential of
Vaughan was untapped.
“These
have been the best eight years of our city’s history. Today, we all see a Vaughan that is praised
as a nationally acclaimed leader in city-building. This is the way forward.
“The
Vaughan Accord has been celebrated as a catalyst, responsible for shaping our
positive image, guiding Council decisions and helping ensure we achieve and
exceed key objectives. By adhering to the values upon which the Vaughan Accord
has been built – mutual respect, dedication, integrity and accountability –
Council, staff and the community are forging ahead with building a world-class
city.
“You
would be hard-pressed to find any city in Canada more determined to make
openness and transparency a cornerstone of city-building than what we have
undertaken and implemented. Vaughan has an ironclad governance framework.
“We are
renowned for our first-class administration, for taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars
and the ability to safeguard investments for the quality public services we
rely on each day. We use best practices to guarantee fiscal sustainability and
credibility. These bedrock principles are guiding our efforts to secure greater
efficiencies and maximize every dollar we are entrusted to manage. Our
acclaimed public institutions and sound public finances have been fundamental
to our efforts to attract, retain and ignite job-creating opportunities and to
elevate Vaughan’s place in the world as an economic powerhouse.
“The
City’s prosperity over the past two terms has been remarkable.
"I have
long maintained that cities are the economic engines of our nation and I can
assure you that this city is firing on all cylinders. Vaughan leads with an
economic growth rate of 3.6 per cent—far outpacing Ontario and Canada. Since 2010,
nearly 55,000 new jobs have been created in Vaughan. We have the highest
employment in York Region. We are home to nearly 12,000 businesses that employ
more than 218,000 people.
“Our
value proposition speaks for itself. Vaughan is the place to be.
“The
last two terms have been marked by an unwavering commitment to deliver a
reliable, efficient and world-class transportation system. We are also
supporting the hundreds of thousands of men and women who rely on our extensive
network of roads and rail. This December marks one year since Vaughan made
history by becoming the first and only municipality outside of Toronto to be
connected by the TTC Subway with our signature transit hub in the Vaughan
Metropolitan Centre.
“Today,
the VMC is the largest and most ambitious project in the City’s history. As our
skyline takes shape, we continue to reach new and unprecedented heights.
“We are
building with a mindset that goes beyond mere structures. Vaughan’s future
planning efforts embody a higher purpose of public service. It reflects
decisions that seek to protect and elevate the quality of life for our
neighbours. Urban planning should be a force for good. It must be utilized to
help people reach their full potential. People dream of calling Vaughan home. We
are fulfilling their dreams.
“Edgeley
Pond and Park is the largest open space, City-owned piece of land in the VMC. It’s
the heart of the community, a signature amenity and reflects our dedication to
environmental stewardship. Vaughan is a green city. We are delivering on our
commitment to beautify our landscape while nourishing its spirit. We formally
opened Phase One of the new 900-acre North Maple Regional Park. Once fully
complete, Vaughan’s North Maple Regional Park will be larger than New York
City’s very own Central Park.
“When I
reflect on my first inauguration, I spoke of my vision for a city where people
from throughout the world view diversity as a unifying strength and a defining
characteristic of citizenship. Culture Days have sparked a renaissance that is
fostering a greater sense of community awareness and appreciation for the
diversity of cultures and faiths that thrive throughout our city.
“The
efforts and events of our Spirit of Generosity commitment have raised more than
$30 million in contributions from compassionate, dedicated and thoughtful
individuals. Proceeds have gone to help more than 150 not-for-profit and
community organizations that play a vital role in touching the lives of
countless people.
“As
co-chair of the $250-million Mackenzie Health Foundation’s Exceptional Care
Belongs Here Campaign, I was proud to announce that the De Gasperis and Kohn
families made a generous donation to the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital. We have
well surpassed the $100-million mark in contributions. We recently marked the
hospital topping-off ceremony to celebrate reaching the highest point of
construction and moving closer to opening the hospital in late 2020. Building
this hospital is about investing in the health and well-being of our citizens
and ensuring we all have access to the best possible front-line healthcare for
generations to come.
“I also
announced that the Cortellucci family stepped forward with a donation toward
the building of the new Hospice Vaughan–Mario & Nick Cortellucci Hospice
Palliative Care Centre of Excellence–which is expected to open in 2019. We are
grateful for their continued support and belief in city-building.
“Thirty
years as an elected official have taught me many things. Among them is to
remain steadfast in what you believe to be right, just and fair. Always align
your actions to sound values, principles and beliefs, which focus on the
greater good–and be all in, regardless of the challenges you may face.
“These
are times when you must be creative and resourceful. As the provincial
government attempts to balance the budget, the province-wide cuts are real, but
so is my desire to bring a university to our city. One must never give up. Life
is easier when there is funding available. However, one’s ability is tested
during challenging times.
“I
remain committed to bringing a university to our city during this term in
office.
“Like
the hospital, hospice, subway and other city-building initiatives, there were
doubters, but I am a believer determined to deliver to our city what the
residents deserve. I never allow noise or static to get in the way of achieving
positive results for my community. My approach to governing is rooted in hope
and optimism. And this approach, over the past eight years, has served the
citizens of Vaughan extremely well.
“At the
outset of my speech, I discussed the clear message voters shared during the
election. They were equally candid about what we needed to do better. Improving
traffic, building affordable housing and responsible development planning were
conveyed to all of us.
“While
we have made significant inroads on the transit and transportation file, I will
continue working with all governments to explore new and innovative ways to
bring relief to commuters. To that end, I am announcing that taskforces will be
created to be chaired by Members of Council to shape our collective work throughout
the new Term of Council. They include a separate taskforce on: Transportation
and Infrastructure; Economic Prosperity, Investment and Social Capital; Environmental
Leadership; Older Adult Empowerment; Diversity and Citizen Engagement; and Effective
Governance.
“We will
encourage and invite respected stakeholders, sought-after opinion leaders and
concerned citizens to join us on these taskforces and to roll up their sleeves,
undertake meaningful work, and deliver real and profound results. Each taskforce
will report back to all of Council. This will allow for greater public debate
and ensure we turn ideas into real results.
“Given
the importance of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, I will continue to Chair the
VMC Sub-Committee. It has played an important and vital role in shaping our
downtown. The Mayor’s Smart City Advisory Taskforce will carry on with its
mandate to advance a culture of knowledge and pursue continuous improvement. As
well, a special advisory committee will be established to maximize the
potential of the hospital precinct. A place where citizens will get exceptional
care.
“My
friends, Vaughan’s golden era continues to shine and touch the lives of all
citizens.
“With
enthusiasm, vision and love for the city I proudly serve, I look forward to forging
ahead to build on our shared accomplishments. But we know there is much more
work to be done.
“We will
continue with a plan that will launch our city to unprecedented heights. Vaughan
deserves the best and
I submit to all of you once again that it is my duty as your mayor to ensure
that is what our citizens receive.
“We have
done exceptionally well as a city and we’ve only just begun.
“With
civility, let us go forth united with unbridled enthusiasm, optimism and hope
to work collectively for the common good. This is the way forward.
“For our
city, the best is yet to come!
“Thank
you!”
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