Mayor Bevilacqua: Vaughan receives Mayor’s Energy Challenge Advocate Award

The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua after a special presentation during today’s Council meeting:

"I am pleased to announce the City of Vaughan has received the Mayor's Energy Challenge Advocate Award from the ClimateWise Business Network for our dedicated support of the Provincial Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking initiative.

"The City has been recognized for its leadership in implementing two innovative initiatives: 

• Surveying owners of commercial floor space in Vaughan to better understand energy retrofit and sustainability drivers. The survey helped build intelligence on the sector and general awareness of the Provincial Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking program. 
• Including participation in the Provincial Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking program as a reporting metric in the City of Vaughan's climate emergency declaration.  

"The City of Vaughan is a founding member of ClimateWise Business Network, a program of the Windfall Ecology Centre, which connects leading businesses and institutions operating in and around York Region that are setting and achieving sustainability goals with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The City's long-standing support has enabled ClimateWise Business Network to grow from four founding members in 2016 to more than 20 business members in 2021. ClimateWise Business Network is one of seven Green Economy Hubs replicating the success of Sustainable Waterloo's Regional Carbon Initiative program. 

"As a truly green city, we are committed to placing citizens' health and well-being at the heart of our city-building efforts. We are constantly exploring innovative and meaningful ways to demonstrate our environmental leadership. Our city is home to more than 230 kilometres of signed cycling and pedestrian routes. Through the City's tree replacement program, we have planted more than 30,000 trees. Vaughan's city-wide LED Streetlight Retrofit Program is now complete. Council also declared a climate change emergency in principle to deepen our commitment to protect our community from the impacts of climate change. Our actions today will shape our city for future generations. Every step, big and small, contributes to our shared vision of fostering a safe and sustainable community for years to come.

"I want to express my sincere congratulations to the Policy Planning and Special Programs team for their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vaughan. By working together to raise awareness for climate change, promote environmental stewardship and foster a more sustainable community, we can continue to make a positive and lasting difference in our city and beyond.”

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