Mayor Bevilacqua: Vaughan remains ready, resilient and resourceful
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The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua:
“Last month concluded the City of Vaughan's first entirely virtual session of Council. Although the 2020-21 session has been like no other, we remained steadfast in our shared commitment to deliver Service Excellence by ensuring city business continued and improved. That is precisely what being ready, resilient and resourceful is all about.
"I want to acknowledge all members of Council and our administration for thinking strategically and optimizing opportunities presented by our current situation. I want to once again congratulate Nick Spensieri on becoming Vaughan's new City Manager. Mr. Spensieri has vast and extensive experience overseeing several key city-building departments, and his promotion is further proof that Vaughan continues to recruit, retain and promote the very best professionals. I wish Mr. Spensieri and the entire administration much success as we continue working together to build a world-class city.
"I am extremely proud of our team for their commitment to public service throughout the global pandemic. We responded to the fiscal stressors of COVID-19 by passing a zero per cent property tax rate increase, which Council unanimously endorsed. As well, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital – Vaughan's first hospital and Canada's first smart hospital – opened as a full-service community hospital during this Council session. Recently, Hospice Vaughan – The Mario & Nick Cortellucci Palliative Care Centre of Excellence opened to serve our community for years to come. We look forward to the Lou Fruitman Reena Residence opening this summer, providing a new space for individuals with varying abilities and their families to enjoy the independence, affordability and accessibility they deserve.
"The City's ongoing COVID-19 response – from infrastructure delivery to the exceptional ability of our staff to communicate – has made a meaningful and positive difference for citizens and businesses. However, throughout this period of adversity, sustainable development remained top of mind. At the end of the day, when you are the city of choice, everyone wants to build and live here. I strongly believe that, once again, our Council and administration demonstrated that we could achieve the right balance.
"With several new projects on the horizon, including condominium developments that will play an important role in meeting future density goals, finding a complete range of housing options for our growing community remains a priority. The need for affordable housing is immediate, and the City continues to collaborate with other levels of government to bring diverse and affordable housing options to Vaughan. Another integral part of planning Vaughan's future growth is a well-developed transit and transportation network. Tremendous work has gone into the Yonge North Subway Extension from all levels of government. Higher-order transit provides an excellent advantage for attracting residents, businesses and talent to Vaughan.
"As a reflection of our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible community for all, at the June 22 Council meeting, the City formally adopted an update to its Indigenous Land Acknowledgement. As a Council, we endorsed an amendment to address existing inaccuracies, including changing the title from 'Aboriginal Territorial Acknowledgement' to 'Indigenous Land Acknowledgement,' in addition to a revised statement. The timing of this amendment coincides with the City's recognition of National Indigenous History Month in June and National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.
"Now that we have moved to Step 2 of the Province's Roadmap to Reopening, I remain confident that Vaughan's economic recovery will be strong. Over the past ten years, the city's economic growth rate has far outpaced the province and country. If that trajectory continues, we will have impressive growth in this city, which is good news for everyone who lives and works in Vaughan.
"In public life, you strive to build a city that will last well into the future. In 200 or 300 years from now, people will remember this Council and administration was creative, innovative and strategic in a responsible way. Public service is a labour of love. That is the ultimate energy that will drive us forward. We are now beginning to see that the seeds we planted a long time ago are bearing fruit for the people we proudly represent.
"The Vaughan spirit is ready, resilient and resourceful. I remain confident that by working together and supporting each other, we will emerge stronger. I wish everyone a fun and safe summer. Rest assured, we are moving in the right direction.”
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