Ready, Resilient, Resourceful

Oct. 5, 2020 10:00 a.m.
​City’s RRR Committee responds to the COVID-19 pandemic and plans for the future

Throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Vaughan has been guided by three core values – readiness, resiliency and resourcefulness – which continue to shape its ongoing response efforts. During the recent second meeting of the City's Ready, Resilient and Resourceful (RRR) Committee of Council, discussions focused on updates and actions taken by City staff in the following categories: our people, our places, our services, our finances, our economy and our communications.
 
Our People
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the City’s human resources, Vaughan’s administration has adapted quickly and efficiently. Across the organization, every department has risen to the challenge to continue city-building and providing quality public services, collectively developing more than 160 innovations and process improvements.
 
Currently, more than 50 per cent of City employees continue to effectively and productively work from home. Staff required to work on-site or in the field were provided with appropriate personal protective equipment and protocols and procedures to abide by.
 
Our Places
On March 17, Vaughan became the first city in Ontario and the first municipality in York Region to declare a state of emergency in response to COVID-19. Since then, the City has taken a disciplined, responsible and measured approach to closing and gradually reopening City facilities and amenities. This approach includes the decision to keep select City facilities closed until at least Jan. 4, 2021. The City’s Business Reintegration Plan has been developed and continues to evolve as the pandemic progresses. The plan outlines a staged approach to guide and prepare employees for a future return to municipal facilities. The goal is to ensure a safe and efficient transition for all staff.
 
Our Services
Although the pandemic has resulted in some impacts to City services and programming, essential services continue uninterrupted. Many virtual programs have been introduced and facilities and amenities are gradually reopening. Below is an update on actions taken for each of the City’s portfolios.
 
Administrative Services and City Solicitor:
  • Electronic-participation Council and Committee meetings continue. A report for amending the Procedural By-law is also being considered to make electronic meetings a permanent option.
  • Live public participation in the form of digital speaking opportunities have been developed via teleconference, telephone or written communication. Enhancing the virtual citizen experience for Committee and Council meetings continues to be explored.
  • Curbside marriage licences have been issued during the closure of Vaughan City Hall – approximately 150 to date. 
Community Services:
  • Access Vaughan, the City’s contact centre, continues to respond to public questions, concerns and inquiries. Since the start of the pandemic, the team has received a high volume of inquiries – more than 111,000 – and has achieved a 71 per cent on-the-spot resolution rate.
  • By-law officers continue to patrol and respond to calls on a priority basis. The department has also introduced temporary by-laws to aid local businesses, including the ability to expand or establish outdoor patios and offering a deferral on licence renewals. Several services have also transitioned online, such as ticket disputes and payments. Animal Services officers continue to serve through regular patrols and calls as well.
  • Recreation Services continues to oversee the gradual reopening of community centres, pools and fitness centres. By extension, this also includes program delivery, in-person summer camps, fitness programs and classes, arena permits and virtual programming options. Fall recreation programs will also be offered virtually this year with expanded offerings.
  • Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service has distributed more than 1,500 COVID-19 safety kits to vulnerable community members. Alerts from several utility and environmental stakeholders continue to be monitored, a critical infrastructure review is underway, and training for more than 200 members on the emergency management team is also planned in the coming months ahead.  
Corporate Services:
  • A main focus of Vaughan’s Human Resource team is on key responses related to communications, labour relations, safety, alternative work arrangements, recruitment and workforce adjustments.
  • IT Services continues to monitor the corporation’s infrastructure bandwidth and works to increase thresholds to support the more than 1,300 employees who are working remotely.
  • Online permit options continue to be added to the City’s permitting portal. To date, 76 contracts – valued at $38.3 million – have been successfully awarded to ensure delivery of Council’s priority projects and urgent operational requirements.
  • Financial services, planning and development teams continue to lobby other levels of government for financial support. Various resident and business financial relief supports continue to be implemented.  
Infrastructure Development:
  • City-building continues with advanced infrastructure, construction and critical projects underway.
  • Increased cleaning and disinfecting processes have been implemented to ensure the continued health and safety of all workers at City facilities.
  • While several City facilities remain closed to the public, renovations, upgrades, renewals and repairs are being co-ordinated and executed during this time of reduced occupancy. This will result in reduced disruptions for citizens when the facilities fully reopen.  
Planning and Growth Management:
  • Innovative and digital solutions to deliver services and plans continue to be enhanced. In total, 143 applications and 1,835 permits valued at more than $591 million have been issued.
  • Further upgrades to electronic applications and submissions, virtual public engagement strategies and online consultations continue to be explored and implemented.
  • A new digital permitting portal was launched enabling citizens and building industry professionals to apply, track and pay for permits online. It is available at vaughan.ca/PermitPortal. 
Public Works:
  • Waste collection services have expanded, including adding services, introducing virtual resources and more. In total, 2,900 waste and recycling bins have been delivered to residents’ homes as part of the temporary bin exchange program. A QR Code pilot program was also implemented to increase responsiveness to litter/dumping concerns in specific parks.
  • Park amenities have reopened under strict Provincial and Regional health and safety measures.
  • Additional street-sweeper rotations removed more than 10,520 tons of dust, dirt and debris from City properties.
  • A resilient long-term planting strategy and horticulture sponsorship program are also scheduled for a future execution date.  
Vaughan Public Libraries:
  • Three resource libraries are now open under strict health and safety measures.
  • While all remaining library facilities remained closed, 66,485 items were borrowed through the curbside pickup program, which Vaughan Public Libraries was the first in Ontario to launch, and late fees and fines have been eliminated.
  • A wide range of virtual programming, resources, engagement and contests continue to enhance services.  
Our Finances
In response to the pandemic, many measures have been introduced to support citizens including:
  • City facility and amenity closure refunds
  • property tax payment deferrals
  • business license renewal deferrals
  • not-for-profit tenant rent deferrals
  • Municipal Accommodation Tax suspension
  • stormwater charge deferral
  • water and wastewater rate increase cancellation 
Vaughan will also receive $6.15 million of federal relief funding through phase 1 of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement. The City continues to explore other options – including further funding support from senior levels of government – to mitigate additional financial pressures.
 
Our Economy
The City is working to mitigate the impact of the virus on local businesses. By understanding the impact, the City is able to provide up-to-date, relevant and reliable information to help businesses navigate various programs and support avenues available to them. The demand for business-support programs continues to increase in Vaughan – there has been a 90 per cent increase in business consultations, a 150 per cent increase in repeat consultations and a total of 163 consultations facilitated since the start of the pandemic.
 
New program launches, with a focus on resiliency building, continue to be implemented to:
  • provide training and hands-on support to local businesses in pivoting operations
  • educate businesses on the challenges and opportunities presented by COVID-19
  • ease, wherever possible, extraordinary regulatory burdens on business
  • maintain community arts and cultural connections 
Our Communications
The City is committed to keeping citizens, stakeholders and staff informed throughout the pandemic. The Corporate and Strategic Communications department employs a variety of communications methods, including media outreach, eNewsletters, social media, website content, mailers, signage, links to various provincial and federal websites and resources, and much more. In fact, the team has issued approximately 1,450 COVID-19-related products to date. That is in addition to extensive internal communications efforts to ensure staff are well informed.
 
For more information on ongoing services, disruptions and cancellations, or for updates on COVID-19 in Vaughan, residents can directly connect with Access Vaughan – the City’s contact centre – by phone at 905-832-2281 or by email at accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. To receive the latest news as it is released, residents can visit:
QUOTE
“It has been more than six months since Vaughan became the first city in Ontario to declare a state of emergency. As the world watched during those initial weeks of uncertainty, the City of Vaughan acted with a great deal of certainty. We took immediate action to protect all citizens, businesses and the community from the virus while ensuring essential services continued without disruption. From the beginning, our priority has been the health and safety of everyone who lives and works in Vaughan. We continue to collaborate with all levels of government to address the impacts of COVID-19 in our city. Our work to develop a fulsome post-COVID-19 economic recovery plan continues. The plan will focus on securing Vaughan's place as the Region's largest employment centre, enhancing Vaughan's key strategic economic drivers like our downtown commercial zone, manufacturing and logistics, and the health and tourism industries, and leveraging public spaces by supporting community events and the arts. While we have come a long way, our journey is not over yet. As we look toward the future, I am confident that being ready, resilient and resourceful will help ensure that we emerge stronger.”
- Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
QUICK FACTS
  • Vaughan was the first city in Ontario and the first municipality in York Region to declare a state of emergency on March 17.
  • Unanimously endorsed by Council during the May 27 Council Meeting, the mandate of the RRR Committee is to report on issues related to the City’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts and plan for Vaughan’s post-pandemic future. The RRR Committee continues to work closely with members of Vaughan’s administration to identify immediate and long-term impacts of this global pandemic on City business and plan for its continued success.  
  • Throughout the pandemic, the City of Vaughan has ensured quality services are delivered for families, businesses and all citizens. The priority remains the health, safety and well-being of everyone that lives and works in the community.
  • Vaughan continues to take a disciplined, responsible and measured approach to reopening the city. As some restrictions are lifted, other precautionary measures remain in place to protect everyone in the community from further transmission of COVID-19. Visit vaughan.ca/ReopeningVaughan for more information on ongoing services, recent reopenings, continued closures and programs that have been impacted by the virus.
  • Electronic-participation Committee of the Whole and Council meetings have continued throughout the pandemic. Upcoming agendas can be viewed at vaughan.ca/CouncilMeetings. While Vaughan City Hall remains closed to the public, visit vaughan.ca/HaveYourSay to learn more about how to participate virtually, including live deputations via teleconference or telephone. Email or written communications are also accepted. Citizens can watch the meetings by tuning into the live broadcast at vaughan.ca/LiveCouncil.
  • Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on COVID-19, including physical distancing tips and advice from Public Health officials, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19. 
LEARN MORE
  • City of Vaughan COVID-19 webpage
  • Ready, Resilient and Resourceful Committee Sept. 19 meeting agenda
  • Ready. Resilient. Resourceful: Sept. 29 Committee Report
  • Mayor Bevilacqua establishes Ready, Resilient and Resourceful Committee: statement
  • Mayor Bevilacqua launches the new Ready, Resilient and Resourceful Committee: statement
  • York Region COVID-19 webpage  
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