Ushering in a new era in Vaughan

Dec. 15, 2017 12:00 a.m.
City of Vaughan
​Subway opening in city’s new downtown makes history and completes full transit hub
 
The City of Vaughan’s largest and most ambitious development, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, continues to take shape as the subway officially opens. Welcoming this new mode of transportation is a historic moment for the city and will connect communities and benefit residents and visitors for years to come.
 
Today, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, together with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Kathleen Wynne, Ontario Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca and York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson along with other dignitaries, unveiled the opening of the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1 Extension at a special event at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) Station.
 
As the only municipality in the 905 to have a subway, Vaughan will be directly linked to Toronto – which sets the city apart as an ideal environment for business and talent. The execution and completion of a project of this scale could only happen through thoughtful city-building and meaningful partnerships that transformed a once-rural plot of land into a bustling metropolis. The opening of the subway, VMC bus rapid transit station and the new YRT mobility hub reconfirms this downtown as the true transit epicentre of the city – making it easy for residents, businesses and visitors to get around. For passengers, it is only a quick 7-minute subway ride from the VMC Station to York University Station and a 45-minute ride to Union Station.
 
The city’s evolution continues through the VMC – with more than 700 residential units occupied, and more than 7,000 units proposed or under construction. The KPMG Tower is the first office in the new downtown and employs approximately 800 people with more than 300 businesses already situated in the VMC. Some notable companies that have located to the area include: Miller Thomson, GFL Environmental, Harley Davidson and FM Global. 
 
In addition to the mobility, this true live-work-play urban centre will feature greenspaces and parks, office and condo towers, pedestrian links, retail and entertainment. By 2031, more than 11,500 jobs will be created and 25,000 people will be living in 12,000 residential units. The VMC will also boast a new 100,000-square-foot flagship YMCA, a 20,000-square-foot City of Vaughan Public Library and a community recreation space – all of which are currently under construction. The VMC is a true testament to the continued investments being made to enhance the city’s quality of life.
 
QUOTE
 
“This is the City of Vaughan’s golden era and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is a key part of our significant success. Our new downtown has risen from the ground up and is becoming a buzzing core where residents, businesses, transit and entertainment will co-exist as one. The opening of the subway to Vaughan, along with the other major transit additions to our downtown core, is yet another example of what we can do when we work together. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to our federal, provincial and regional partners for making this project come to life. The vision for our future has become a reality and it has been an interesting experience to be part of the city’s journey. There is great energy in our community as we embrace a more prominent role in the Greater Toronto Area. Vaughan is truly a city on the move.”
-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
QUICK FACTS

  • An official ribbon cutting took place at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station today that included: Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Kathleen Wynne, Ontario Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca, York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson, Toronto Mayor John Tory, TTC Chair Josh Colle and Greg Sorbara.
  • The VMC is one of Canada’s largest master planned communities, complemented by a world-class transit system offering residents and businesses seamless connectivity throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
  • Vaughan continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in Canada.
  • There has been 3.6 per cent average employment growth from 2015 to 2016, outpacing the national, Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and regional averages.
  • Rated Canada’s Most Lucrative Markets for business by PROFITguide.
 
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