Vaughan secures more than $8.5 million in grants for city-building projects

Feb. 13, 2023 1:00 p.m.
​Alternative funding sources help keep property tax increases low

 

City of Vaughan staff are always looking for new opportunities to help keep the tax rate increase among the lowest in the Greater Toronto Area – and that includes applying for grants to supplement funding for key approved city-building projects. 

In 2022 alone, the City was awarded 20 grants representing a combined value of $8,589,880, as outlined in a recent staff report to Vaughan Council. 

The projects the grants will help fund range from road improvements and small business support to park enhancements and facility upgrades. The most significant grants went to the Doctors Mclean park redevelopment and Riverwalk Trail, the Woodbridge Avenue streetscape improvements, the Keele Street multi-use pathway and the Woodbridge Library entrance renovation. 

Grants provide municipalities with direct financial assistance to undertake a specific project and often help fund solutions to identified challenges. In addition, grants from other levels of government and third-party organizations are a critical source of non-taxation revenue that help cities like Vaughan deliver infrastructure, programs and services residents and businesses rely on every day. The City estimates that $2 million in alternative revenue from grants represents approximately one per cent of the property tax base. 

Since 2017, the number of annual grant applications submitted by the City has increased. City staff constantly seek opportunities to leverage critical funding support from government partners to remain fiscally responsible, advance Council-approved initiatives, and continue building Vaughan into a world-class city. 

QUOTE
"Working with all levels of government remains a top priority so that we continue to move Vaughan in the right direction. These grants from other levels of government and third-party organizations are critical to delivering the City's Council-approved priorities – and the numbers speak for themselves. Last year, the City received more than $8.5 million as a direct result of awarded grants that were identified, actioned and submitted by staff. We continuously seek ways to maximize opportunities and responsibly manage every tax dollar, as the City remains committed to diversifying its revenue streams. Grant funding helps enhance overall community well-being and directly contributes to residents' exceptional quality of life and standard of living."

- Mayor Steven Del Duca 

QUICK FACTS

  • In 2022, the City was awarded 20 grants, representing a combined value of $8,589,880. In addition, there are currently 12 grants pending decision from the respective granting bodies, valued at $16,569,270.
  • Grants secure non-taxation revenue to deliver city infrastructure, programs and services. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, grant activity has increased with support from all levels of government.
  • The City's total grant submissions more than doubled from 15 applications in 2017 to 36 applications in 2022.

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