What’s your vision for Vaughan?
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Get Inspired; Get Involved! Take a survey to help inform the City’s Official Plan Review
What kind of city do you want Vaughan to be in 30 years? What are your priorities for Vaughan’s future? What does a complete community look like to you? How can Vaughan be more sustainable? The City of Vaughan’s Official Plan Review will guide the community’s growth into 2051 – and you can help shape it.
As the review progresses, an online Vision Survey is now available for public input until March 16, 2022.
The survey identifies the following potential priorities within five key areas – all generated from previous assessments and preliminary public feedback:
- Complete Communities: Creating a complete community where all amenities and services (such as recreational facilities, employment, grocery stores, outdoor space, educational facilities, shopping and more) are easily accessible by foot, bicycle or transit.
- Natural Areas: Preserving natural areas, as they have an important role in environmental protection, human health and well-being, wildlife habitat and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Agricultural System: Maintaining Vaughan’s local agriculture through the preservation of farmlands and diversity.
- Urban Design, Placemaking and Sustainability: Establishing urban design and placemaking guidelines to help bring identity to Vaughan’s communities and make these areas more accessible, attractive and sustainable.
- Climate Change: Advancing the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and planning for effects of severe weather events, all to increase the community’s resilience.
The survey asks citizens to identify priorities and share their ideas and hopes for the updated Vaughan Official Plan.
Feedback received from the survey – and all previous engagement workshops, meetings and more – will help shape the development of a community-based vision and guiding principles for the updated Vaughan Official Plan. A Phase One public engagement summary report will also be shared in spring 2022.
What is an Official Plan?
An Official Plan outlines the vision for the future of a city, including responsible governance, sustainable planning, economic leadership, transparency, accountability and inclusivity. It is a strategic planning document that establishes a policy framework to guide the physical, social, environmental and economic development of the city’s communities. The City of Vaughan’s Official Plan:
- implements goals, objectives and land use policies to serve the community.
- directs density, housing supply, protection of environmental features and agricultural areas, cultural heritage preservation and more.
- guides growth and development to implement the vision for Vaughan’s long-term evolution.
The updated Vaughan Official Plan must align with new Provincial policies and plans, including the Provincial Policy Statement, Greenbelt Plan, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and 2051 growth targets for people and jobs. It must also conform with the York Region Official Plan, currently being updated through the York Region Municipal Comprehensive Review.
Why is the Vaughan Official Plan being reviewed?
Vaughan’s communities are constantly growing and changing. Vaughan is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada with a population of 341,600 people and 240,100 jobs in 2021. Between 2021 and 2051, Vaughan will become home to 228,800 more people, bringing the total population to 570,400 people. Vaughan will also provide nearly 111,400 more jobs bringing the total employment to 351,500 jobs. This expected growth will account for almost one-third of the region’s growth over the next three decades. The City is updating the existing Vaughan Official Plan 2010 to better meet the needs of current and future citizens, workers and visitors, and help guide this expansive growth to ensure Vaughan continues to be a great place to live, work and play.
How long will the Official Plan Review take?
As a progressive and growing Greater Toronto Area municipality, Vaughan is large and complex. It is expected the Official Plan Review will be completed in approximately a year and a half. Time will be needed to review all existing policies, conform with recent changes to Provincial plans and policies and align with York Region’s ongoing Municipal Comprehensive Review. The City will involve the community every step of the way and report back to on progress throughout the life of the project.
How can community members stay informed?
Learn more about the City’s Official Plan Review at vaughan.ca/OPR. Future public engagement opportunities will also be posted to this webpage. An Official Plan Review mailing list has also been created – visit vaughan.ca/OPR, call 905-832-8585, ext. 8699 or email oprmanager@vaughan.ca to be added.