Working with all levels of government to advance city-building priorities: Mayor Del Duca

Highlights from Vaughan’s 2023-2024 Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee Year in Review

Advocacy with other levels of government is essential to the City of Vaughan successfully advancing Council-approved priorities. One of the ways the City does this is through its Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Sub-Committee.

Here are some of the 2023-2024 IGR Sub-Committee highlights: 

• In May 2023, Vaughan Council endorsed a Strategic Intergovernmental Relations Framework to advance Council-approved initiatives, including advocacy efforts with other government levels led by the Head of Council. This same staff report also outlined the draft Mandate and Terms of Reference for establishing an Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee to support these efforts by further engaging Members of Council and key stakeholders. 

• The inaugural meeting of the City’s Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee took place on Nov. 2, 2023 and served as an important forum to action on the Strategic Intergovernmental Relations Framework’s three strategic actions: identify, advocate and collaborate. 

• During the Jan. 23, 2024 Committee of the Whole (1) meeting, Members of Council endorsed a Member’s Resolution put forward by Local and Regional Councillor Mario Ferri, to establish advocacy priorities for a 2024 Member of Parliament and Member of Provincial Parliament breakfast roundtable. These priorities included establishing a Highway 7/Concord GO station and Kirby GO station, community safety initiatives, support for asylum seekers in the York Region and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection – Revitalization and Capital Campaign.

• Based on the work of the City’s Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee, on April 5, 2024, Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of the Council hosted federal and provincial representatives for a breakfast roundtable discussion. 

• During the April 8, 2024 Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee meeting, Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) staff presented information about the GTAA’s Noise Management Program. 

• As a result of a July 2024 meeting with Canada’s Consul General, Economic Development staff were invited to participate in the October 2024 Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service Fall 2024 Investment Roadshow in Europe. 

• During the Sept. 16, 2024 Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee, City staff presented on the City’s 2024 Northern and Central Italy Economic and Cultural Development Mission, highlighting specific intergovernmental relations engagements for discussion.

Looking ahead, new opportunities to advance the City’s Intergovernmental Relations will include formalizing a partnership with the City of Sora, Italy, joining Milan’s Urban Food Policy Pact, engaging with the City of Verona, Italy, to explore partnership opportunities and a 2025 international delegation to Israel.

To learn more about City committees and boards, visit vaughan.ca/committees.

QUOTES

“Strengthening relationships with other levels of government is a key component of Vaughan’s city-building strategy because we know collaboration and advancing shared goals is imperative to delivering real results for our residents and businesses. We’ve seen great success since the establishment of our Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee. It’s remarkable how much progress we can make when we work together toward a common vision, and I’m looking forward to achieving even more through our ongoing collaborative work.”

-     Mayor Steven Del Duca

“The Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee plays a key role in Vaughan’s development by identifying and leveraging opportunities to advance discussions held with other levels of government, which will help create a brighter future for our city. I’m thrilled to see the progress made to date, and am optimistic about our continued successes in the years to come.”

-    Chair, Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee, Local and Regional Councillor Mario Ferri

QUICK FACTS

• At the Sept. 20, 2022 Committee of the Whole (2) meeting, Members of Council unanimously endorsed a Member's Resolution by Deputy Mayor, Local and Regional Councillor Linda Jackson requesting a report outlining intergovernmental relations strategic support to advocate for and advance Council-approved initiatives. 

• At the Dec. 12, 2022 Council meeting, Members of Council approved the establishment of authorized non-statutory committees for the 2022-2026 Term of the Council, including Intergovernmental Relations. 

• Mayor Steven Del Duca leads the City's intergovernmental relations mandate, and the work is further supported through the City's Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee, whose members' efforts are further informed by the Council-approved Strategic Intergovernmental Relations Framework.

• Vaughan’s Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee has an overall mandate to advance Council-approved priorities with other government levels and stakeholders, and is guided by three strategic intergovernmental relations actions: identify, advocate and collaborate.

• The Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee also serves as a collaborative forum for external stakeholder organizations like the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to engage the City about these organizations’ advocacy priorities and to align potential efforts with Vaughan.

   

LEARN MORE 

• Dec. 10, 2024 Committee of the Whole (2) Report: 2023-2024 Year in Review: Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee and Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (PDF)
• Dec. 17, 2024 Council Member’s Resolution: Head of Council Delegation to Israel 2025 (PDF)
• Intergovernmental Relations Sub-Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)
• Economic Development’s webpage
• Economic Development department’s eNewsletter
• Economic Development LinkedIn