You asked, we answered
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COVID-19 Updates
City of Vaughan news is released on a daily basis and kept on vaughan.ca for reference purposes. For the most recent updates and news as they happen, visit vaughan.ca/COVID19, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Have a question
about a service in Vaughan? Want to report an issue? Looking for an update on
the City’s COVID-19 response efforts? Access Vaughan is standing by with
Citizen Service Representatives ready to respond to all resident inquiries.
Reach the City’s contact centre by phone at 905-832-2281 (toll-free:
1-844-832-2112) or email at accessvaughan@vaughan.ca.
Every month,
the City releases popular questions received and responded to by Access Vaughan
in a series called ‘You Asked, We Answered.’ Below are the top five
inquiries received in March.
1. Where
do I purchase new City blue boxes and green bins?
To continue
to serve the community during the Joint Operations Centre closure, the City
sells garbage tags, blue boxes and green bins online through Service Vaughan. Blue boxes cost $14 and
green bins are $26.39, including home delivery. Tags are mailed to your
home through Canada Post, and you can pay with Visa, MasterCard and American
Express.
You
can also register online through Service Vaughan to exchange damaged blue
boxes and green bins with the City logo. For more information on waste
services, visit vaughan.ca/waste.
2. When
does leaf and yard waste collection begin?
Starting
Tuesday, April 20, weekly leaf and yard waste collection will take place on your
scheduled collection days. Weekly collection will continue until Friday, June
11.
The
City’s spring weekly leaf and yard waste collection begins the third week of April
each year to help protect native and pollinator-friendly
species. Research suggests that waiting to clean up your garden or front
yard until temperatures are consistently warm (around 15 C and above), directly
benefits these habitats.
Leaf and
yard waste can be placed in kraft paper bags or designated open-top rigid
containers such as regulation-sized garbage containers marked “Leaf and Yard
Waste.”
Acceptable
leaf and yard waste materials include:
- plant material (soil removed), leaves, branches, twigs, straw and cornstalks
- branches, twigs and cuttings that are tied in secure bundles and less than 1.5 metres (five feet) in length and 0.6 metres (two feet) in diameter, weighing less than 20.5 kilograms (45 pounds)
- individual branches that are less than 10 centimetres (four inches) in diameter, bundled securely
Materials
that do not belong in leaf and yard waste include:
- any leaf and yard waste material set out in an unacceptable container
- any container or bundle weighing more than 20.5 kilograms (45 pounds)
- branches, twigs and cuttings that are not tied, not in secure bundles and longer than 1.5 metres (five feet) and 0.6 metres (two feet) in diameter
- individual branches exceeding 10 centimetres (four inches) in diameter
- stumps and root balls
- any leaf and yard waste material contaminated with household waste such as green bin organics
- any set out that contains sod, soil, rocks or stones
Leaf
and yard waste should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the night
before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on the day of collection. For more
information on waste collection in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/waste.
3. How
do I know if my Elderly Homeowner Tax Assistance application has been received or approved?
The
City provides an Elderly Homeowners Tax Assistance program, which offers a
rebate to all residents 65 years of age or older who receive the Guaranteed Income
Supplement
and have owned their home in Vaughan for over one year. To confirm that an
Elderly Homeowner Tax Assistance application has been received, call Access
Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or email accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. If your application
has been approved, the credited amount will appear on your final tax bill. For
more information, visit vaughan.ca/PropertyTax.
4. What
do I do if I spot a coyote?
Coyote
sightings in cities and rural areas are common and should not be cause for
alarm. The City understands that their presence can become a challenge in
residential areas, and they can also be intimidating to some people. If you
encounter a coyote, keep your distance and keep pets on a short leash.
If the
coyote approaches you directly:
- stop: pick up children and small pets, if necessary.
- stand still: never run from a coyote, fox or domestic dog.
- make yourself big: wave your hands above your head.
- be loud and assertive: shout, stomp your feet and clap your hands.
- use a noisemaker: it could be your voice, a party horn, pots and pans banged together, a shaker can (such as a pop can filled with pebbles), a plastic bag (pull it out of your pocket and snap it around), or an umbrella popping open and closed.
- slowly back away: be assertive as you leave, so the animal knows it is not welcome.
To
report a sick or injured wild animal, please call Access Vaughan at
905-832-2281. For more information, go to vaughan.ca/AnimalServices.
5.
How do I book or cancel a parking ticket dispute?
Payments
for penalties, such as parking tickets, can be made online via payvaughanticket.com. To arrange an
alternative payment method or schedule a dispute appointment, call 905-832-2281
within 15 days of receiving the ticket. Scheduled disputes are being conducted
over the phone until further notice. If you are
unable to make a scheduled appointment, you can use an agent (PDF) to dispute the penalty on your behalf. Please call By-law and
Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services at 905-832-2281 no later than 24
hours in advance to change or cancel a scheduled screening appointment. Learn
more at vaughan.ca/bylaw.
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.
For more
information about City matters, please call Access
Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or visit vaughan.ca. To receive the City’s
latest updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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