Your guide to Vaughan’s Council and Committee meetings

Have you ever wondered how your local – municipal – government makes decisions? Or what happens at a Council or Committee meeting? 

Then, here’s what you need to know! Members of Council meet throughout the year to make important decisions related to municipal planning, programs and services – and you can participate, either in person or virtually! 

The monthly meeting cycle typically includes two Committee of the Whole meetings, one Committee of the Whole Public Meeting, one Committee of the Whole Working Session, one Committee of the Whole Closed Session and one Council meeting.

It may sound like a lot of meetings – but they all have different purposes:

Committee of the Whole (1): This meeting covers planning and growth management items such as development applications, land use policies and heritage planning. 

Committee of the Whole (2): The agenda is broader, covering financial reports, corporate administrative matters and City programs and services. If you want to know how the City manages budgets, policy initiatives and public services, this meeting dives into those details. Sometimes, there’s only one Committee of the Whole meeting in a month; it depends on how many agenda items there are. 

Committee of the Whole Public Meeting: This meeting focuses on proposed development applications under the Planning Act. The purpose is to inform and request feedback from Vaughan Council and you, members of the community. No decisions are made during these meetings. At a Committee of the Whole Public Meeting, landowners who have submitted a planning application can share their plans with the public. Members of Council may comment or ask questions, and residents who registered to speak may do so when called upon. All feedback received will be compiled into a report for a future Committee of the Whole meeting, where a recommendation on the application is made. It is then forwarded to the next Council meeting so a decision can be made and ratified.

Committee of the Whole Working Session: This is a space for the Mayor and Members of Council to have in-depth discussions and strategically plan for key initiatives that shape the city’s future. 

Committee of the Whole Closed Session: These meetings are closed to the public due to the sensitive nature of the items on the agenda as permitted by the Municipal Act. Topics such as legal matters and property acquisitions are reviewed during these sessions.

Council Meeting: Once all recommendations from that month’s Committee of the Whole meetings are reviewed, final decisions are made at Council meetings. These meetings typically fall towards the end of the month, signaling the end of that Committee meeting cycle. Council votes on key strategies, policies, by-laws, projects and programs that impact the daily lives of Vaughan residents. 

Aside from Closed Session, all other meetings are open to the public – that means you are welcome to attend in person in the Council Chamber at Vaughan City Hall or watch a live broadcast online at vaughan.ca/LiveCouncil. Learn how you can get involved by visiting the City’s website.

Still have questions about Council and Committee meetings? Visit vaughan.ca/CouncilMeetings to learn more.

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