Welcome to Forward Vaughan
VAUGHAN’S OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW HAS ACHIEVED A NEW MILESTONE!
Thank you to everyone who participated in Phase 1 of the Official Plan Review process!
The feedback received will be used to guide the direction of the next phases of the Official Plan Review.
View the full engagement report now by visiting the Document Library on the right-hand side of the page.
Stay tuned for engagement opportunities during Phase 2!
VAUGHAN’S OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW HAS ACHIEVED A NEW MILESTONE!
The City of Vaughan has released the Policy Directions Report for the Official Plan Review.
The Policy Directions Report presents key policy directions organized by theme, as well as a summary of existing policies, a conformity analysis, and a detailed breakdown of future policy directions.
The Policy Directions Report will be used to inform the next Phase of the project, policy development for the updated Official Plan.
You can review the Policy Directions Report by visiting the Document Library on the right-hand side of the page. If you have any comments to be considered in future policy work, please submit them using the Ideas Tool, or by sending an e-mail to oprmanager@vaughan.ca.
Stay Engaged
The Project Team hosted three of the same virtual Open Houses on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022, Monday, November 14th, 2022, and Thursday, November 24th, 2022. The details of the meetings were issued publicly and via e-mail to everyone that registered on the ForwardVaughan.ca/opr website.
WHAT
The Project Team presented an overview of policy directions and key policy recommendations set out in the forthcoming Policy Directions Report. The Project Team also provided a project status update, presented the engagement events held to date, and provided information on how to further participate in the Official Plan Review process.
WHEN
The Project Team hosted three virtual Public Open Houses on the following dates:
- November 3, 2022, from 6pm to 8pm (this meeting has been held);
- November 14, 2022, from 6pm to 8pm (this meeting has been held); and,
- November 24, 2022, from 6pm to 8pm (this meeting has been held).
Interested in viewing the Virtual Public Open House?
Please follow the link here to watch a recording of the November 14, 2022 virtual Public Open House.
VAUGHAN’S OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW HAS ACHIEVED A NEW MILESTONE!
The City of Vaughan completed a series of pop-up events across the City and has released seven background papers for the Official Plan Review.
The Seven Background Papers are: Agricultural System Review; Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Framework; Commercial Land Use Review; Employment Land Use Review; Natural Heritage Network Review; Residential Growth, Intensification and Housing Needs Strategy; and Urban Design, Built Form, Compatibility and Sustainable Development Criteria Review.
The Background Papers contain research, best practices and take into account the feedback that has been received from the community regarding the vision and priorities for the City of Vaughan for the next 30 years. The Background Papers are used to inform the next Phase of the project - recommendations for the development of Official Plan policy.
In August and September of 2022, the City visited and held pop-up events at local public spaces like the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Subway Station, retail stores and the City-led Concerts in the Park events, to engage residents in the project.
You can review the 7 Background Papers by visiting the Document Library on the right-hand side of the page. If you have any comments to be considered in future policy work, please submit them using the Ideas Tool, or by sending an e-mail to oprmanager@vaughan.ca.
Webinar Series (April - May 2022)
Thank you for joining us on April 20th, April 27th, May 9th, and May 12th for the Vaughan Official Plan Review Webinars. Webinars covered a specific topic area that was identified through City-wide public engagement events and is related to the Official Plan Review process. Each webinar featured a guest speaker that shared their knowledge in the topic area and related that knowledge to the Vaughan context. Interested in learning more about the topics or viewing the webinars? Check out the videos below and leave a comment or question for the City through the forum.
Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation (April 20, 2022)
This webinar discussed climate change mitigation and adaptation - including how municipalities are at the forefront of climate change policy in Canada. Watch the webinar here or contribute to the forum by leaving a comment here.
Affordable Housing (April 27, 2022)
This webinar discussed the future of housing affordability in Vaughan - including how youth can realistically afford to expand their families and how seniors can age in place. Watch the webinar here or contribute to the forum by leaving a comment here.
Placemaking (May 9, 2022)
This webinar discussed placemaking and urban design - including how Vaughan can create great urban spaces, parks, and streetscapes through the lens of sustainability. Watch the webinar here or contribute to the forum by leaving a comment here.
Healthy Communities (May 12, 2022)
This webinar discussed developing healthy communities - including considering accessibility, making cities inclusive and fostering social cohesion through design. Watch the webinar part 1 here and part 2 here or contribute to the forum by leaving a comment here.
Vaughan is Growing and Evolving
Vaughan's communities are constantly growing and changing. Vaughan is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada with a population of 340,700 people and 240,100 jobs in 2021. Between 2021 and 2051, Vaughan will become home to 234,500 more people, bringing the total population to 575,200 people. Vaughan will also provide nearly 112,200 more jobs bringing the total employment to 352,300 jobs. This expected growth will account for almost one-third of the region's growth over the next three decades. It is important the City plans for new growth in a way that is strategic, thoughtful, appropriate and aligned with what our residents and businesses value most.
What is an Official Plan?
The Official Plan is a strategic planning document that establishes a policy framework to guide the physical, social, environmental and economic development of the city. It is a document that:
- Implements goals, objectives and land use policies to serve the city's communities
- 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 the city's long-term evolution
Updating the Vaughan Official Plan
The Vaughan Official Plan 2010 contains a vision for the future that stresses responsible governance, sustainable planning, economic leadership, transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. This vision has guided Vaughan’s growth and development over the past decade.
It is now time to update the Official Plan through the Official Plan Review to better meet the needs of current and future citizens, workers and visitors. The updated Official Plan must conform 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 which was approved by the Province on November 4, 2022.
The Official Plan Review will follow a principled approach rooted in environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and economic development to plan for complete communities and guide the city’s growth for the next 30 years and beyond.
The Official Plan Review Process
The new Official Plan will contain an updated vision for the future stated through goals and policies. The Official Plan Review process will occur in four phases and will include community engagement throughout.
Phase 1: Visioning and Background Review
Phase 1 involves the development of a community-based vision and goals through community participation on activities on this page and through webinars and events.
The City looks forward to hearing your answers to questions such as:
- What's your vision for Vaughan?
- What should Vaughan's goals be for the future?
Phase 1 also involves research into seven key topics shown as icons below.
A team of experts in these topic areas are completing research and will share their findings with the community through topic-based webinars and through activities on this page. Engagement on the Background Papers will follow our collaboration on the community-based vision.
Phase 2: Policy Development
Phase 2 involves the development of new policies and the new Draft Official Plan, informed by engagement events such as public open houses and city-wide town halls (dates to be announced).
Phase 3: Official Plan Adoption
Phase 3 involves revisions to the new Draft Official Plan, the statutory public open houses and statutory public meeting (dates to be announced), and Council adoption of the new Official Plan.
Phase 4: Official Plan Approval
Phase 4 involves the submission of the new Official Plan to York Region for approval, Project completion and final approval of the new Official Plan.
Get Inspired; Get Involved!
We want to hear from you! The feedback you provide will help us identify your needs and priorities as the City continues to engage with the community in a way that is open, transparent, accessible and inclusive. There are many ways for you to get involved in the Official Plan Review and share your feedback that will help inform the updated Official Plan.
Below you will find activities that you can participate in. The tools and questions will change as the project progresses and as we learn more about the community's needs and interests, so check-in often and tell us what you think!
The City is committed to reporting back to the community on what we heard throughout each phase of work (see the "Project Timeline" to the right). You can access these reports as they become available on this page. More information can be found on this page, through vaughan.ca/OPR, by following the City's social media updates or by signing up to receive updates - see the sign up feature on this home page!
Have a say in Vaughan's future. With your active participation in the Official Plan Review, you can help ensure the City we call home will continue to rank as one of the best places to live, work, learn and play in Canada!