REDEFINING VAUGHAN THROUGH URBAN DESIGN Both criticized and held in awe, the City of Vaughan’s growth as an urban centre has been rigorously debated by urban designers and planners around many tables. While the diggers (Yorkie, Torkie, Holey and Moley) of Vaughan’s new subway extension, toil away at the new tunnels, construction cranes dot the landscape, contributing to the $2 billion+ of construction activity that has occurred since the start of 2010. Building a compact, pedestrian and transit supportive city has always been challenging. In October 2011, Vaughan Council approved a new Design Review Panel whose members will provide professional recommendations to the City on proposed high density development projects in Vaughan. The City of Vaughan is the first to establish such a panel in York Region. “Design excellence will play a key role in meeting future challenges for development and intensification in Vaughan, and will serve as a basis for creating a more livable and beautiful city,” said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. “The Design Review Panel will provide a valuable voice to Council and City staff within the development approvals process to ensure we maintain high design standards for buildings in which our residents will live and work.” The Design Review Panel will act as an advisory body to the City’s Planning Department and will make recommendations only. Applications to the Panel were received earlier this year with approved members providing professional experience in the following areas: planning, urban design, landscape architecture, architecture, ecology, heritage and social/cultural issues related to design. “The members of our newly-established Design Review Panel bring with them the diversity and expertise required to create an exciting urban environment,” said City Manager Clayton Harris. “This includes the creation of pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods, green buildings and a commitment to balanced and sustainable growth.” The first meeting of the Design Review Panel was held in October with priority placed on reviewing active applications in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Additional information about the Panel, including meeting schedules and meeting minutes, will be posted on the City’s website, www.vaughan.ca Vaughan. Business Link. BUSINESS NEWS AND STATISTICS FROM THE CITY OF VAUGHAN WINTER 2011 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Economic Development 2011 In Review Small Business 2011 In Review Building Statistics Business Bulletin NEW VAUGHAN METROPOLITAN CENTRE SUB-COMMITTEE The development of Vaughan’s downtown, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), is a strategic priority initiative for the City. A vibrant mixed use centre, the VMC comprises precincts that will accommodate office towers, high and mid-rise residences, retail, dining, entertainment, arts and cultural venues. Ultimately, the VMC will be home to approximately 25,000 residents, 11,000 jobs and billions of dollars in public and private infrastructure investments. Recognizing that the VMC will be one of the most ambitious and significant master plan projects in the City’s history, Council formed a new VMC Sub-Committee to facilitate significant development of the VMC in a time frame that aligns with the opening of the new subway station and Highway 7 rapidways. The Sub-Committee will consider the following: Planning policies Infrastructure implementation principles Requirements related to external approvals Economic development strategies Communications/Advocacy The VMC Sub-Committee will be chaired by Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and comprise of the following three Members of Council: Regional Councillor Michael DiBiase, Ward 4 Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, and Ward 3 Councillor Rosanna DeFrancesca. The term of the VMC Sub-Committee will end December 31, 2013. For more information, visit the Council Agendas, Minutes, and Extracts web page at the City’s website, www.vaughan.ca Artist rendering of the proposed mixed-use site plan development by Liberty Development Corporation, located at 7777 Weston Road and Highway 7 in Vaughan.
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EconomicDevelopment 2011In Review.
For the Economic Development Department, 2011 was an action-based year fi lled
with many business activities and initiatives that helped support the 10-year
Economic Development Strategy and Vaughan’s economic growth and prosperity.
“The yardstick on our economic development has been moved, and we are seeing
our policies and projects being embraced by our business associations and the
regional and provincial governments. Their coming on board gives us confi dence
that we are moving in the right direction,” said City Manager Clayton Harris.
As we come to the end of 2011, we refl ect on the past year’s activities, progress
and accomplishments, and we look forward to continuing to build Vaughan as
the economic gateway for the Greater Toronto Area.
NEW BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND EXPANSIONS
The Economic Development Department worked on projects totaling two million
sq.ft., accounting for 800 jobs attracted, created or retained:
Improve – retail condominium project: 310,000 sq.ft. of occupied space
Calisolar/6N Silicon – solar grade silicon manufacturer: 20,000 sq.ft. expansion
Transcontinental Printing – printer: 150,000 sq.ft. occupied space and 95 new jobs
Toromont – investment in new site expansion
Royal Pipe / Royal Group Technologies – expansion in operational capacity
Sungrow Canada – solar inverter manufacturer: 25 new jobs
Shimifrez – precision metal manufacturer: fi ve new jobs
Korea Food Trading – food retailer: 30,000 sq.ft. occupied space
CLEAN TECH SECTOR EXPANDS IN VAUGHAN
Solgate secures $450,000 in government funds for a Work-Sharing Program
Sungrow Power Products of China expands in Canada, with an investment
in Sungrow Canada: 25,000 sq.ft of occupied space and 25 new jobs
DEVELOPING VAUGHAN’S ECONOMIC GATEWAY
Building Vaughan’s economic gateway can be accomplished in a number of ways,
from promoting investment in foreign markets and marketing our development
zones; to local road and infrastructure improvements for the Vaughan Enterprise
Zone (VEZ).
NAIOP Business Conference and Bus Tour – The City’s key development
areas were showcased to over 120 downtown industrial/commercial realtors,
developers and asset and property managers .
Business Mission to China – Over the past two years, the City worked with Yiwu
to fi nd opportunities to introduce Canadian products. In April the City undertook
a business mission to Yiwu to open the Yiwu Cultural Products Trade Fair.
City welcomed 20 international delegations from Italy, China, Japan and Thailand
Highway 427 Extension – Along with the Transportation Engineering Department,
presentations and meetings were undertaken with Provincial ministries
and local businesses to communicate the importance of proceeding with
the Highway 427 extension as well as improvements to Canadian Pacifi c
Rail crossings. These infrastructure initiatives are critical to the development
of the VEZ.
SUPPORTING THE CREATIVE/CULTURAL SECTOR
The City takes a multi-pronged approach to developing its
creative/cultural sector with arts-focused seminars and
workshops, mainstreet revitalization strategies, and business
investments attraction in accommodations and attractions,
to name a few.
Completed in June 2011, the Kleinburg Economic Development
Strategy’s mandate is to address the challenges of revitalizing
the Kleinburg Commercial Core. Since the adoption of the
Strategy, the following activities have been undertaken:
Staff now sit on the Kleinburg Business Improvement
Association (KBIA)as a support resource
With the Planning Department, application procedures
for outdoor patio permits have been streamlined,
enhancing operational effi ciencies for Kleinburg’s eateries
Starbucks opened a new store, creating 15 new jobs
To ensure a supportive business environment, the City
held a Tourism Roundtable to develop relationships
and synergies between the different players, provincial
representatives and other stakeholders. In addition, the City
was a presenter at the Arts Exposed Conference hosted by
the York Region Arts Council, and developed a workshop
series based on the Arts as Business.
BUSINESS RESOURCES
The Economic Development Department continued to move
forward, creating resources that support and promote the
City’s business development initiatives, including:
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) – promotional
materials for the downtown development of the VMC
and a communications program for the new VMC subway
terminal scheduled to open in 2015
Economic Development Strategy Executive Summary
brochure – utilizing QR bar codes to take the reader to
the full Strategy online, it received the 2011 International
Economic Development Marketing Award of Excellence
Vaughan e-Business Link, electronic newsletter – received
the 2011 International Economic Development Marketing
Award of Excellence
Enhanced Business Directory – data analysis on more than
9,000 businesses distributed in a USB fl ash drive format
with interactive features
Foreign Business Development multi-platform marketing
collateral – print publications, website and USB fl ash drive
Synchronist Business Information – competitive business
intelligence tool that will assist with the delivery of seamless
business assistance
These business resources are available for your use, please
contact the Economic Development Department at 905-832-8585.
CITY OF VAUGHAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT2141 Major Mackenzie Drive, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada L6A 1T1 tel: 905-832-8585 email: [email protected] www.vaughan.ca
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PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS INTEGRAL TO BUILDING THE CITY’S BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PLANS
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Build trust and credibility
BDC specialists can also develop the project
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