The City of Vaughan continues to take a disciplined, responsible and measured approach to reopening the city. As some restrictions are lifted, other precautionary measures remain in place to protect everyone in the community from further transmission of COVID-19.   

 

Below is more information on ongoing services, what is reopening, and programs that continue to be impacted by the virus:   

 

Essential services remain intact, including fire and emergency response, waste collection, water/wastewater services, by-law and enforcement services, and the Access Vaughan contact centre at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. 

 

On Wednesday, Aug. 5, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua has announced most City facilities – including Vaughan City Hall and the Joint Operations Centre – will remain closed to the public until Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, at the earliest, in response to COVID-19.

 

 

 

All upcoming in-person events have been postponed or cancelled, including the annual Concerts in the Park series and summer Curbside Giveaway days. Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service fire station tours are also cancelled until further notice. For a complete list of events no longer taking place, visit vaughan.ca/COVID19. Also, continue to check the Event Calendar webpage at vaughan.ca for the latest updates about non-City-led event cancellations. 

 

Some events are resuming virtually, including the 2020 Order of Vaughan. Nominate a deserving individual for the highest honour the City may bestow by Wednesday, Sept. 30. An official investiture ceremony will be announced at a later date. 

 

• Vaughan Playschool educational reading, writing, math and science worksheets for children aged three to five years old.
• easy-to-follow at-home workouts from Vaughan Fitness instructors featured on Recreation Services’ Instagram TV. Full-length classes are also posted to the Recreation Vaughan YouTube channel.
• acting, dancing and singing with the City Playhouse Theatre crew.
• learning first-aid basics from certified Vaughan lifeguards.
• general activities such as cooking, arts and crafts, colouring and more.  

Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) has cancelled all in-library programs until January 2021, including the Ansley Grove Library summer camp. However, annual summer reading programs – including the TD Summer Reading Club and the Teen Summer Reading Challenge – have been enhanced and optimized for at-home, online participation. Registration for the Summer Reading Club is now open. In addition, VPL is offering a fully digital public library service to engage and educate residents of all ages. The new web hub features a variety of free online resources, including eBooks and audiobooks, films and television programs, music streaming services, e-learning courses, bi-lingual materials and more. Further content, such as virtual storytime, is available daily on VPL’s Instagram. VPL’s Wi-Fi has also been extended to reach the parking lot at the Civic Centre Resource Library, Pierre Berton Resource Library and Bathurst Clark Resource Library branches. 

 

The Curbside Pickup program has now been extended to every library in Vaughan to provide customers with quick and convenient access. Reserve books and arrange a pickup date at vaughanpl.info/curbside. 

 

VPL has also made the decision to eliminate overdue fines (PDF), which are charged for the late return of library materials. No future overdue fines will be applied and all overdue fines currently on record will be automatically forgiven. 

 

 

On July 9, York Region Council endorsed a recommendation from Dr. Karim Kurji, the York Region Medical Officer of Health, instructing owners of enclosed public spaces to have a policy mandating customers, visitors and employees to wear a mask or face covering. This new rule came into effect on Friday, July 17. Exemptions include, but are not limited to, children under the age of five and people unable to safely use face coverings for medical reasons. For more information, visit at york.ca/MandatoryMasks. Concerns can be reported to Access Vaughan at accessvaughan@vaughan.ca or 905 832-2281. The matter will be referred to By-law Enforcement Services for investigation.  

 

Vaughan Animal Services continues to serve Vaughan, Richmond Hill and the Township of King communities. Limited access into the Vaughan Animal Services shelter is permitted for adoption and pet recovery services by appointment only. Book your appointment by contacting 905-832-2281 or animal.services@vaughan.ca. Vaughan pet licensing is available online. For general information, please visit vaughan.ca/AnimalServices. 

 

 

Cleanup efforts are underway. These include street sweeping, litter pickup, boulevard maintenance, grass cutting, tree inspections and pruning, pavement marking and water and wastewater services. 

 

Adjustments have been made to some regularly scheduled summer public works operations. Services that are delayed or reduced include tree planting and maintenance, weeding and mulching, road and sidewalk repair, replacement or addition of streetlight and traffic signals, implementation of new traffic operations and road safety measures, and water trailer event bookings. 

 

Waste collection services have returned to normal operations, as scheduled in the 2020 Waste Calendar (PDF). Residents can receive customized notifications about their collections by downloading the Recycle Coach mobile app. To ensure that waste is collected, be sure to comply with the safe set out requirements at vaughan.ca/waste. Materials that do not comply will be tagged and left behind. 

 

The Office of the Integrity Commissioner and Lobbyist Registrar will not be taking in-person meetings while Vaughan City Hall remains closed. To book a virtual meeting, email integrity.commissioner@vaughan.ca or call 905-832-2281, ext. 8314 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

 

• the Open for Business online directory, which lists essential services and businesses that remain open. Vaughan businesses can apply through this online form to be included in the initiative led by By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services.
• Economic and Cultural Development services such as virtual consulting, #ShopVaughanLocal campaign and the newly launched vaughanbusiness.ca website. 

Many services continue to be offered online or via telephone, including:

 

 

For more information on the City’s latest response efforts, visit vaughan.ca/COVID19 or contact Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. To receive updates as they are released, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s official Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels. 

 

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.