You asked, we answered
Every month, the City of Vaughan highlights the commonly asked questions received by the public and responded to by Service Vaughan in a series called ‘You asked, we answered.’
Here are the top five inquiries from July:
- How can I request seasonal maintenance services in my community?
You can use the Service Vaughan online portal to submit requests for:
- curb, sidewalk or interlock repair.
- new traffic sign or pavement markings.
- park, playground or splashpad repairs .
- road and boulevard maintenance.
- sports fields, courts or skate parks maintenance.
- and much more!
Once a ticket has been created, staff will respond to requests in priority sequence.
Grass cutting began in April and occurs every two weeks until October. Regional road maintenance is handled by York Region. City crews are also carrying out litter cleanup in parks, trails and along sidewalks, as well as a seasonal street-sweeping program that runs into the fall and helps keep debris out of storm drains and local waterways.
To learn more about our summer maintenance operations, visit vaughan.ca/seasonal.
How do I appeal a parking or by-law penalty issued by the City?
Penalties must be paid or appealed within 15 days of the penalty notice being served. Information on how to pay or appeal a penalty is listed on your notice. It is important that you review the information and take timely action to avoid any additional fees or administrative action.
You can appeal a penalty by requesting a review by a Screening Officer through an online form, by calling the City at 905-832-2281 or by emailing bylaw@vaughan.ca.
You may appoint someone to act on your behalf by completing the Agent Authorization Form (PDF). The fully completed and signed form must be submitted before your scheduled appointment.
If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Screening Officer, you may request a Hearing Review. A request must be made within 15 days following the receipt of the Screening Officer’s decision.
The City does not send text messages or email reminders about parking penalties. If you receive one, do not click on the links.
For more information, visit vaughan.ca/PenaltyAppeals.
- When are my final property tax bill instalments due and how can I pay them?
The next payments for the City’s 2026 final property tax bill are due on Thursday, Aug. 27 and Monday, Sept. 28.
Didn’t receive your bill?
All 2026 final residential and non-residential property tax bills were mailed at the end of June. If you did not receive your tax bill in the mail, contact the City immediately by phone at 905-832-2281 or by email at service@vaughan.ca. Failure to receive a tax bill does not exempt you from paying property taxes – late payment penalties will be added.
As all City facilities are cashless, here are easy and convenient ways property owners can pay their property tax bills:
Pre-authorized payment plans, including a six-instalment or a 10-instalment option.
Post-dated cheques made payable to the City of Vaughan with the amounts, roll number and due dates printed on the tax stubs.
Financial institutions, either in person, through the bank machine, online or via telephone.
At Vaughan City Hall, placed in marked drop-off boxes at each entrance.
By mail, with a cheque payable to the City of Vaughan and sent in the return envelope enclosed with the tax bill.
Reading your tax bill
Your tax bill is broken down into several portions because municipal services in Vaughan are provided by two tiers of government – the City and York Region. The City collects the Regional portion on their behalf and then transfers the funds to them.
The “City Levy” portion goes to the City of Vaughan for its services. It is the same amount as 2025 because Vaughan Council passed a 0 per cent tax increase for 2026 at the local level with no service cuts. With this, Vaughan continues to maintain one of the lowest and most competitive tax rates in the Greater Toronto Area.
The “Region Levy” goes to York Region for its services. There is also an “Education Levy” that goes to the Province of Ontario for education.
Although the property tax bill may come in a City envelope, less than 30 cents of every dollar stays with the City to provide municipal programs and services:
53 cents go to York Region
27 cents go to the City
20 cents go to local school boards (Province of Ontario for education purposes)
This means the City retains approximately $1,936 of an average $7,113 annual property tax bill (on a home with an assessed value of $950,000) to support critical services that residents rely on each day, including fire and rescue service; public works and road services; waste management; infrastructure replacement; maintenance of City facilities; city planning and development; Building Code enforcement; and by-law and compliance.
Learn more at vaughan.ca/PropertyTax.
- After I submit a tree maintenance service request (e.g. tree pruning or stump removal), how long will it take for City staff to visit the site?
Requests for urgent maintenance services that pose a danger to the public – such as a fallen tree – are dealt with as soon as possible. Non-emergency requests that follow our pruning schedule will be addressed accordingly, while all other requests will be managed in priority sequence, following an inspection. Once a service request is created, a forestry inspector will visit the site within 30 business days to examine the tree's condition and determine the next steps. The forestry inspector will contact you (by phone or leave a notice on your door) with the status of your request. Please note: it can take up to eight months for a tree to be pruned or removed, and an additional 12 months for a tree stump to be removed.
To learn more, visit vaughan.ca/trees.
Can I still register my kids for summer camps?
Yes, there are limited spaces available for the City’s summer camps and they are going fast! The City’s one- and two-week summer camp sessions run until Friday, Sept. 4 for children ages four to 16 years old. Visit vaughan.ca/camps for all program information and to register. Programs are offered at community centres, parks and various facilities around the city. There are more than 100 camp options available in arts, sports, water and outdoor adventures, science and technology, leadership, inclusion and more.
The online registration system is available 24-7. If you require assistance creating an online PerfectMind registration account, call Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or email rec@vaughan.ca. Visit vaughan.ca/recreation for more information.
Have more questions? We’re here to help. The City’s contact centre can be reached by phone at 905-832-2281 (toll free at 1-844-832-2112), by email at service@vaughan.ca, online at vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan or in person at Vaughan City Hall (2141 Major Mackenzie Dr.).
For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
