Vaughan Ranked Among The Best Cities To Live And For Business

In recent years, Vaughan has consistently found its place at the top of rankings that highlight cities which excel in livability and business. 

The city’s steady growth accounts for a continuous instream of new residents and businesses, adding to the scope of diversity in both the residential and business communities. 

The economy within this community encompasses over 19,000 businesses. This has translated into employment opportunities for approximately 227,000, which has meant that residential development has skyrocketed in recent years, in a bid to meet the growing demand for local property and land.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Subway Station, one of six new subway stops on the extension line from Vaughan to Union officially opened on Dec. 17, 201

Vaughan is one of the best cities to live in!

When it comes to livability, the City of Vaughan excels in its offerings for residents and appeal to future homeseekers with features such as education, healthcare, greenspace and vibrant residential communities.

Healthcare and education 

One of the most recent advances to the Vaughan healthcare network was the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, opened in 2021. This marks the first hospital opening for the city and is part of the Mackenzie Health two-site hospital framework. This is Canada’s first “smart hospital”, offering a smart-tech system that is fully integrated across all internal systems to provide innovative and top-tier healthcare for its patients. 

Image Credit: MackenzieHealth.ca

In terms of education, Vaughan offers over 100 public and 50 private elementary and high schools.  Comprehensive lists can be found via York Region’s two school boards and the Ministry of Education.

• York District School Board
• York Region Catholic District School Board
• Ministry of Education – Private school contact information

Check out our recent blog post, Vaughan: A Great Place to Raise a Family, for a list of top local schools in both the public and private sectors.

Greenspace

Local greenspace is plentiful in Vaughan, where there is over 700 hectares of boulevards and open land. 

Amenities are plentiful in Vaughan as well, with 273 playgrounds, 18 splash pads, 73 basketball courts, 58 baseball diamonds, 150 soccer fields and 130 tennis courts. 

Check out this chart on the City of Vaughan’s website for a complete list of city parks where you’ll be able to see what amenities are located where. 

Three popular local parks include: 

• Boyd Conservation Park 
• Bindertwine Park
• Sonoma Heights Community Park 

Image Credit: Vaughan.ca

Avid hikers will appreciate the Great Walks of Vaughan, where you can explore local trails, events, and more. You can explore the Great Walks of Vaughan walking trail guide here. 

If local trails are of interest, you’ll want to keep an eye out for updates on the ongoing Vaughan Super Trail project. This exciting local development will utilize a 100-km city-wide loop system to connect several off-road pathways, pedestrian routes and cycling paths, added to the 40% of existing trail.

Vibrant residential communities 

Offering residents a true work/play balance, it’s not surprising that so many families and individuals have flocked to Vaughan. With thriving business, it only makes sense that the residential strand of this diverse community would be just as vibrant. 

The City of Vaughan includes five communities – Woodbridge, Maple, Thornhill, Concord and Kleinburg. With a community of nearly 341,000, Vaughan is the fifth-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area, and the 17th-largest city in Canada, with a growth trend that shows no signs of slowing down. This translates to a widely diverse community of residents who contribute to the cultural mosaic that makes this area so unique.  

For some insight onto popular local communities within Vaughan, get inspired with The Best Neighbourhoods in Vaughan to Purchase a Home, where we’ve examined East Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Sonoma Heights, Mackenzie Ridge Ambassador Hills and Columbus Trail.

Home seekers should check out these beautiful properties, currently listed for sale in the community of Vaughan. And be sure to read up on one of our latest blog posts, 5 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Vaughan.

Vaughan is one of the best cities to do business

In 2016, Canadian Business gave Vaughan the top spot on its rankings of “Canada’s Most Lucrative Places for Business”, highlighting that “the diverse, rapidly-growing city provides plenty of opportunities for companies seeking a new market”.

That same year, an article by York Region noted Vaughan had “placed eighth nationwide and second in Ontario, in the Best Places for Business in Canada, a ranking of the country’s top 25 communities”, according to surveys done by Canadian Business and PROFIT magazines.

Vaughan, Ontario, Canada – June 11, 2019: Mircom Technologies Ltd. headquarters in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, a manufacturer and distributor of life safety and communications systems.

The community of Vaughan is one that offers new and growing markets a contemporary and business-friendly landscape in which to thrive. A government committed to nurturing local business with reasonable costs and taxes, residents and businesses alike will appreciate fair regulations aimed at benefiting and protecting all, while encouraging economic growth and future investment. 

In terms of attracting investors both local and beyond, transit is another key lure in this community, where proximity to Toronto, rapid and varied transit systems and easy access to highways and more all add to this city’s appeal. 

Here are a few quick facts from VaughanBusiness.ca:

• Population growth rate (2011-2016): 6.2% (Statistics Canada)
• Average annual business growth since 2010: 3.5%
• Value of building permits issued since 2010: $10.8 billion
• 2018 GDP: $20.6 billion (Conference Board of Canada)
• Average annual employment growth rate since 2010: 4%
• Top industries by employment: Manufacturing (22%); Construction (13%); Retail Trade (11%)
• Median household income (2016): $105,351 (Statistics Canada)
• Adults aged 25-64 with post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree: 70% (Statistics Canada)
• Foreign born population: 46.3% (Statistics Canada)
• Languages spoken: 105 (Statistics Canada)
• Citizen satisfaction with quality of life: 97% (City of Vaughan)

Of the many accolades credited to the City of Vaughan, the city’s official business website notes the following from rankings and surveys held in recent years: 

• #1 Most Highly Educated Workforce by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2017)
• #1 in the G7 for Fewest Days to Establish a New Business by the World Bank Group (2017)
• Awarded a perfect score for Economic Stability by World Economic Forum (per the Global Competitiveness Report in 2018)

Location and accessibility is another major selling point for business investment in the city (via VaughanBusiness.ca): 

• 15 minutes to Canada’s largest and busiest airport
• 47-million passengers annually
• Direct daily service to more than 67% of the world’s economies
• North America’s 2nd largest airport for international traffic
• Transit to major Toronto region commercial hubs by rapid bus service and subway

Are you currently looking for your dream home? Get in touch with someone from our award-winning team today. Helping YOU is what we do!

Be sure to check out these beautiful properties, currently listed for sale in Vaughan. And read up on our latest blog post, 5 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Vaughan.

With so much offered to residents and visitors in the City of Vaughan, you might be curious to know more about this area and other neighboring communities. 

Check out a few of our recent blog posts:

• Vaughan: A Great Place to Raise a Family 
• Top 6 Spots for Walks and Hikes in Richmond Hill 
• What is it Like Living in Richmond Hill, Ontario 

Curious to know more about Vaughan – and the many other communities that Your Community Realty serves? Check out our Community Profile page for more information and be sure to sign up for our New Listing Notifications today!