Evolution of the VMC
Sponsored by the City of Vaughan
The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) is the largest and most ambitious development project in the City of Vaughan’s history.
Not long ago, the downtown we see today looked very different. It was a commercial and industrial area. In 1991, the city embraced the opportunity to define this underutilized space into a new core. The vision was a people-centred downtown with a mix of uses that are transit-supportive and pedestrian-friendly. It was meant to be the financial, innovation, and cultural centre of Vaughan, with a vibrant sense of place and environmentally sustainable design practices.
In the years since, this vision has been championed and advanced by Vaughan council, staff, and stakeholders alike. Here’s how the transformation has progressed.
Vaughan Connected
In 2006, the Province of Ontario identified the VMC as an intensification area with plans to be served by a subway – the historic first expansion outside of Toronto. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station opened in 2017, making Vaughan the only urban growth centre in the Greater Toronto Area, outside of Toronto, to have subway access.
The subway was followed by the Highway 7 Bus Rapid Transitway and Regional Bus Terminal, which opened in 2023. Active transportation opportunities, including bike lanes, continue to be added as the VMC builds out.
As part of the official plan review in 2010, the city identified transit-supportive residential and employment-density targets to achieve the critical mass of a downtown. The city also aligned municipal infrastructure investments to support this intensification, including planning for the construction of new roads and public spaces.
The intermodal transit system enables people to move faster and more efficiently in, through, and out of the city. No other location offers this blend of subway and rapid bus transit with equal access to downtown and the suburbs, office space, and an urban lifestyle.
Policies, Programs, Plans
In 2010, the city began creating foundational master plans and environmental assessments. This was followed by public realm and open space plans, urban design guidelines, and public art and cultural plans to guide development in the downtown. The city also established a sub-committee to help guide growth, plan development, and bring the vision to life. This committee currently meets monthly and includes members of staff and council.
In 2011, the first residential tower opened. In 2012, the first office development opened its doors. In 2019, the city held the launch event for its annual concerts in the park series in the central courtyard.
As a result of the overwhelming growth of the area, the city initiated an update to the existing secondary plan in 2020. Once complete, this update will recalibrate and balance growth and development to 2051 and beyond.
As of July 2024, residential unit developments that are occupied, under construction, approved, and under review represent more than 87,000 residents living in more than 44,000 units.
To learn more about the VMC, visit https://myvmc.ca/. MW
✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in Neil Alexander and Melissa Banks’ article: Better buildings create better communities.
Christina Bruce is the director of policy planning and special programs at the City of Vaughan.
Related resource materials: