City of Vaughan, Strategic Economic Initiatives – 2022 Year in Review

Purpose of Project (including anticipated outcomes)

As one of Canada’s fastest-growing municipalities, the Strategic Economic Initiatives (SEI) unit in the City of Vaughan’s Economic Development department undertakes key strategic projects that establish economic assets. These projects aim to promote the growth of the City’s business community and attract businesses and talent to Vaughan. The SEI unit strives to transform placemaking by developing ambitious, sustainable and purpose-driven projects that better the community.

Within the SEI unit, staff are undertaking projects in the following areas:

1. Smart Cities development
2. Public Art and Art development
3. Municipal Partnerships
4. Economic asset development (i.e., Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct)

The SEI Year in Review report provides a snapshot of 2022 achievements and upcoming transformative, ambitious, and sustainable and purpose-driven projects that will catalyze stakeholders, talent and assets to drive creative placemaking in 2023.

Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives (if known)

The SEI Year in Review highlighted key projects, initiatives, programs and accomplishments for the past year. It recognizes all Economic Development staff, partners, and community stakeholders for their vital role in advancing economic opportunities, attracting new investments and enabling a climate for businesses to grow, prosper and create jobs.

The Economic Development Strategic Economic Initiatives – 2022 Year in Review complements communications and outreach strategies to help raise the profile of Vaughan’s economy and is used in concert with other marketing pieces to highlight Vaughan as a destination of choice.

Challenges & Changes made

The intention behind the publication’s design is to deliver a user-friendly experience that seamlessly navigates readers through its pages, highlighting noteworthy achievements. The team had to streamline the content to ensure the Year in Review is a quick and effortless reading experience.

An additional design component suggests adopting a “square” layout to captivate readers through an unconventional shape, departing from the norms of traditional publications. From a marketing standpoint, this choice embodies the Economic Development’s proactive involvement in outside-the-box strategic initiatives.

Target Audience (demographics)

For the 2022 Strategic Economic Initiatives Year in Review, the publication focused sharing an update on the City’s key strategic projects to the following target audience:

1. Mayor and Members of Council, Senior Leadership Team – highlight achievements and provide information update
2. Business Community – attract business investment
3. Ecosystem Partners – highlight project partners and attract new community partners

The publication is uploaded on vaughanbusiness.ca and distributed to critical local/regional partners and stakeholders, such as York Region Economic Development, the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, other Chambers of Commerce, consuls in the Ontario and Canadian marketplaces, ministries, local and regional stakeholders, and prospective business relocation opportunities.

Sustainability

The City of Vaughan printed 25 copies of the SEI Year in Review for Members of Council and community partners who have requested a printed copy. Sharing this publication with key stakeholders will help raise the City’s profile, attract new partners and investments, and support the expansion of the local business community.