Why You Should Move to Vaughan

Having lived in Vaughan for years, I’ve witnessed its transformation from a small suburb of Toronto into an independent city. The next phase of Vaughan’s growth is currently underway via the development of a vibrant Metropolitan Centre and downtown core that will rival those of Canada’s largest cities.

Is Vaughan a Good Place to Live?

In a word, yes, Vaughan is a fantastic place to live, work and play. From a bustling downtown and thriving arts and culture scene to picturesque woodlands with breathtaking views, Vaughan truly has it all. Once known as “the city above Toronto”, Vaughan now stands independently in 2022 as an emerging top-tier city and offers a unique set of features that make it one of the best places to live in the GTA.

The New Downtown Vaughan

The new Metropolitan Centre is putting Vaughan on the map as a top-tier city. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) is the city’s new downtown core which is slated to be Vaughan’s financial, innovation and cultural hub. This groundbreaking master-planned development was originally expected to add 25,000 residents and 11,500 jobs to the city by 2031, and is already on track to exceed expectations due to growing demand. By 2022, over 738,000 square feet of office space has already been built which has attracted top companies including KPMG, PwC, Harley Davidson and GFL Canada.

Vaughan is a transit hub.

The completion of Vaughan’s state-of-the-art TTC subway station in December 2017 truly integrated Vaughan into the fabric of Toronto, putting residents just a 45-minute subway ride away from downtown Toronto’s Union Station. Students living in Vaughan are just a 5-minute ride away from York University and 35 minutes from University of Toronto, and 40 minutes from the Metropolitan Toronto University.

Downtown Vaughan’s VMC Mobility Hub also includes the Smart VMC bus terminal and vivaNext bus rapid transit station which connects residents to areas across Toronto and the GTA.

Vaughan has an iconic arts and culture scene.

The McMichael Art Museum attracts art enthusiasts from across the world who come to see some of the most iconic art pieces in Canadian history. This gallery sits on over 100 acres of forested land and is dedicated to collecting the greatest works made by Canadian artists, including over 6000 original pieces by the Group of Seven’s Tom Thompson.

The city’s new downtown core features the PXL Gallery, a 10,000 square foot public art installation featuring moving artwork made from low-resolution LED lights created by some of the most iconic digital artists. The Assembly Park Outdoor Gallery which is also in the VMC showcases art on the exterior of decommissioned shipping containers and provides five Canadian artists with 1.47 acres on land on which to share their artwork with the local community.

Vaughan is a nature lover’s paradise.

Vaughan offers the unique opportunity to enjoy nature in the city and is abundant with trails and nature reserves.

Vaughan is well-known for the popular Kortright Centre for Conversation which features over 800 acres of pristine woodlands, over 16km of picturesque trails and breathtaking views. The Centre is infamous for its over 50 leading educational workshops on renewable energy and sustainable technology.

The Nashville Conservation Reserve in North Western Vaughan is a 2200 acre space abundant with lush forests and flowing rivers. It supports a variety of wildlife including white-tail deer who use this land to take refuge during the winter months.

Vaughan is a globally-recognized golf destination.

Vaughan’s National Golf Club of Canada is commonly regarded as the number 1 course in the country. Designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio, it is characterized by fast, challenging greens and dramatic undulations.

Visitors come from far and wide to play Eagles Nest which has been ranked the number one public golf course in Ontario and top 3 public courses in Canada. Resembling a traditional Irish links-style course, architect Doug Carrick has created a truly iconic track that will challenge even the most seasoned golfers. The eighth hole offers spectacular views of the Toronto skyline on a clear day.

Vaughan offers world-class shopping.

13.5 million visitors annually come to shop at Vaughan Mills Mall which is one of the largest shopping centers in Canada at 1.3 million square feet. It features over 200 stores and is abundant with high end outlet shopping, the likes of which include Saks of Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom Rack, Coach, Hugo Boss and Polo Ralph Lauren.

The Village of Kleinburg located in the north west end of Vaughan features several illustrious boutique shops, luxurious spas and European-inspired cafes. The iconic main street is lined with historic buildings nestled among lush greenery which give Kleinburg a picturesque old-world charm.

Vaughan is a great place to raise a family.

Vaughan is abundant with family-friendly amenities including 273 playgrounds, 18 splashpads, 130 tennis courts courts, 10 skate parks, 73 basketball courts, 58 baseball diamonds and 150 soccer fields.

The city is well known for Canada’s Wonderland, a 330-acre amusement part with over 200 attractions including 17 exhilarating roller coasters and a 20-acre water park featuring 17 water slides.

Kids also love Reptilia, the largest reptile zoo in Canada which features over 250 species of reptiles, many of which cannot be found in other zoos. They offer live events, educational programs, kids camps and birthday parties.

With over 273 playgrounds, Vaughan is a very kid-friendly city.

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What type of people live in Vaughan?

Vaughan is Canada’s 17th largest city with a population of 323,281. The most represented ethnic origin is Italian at 26.5% of the city’s population, followed by Chinese at 8.5% and Jewish at 7.9%. 35.4% of Vaughan’s population identifies as a visible minority. Males comprise 48.6% of the population while females make up 51.4%.

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