The City of Vaughan

Known as "the city above Toronto," Vaughan

is one of the fastest growing municipalities

in Canada with a population of 245,000-

nearly double what it was in 1991.

Vaughan is bounded by Caledon and Brampton

to the west, King and Richmond Hill to the north,

Markham and Richmond Hill to the east, and Toronto

to the south.

The first European to pass through Vaughan was the

French explorer Étienne Brûlé, who traversed the

Humber Trail in 1615. However, it was not until the

townships were created in 1792 that Vaughan began

to see any settlements, as it was considered to be

extremely remote and the lack of roads through the

region made travel difficult.

Despite the hardships of pioneer life, settlers came to

Vaughan in considerable numbers. The population grew

from 19 men, five women, and 30 children in 1800 to

4,300-people in 1840. The first to arrive were mainly

Pennsylvania Germans, with a smaller number of

families of English descent and a group of French

Royalists being represented. This migration from the

United States was by 1814 superseded by an influx of

immigrants from Britain. While many of their

predecessors had been agriculturalists, the newer

immigrants proved to be highly skilled trades people,

which would prove useful for a growing community.

Vaughan changed relatively little in its early history.

However, World War II sparked an influx of

immigration, and by 1960 the population stood at

15,957. As well, the ethno-cultural composition of the

area began to change with the arrival of different groups

such as the Italians, Jews, and Eastern Europeans.

Incorporated in 1850 as Vaughan Township, a

municipal government was established. In 1971, the new regional government of York Region was

established, acquiring policing and welfare services

from the communities it served; simultaneously, the

township merged with the Village of Woodbridge to

form the Town of Vaughan. In 1991, it officially

changed its legal status to City of Vaughan.

Due to Vaughan's proximity to the multicultural

megacity of Toronto, it is very diverse and contains

among the highest concentration of Southern and

Eastern Europeans in Ontario. Vaughan also has a

greater Hispanic population as a percentage of its total

population than any other suburb in the larger Toronto

Area, excluding areas within Toronto itself.

The City of Vaughan encompasses five vibrant

communities-Kleinburg, Woodbridge, Maple,

Concord, and Thornhill.

Attractions in and around the City of Vaughan

include the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and

Museum, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

located in Kleinburg, Paramount Canada's Wonderland,

Canada's largest amusement park located in Maple,

and Vaughan Mills, a giant U.S.-based mega-mall.

It is also home to the Kortright Centre, a number of

award-winning wineries, and Canada's top-ranked golf

course, The National.

Community Resources

City of Vaughan:

www.city.vaughan.on.ca

Vaughan Public Libraries:

(Administration)
905-653-7323

Community Services:
905-832-8500

York Region District School Board

www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

York Catholic District School Board

www.ycdsb.edu.on.ca

York Region Transit

www.yorkregiontransit.com

GO Transit

www.gotransit.com