The City of Vaughan has hired Live Work Learn Play (LWLP) as a development facilitator to take on a leadership role in the next development phase of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) that will be focused on growth, investment and placemaking. LWLP is an international real estate development and advisory firm with extensive experience in broad public outreach and consensus-building initiatives that facilitate large-scale development efforts. They were selected through a public RFP and interview process.

Vaughan’s new downtown has seen great change over the past three years including construction on the VMC subway station, EXPO City and the KPMG office development. More than 20 City-initiated projects are currently underway including the VMC Secondary Plan, Black Creek Renewal Project, Public Parking Strategy and the VMC Open Space Master Plan.

LWLP will develop an updated VMC Implementation Plan that will include extensive consultation with stakeholders. They will also work to advance options and financial implications for future planned City projects that may require public-private partnerships.

“As the largest and most ambitious project in Vaughan’s history, it is important that we have a facilitator in place to advance the City’s interests in all future development in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. It is one of Council’s highest priorities and we are committed to a bold vision that will create an exciting and dynamic downtown. The subway will be here in two years, work continues on the VIVA bus rapidway and the VMC is now home to the tallest building in Vaughan.”

-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

“Live Work Learn Play brings considerable experience when it comes to creating and revitalizing cities, downtowns and urban villages across North America, and will work to ensure that Vaughan’s new downtown becomes everything the City has envisioned. Recognized as a world leader in mixed-use development and place creation, LWLP offers a track record of successful development projects and a proven process that includes rigorous analysis, an integrated planning and development approach, and hands-on implementation and delivery of projects. At the core of their work is a keen understanding of the economic drivers of downtown creation, and a belief that development through collaboration of the public and private sectors is the only way to achieve positive results for large-scale projects in today’s highly complex real estate environment. The City recognizes these as fundamental tenets to the long-term success and viability of the VMC.”

-Tim Simmonds, Executive Director