New Fire Station Improves Emergency Services for North-East Vaughan Residents

Vaughan, Ontario, November 12, 2012 – Vaughan's Fire and Rescue Service today celebrated the construction of a new environmentally friendly fire station that will help them protect the lives and properties of Vaughan residents.

The new fire hall located at 10800 Dufferin Street accommodates 20 firefighters and includes a dormitory, exercise area, eating area, kitchen and storage areas.

"This new fire hall will provide firefighters with a modern emergency response facility to serve Vaughan's growing population for years to come," said the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation and Member of Parliament for Vaughan. "The Government of Canada is proud to have invested in this important project that has created local jobs and will enhance the integrity and capacity of the area's fire protective services."

"Today's official opening of Fire Station 7-10 continues the City of Vaughan's commitment to improving services to meet the needs of our growing community," said Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. "This new Fire Station will enhance our efforts to bring Emergency Services closer to homes, families, institutions and businesses in this area. I am proud of the Firefighters of the Vaughan Fire and Rescue team, who not only respond to emergencies, but remain active members of this community through volunteering, outreach initiatives and fire safety education."

"This new fire station reflects the City of Vaughan's commitment to service excellence and environmental stewardship," said Vaughan City Manager Clayton Harris. "I want to thank the Fire Chief and the staff of the Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service for their dedication to emergency response which is essential to the safety of our community."

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified, this new fire station will consume less energy than its older counterparts, which will help the environment and save the City of Vaughan money. Thanks to energy efficient features such as a recycled steel roof, high performance windows and high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, the facility is expected to use approximately 35 per cent less energy and 56 per cent less potable water than conventional fire stations.

The City of Vaughan directed $415,000 of its federal Gas Tax Fund allocation towards LEED certification of the new fire station with the balance of the total project cost of $4.3 million provided through municipal development charges.

The federal Gas Tax Fund provides long-term funding to local governments to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. In December 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent investment of $2 billion per year. The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund alone, provides $746 million in funding annually for municipal infrastructure in Ontario. Between 2010 and 2014, the City of Vaughan will receive more than $29 million from the federal Gas Tax Fund.

"Canada's Gas Tax Fund acknowledges that all orders of government must work together to address the pressing need for infrastructure investment in our municipalities," said Russ Powers, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). "Stable and predictable, the Gas Tax Fund supports investment in local priority projects that lead to job creation and economic growth in communities right across Ontario."

The Government of Canada has engaged provinces, territories, municipalities and key stakeholders in a series of roundtables to guide the development of a new long-term infrastructure plan that will support job creation, economic growth and prosperity. We understand that we are on the right track: there is a need for strong, sustained investment and we must continue to work together moving forward. To improve infrastructure across Canada and ensure affordability and sustainability over the long term, our new plan will encourage greater use of public-private partnerships. This will help leverage new investments in infrastructure, while respecting Canadian taxpayers' ability to pay.

For additional information about the Government of Canada's infrastructure investments in Ontario and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.

For additional information, please contact:

Geneviève Sicard
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700

Ted Hallas
Manager of Corporate Communications
City of Vaughan
905-832-8585 extension 8077
ted.hallas@vaughan.ca

Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154