Residents have told us what is needed and required in order for York Region to remain the destination of choice in the Greater Toronto Area. It's all part of our Vision 2026 initiative – our Regional plan for the next 25 years. We have listened. Your thoughts have been incorporated into the strategic planning process.   Following 15 public events organized to gather comments on the Vision 2026 draft document including a special session with the Region's youth we have developed a creative plan that clearly shapes our future.

We circulated more than 240,000 copies of the Vision 2026 brochure across York Region. In return, we received invaluable comments by telephone, email, in writing and at workshops.

Our long-range plan promotes quality of life in many ways. It favours increased dollars for York Region Transit and exciting rapid transit initiatives to help ease gridlock from our road network. We will increase the portfolio of affordable housing units to provide housing opportunities for our residents and workers. We will continue to deliver high quality drinking water for everyone.

We will remain leaders in customer service. We will support our businesses. We will create new partnerships. York Region will also protect the legacy of our natural environment for future generations.

Vision 2026 updates Vision 2021, an earlier plan approved in 1993 that led to the creation of 450 new programs and initiatives. But the Region has witnessed incredible change over the past eight years. Our population has grown, we grow older, and our cultural diversity has increased in importance. At the same time, York Region has taken on many new responsibilities through provincial downloading. The scope of these responsibilities is reflected in the size of our Regional budget – more than $1 billion in 2002.

Thank you for your efforts to help us guide York Region over the next 25 years. Our future is your future, and together, we can guarantee a Region everyone is proud of.

Yours truly,
Bill Fisch

Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer