Engaged communities, built through everyday involvement

What does it mean to be engaged?

Maybe it is not one big action.
Maybe it’s the many small ways people choose to take part in the places around them.

Attending a local festival.
Volunteering to plant trees.
Learning what not to pour down the drain.
Joining a program and feeling connected.
Finding the information needed to better understand a public process.

These moments may look different, but they all point to the same idea: communities are stronger when people feel informed, connected and involved.

That involvement shows up in many ways.

It might start with a local festival or event. A chance to explore something close to home. Events like these do more than fill a calendar. They create reasons for people to come together, support local businesses and feel connected to where they live. In 2025, 15 community tourism events received support through the York Region Tourism Fund, helping strengthen local identity while bringing people into shared spaces.

Sometimes, taking part starts with simply understanding how things work. When information is clear and easy to access, it becomes easier to ask questions, make informed choices and engage with the services around you. It builds confidence to engage. In 2025, more than 171,000 residents accessed Court Services, connecting people to the information they need to understand their rights, responsibilities and how to navigate the systems around them.

Engagement can begin with something as simple as a conversation. Public Health outreach brings services directly into communities, creating opportunities to ask questions, learn and connect in spaces that feel familiar. These moments make information more accessible and help people feel supported when making decisions about their health. In 2025, 61 outreach clinics and community engagements helped extend that reach across York Region, creating more opportunities for residents.

Engagement often shows up through small choices. The habits people build at home may not feel like participation, but they still have a shared impact. For example, choosing not to pour fats, oils and grease down the drain helps protect the systems everyone relies on. That’s why York Region is committed to ongoing resident education to help reduce $1 million in annual sewer maintenance costs.

For those who choose to get involved directly, engagement can become hands-on action. Volunteering in natural spaces brings people together with a shared purpose, building pride in the places they live while helping protect them for the future. Last year, more than 1,500 residents engaged in forestry and stewardship activities, strengthening both the environment and the sense of community around it.

Connection is another way engagement comes to life. For seniors, that means staying active, involved and supported in everyday life. Adult Day Programs create opportunities for older adults to stay connected while also supporting the people who care for them. In 2025 to 2026, 182 clients participated, with 96% of caregivers saying the program provides meaningful relief and helps reduce burnout. All surveyed participants said they would recommend it to others, reflecting the role these programs play in supporting well-being, strengthening relationships and helping people remain connected to the communities around them.

These moments may look different.

But they are connected by something they share.

They are all ways of taking part.
Ways of contributing to something beyond an individual moment.
Ways of shaping the community, together.

Discover how getting involved helps shape the moments that matter across York Region at york.ca/RegionalServices