The Welcome Centre has received positive feedback from many people who have
used the centre and its services. This has
been seen not only in the Vaughan location, but at the centre’s other locations. “In
any client satisfaction survey we have done
we have received 98 per cent satisfied or
very satisfied ratings on excellence of customer service and quality of information
provided. They also noted that the caring
attitude of staff and the warm atmosphere
in the Welcome Centre made them very
happy with our services,” says George Davidson. The results are a testament to the
commitment the centres have to making
newcomers’ transition to a new city and
country a comfortable one so that they
may integrate into their new community
quickly and with ease.
NEWCOMERS’ BUS TOUR –
DISCOVER THE COMMUNITY
A great event for newcomers to the City
of Vaughan is the Newcomers’ Bus Tour,
which took place on Sept. 28 and 29. The
Vaughan Welcome Centre, in co-operation
with the City of Vaughan Recreation Services, Vaughan Public Libraries, York Regional
Police and Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service,
hosted two bus tours of approximately 40
newcomers each day. In addition to visits
to the various sponsors’ locations, they also
visited the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, York Region Public
Health and Ontario Works programs located
in Vaughan. The tour is always a great way
for newcomers to be introduced to the city
and meet new people.
LARGEST SOURCE OF RECENT IMMIGRANTS TO VAUGHAN
The Welcome Centre sees many newcomers each year from all walks of life and
from various parts of the world. From their
experience, several factors play into people
choosing Vaughan as their new home.
“They are generally very enthusiastic and
hopeful in their new community and appreciate all the amenities Vaughan has to
offer,” says George Davidson.
Asia
Europe
Americas
TOP THREE ETHNIC ORIGINS REPORTED IN 2011
support including resume and cover letter preparation, use of research tools, interview preparation, and explanation of
workplace practices and the Canadian
labour market.
Italian
Jewish
Vaughan Celebrates Canada Day has been
recognized by Festivals and Events Ontario, making the list of top 100 festivals and
events in Ontario for 2016. It’s a fun day
where families and friends can gather and
celebrate all that this beautiful community
and country have to offer.
YEAR-ROUND CULTURE AND
DIVERSITY CELEBRATIONS
Vaughan is also known for hosting a variety of other celebrations year round. The
one common thread of these many events
is diversity. The City proudly recognizes
the religious holidays of cultures from
around the world. From the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Menorah Lighting Ceremony to Chinese New
Year and the Moon Festival, Vaughan supports the various ethnicities that make up
the city. These celebrations are a gathering
place for residents to experience the sights,
sounds and tastes of the many cultures that
call the city home.
Another way the city celebrates its diversity
is with the Vaughan Culture Days event.
This annual three-day celebration gathers
thousands of artists and cultural organizations in hundreds of cities across the country. Founded in 2009, Culture Days enables
Canadians to participate in and admire
all forms of arts and culture. This year’s
Vaughan Culture Days took place from
Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 and featured thousands
of free, interactive activities that enabled
Vaughan residents and beyond to discover
the world of artists, creators, heritage experts, architects, curators, designers and
more in the community.
Diversity is Vaughan’s strength and what
sets it apart from other cities. The people
who call Vaughan home may come from
different backgrounds and different places
but they have one thing in common – they
chose this city and have contributed to its
growth and success.
CELEBRATING VAUGHAN’S
CULTURALLY RICH COMMUNITY
The City of Vaughan proudly hosts a number of celebrations throughout the year.
One of the biggest is Vaughan Celebrates
Canada Day. This annual event is a cel-
ebration of what it means to be Canadian
and brings together people of all ethnic
backgrounds from across the city who are
proud to call Canada and Vaughan home.
The event attracts thousands of people
each year and features live entertainment,
activities and food. The headliners for this
year’s festivities were Canadian pop singer
and Juno Award winner Shawn Desman
and Juno Award nominee Tyler Shaw.
Canadian
Source: Statistics Canada Census 2011
2016 \ Celebrate Vaughan
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