Strategic Plan Annual Report Website - Town of Richmond Hill

S T R A T E G I C P L A N
Annual Report 201
Stronger Connections Better Choice More Vibrant
Wise Management
of Resources
Richmond Hill, where people come together
to build our community.

Richmond Hill, where people come
together to build our community.
A Message from
the Mayor
On behalf of all Members of Council and
Town staff, I am pleased to present you with
our fourth Strategic Plan Annual Report.
This report highlights many of our
accomplishments over the past year and
measures our progress made towards our
Strategic Plan goals.
As Richmond Hill celebrates its 140 th
anniversary, we are reminded of how far
we have come since our incorporation as a
village in 1873. We have transformed from
“that village along the Yonge Street corridor”
into a “City of the Future” and one of
“Canada’s Best Places to Live” as recognized
by
and
magazine.
While there is still work to be done, we are
achieving our future vision for Richmond Hill,
Sincerely,
Dave Barrow
Mayor
.
Richmond Hill Council (2010-2014)
Standing (left to right):
Ward 5 Councillor Nick Papa
Deputy Mayor/Regional & Local Councillor Vito Spatafora
Mayor Dave Barrow
Regional & Local Councillor Brenda Hogg
Ward 6 Councillor Godwin Chan
Seated (left to right):
Ward 2 Councillor Carmine Perrelli
Ward 1 Councillor Greg Beros
Ward 3 Councillor Castro Liu
Ward 4 Councillor Lynn Foster
C O N T E N T S
From Vision to Action - Advancing Our Plans.................................1
Key Areas of Focus.............................................................................2
1. Provide Leadership.........................................................................2
2. Engage the Community.................................................................11
3. Focus on Communication.............................................................14
4. Align Town Plans...........................................................................15
5. Undertake New Initiatives............................................................17
6. Invest in Our Community................................................................19
Monitoring Our Progress.................................................................23
Goal One: Stronger Connections in Richmond Hill......................24
Goal Two: Better Choice in Richmond Hill....................................26
Goal Three: A More Vibrant Richmond Hill...................................28
Goal Four: Wise Management of Resources in Richmond Hill....30
Maintaining Our Momentum...........................................................32
Richmond Hill’s 2013 Strategic Plan Annual Report was approved by
Council on June 24, 2013.

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From Vision to Action - Advancing Our Plans
Four years ago we launched our Strategic Plan and our shared future vision:
O U R V I S I O N
Richmond Hill, where people come together to build our community.
We developed goals to achieve that vision:
Goal One: Stronger Connections in Richmond Hill
Connections make everything work; stronger connections make everything work better.
Goal Two: Better Choice in Richmond Hill
Better choice is not the same as more choice. Better choice means having better quality
options to achieve our community vision for Richmond Hill.
Goal Three: A More Vibrant Richmond Hill
Some of the best places to live and do business are dynamic and diverse. They have a
unique sense of place and identity. They are vibrant.
Goal Four: Wise Management of Resources in Richmond Hill
Wise management means making decisions about how we consider and use our resources
in Richmond Hill for this generation and those to follow.
Over the past four years we have made significant progress towards achieving our future vision.
We completed Phase One of our Implementation Plan (2009-2010), in which we aligned Town
plans to the Strategic Plan. Today, Phase Two (2011-2014) is well underway and we are seeing our
plans come to life through new initiatives and community investments.
This Annual Report highlights some of our achievements throughout the past year. The first
section, “Key Areas of Focus,” describes our ongoing commitment to provide leadership, engage
our community, focus on communication, align our plans, undertake new initiatives and invest
in our community. The second section, “Monitoring our Progress,” summarizes our efforts in
support of the goals set out in our Strategic Plan.
Richmond Hill welcome sign
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Key Areas of Focus
Implementation of our Strategic Plan continues to reflect our commitment
to six key areas of focus:
H O W W I L L W E A C T
Leadership
Engagement
Communication
W H A T W I L L W E D O
Align Town Plans
New Initiatives
New Investments
Realizing our community vision depends on and .
In this section of our report, we review our efforts in each of these key areas over the past year.
1. Provide Leadership
For Richmond Hill, providing leadership means: advancing the Town’s priorities through Council
Task Forces; influencing and working with other organizations and levels of government on matters
that are important to our community; and delivering exceptional public service to our community.
Establishing Council Task Forces
Throughout the past year our three Council
Task Forces continued to guide both the
development of key Town plans and the
implementation of major Town initiatives.
Their leadership ensures our actions will
achieve our community vision and goals for
Richmond Hill.
Richmond Hill Council
The People Plan Task Force has guided the development of three major plans. The first, our
Cultural Plan, was completed in 2011. We celebrated its one-year anniversary with the release
of the 2012 Cultural Plan Annual Report, highlighting our increasing support for culture in
our community.
The Parks Plan and Recreation Plan, meanwhile, will guide the amount, location, use,
development and programming of parks and recreation facilities and services now and into the
future. With community input and support, Council approved the Parks Plan in April 2013.
The Recreation Plan is nearing completion and is expected to be considered by the People Plan
Task Force later this year.
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B E T T E R C H O I C E: E C O N O M I C P R A I S E
Over the past year, the Town’s new Economic Development Marketing Strategy and materials
earned acclaim from three separate organizations: the Economic Developers Association of
Canada (EDAC), for our Sector Brochures; and the International Economic Development Council
(IEDC) and Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) for our Community Profile.
Richmond Hill has once again been recognized as a “City of the Future” in the American
Cities of the Future 2013/14 ranking by a division
of the Financial Times Ltd. Placing fifth overall in the “Small City” category, for the first time
Richmond Hill also ranks in the top ten for Business Friendliness (fourth) and FDI (foreign
direct investment) Strategy (third).
Environment Strategy Consultation
For the balance of 2013, the People Plan Task Force will guide the development of the
Environment Strategy, scheduled for completion later this year. The Environment Strategy
will set out the actions necessary to meet the directions of the Strategic Plan and Official Plan;
specifically, to protect, enhance and actively manage our local environment as our community
continues to grow.
Civic Precinct Charrette
The Civic Precinct Task Force is tasked
with developing the Civic Precinct Project,
known as People Place Richmond Hill: Yonge
& Major Mackenzie. In November 2012 the
Task Force endorsed a Proposed Civic Precinct
Concept Plan that reflects the vision defined
by the community and the key directions for
this central site in the downtown. The concept
plan features an urban square and park, a new
community building and Town Hall, and
underground parking. In February 2013 the Task Force received a Details and Assumptions
Report that will be used to develop a financial plan for the project. It will consider a draft Civic
Precinct Plan, including a financing and implementation plan, later this year.
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The Economic Development Task Force
continues to lead the implementation of
Richmond Hill’s Economic Development
Strategy and enhance our efforts in priority
economic sectors. Our 2 nd annual “Creativity
Connected” symposium for creative industries,
for example, welcomed over 300 attendees in
November 2012 from fields ranging from the
arts to engineering to media. In June 2013, the
3 rd annual MedEdge Summit hosted hundreds
MedEdge Summit 2012
of attendees from York Region’s biomedical, IT and healthcare professions. These events provide
opportunities for Richmond Hill and York Region to connect, learn and advance ideas from
businesses in these sectors for commercial success.
Also in June 2013, the Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) co-hosted a regional import/
export conference with Markham, Vaughan, York Region and the Province of Ontario to
support the importing and exporting efforts of local small businesses who are exploring
international markets.
B E T T E R C H O I C E: S U P P O R T F O R S M A L L B U S I N E S S
The Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) continues
to support our small business community with 19 seminars and workshops
held over the past year. More than 400 people attended the events,
which covered topics such as tax and financial tips, accounting for
start-up companies, building a website and social media.
Advocating for Our Future
The Town continues to focus on issues that are of importance to our community by liaising with
other levels of government to advocate for our interests. One example is our participation in the
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Other examples of our community advocacy over
the past year include:
Council participation at the first International Local Economic Development Forum,
which hosted more than 90 municipal representatives from around the world to share insights
into how local governments are strengthening economic development in their communities.
Participation in the annual Advocacy Days meeting in Ottawa that reviewed opportunities to
build relationships between federal and municipal elected officials, recommendations for the
government’s long-term infrastructure plan and federal-municipal partnerships on critical issues.
Membership on the Standing Committee on Increasing Women’s Participation in
Municipal Government to pursue and encourage related initiatives.
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S T R O N G E R C O N N E C T I O N S: E N H A N C I N G C O M M U N I T Y S A F E T Y
In August 2012, Project Zero delivered more than 330 combination smoke and carbon monoxide
alarms to Richmond Hill homes in a joint initiative with Enbridge Gas Distribution, the Ontario
Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council and Richmond Hill Fire & Emergency Services.
In November 2012, the Town also participated in Operation Interface a collaborative
training event that simulated responses to a mock emergency impacting both Richmond Hill
and Vaughan.
One critical issue facing local governments
and residents throughout the GTA is traffic
congestion. Over the past year Council and
staff continued to work with other levels of
government to advance the needs of our
community and provide better options for
moving around. We have:
Transit services at Richmond Hill Centre
Continued to advocate for the extension of the Yonge Subway line, which remains among
Metrolinx’s top 15 transit priorities as identified in the Regional Transportation Plan, “The
Big Move”.
Worked with York Region Rapid Transit Corporation representatives regarding construction
along Highway 7 for the vivaNext Rapidway, dedicated lanes that will separate rapid transit
buses from surrounding traffic to facilitate faster and safer travel.
Continued participating in Smart Commute, a program that assists employers and commuters
in exploring alternative commute options such as carpooling, cycling or public transit.
B E T T E R C H O I C E: C O L L A B O R A T I N G F O R C O M M U T E R S
In 2012, Metrolinx awarded a Silver Smart Commute Workplace Designation to Council
in recognition of Richmond Hill’s commitment to providing enhanced commuter options
for employees. In 2013, the Town’s continued efforts generated a Gold Smart Commute
Workplace Designation.
vivaNext Rapidway construction
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Stewarding Our Heritage Resources
Being a place where people come together to build our community requires leadership in
stewarding our heritage resources. These include the David Dunlap Observatory lands, a major
cultural and natural heritage site in Richmond Hill that the Town has advocated protection for
since the University of Toronto announced its intention to sell in 2007.
The Town adopted a Designation By-law that identified features on the site that should be
protected, as well as a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) to manage, protect and maintain
the property’s heritage attributes. In May 2013, a mediated settlement agreement was approved
by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to protect approximately 40 hectares (99 acres) or 56% of
the site from development. The settlement protects the historic precinct around the Observatory
Dome, creating a unique heritage open space and legacy public place for Richmond Hill.
David Dunlap Observatory
Stewarding our built heritage resources is another
priority for which the Town continues to take
leadership. Our Heritage Incentives Grant
Program has increased the amount of funding
available for individual projects to support the
rehabilitation of heritage properties by their
owners. We are also currently reviewing our
policy for the acquisition and use of heritage
buildings, which sets out how we acquire,
finance and use Town-owned heritage buildings.
In a related initiative, a detailed built heritage
inventory has been developed to understand the
investment required to manage these buildings
and assist the Town with its stewardship role.
In 2012, the Town succeeded in preserving a
portion of the David Dunlap Observatory
(DDO) “panhandle” lands. Purchased for
$19.5 million, the 4.9 hectare (12.1 acre) area
was previously under lease to the Town and
includes the David Dunlap Observatory Park
and the Elvis Stojko Arena. Its purchase brings
the property into public ownership and allows
the Town to continue to provide services to
the community.
Richmond Hill Heritage Centre
M O R E V I B R A N T: R E S P E C T I N G T H E P A S T
A number of 2012 heritage-related events drew significant numbers from the community,
including: Heritage Centre - 3,877 visitors; Doors Open - 2,000 people; Heritage Services
Events - 1,700 people; Studio Art Tour - 2,500 people; Family Day - 2,500 people; and
Heritage Village Day - 5,000 people.
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Maintaining Strong Financial Principles
Management of stormwater facility by Richmond Hill staff
A deliberate, responsible approach to the Town’s finances is allowing Richmond Hill to have the
financial resources necessary to realize our community vision. This approach is based on four key
principles: thorough short and long-term planning, prudent consideration of reserves, leveraging
available funding sources and maintaining our debt-free status.
Sound financial planning has helped us implement the recommendations of our aligned Town
plans, advance new initiatives and make new investments. In addition to our annual budget
process, we also accomplish this through our 10 Year Capital Plan, which prioritizes and funds
initiatives and investments now and into the future.
W I S E M A N A G E M E N T: B E I N G F I N A N C I A L L Y R E S P O N S I B L E
Diversification of funding sources helps us manage our reserves. Recently, the Town
completed a Building Permit Fee Review to ensure that these costs are sustainable.
Stormwater infrastructure is now funded by a dedicated fee, similar to water and wastewater,
to ensure this critical service is fully funded moving forward.
Grant funding supports investment in our community and the Town has successfully secured
such funding to support projects that are now nearing completion. These include the rehabilitation
of the Rumble Pond Stormwater Management Facility, which received a $1,000,000 grant
from the Ministry of the Environment Showcasing Water Innovation program. In addition to
improving water quality and providing an appropriate level of stormwater protection, the project
will establish a separate creek channel that will allow for fish passage. The installation of new
walkways, trees, benches and a pavilion will also revitalize the area as an open space setting for
our community to enjoy.
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The Town was also successful in obtaining
grant funding from both the Federal and
Provincial Governments for three other
important projects. The first is the Elvis
Stojko Arena Rehabilitation project,
which received $723,000 from the Federal
Government's Community Infrastructure
Improvement Fund. This project, with an
Elvis Stojko Arena overall budget of $2.7 million, will improve
the look and function of the building through exterior structural repairs, additional meeting
space, accessibility upgrades, interior repainting, flooring refurbishment and energy efficiency
improvements such as the installation of solar panels to generate electricity.
The Provincial Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s Creative Communities Prosperity Fund also
contributed $25,000 to the development of a Festivals and Events Strategy for Richmond Hill,
a key action identified in our Cultural Plan. This strategy will make our community more vibrant
by supporting: an exciting and vibrant range of festivals and events; our diverse cultural character
and the celebration of our living heritage; the growth of volunteerism; and the growth of tourism.
A $42,000 grant from the Federal Enabling Accessibility Fund will also improve accessibility
at the Town’s main municipal offices at 225 East Beaver Creek Road. These improvements
will include accessibility upgrades to washrooms on all floors, relocation of defibrillator cabinets to
accessible locations and heights, installation of signage at Council Chambers and Committee Rooms
indicating the availability and location of headsets for assistive listening, and implementation of
an emergency paging system to accommodate staff and visitors with hearing loss.
The Richmond Hill Soccer Club made a generous donation to the Town last year: a $250,000
cheque, presented to Council in September 2012 to assist with the construction costs of the new
Richmond Green East artificial turf soccer field. With a growing demand for quality soccer
facilities, the Town has replaced the existing grass field with a state-of-the-art artificial turf
facility, extending the playing season from 21 to 38 weeks. Richmond Hill now has three artificial
turf facilities: two at Richmond Green and one at Crosby Park.
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Richmond Green artificial turf soccer field

Richmond Hill staff providing planning services
Providing Exceptional Public Service
In support of exceptional public service, the
Town has focused on a number of service
improvement initiatives over the past year.
O U R M I S S I O N
Richmond Hill Council and Staff are committed
to providing exceptional public service to our
community.
Phyllis Rawlinson Park
In early 2013 Council approved a Responsible
Pet Ownership Philosophy to guide our
delivery of animal services to the community.
This new approach focuses on public education,
licensing and enhanced enforcement. More
specifically, it communicates expectations for
pet owners about their role in ensuring
positive relationships between their pets and
the community through licensing and other
responsibilities.
A Regulatory Services Review is also underway and will result in a new philosophy and
framework for developing, communicating and enforcing our by-laws on a range of issues
including property standards, parking and licensing. This approach will reflect community
standards and resolve issues through education, enforcement and voluntary compliance.
A Core Services Review of Parks Operations and Public Works Operations is in progress and
has resulted in a number of improvements. These include a new model for sidewalk snow
plowing that maximizes the cost efficiency of our operations and uses specialty equipment to
limit sod damage.
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A G R E A T P L A C E T O L I V E
Richmond Hill’s commitment to providing exceptional service and quality of life to residents earned the
praise of in the magazine’s March 2013 “Canada’s Best Places to Live” issue, which
named us among the “Top 10 Mid-Sized Cities” and “Best Places for New Immigrants.”
In Fall 2012 the Town’s Environmental
Management System (EMS) achieved
re-certification to the ISO 14001 standard, an
international benchmark of best practices in
environmental management, with our best
audit results to date. We remain committed to
effectively managing our environmental impact
and responsibilities; the entire Environment
& Infrastructure Services Department,
Development Engineering and Public Works
Operations Divisions are registered and we
will be seeking registration in 2013 for Fire &
Emergency Services and Parks Operations.
Winter maintenance by Richmond Hill staff
The Town is investing in a new property-based software system that will allow staff to more
effectively track and share planning, building permit, enforcement and licensing processes and
information, allowing for enhanced data analysis and improved workflow and time management.
We are also implementing a new work and asset management system that will allow staff
to better manage the full life cycle of Richmond Hill’s community infrastructure including roads,
parks, buildings, water and wastewater systems.
To improve service delivery and offer greater options to our community, the Town continues to
expand the number of online services we provide. Temporary parking permits, for example,
can now be purchased online at a cost of $15 (plus HST), up to five times a year and with a fiveday
validity. The Town also created RHWorks, an online program allowing residents to request
streetlight repairs by identifying the address, intersection, pole ID or even by selecting the
location on a map.
S T R O N G E R C O N N E C T I O N S: A C C E S S I B L E S E R V I C E S F O R A L L
In November 2012 Richmond Hill accepted a trophy from One Voice Network in appreciation
of our support for employABILITY, a disability awareness event that connects job seekers
with “disABILITIES”and employers in York Region. Council also received an Excellence
Canada Ontario Accessibility Award in February 2013 to recognize the Town’s efforts to
meet and exceed its obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act,
2005 (AODA).
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2. Engage the Community
Environment Strategy - Greening the Hill “Kick-Off Event”
Our future vision for Richmond Hill is one where people come together to build our community.
Realizing this vision means ongoing engagement between Council, staff and our community;
engagement that includes people early on, recognizes diversity, asks important questions, and
most importantly, listens. Throughout the past year we have continued to engage our community
on a number of Town initiatives.
Engagement in Town Plans
As with all key Town plans, community engagement played an important role in the development
of both the Parks Plan and the Recreation Plan. Following a joint launch event in June 2012,
we hosted a series of roundtables, surveys and focus groups throughout the summer, which
collected input from over 800 residents on the community’s parks and recreation needs.
A February 2013 workshop further informed the draft Parks Plan, which Council ultimately
approved in April 2013. The Recreation Plan, meanwhile, will guide the short and long-term
investment in recreation facilities, programs and services. A draft Recreation Plan is nearing
completion and is expected to be considered by the People Plan Task Force later this year.
S T R O N G E R C O N N E C T I O N S: C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T
Parks and Recreation Plans Engagement Launch Event - over 80 people; Online Survey - 181
responses; Household Survey - 387 telephone surveys (random sample); Stakeholder Survey -
29 responses; Sports Focus Groups - 12 representatives from 11 user groups; Special Interests
Focus Groups - 15 representatives from nine user groups; Youth Summit - 24 youth; Youth Survey -
13 responses, Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) - five representatives.
The Town has hosted a variety of engagement activities and events throughout the past year to
generate community ideas and input for the Civic Precinct lands at Yonge Street and Major
Mackenzie Drive. Building on their initial vision and key directions, Council, community
members, staff and designers attended a concept-planning workshop to explore options.
The Town shared the resulting concept plans at an open house and invited community feedback
through consultation booths and an online questionnaire. By the time of the concept plan’s
completion more than 670 members of the community had provided input.
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Council, staff and our community are equally committed
to protecting the environment, and this year we launched
the development of our first Environment Strategy,
Greening the Hill: Our Community, Our Future.
The strategy, led by the People Plan Task Force, will outline the actions Richmond Hill will take to
accomplish the environmental goals and outcomes set out in the Strategic Plan and Official Plan.
It will also describe how we will protect, enhance, restore and actively manage our natural
environment as it exists today and into the future. In keeping with the People Plan Richmond Hill
process, we engaged the community with public consultation events throughout February and
March 2013, which provided information on current environmental initiatives and generated
round table discussions about air quality as well as water and land resources. The community
engagement collected input from over 2000 residents and stakeholders. A Key Findings and
Future Directions Report is anticipated in Summer 2013 and a Draft Environment Strategy is
expected to follow by the end of this year.
B E T T E R C H O I C E: B U S I N E S S L E A D E R S H I P C O U N C I L
Headwaters Park
The Town established a Business Leadership Council in 2011 to work closely with the business
community and achieve the goals of our Economic Development Strategy. To this end, Council
and staff continue to meet with over 20 local business leaders on a quarterly basis to facilitate
ongoing discussions, understand and support the requirements of business and strengthen
business connections in Richmond Hill.
Engagement in Plan Implementation
Building on the community engagement that
helped develop the Cultural Plan (approved by
Council in December 2011), we established a
Cultural Leadership Council (CLC) in
November 2012 to advise on the Plan’s
implementation. Members of the CLC include
representatives from Richmond Hill-based
arts and cultural community groups, creative
industries, artists, youth and other residents.
Playing guitar at a Richmond Hill Teen Program
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The Town approved a Public Art Policy in
June 2012, concluding a recommended action
of the Strategic Plan, Official Plan and Cultural
Plan. This policy provides a framework for
identifying and selecting locations to display
art and will guide the development of a public
art program. Moving forward, and building
on community input received throughout the
policy’s development, Council will establish
a Public Art Advisory Committee in
Summer 2013. An independent volunteer
group of community members, the committee
will advise Council on all matters related to
public art in Richmond Hill.
Public art in Alias Grace Park
Engagement with the Town
Richmond Hill celebrates its 140 th anniversary in 2013, and to
commemorate this milestone the Town has invited the community
to participate in a series of special events and engagement activities.
More specifically, we asked residents to share their personal memories and photos of Richmond
Hill, post stories on the Town’s Facebook page and visit our 140 th Anniversary Richmond Hill
exhibit at the Heritage Centre. We also created a 140 th Anniversary Special Events Resource Guide
for residents and visitors alike in celebration of Richmond Hill’s diverse landscape and rich history.
S T R O N G E R C O N N E C T I O N S: C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T
To promote community inclusion and to fully engage Richmond Hill’s diverse population, the
Mayor established the Richmond Hill Intercultural Advisory Committee (RHIAC). Its goal is to
enhance intercultural ties in the community through education, outreach and celebration of
our diverse cultures.
Old Schoolhouse circa 1900
Old Schoolhouse as part of the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (2012)
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3. Focus on Communication
Communication within our community means initiating dialogue, listening and responding to what
we hear. We must communicate in a manner that is understandable, relevant and accessible by
maximizing the effectiveness of the tools we use and continually exploring new ones. For the Town,
communication also means improving access to local information and providing convenient,
flexible opportunities for our community to access our programs and services.
To support and strengthen our communication efforts, Council approved the Town’s first
Communications Strategy in October 2012. Inspired by our commitment to providing
exceptional public service, the Communications Strategy outlines directions and actions for the
Town to enhance reciprocal communication with residents and continue to engage the community.
We continued to expand access to information throughout Richmond Hill over the past year.
Recent initiatives include:
A customizable my-waste app that provides mobile device users
with collection details, information about free monthly appliance
collection, a reference guide that explains what to do with common
materials, customer service phone numbers and more. The app is
available for download on the Town’s website at RichmondHill.ca/MyWaste.
Wi-Fi availability in all Town community centres, with access now being expanded to some of
the fitness centres.
The installation of two upgraded LCD Display Screens in all five Town arenas, which provide a
modern method of communicating program schedules. Throughout 2013 LCD displays are also
being installed in all community centre and pool facilities.
We strengthened our online presence this past
year with the launch of our corporate social
media accounts. The Town of Richmond
Hill now uses Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
to engage with the community and to share
news, events, stories, images, project updates
and emergency information. While we have
used social media for various projects and
initiatives in the recent past, these formal new
corporate accounts will allow the Town to
On-line at the Central Library
further strengthen connections with our residents, improve communication channels and provide
a medium for community feedback and input – all key facets of our Strategic Plan.
Online communication has become one of the most popular forms of conveying information in
our community and around the world. In order to ensure we are providing exceptional public
service, the Town is developing a Web Strategy and Roadmap to improve our online delivery
of services to the community. The Strategy will provide a clear vision of how to use e-services to
improve communication and streamline business operations. An online survey, available on the
Town’s website from November 2012 to February 2013, invited feedback from the community on
the effectiveness and accessibility of our website.
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4. Align Town Plans
Youth Action Committee members
How does a municipality achieve its vision for the future? We develop and align plans that reflect
the desires of our community – and then put those plans into action. Richmond Hill has five main
plans that provide direction for decision making on key matters such as growth, development, new
initiatives and investments in infrastructure. In previous years the Official Plan, Transportation
Master Plan and Cultural Plan were finalized and adopted. With the recent approval of the
Parks Plan and a draft Recreation Plan to be received by the People Plan Task Force later
this year, the work of aligning all major plans is nearly complete.
Each of our five main plans helps to achieve the
Town’s vision and goals. All of the plans were
developed under the leadership of a Council
Task Force, engaged the community and focused
on communicating with the community, both
during the process and after the plan’s
completion. Now aligned with the Strategic
Plan, each one provides implementation actions
for the future to be realized through new
initiatives and investments.
C U L T U R A L P L A N G O A L S
Demonstrated leadership; a dynamic cultural
sector; an inclusive cultural community; places
and spaces for culture; and a celebrated story.
The Cultural Plan, approved by Council in December 2011, is a case in point. Guided by the
People Plan Task Force and welcoming community engagement throughout its development, the
Cultural Plan sets out our related vision, goals and recommended actions to ensure that culture is
considered in all Town operations. The plan allows for our community’s cultural vision to be
supported and implemented through new initiatives and investments, and its alignment with the
Strategic Plan provides the framework to ensure that these investments all contribute to our
vision of Richmond Hill, where people come together to build our community.
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M O R E V I B R A N T: I N V E S T M E N T I N C U L T U R E
The Cultural Plan influenced one of the newest investments in Richmond Hill: the promenade
in Lake Wilcox Park. Its design will celebrate the story of Richmond Hill’s history, from
prehistoric times to the present day. In this manner, visitors will enjoy the beauty of this area
and also learn about what makes Richmond Hill culturally vibrant and unique. In addition to
addressing the goals of the Cultural Plan, this investment contributes to our Strategic Plan
goal of creating a Richmond Hill.
The investments and activities underway as part of Cultural Plan implementation are featured in
our first Cultural Plan Annual Report, released in January 2013. If you would like more
information about our Cultural Plan, visit Richmond Hill.ca/CulturalPlan.
Schedule of Actions: Align Town Plans
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
ACTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Lead Department Contributors
TIMEFRAME
2011 2012 2013 2014
DESCRIPTION
Cultural Plan
Community
Services
All
ü
Guided by the People Plan Task Force, our new Cultural
Plan reflects the priorities of the Strategic Plan and will
shape the long-term cultural development of the Town.
Council approved the plan in December 2011 and
received the first Annual Report on implementation
progress in January 2013.
Parks Plan
Planning and
Regulatory
Services
All
ü ü
ü
Guided by the People Plan Task Force, our new Parks
Plan reflects the priorities of the Strategic Plan and
Official Plan. Joint consultation with the Recreation
Plan began in June 2012 and, following Draft Plan
approval in February 2013, Council approved the Parks
Plan in April 2013. Implementation is underway.
Recreation Plan
Community
Services
All
ü
ü
Guided by the People Plan Task Force, our new
Recreation Plan will reflect the priorities of the
Strategic Plan and provide a strategy for addressing
the recreational needs of our community. Joint
consultation with the Parks Plan began in June 2012
and the People Plan Task Force will consider the
Draft Plan later this year.
16

5. Undertake New Initiatives
Aligning our plans was just the first step – albeit a big one – towards achieving the Town’s vision
for the future. Now, following through on the new initiatives and investments set out in these
plans will ensure that we get there. Realizing our vision for Richmond Hill will mean utilizing new
approaches and practices, as well as considering strategic directions and identifying priorities that
improve service to our community.
We continue to advance the Town’s Going Up initiative, expanding
the organics collection program to 10 additional buildings in 2012.
Today, 38% of all buildings (representing approximately 47% of all units)
in Richmond Hill are participating.
We have taken action on the Emerald Ash Borer issue by treating over 800 street trees and
replacing 175 ash trees with non-ash species over the past year.
Cultural Plan Implementation has launched several new initiatives including a Cultural
Leadership Council that will provide advice to Council on cultural matters, as well as a Festivals
and Events Strategy to present a long-term, sustainable approach to these activities.
The table below illustrates our progress on the initiatives identified in our Implementation Plan.
Schedule of Actions: New Initiatives
ACTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Lead Department Contributors
TIMEFRAME
2011 2012 2013 2014
DESCRIPTION
Civic Precinct
CAO
All
ü
ü
ü
ü
Guided by the Civic Precinct Task Force, this initiative
will advance Town efforts to create a communityfocused
area in the downtown that is vibrant and has
a sense of place. Following community engagement
opportunities throughout 2012, Council endorsed a
Proposed Civic Precinct Concept Plan in November 2012.
A draft Civic Precinct Plan, to include a financial plan
and implementation strategy, is expected in late 2013.
Official Plan
Implementation
Planning and
Regulatory
Services
All
ü
ü
ü
ü
Implementation of the Official Plan will proceed with a
number of activities including: defense of the Plan at
the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), where it has
received partial approval and is currently under
appeal; development of secondary plans for the
Richmond Hill Centre, Downtown and Oak Ridges
Centre; and development of a Master Environment
and Servicing Plan.
Comprehensive
Zoning By-law
Planning and
Regulatory
Services
All
ü
ü
ü
The development of a Comprehensive Zoning By-law
will set out specific land use zones, permitted uses
and required standards, all in keeping with Official
Plan policies. Its development will follow approval of
the Official Plan at the OMB and is expected to begin
in 2014.
Parks
Acquisition
Strategy
Planning and
Regulatory
Services
Community
Services,
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
ü
ü
A Parks Acquisition Strategy will outline where, how
and when the Town obtains new parkland. Informed
by the Parks Plan (approved in 2013), strategy
development is expected to begin in 2014.
17

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
ACTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Lead Department Contributors
TIMEFRAME
2011 2012 2013 2014
DESCRIPTION
Development
Charges Review
and Update
Corporate and
Financial
Services
All
ü
ü
Development charges are an external funding source
that covers the costs of development as a component
of a sustainable financial strategy. This review and
update is in keeping with the new Official Plan and
will also be informed by the Parks Plan, Recreation
Plan and Urban MESP. The review is underway and
new Development Charge By-laws are scheduled for
completion in Fall 2013.
Environment
Division and
Strategy
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
All
ü
ü
ü
ü
The Environment Division, approved in June 2011, will
implement integrated, coordinated green initiatives in
support of the Town’s environmental responsibilities.
A draft Environmental Strategy is expected by the end
of 2013.
Accessibility for
Ontarians with
Disabilities Act
(AODA)
Implementation
Corporate and
Financial
Services
All
ü
ü
ü
ü
Accessibility implementation entails the removal of
barriers for people with disabilities as they relate to
information and communications, transportation and
the built environment. This ongoing initiative will
eliminate barriers in Town facilities, parks and trails
as identified in the Accessibility Audit. It will also
facilitate compliance with the Integrated Accessibility
Standard and the proposed Accessible Built
Environment Standard. Council approved a new
multi-year Accessibility Plan in February 2013.
Economic
Development
Strategy
Implementation
CAO
ü
ü
ü
ü
Guided by the Economic Development Task Force,
Economic Development Strategy implementation
continued throughout 2012 and into 2013. Key ongoing
activities included the Business Leadership Council,
MedEdge and Creative Industries Symposium support,
and the rollout of the Town’s economic development
marketing strategy.
Travel Demand
Management
Study
Planning and
Regulatory
Services
ü
ü
ü
As identified in the Transportation Master Plan, a
Travel Demand Management Study will include an
action and implementation plan. Development is
underway and the study is scheduled for completion
in 2013.
Development
and facilitation
of on-line
services
Corporate and
Financial
Services
All
ü
ü
ü
ü
is the Town’s one-window
contact centre for general inquiries and concerns,
applications, permits, work orders, and program
registration and payments. The centre will continue
to develop additional online functions and provide
for connecting with the Town. Recent
developments include which provides
self-service to municipal services, programs and
information.
18

6. Invest in Our Community
Grand opening and release of butterflies at the Oak Ridges Community Centre
Achieving our future vision for Richmond Hill means building and maintaining our infrastructure
in a manner that meets the needs of our community. It means investing in the buildings, parks, roads,
water and sewer systems that support our key Town Plans and the new initiatives we undertake.
In June 2012 the Town’s newest community
facility, the Oak Ridges Community Centre
(ORCC), opened its doors to serve the
recreational needs of our growing Oak Ridges
population and Richmond Hill as a whole.
The 60,658-square-foot facility reflects the
area’s diverse needs by providing a variety of
programs and services. These include program
Playing volleyball at the Oak Ridges Community Centre
rooms dedicated specifically for seniors and youth, an Ecological Centre, a fitness studio and
aerobics room and a 5,700-square-foot gymnasium. All of these amenities reflect our commitment
to providing spaces for stronger connections within the Town, and the various programs for
people of all ages provide our community with better choice. In keeping with our strategic goal
of wise management of resources in Richmond Hill, we utilized $2,400,500 from Canada’s Gas
Tax Fund to incorporate green initiatives into the construction of the building, which was designed
to a LEED silver standard and is currently awaiting certification.
M O R E V I B R A N T: I N V E S T I N G I N O U R F A C I L I T I E S
Maintaining a state of good repair in our recreation facilities means that we are always ready
to host important events. Richvale Athletic Field will take centre stage in July 2013 when
York Region hosts the 2013 Special Olympics Ontario Summer Games Organizers selected
the facility to host softball events for 17 teams, 255 athletes and 51 coaches who will
participate from across the province.
19

The Town’s commitment to community safety is evidenced in our investment in a new fire station at
Yonge and Gamble Road: Station 8-6, which officially opened its doors in October 2012 in service
of the growing number of Ward 4 residents. The area’s annual emergency call volume is projected
at 1,500 calls; the presence of Station 8-6 will ensure timely response to all. The station was built
to a LEED Silver standard (awaiting certification), and key features include: a water collection
system to collect roof rainwater and “grey water” (recycled and reused) for washing trucks; a
back-up generator that is capable of powering 100% of the building; and a single floor design that
reduces response time by providing quick access to vehicles in the apparatus bays.
Fire Station 8-6
W I S E M A N A G E M E N T: I N V E S T I N G I N O U R E N V I R O N M E N T
2012 highlights include 12,000 trees and shrubs planted, 250 bags of invasive species removed,
800 trees treated for protection from Emerald Ash Borer, 15 outreach events, 56 community
stewardship events and 1,500 volunteers participation.
The recent development of the East Humber Trail is another example of ongoing Town efforts
to improve connections in our environment. This recreational walking and hiking trail officially
opened in September 2012 and provides our community with access to a range of natural
environments. The trail incorporates a combination of wooden boardwalks, concrete, limestone
and woodchip trails that allow visitors to venture through wetland and forest areas within the
floodplain of the East Humber River. Meanwhile, construction has begun on the Oak Ridges
Corridor Conservation Reserve secondary trails, which are expected to open in 2014.
These trails will provide an alternate north-south pedestrian and cycling connection between
Oak Ridges and the remainder of the Town to the south.
W I S E M A N A G E M E N T: I N V E S T I N G I N O U R C O M M U N I T Y
Major Capital Projects in 2013 include: road construction/reconstruction including Snively,
Puccini, Poplar and Sunset Beach - $9.2 million; Lake Wilcox promenade and boardwalk
construction - $4.9 million; Mary Dawson Park revitalization - $1.7 million; and new Oak Ridges
library branch planning and design - $600,000.
Creating stronger connections within the Town, responding to the changing needs of our
community, creating more vibrant spaces and wise management of resources are priorities for
Richmond Hill and these investments support our future vision. The following table demonstrates
our progress on these and a number of additional investments scheduled throughout the
remainder of our Phase Two Implementation Plan.
20

Schedule of Actions: Investments
ACTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Lead Department Contributors
TIMEFRAME
2011 2012 2013 2014
DESCRIPTION
Oak Ridges
Community
Centre
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
Community
Services
ü
ü
The Community Centre in Oak Ridges provides
opportunities to connect and be active. Built to a LEED
Silver standard (awaiting certification), it is also a
symbol of the Town’s commitment to our environment
and the
. The Centre opened in
June 2012 and includes an Ecological Centre with
Educational programs and activities related to the
Oak Ridges Moraine, a 5,700-square-foot gymnasium
and diverse programs for people of all ages.
Lake Wilcox
Park
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
Community
Services
ü
ü
ü
ü
The Lake Wilcox Park, situated on the shores of
Lake Wilcox, will provide much-needed recreational
amenities to the Oak Ridges area. Its design and
development will protect and enhance the natural
heritage features of the site. This project builds on the
recently completed rehabilitation and naturalization
of the shoreline. Council approved the Park Master
Plan in 2006 and, subsequently, the conceptual design
for the lakefront promenade and boardwalk.
Construction began in early 2013.
Yonge / Gamble
Fire Hall
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
Community
Services
ü
ü
Station 8-6 in north Richmond Hill enhances community
safety and promotes stronger connections. The facility,
designed and built to a LEED Silver environmental
standard, officially opened in October 2012.
Trails and
Cycling
Infrastructure
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
ü
ü
ü
ü
The Town will continue to implement the
recommendations of the Pedestrian and Cycling
Master Plan, including expanding the present trails
and cycling infrastructure and promoting its safe usage.
The Plan is now in Phase Two of implementation with
enhancements to the existing pedestrian and trail
network.
East Humber Trail
21

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
ACTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Lead Department Contributors
TIMEFRAME
2011 2012 2013 2014
DESCRIPTION
Town’s Original
Post Office at
10184 Yonge
Street
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
CAO
ü
ü
The renovation and restoration of the Town’s historic
original post office, located in the Village Core at
Yonge and Centre Streets, will contribute to economic
development opportunities for the Business
Improvement Area and demonstrate stewardship of
our community's built heritage, identifying our
downtown as a vibrant destination. Exterior restoration
of this important Town asset is now complete and
the Town is seeking a commercial tenant that will
contribute to the pedestrian-oriented vision for the area.
Highway 404
Overpass East
Beaver Creek
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
ü
ü
ü
ü
Working in partnership with the Region of York and the
City of Markham, the Town will develop a mid-block
overpass above Highway 404 between Highway 7 and
16 th Avenue. Its construction will help alleviate traffic
congestion in the adjacent area and is scheduled to
begin in Spring 2014.
Oak Ridges
Library
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
Community
Services,
Richmond Hill
Public Library
ü
ü
A new Oak Ridges Branch Library is planned for a
site at Yonge Street and Regatta Avenue, adjacent
to the Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning.
Design is anticipated for 2014 with construction to
follow in 2015.
East Humber
Trail
Environment and
Infrastructure
Services
ü
ü
The development of the East Humber Trail expands
the Town’s outdoor recreational options and provides
additional opportunities to enjoy our natural areas.
The Trail officially opened in September 2012 and
provides connections to a range of natural
environments including wetland and forest areas
located in the floodplain of the East Humber River.
Restoration of Richmond Hill’s original Post Office
22

Monitoring Our Progress
With four years of Strategic Plan Implementation now completed, we are continuing to assess
how our actions are moving us towards achieving our Strategic Plan goals:
Stronger Connections in Richmond Hill
Better Choice in Richmond Hill
A More Vibrant Richmond Hill
Wise Management of Resources in Richmond Hill
We measure our progress using performance
indicators designed for each of the Strategic
Plan goals. However, not all of our goals can be
easily measured. Our performance indicators
use both statistical and descriptive information
to measure our progress. Together, this data
allows us to track our progress in the past year
and evaluate the combined impact of our actions
over the past four years.
Indicators
Grovewood Park
An indicator is a key area of focus
that uses an associated measure,
such as numerical data or descriptive
information, to track progress
towards our goals.
This report represents the second time we have included performance indicator data. Last year’s
Annual Report gathered baseline data and presented our progress on many of our performance
indicators, while our 2013 Annual Report highlights emerging trends and also introduces new
indicators to provide further insight into our progress. Certain indicators are significant only when
examined over a longer period of time; these will be communicated in future Annual Reports.
The following section offers a snapshot of the progress we made over the past year towards
our Strategic Plan goals.
23

Our Progress
Connecting at the Bayview Hill Community Centre
Goal One:
Stronger Connections
in Richmond Hill
Connections make everything work;
stronger connections make
everything work better.
IMPLEMENTING STRONGER CONNECTIONS
Opening of the East Humber Trail creates
physical connections by building on and
connecting existing trail systems
The Operation Interface joint training exercise
plans for and promotes community readiness
by testing simulated responses to a mock
emergency affecting both Richmond Hill
and Vaughan
61% of all recreation program participants
registered online through RHeReg, demonstrating
how Richmond Hill is leveraging technology to
improve community connections
Planning for a Connected Community
The People Plan Richmond Hill process used throughout
the development of our Strategic Plan has become the model
for community engagement now used in all major initiatives
in Richmond Hill. In 2012, numerous public engagement
activities informed the Parks Plan, Recreation Plan, and
Civic Precinct Project such as open houses, focus groups,
public information displays, roundtables, and online, phone,
and in-person surveys. Similar community engagement
opportunities were part of Richmond Hill’s Environment
Strategy development in 2013.
Opportunities and Places for People to
Connect and Get Involved
Access to Information: Access Richmond Hill and eRegistrations
2009
2010
2011
2012
67,412
100,414
102,409
100,200
21,100
24,470
26,101
24,291
Access Richmond Hill (ARH), our one-window contact centre,
remains the primary point of contact between many residents
and their municipal government. Residents have indicated
a preference for accessing services online where possible,
as evidenced in the slight decline in calls and walk-in traffic
to ARH and in the increase in emails the centre received.
At the same time, Richmond Hill’s online recreation program
registration system, RHeReg, experienced high usage with
61% of all registrations for recreation programs submitted
online. In response to these trends, the Town expanded the
number of available e-services in 2012.
@
Not offered
5,872
7,941
8,646
30,537
32,253
33,377
37,886
24
Biking to the Central Library
Public libraries provide numerous services to our community.
In addition to traditional functions, libraries provide physical
meeting spaces, virtual resources, and other opportunities for
residents to access information and strengthen connections.
Our Public Library’s four
Library Usage
branches are heavily used,
7 000 000
with total library users
6 000 000
surpassing six million in 2012.
5 000 000
4 000 000
Both non-electronic and
3 000 000
electronic usage has continued
2 000 000
to grow, demonstrating that
1 000 000
residents are accessing the
0
2009 2010 2011 2012
library system for a number
Non-Electronic Uses Electronic Uses
of different purposes.
Annual Uses of Library

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
Physical Connections in the Community
Richmond Hill’s Official Plan directs the planning and land-use policies that will guide the
emerging built urban form of our community. One of the key directions emerging from this plan
is strengthening physical connections, both within communities and along natural corridors.
As of 2012, the Official Plan’s urban design policies are used in the review of all development
applications, ensuring that the future shape of Richmond Hill reflects strong physical connections.
Throughout 2012, a number of projects were advanced that will strengthen physical connections
within the community. These include the design of the Oak Ridges Trail in partnership with the
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the design of the Yonge Street VIVA Rapidway lanes,
as well as the provision of pedestrian connections to the vivaNext Rapidway station at Bayview
Avenue by York Region.
Improving Connections
in the Community
Richmond Hill offers a number of programs
and events designed to connect residents to
their environment through education and
participation opportunities. The creation of
the Environment Services Division in 2011
has allowed for more active alignment and
promotion of these programs and measurable
results are now emerging. The Town recorded
a significant increase in natural stewardship
participation in 2012, with total participants
surpassing 6,000. At the same time, Richmond
Hill’s greenway system also increased in size
following the Town’s acquisition in 2012 of 69
additional hectares of parkland and open space.
Participants in Natural Stewardship
2009
(4,576)
2010
(5,615)
2011
(5,206)
2012
(6,020)
Earth Day 2012
S U M M A R Y A N D F U T U R E D I R E C T I O N S
Positive, measurable progress towards our goal of has been
made over the past year. Community engagement has become an established component of how
Richmond Hill conducts business, ensuring that residents are informed and involved in the projects that
will shape their community. Strong and growing library usage recognizes the degree to which residents
are connecting in their community. Finally, the acquisition of new parks and open space, as well as the
design of new pedestrian and transit connections, provides greater options for where members of our
community connect in the future.
With the 2013 completion of the Parks Plan and the pending completion of the Recreation Plan, all major
plans will be aligned with our Strategic Plan. For the first time, Richmond Hill will have a complete set
of guiding plans, each one a reflection of public engagement: a major achievement towards planning
for a connected community. With the alignment of these plans we may now better advocate for the
Residents of Richmond Hill and ensure that our community continues to evolve in the way they envision.
The continued successful implementation of these plans will be a key component of realizing Richmond
Hill, .
25

Our Progress
vivaNext Rapidway construction
Goal Two:
Better Choice in
Richmond Hill
Better choice is not the same as
more choice. Better choice means
having better quality options to
achieve our vision of Richmond Hill.
IMPLEMENTING BETTER CHOICE
Substantial completion of VIVA Rapidway
along Hwy 7 in Richmond Hill supports better
transportation options
Changes in the housing mix since 1991 results
in a wider range of housing that provides
options for people at all stages of life
Opening of the Oak Ridges Community Centre
increases the range of organized and informal
sports, recreation and cultural programs
available to residents
Better Options to Move Around
Accessing better options to move around is an increasingly
important issue for our residents. Public transit usage is
consistently increasing, surpassing 20 million trips in 2012.
This number is expected to grow in future years with the
completion of the VIVA Rapidway, improvements to GO
Transit and the Town’s continued advocacy on transit issues.
16,881,848
2009
Richmond Hill Transit Ridership
18,133,955 17,647,282
2010
2011
20,029,606
2012
Providing better options to move around requires improved
connections within our community, such as the four
kilometres of new trails the Town established in 2012.
The largest component of these is the East Humber Trail,
which also provides residents with improved connections
to their environment and better options for being active.
Richmond Hill Trails
2009
106 km
2010
115 km 2011
121 km 2012
125 km
95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130
Better Options for Working and Doing Business
In 2012, the number of jobs available in Richmond Hill
continued to increase at a faster rate than the local
population, creating a small rise in the jobs-to-population
ratio. Importantly, the proportion of residents who both live
and work in Richmond Hill also continued to increase,
demonstrating that a growing number of residents are taking
advantage of opportunities to work in their own community.
Richmond Hill Jobs
2009 2010
Jobs
Residents Employed Locally
55,367
26.4%
56,892
27.1%
2011
60,079
28.2%
2012
61,145
28.8%
26
Beaver Creek Business Park
Providing residents with opportunities to work locally has
helped Richmond Hill attract a diverse and highly educated
workforce. Throughout 2012, the Town continued to implement
its Economic Development Strategy to strengthen key sectors
of the local economy and position us to attract new businesses
in order to expand the options for working in Richmond Hill.

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
Housing Mix - Total Housing Units (2011)
Better Options for Where to Live
Over the past twenty years, the nature of
Richmond Hill’s housing mix has changed.
In 1991, single-detached dwellings accounted
for 69% of housing in Richmond Hill. By 2011,
this proportion had decreased to 62% as
other housing options became more common.
This diversification of housing supply is
expected to continue as Richmond Hill moves
towards the Official Plan vision of “building a
new kind of urban.” A diverse range of housing
will provide residents with a variety of options
when choosing where to live.
Singles
36,435
1991
2011
Singles
69.1%
62.1%
Apartments
21.1%
16.1%
Apartments
9,455
Semis
2,400
Duplexes
1,840
Rows
4.5%
14.4%
Semis
3.5%
4.1%
Rows
8,460
Duplexes
1.6%
3.1%
Better Options for Being Active and Involved
Total Annual Participant Hours
2 000 000
1 800 000
1 600 000
1 400 000
1 200 000
1 000 000
800 000
600 000
400 000
200 000
0
Registration in Town Programs
2009 2010 2011 2012
Registered
Drop-in
Richmond Hill offers a number of recreational
programs to provide residents with options
for being active and involved. We measured
a significant increase in the number of
participant hours throughout 2012, as well as
the total number of users in recreational
programs, primarily due to the opening of the
Oak Ridges Community Centre and resulting
expansion of programming. The new facility’s
programming, in fact, grew from the results of
a community needs assessment to determine
the requirements of target user groups.
In addition to offering more community recreational programs overall in 2012, Richmond Hill
also provided more focused programming to older adults. We expanded programming for this
demographic in three community centres, which complement existing programming at the
M.L. McConaghy Seniors Centre. In 2012, our registered and drop-in programs for older adults
(age 55+) drew over 19,000 participants.
S U M M A R Y A N D F U T U R E D I R E C T I O N S
A number of the indicators of track very slowly, only showing substantial
progress when considered over a long period of time. The indicator results from 2012, however, show
continued progress towards this goal. Changes in Richmond Hill’s housing stock mix suggest that ours
is becoming a more urban community. The increasing proportion of residents employed locally indicates
Richmond Hill’s appeal as a place to both live and work, while growth in public transit usage demonstrates
our progress in providing better options to move around.
Moving forward, several significant 2013 initiatives and accomplishments will support our goal. In late
2013, the first phase of the VIVA Rapidway will open, providing better options for residents to move
around. Implementation of Richmond Hill’s Economic Development Strategy will continue and
implementation of our Recreation Plan will begin, providing the future direction of recreation facilities
and programs to meet the needs of residents. All of these projects form a strong framework for
providing .
27

Our Progress
Jazz in the Square
Goal Three:
A More Vibrant
Richmond Hill
Some of the best places to live and
do business are dynamic and diverse.
They have a unique sense of identity.
They are vibrant.
IMPLEMENTING MORE VIBRANT
The first year of Cultural Plan Implementation
results in funding for a Festivals and Events
Strategy to promote events and festivals to
bring together and celebrate Richmond Hill’s
diverse range of artisans and cultures
Protection of the significant cultural and natural
heritage of David Dunlap Observatory and the
purchase of the “panhandle” portion of the
lands helps to steward Richmond Hill’s
heritage resources
The Responsible Pet Ownership approach to
the delivery of animal services in Richmond Hill
helps to maintain a clean and safe community
through education, community involvement
and enforcement
Respecting the Past
Richmond Hill has a rich history that forms the basis for
our modern community’s vibrancy. Residents have the
opportunity to connect with this heritage in a number of
ways. In 2012, over 3,800 of them visited the Richmond Hill
Heritage Centre and over 11,000 participated in heritage and
cultural events. In 2013, Richmond Hill will celebrate its
140 th anniversary, inspiring a number of events designed to
connect residents with our community’s past. These include
a portable heritage exhibit and the revival of a historical
walking tour through the downtown, to name a few.
A Sense of Identity and Place
Oak Ridges Eco-Centre
Investing in Richmond Hill’s many unique places is a key
component for creating vibrancy here. The Oak Ridges
Community Centre, opened in June 2012, is an excellent
example of a facility that reflects the unique character of our
community. The ongoing development of Lake Wilcox Park
is another initiative that will further enhance the vibrancy of
this unique place. In addition, 2012 public engagement
activities associated with the Civic Precinct Project provided
residents with opportunities to contribute to the creation of
unique places in Richmond Hill.
Participants at Town Events
90 000
80 000
70 000
60 000
50 000
40 000
30 000
20 000
10 000
0
2009 2010 2011 2012
Town Event Attendance
Includes: Canada Day, Concerts in the
Park, Crosby Park Fair, First Night,
Santa Claus Parade, Tastes of the Hill,
Family Day, Doors Open, Heritage
Centre, Moonlight Movies, Ribfest
Richmond Hill continued to see strong growth in event
attendance in 2012. Our first Ribfest event, held in July 2012,
aimed to attract 5,000 attendees. Ultimately, the event far
exceeded expectations with a total of 27,842 participants.
The strong attendance at this first-time event is a good
indicator of vibrancy of Richmond Hill by highlighting the
role of special events in bringing members of our
community together.
28
Oak Ridges Community Centre

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
Since its 2009 opening, the Richmond Hill
Centre for the Performing Arts (RHCPA)
has been one of the community’s most highly
attended facilities. This trend only grew in 2012,
which saw an increase in the total number of
days the RHCPA is used. In addition to reflecting
strong attendance at programmed events and
high public demand to rent the facility, this
growth serves as an indicator of residents’
strong appreciation for cultural events.
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts Usage
Event Days
2010 - 278
2011 - 292
2012 - 349
One of Richmond Hill’s Cultural Plan goals is
“a celebrated story.” We will support this goal
throughout 2013 by profiling Richmond Hill
cultural success stories and cultural icons to
raise awareness of our heritage and enhance
community identity and pride.
2010 - 321 Events
Main Stage
2012 - 412 Events
Supporting Facilities
Creativity Connected Symposium 2012
Looking to the Future
Successfully aligning all of Richmond Hill’s
major plans to the Strategic Plan is a significant
achievement that allows us to better direct
investments in support of realizing community
priorities. In particular, the first year of our
Cultural Plan’s implementation in 2012 laid
the groundwork for creating a more vibrant
Richmond Hill. The creation of the Cultural
Leadership Council will continue the
momentum generated by public engagement
throughout this plan’s development, while
the newly-approved Public Art Policy will
guide the enhancement of public spaces in
Richmond Hill. Key tasks for 2013 include
developing a Festivals and Events Strategy
and profiling key stories from Richmond Hill’s
history.
S U M M A R Y A N D F U T U R E D I R E C T I O N S
Overall progress towards our goal of
has been very positive. The approval
of our Cultural Plan in December 2011 set the framework for developing cultural resources and
enhancing vibrancy in our community. The plan’s first year of implementation has been successful and
the fulfillment of further recommendations in 2013 will continue to enhance vibrancy.
Throughout 2012, the Civic Precinct Project developed a vision and concept plan for creating a unique
and vibrant “people place” where people can connect in the heart of Richmond Hill. Now, our focus
shifts to creating a plan and the possible implementation of this vision. Richmond Hill will also mark its
140 th anniversary in 2013, a milestone that presents opportunities for residents to celebrate our rich
heritage and connect with the history of our community.
29

Our Progress
East Humber Trail
Goal Four:
Wise Management
of Resources in
Richmond Hill
Wise management means making
decisions about how we consider
and use our resources in Richmond
Hill for this generation and those
to follow.
IMPLEMENTING WISE MANAGEMENT
The Emerald Ash Borer Management Strategy
helps to protect and maintain the urban tree
canopy in Richmond Hill
The Town secures $801,000 in grant funding,
helping to advance projects while continuing
to be financially responsible
Launch of the development of Richmond Hill’s
first Environment Strategy shows Richmond Hill’s
commitment to being a role model
Less Waste
Richmond Hill is continuing
the positive trend of previous
years towards reducing waste
and in 2012, curbside waste
diversion increased at a
consistent rate. This achievement is partly due to the
expansion of the GoingUP organics collection program to
10 additional high-rise apartment buildings this year.
Richmond Hill
Residential
Curbside Waste
Diversion Rate
2009 - 66.95%
2010 - 67.52%
2011 - 68.10%
2012 - 68.60%
The Town also continued to reduce its greenhouse gas
emissions through investments in the community made in
2012. Two new municipal facilities, the Oak Ridges
Community Centre and Fire Station 8-6, were built to LEED
Silver standards. Meanwhile, Ed Sackfield Arena and Elvis
Stojko Arena received new heating and ventilation equipment
retrofits, saving 650,000 kWh of electricity and 98 tonnes of
greenhouse gas emissions annually. Richmond Hill also
purchased five hybrid vehicles to replace older gas-powered
ones, and equipped two vehicles with anti-idling technology.
Being Responsible
Realising the future vision of Richmond Hill requires active
investments in maintaining and improving our natural and
built environments. As Richmond Hill transforms into a more
urban community, the Town is taking steps to improve the
quality of our community tree cover.
175 000
150 000
125 000
100 000
75 000
50 000
25 000
0
Cumulative Trees Planted
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
In 2012, over 800 ash trees received treatment as part of
our Emerald Ash Borer Management Strategy. This action –
in conjunction with the existing Community Stewardship
Program, invasive species management and diverse tree
planting program – will help to ensure that Richmond Hill’s
greenway system continues to thrive in years to come.
30
Drinking water sampling

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
The condition of our infrastructure directly
impacts quality of life in Richmond Hill;
well-maintained infrastructure improves the
ability of residents to move around and to
connect with their community. The Town
continues to maintain a prudent level of
investment in our physical infrastructure
with the support of a long-term capital plan
that directs and prioritizes investments.
In 2012, reports showed that 95.4% of
Richmond Hill roads were in “good” or
“very good” condition.
Gas Tax Funding helped fund the new Oak Ridges Community Centre
In order to achieve sustainable funding for
present and future needs, the Town has
increased annual contributions to its reserve
funds. In addition, we now operate stormwater
services on a full cost-recovery basis, ensuring
a sustainable, permanent funding source for
this important service.
2009
2010
2011
2012
Being responsible also involves managing our
financial resources to ensure that Richmond
Hill can continue to invest in our community
in future years. Ensuring a stable, diverse
revenue stream is a key component in
achieving long-term fiscal sustainability.
The proportions of funding sources from
Richmond Hill’s 2012 budget are stable and
consistent with trends from previous years.
Property Tax
User Fees, Fines
& Charges
Reserves,
Investments
& Other Funds
Condition of Infrastructure
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Roads in Good or Very Good Condition (%)
Funding Sources
2009
63.6%
19.9%
16.4%
2010
63.4%
22.6%
13.9%
2011
62.0%
24.7%
13.3%
2012
61.5%
24.7%
13.8%
S U M M A R Y A N D F U T U R E D I R E C T I O N S
Richmond Hill continued to make progress towards our goal of
throughout the past year with the continuation of 2011’s positive trends, including greater curbside
waste diversion, more diversified revenue sources and maintaining healthy reserves. While the Emerald
Ash Borer continues to pose challenges to preserving our natural environment, the Town has taken
steps in response to reduce its impact, such as further diversifying our tree cover. In coming years,
Richmond Hill will continue to monitor the state of our infrastructure with an eye to maintaining our
environment for future generations.
Developing Richmond Hill’s first Environment Strategy, ,
will be a key priority in 2013. This important document will build on existing initiatives to identify specific
actions to create a sustainable urban environment and protect our natural resources.
will also establish goals, targets and measurable objectives to help us monitor our progress in the
.
31

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 3
Maintaining Our Momentum
East Humber Trail
This report summarizes the fourth year of actions in support of our Strategic Plan Implementation.
In it, we have communicated how the planning of the past four years is being realized through
community initiatives and investments. We have shared our continued focus on leadership,
engagement and communication with the people of Richmond Hill. This report also features our
second report on performance indicators, which measure continued progress towards our
Strategic Plan goals.
Over the past four years, Richmond Hill has moved from planning for the future to realising our goals
through aligned investments in our community. Concrete investments have been made that address our
four goals: stronger connections, better choice, more vibrant, and wise management of resources.
As new investments come online in the coming years, the result will be continued movement towards
achieving our future vision for our community:
Richmond Hill, where people come together to build our community.
32

Environmental Printing Summary
The following summarizes the state-of-the-art environmental practices that have
been incorporated into the production of this report.
Ontario’s Environmental Leaders
This report was printed by a printer that is a member of Ontario’s Environmental Leaders Program.
The Leaders Program recognizes select companies that demonstrate leadership in the preservation
of the environment by using environmentally friendly processes and increased efficiencies. The printer
is committed to preserving the environment, promoting sustainability and reducing waste for the
benefit of the community.
Waterless Printing
Richmond Hill,
where people come
together to build
our community.
This report was printed using the waterless printing process. The printer has reached beyond the
standard environmental practices to ensure it delivers the most environmentally friendly and high
quality printing outcome available. The waterless printing process eliminates the use of fresh water
and greatly reduces the use of harmful chemical compounds. This ensures that harmful chemicals
are not emitted into the environment and that water is not wasted.
Terrachoice-EcoLogo
This report was printed by an EcoLogo certified printer. This program recognizes manufacturers and
suppliers of environmentally preferable products that help consumers identify products and services
that are less harmful to the environment.
Bullfrog Power
This report was produced utilizing Bullfrog Power to power the printing presses. Bullfrog Power
generates power exclusively from wind and low-impact water power generators and meet or exceed
the federal government’s EcoLogo standards for renewable electricity.
Environmentally Friendly Paper (Recycled Paper)
This report was printed on Supreme Silk paper which is FSC Certified and has 30% post-consumer
recycled content.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification
This report was printed on paper and by a printer that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
FSC promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management
of the world’s forests.
ISO 14001
This report was produced by an ISO 14001 certified printer. Fully committed to continuous improvements
in waste reduction and pollution prevention, the printer has a comprehensive environmental
management system that integrates sound business practices with environmental, health, safety and
quality control practices.
Zerofootprint
Zerofootprint is a socially responsible enterprise with a mission to apply technology, design thinking and
risk management to the massive reduction of our environmental footprint.
Printer is ISO 14001 certified.
Recyclable
Photography Credits:
All pictures in the Strategic Plan Annual Report
are of places and people in Richmond Hill.
Pictures have been provided by David West
and Richmond Hill.

Richmond Hill, where people come together
to build our community.
Town of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 4Y5
Tel: 905-771-8800
Email: peopleplan@richmondhill.ca
Website: RichmondHill.ca