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Media Highlights
Get To Know Rachel
CBC Interview About New Wards
Media Highlights
Crime Prevention Presentation March 5th @ 6:30pm
Crime Prevention Presentation March 5th @ 6:30pm
Crime Prevention Presentation March 5th @ 6:30pm
“While York Region is rated one of the safest communities, residents want to be well-informed, feel safe and react intelligently in situations,” said Gilliland. “We prepare ourselves in event of a home fire, we should do the same when faced with potential criminal activity.”
Motion: Pickleball Opportunities
Crime Prevention Presentation March 5th @ 6:30pm
Crime Prevention Presentation March 5th @ 6:30pm
To meet the demand, council will look for opportunities with existing tennis courts, under-utilized parking lots, or corporate and community partnerships that could be explored.http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/council-looks-to-increase-sport-opportunities-for-town/
Media Highlights
Motion: Feasibility of a Permanent Liquor License at the Aurora Community Centre
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
The Strategy aims to enhance the visitor experience, bring new events into the community, highlight hometown athletes, and incorporate cultural experiences for the community and visitors.
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
“Many seniors and people with disabilities need your help. Please don’t ignore us."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/residents-request-snow-windrow-removal-assistance-program/
Motion: Feasibility of Proactive Rental Regulations, Safety & Inspections
Motion: Feasibility of a Special Application for a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
“I believe it’s extremely important to ensure fire safety code should be kept up to date, and that property standards are followed."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/property-standard-complaints-in-rental-units-increase/
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
“Land values have changed significantly in the last 10 years and natural capital assets are becoming more at risk of endangerment and identified as important key recommended assets in mitigating climate change and adaptation plans."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/economic-value-of-trees-parks-and-nature-to-be-calculated/
Rotating Deputy Mayor
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
Motion: Phragmites Remedian
“This model does make sense,” said Councillor Rachel Gilliland, who said her only suggestion was to have a bit more equity when it came to slower months like August and December which have fewer Council meetings, or, in the case of August, rarely. “We normally don’t have meetings in August and I feel that if that were to happen on occasion you would end up just pushing that rotation another month.
Motion: Phragmites Remedian
Motion: Natural Capital Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure
Motion: Phragmites Remedian
“Phragmites has been recognized as one of Canada’s worst invasive plants that threaten the existence of meaningful wetlands and ecosystems,” said Councillor Gilliland in her motion. “Wetlands are vital ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, purifying water, reducing flooding and are an identified asset to help fight against climate change.
Motion: Accessory Dwellings
Single gymnasium for the SARC
Motion: Accessory Dwellings
Families need options to care for their loved ones and by adding enabling policies for accessory dwellings, it can offset this demand where deemed appropriate. After much discussion with planning staff, it was recommended to bring this forward to ensure this is considered. Now is the perfect time to be adding this to our official plan while it's still in draft review.
Idling Bylaw Update
Single gymnasium for the SARC
Motion: Accessory Dwellings
"Bringing the limit down to two minutes was music to the ears of Councillor Rachel Gilliland when the changes were recently presented to the Town’s Environmental Advisory Committee for their feedback."
Single gymnasium for the SARC
Single gymnasium for the SARC
Single gymnasium for the SARC
“We need a single gym, but essentially we need five,” she said. “I am happy to support the single gym [as] it seems the double gym would be extremely complicated…because of parking, the wetlands and land acquisition and it doesn’t seem like it will be in our favour.
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/council-leans-towards-single-gymnasium-for-the-sarc/
Tackling LDD caterpillars
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
Single gymnasium for the SARC
“We just didn’t have as much preparation and resources to really do the education in advance,” said Councillor Rachel Gilliland. “I did notice the burlap was… a hot commodity, although there were still a lot of people who were using it incorrectly. They thought because they wrapped it around the tree…the caterpillars would not travel up it...."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/aurora-takes-burning-approach-to-tackling-ldd-caterpillars/
Motion: Go Train Whistle Update
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
Council picked up the challenge, with Councillor Rachel Gilliland making a successful motion calling on staff to consider the comments made by the delegates while drafting a new report looking at the options.
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
Climate and environment factors in Town’s new procurement policy
“My big thing was about lifecycle and although the lowest price might seem great and everything might tick a box, the lifecycle of a product just based on how it is designed might be a better investment,” http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/climate-and-environment-factors-in-towns-new-procurement-policy/
Town Square Naming Rights
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
Green Development Standards
“We’re leaving the door open as to whether we want it to be a philanthropic or reoccurring revenue. We really haven’t stipulated what those rules of engagement are. I just feel like we never really had that conversation."
Green Development Standards
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
Green Development Standards
"That staff refer to the Toronto Green Development Standard policy and report back to Council with an implementation plan, a timeline for Aurora, presented with financial implications." This was my draft motion, until staff recognized it was identified as an action item from the 2018 Corporate Environmental Action Plan (CEAP), and most recently from the 2020 Community Energy Plan (CEP), which I sat on the working group. Within this review, I was specifically able to ask staff to model after the modernized Toronto Green Development Standards without a Council motion.
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
"It's time to update our mapping, in which 23% has not been reassessed since 2010, That's 129 acres of land. I think it's important to make sure we have the right corridors and features protected that form our Natural heritage system."
Motion: Outdoor Fitness Parks
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
Motion: Open Space Private Land Re-designation
“I have to admit I have probably become a victim of the quarantine 15 or 20,” said Councillor Gilliland with a laugh at last week’s Council meeting. “I have been lacking motivation to go outside and find ways to exercise..."
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/10/08/outdoor-fitness-parks-to-be-explored-by-town.html
Motion: Mental Health Resources
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
"I have discovered is it is really evident how crucial mental health and emotional health needs attention and I really want to help make it easy for me to be able to help and others."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/mental-health-resources-hub-coming-to-municipal-website/
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
Motion: Property Standards Bylaw Modernization & Review
“After discussions with staff, they agreed [that] with the emergence of brighter LED lights and other growth in technologies that we could really benefit from a review… and I discovered this hasn’t been dusted off since 1999."
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
"Invasive species are becoming more and more rampant and what the general public probably doesn’t realise is our parks, trails and natural areas are facing ecological collapse if we don’t do something more proactively."
Motion: Climate Lens
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
"A climate lens will help raise awareness amongst proponents of infrastructure systems to integrate climate change considerations into the core of project planning and design phases, as well as a project’s long-term climate risk.”
Cycle Aurora Challenge
Motion: Invasive Species & Insects
Motion: Vibration Study
"I think what people will realize that a local coffee shop or business is so close to home, so convenient and using a different mode of transportation will make us all feel good about getting exercise, saving greenhouse gas emissions, and it is good for our mental health,”
Motion: Vibration Study
Motion: Vibration Study
Motion: Vibration Study
“We don’t have any policies in place to ensure vibration studies are requested…which essentially means in order to submit an application package, the vibration study will also need to be submitted..”
Motion: Backyard Hens
Motion: Vibration Study
Pop Up Vaccine Clinics
“It has been proven to work in other municipalities such as Toronto, Newmarket and Georgina,” said Councillor Gilliland, kicking off the debate. “Let’s find out why this worked."
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/backyard-hen-program-not-coming-home-to-roost/
Pop Up Vaccine Clinics
Motion: Vibration Study
Pop Up Vaccine Clinics
"Patrick Casey, the region’s director of corporate communications, said the region is considering Gilliland’s request amid an “immensely busy time” for public health as it operates mass vaccinations for residents in an environment of constantly changing information and resources."
Focusing on the Budget and Environment this Fall
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
Covid 19 & future budget effects are top of mind
“I don’t want to see this project balloon to an astronomical level we couldn’t predict, so if we do find some changes that need to be made, we make smart decisions to scale back financially where it is needed in order to stay within the budget." - Councillor Gilliland
Covid 19 & future budget effects are top of mind
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
Covid 19 & future budget effects are top of mind
“While I do like to believe we will have a vaccine in 2022 and hopefully we’re all back to normal, I would just hope that any kind of numbers projecting for 2022, we don’t just assume it is all back to normal because I would certainly want to know what position we would be in if it wasn’t and what that would mean, and we should prepare for that.” - Councillor Gilliland
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
“If we are going to be investing in some of these bigger capital projects and [not have those Hydro Funds], I know it is used for community benefit, but it is important to understand we could be looking at impacting our tax levy, our service levels, [or something] down the road, and that is something we need to be mindful of.” - Councillor Gilliland
Historic 4-3 Vote for Library Square Project
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
Capital Projects to be Reviewed following Library Square Approval
“It is prudent to consider what any financial situation might look like as a result of COVID-19 and [in] these uncertain times I am concerned not only personally but professionally and, most importantly, as an elected official." - Councillor Gilliland
Artists Unite through my Arts & Culture discussion group.
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
"They contribute to the development of the community’s creative learning, create healthy communities capable of action, they help people express values and build bridges between cultures, and to be a part of that, I think, is so very rewarding." Councillor Gilliland
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
So proud this video concept was birthed through the Arts & Culture Discussion Group I formed.
My motion to reinstate the Environment Committee passed
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
My motion to reinstate the Environment Committee passed
Honoured to cut the ribbon at Aurora's first hotel
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
My motion to reinstate the Environment Committee passed
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
I will fight for the Cousins Drive Crossing and work with Metrolinx
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
I still believe we can do better on Idling times. Staff to report back in 1yr vs 2yrs; my amendment.
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
Wards or No Wards? Read my case.
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
Motion: A Review of the Urban Forestry Study to diversify and protect our tree canopy passed.
Flood Refief in Focus
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
“I really hope we can speed things up as much as possible,” said Councillor Rachel Gilliland, before making a motion to move the Wellington Street West project up to the 2 – 10-year horizon."
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
“This is a victory in the right direction,” she said. “In no way am I suggesting our staff is not taking initiatives; rather, this motion is designed to keep the impact of climate change at the top of our inbox. The purpose of this declaration is to allow informed decision-making at the Council table that includes weighing in the carbon impact, among other considerations, in its decisions.” http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=25120
“We stand with Greta”
Council supported my motion to declare a climate emergency & consider a climate action plan.
Kids get a new playground. Yellow Brick House
“Being on Council and being a part of the community and being with you guys right now, I am standing here and saying with a strong voice that we need to pay attention, we need to wake up. Climate change is real and we need to do something about it now.”
Kids get a new playground. Yellow Brick House
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
Kids get a new playground. Yellow Brick House
The results were inaugurated by a host of dignitaries including MPP Michael Parsa, Councillors Wendy Gaertner and Rachel Gilliland, and Yellow Brick House Executive Director Lorris Herenda, keeping speeches to a minimum so as to not prolong the excitement for the kids inside.
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
“Local residents and visitors have shared their concerns with sight line issues around the bend, not only by driving north and south but also exiting Town Hall, Amber Hill Way and the Tim Hortons plaza. It simply is an accident waiting to happen."
Inside the Region 150.9 Radio Show
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
Motion: Speed Limit Reduction to 40km/hr on John West Way and a stop sign.
T & T Supermarket
T & T Supermarket
T & T Supermarket
Over 100 people eager to be among the first to walk through the doors of Aurora’s newest supermarket were on the outside looking in ... http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=22164
Remembrance Week
T & T Supermarket
T & T Supermarket
It was a walk through time at the Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday night as the local veterans association kicked off Remembrance Week
The Council Race Victory
The 2018-2022 Council term will be a mixture of the same, returning and new faces.
Aurora Votes 2018
Aurora Votes 2018
Aurora Votes 2018
Rachel Gilliland has seen the community grow rapidly over the last 22 years as an Aurora resident, and now she’d like to help continue to shape the community in the years ahead as a member of Council.... http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=21122
Canada Day
Aurora Votes 2018
Aurora Votes 2018
The Town of Aurora held its annual Canada Day celebrations in Lambert Willson Park. The day featured games, crafts, live music, food and numerous vendors.....
Music in the Park
Rotary Dance in the Park
Rotary Dance in the Park
Jamming out with the U2 Desire Band.
Rotary Dance in the Park
Rotary Dance in the Park
Rotary Dance in the Park
Fantastic evening dancing to live music, meeting people in our community and enjoying the great food. Hosted by the Optimist Club.
