Richmond Hill has become Canada’s newest city.

Councillors voted 7-2 Wednesday to change the name of the Town of Richmond Hill to the City of Richmond Hill at a council meeting.

“There are so many benefits, tangible benefits that we’ve spoken about over the years about becoming a city,” said Councillor Greg Beros (Ward 1), who put forward the motion.

Beros was named the regional alternate councillor in February for the duration of this term in the absence of the mayor and regional councillors.

With a population of more than 200,000, Richmond Hill is the third most populous municipality of York Region, his motion stated.

Many councillors supported the motion, noting “city” would be a more accurate status to describe Richmond Hill.

Meanwhile, the name change would potentially make Richmond Hill more competitive in terms of attracting investment and pushing for the subway extension, councillors said.

“It’s an exciting moment for our town to now become a city,” said Deputy Mayor Joe DiPaola, who seconded the motion.

“Towns don’t have subways. It’s all part and parcel of our pitch to the province that the Town of Richmond Hill is a city that requires public transit.”

Mayor Dave Barrow supported the motion and noted that there would be little to no cost associated with the name change as Richmond Hill’s current logo doesn’t have “town” in it.

“I don’t know this is a turning point of this community at all,” Barrow said. “We’re growing up in an urban way. We’re growing up in a city way, quite frankly . . . I think we’ve made that leap at this point in time.”

Two councillors — David West and Karen Cilevitz — were not convinced in the change of status.

“I do not believe for one moment that should we become a city, that’ll make an incredible, explosive difference in investment in our town, city,” Cilevitz said. “And I do not believe that it’ll have any way or bearing on whether or not that subway does finally come up to Highway 7.”

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