Six Vaughan city officials spent $120,000 on Italy trade mission, including $1,700 in Ubers

Six Vaughan city officials spent $120,000 on a 10-day investment trip to Rome and Milan during the summer of 2024, according to documents obtained by reporters. The trip was led by Deputy Mayor Linda Jackson and Councillor Mario Ferri, and included an executive assistant and three employees from Vaughan's economic development department.

The budget included $30,000 in federal funding. While in Italy, the group met with local chambers of commerce and Italian elected officials. They also visited museums, churches, and a winery, and enjoyed lakeside aperitivo before an evening otherwise kept open.

Part of the trade mission involved meeting with the Eataly restaurant group to encourage the company to launch a location in Vaughan. A city spokesperson defended the trip, saying "foreign direct investment is a long-term process that involves ongoing engagement and relationship building."

The expenses have drawn criticism, particularly transportation costs. More than $1,700 was spent on Ubers during the trip. One receipt reviewed by Global showed a $31.79 Uber ride that took four minutes—a journey Google Maps indicated would take five minutes to walk. Noah Jarvis, Ontario director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, questioned the spending, telling Global, "I don't know why they couldn't just have a Zoom call."

The source material does not specify whether Eataly or any other targeted business subsequently opened a location in Vaughan or committed to doing so.