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Announcement

Mississauga Matters: City outlines its priorities and recommendations ahead of the 2025 provincial election

By Announcement, Issues

The Mississauga Matters campaign focuses on getting housing built and keeping Mississauga affordable for all.

February 4, 2025

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a provincial writ with election day scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2025. With the election less than a month away and voters getting ready to head to the polls, the City of Mississauga has launched its renewed advocacy campaign, Mississauga Matters.

About Mississauga Matters

The City’s Mississauga Matters campaign ensures that all provincial candidates and major political parties recognize the significant role Mississauga plays in the province. The Mississauga Matters campaign will focus on two priority pillars; getting housing built and keeping Mississauga affordable for all. The priorities outlined within the campaign aim to strengthen the city and ensure stable funding for ongoing challenges like the housing crisis, the development of local and regionally connected transit and funding shortfalls for major projects rebuilding the Mississauga Hospital (The Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital). Most of all, the priorities aim to keep Mississauga an affordable place to live.

While the City and the provincial government have tackled several important issues together, Mississauga is dedicated to advocating for the needs of its residents. The 2025 Mississauga Matters campaign focuses on the following  priorities:

  1. Getting housing built: Leveraging housing-enabling infrastructure

  • Extending of the Dundas Bus Rapid Transit line, to reduce travel times for approximately 30,000 new daily riders and improve east-to-west connections across the GTHA.
  • Expanding transit for all-day, two-way GO Service for the Milton GO Rail corridor, which serves approximately 8,000 businesses, supports more than 143,000 jobs, and is projected to serve up to 94,000 passengers by 2041.
  • Advance funding and alignment confirmation for the Hazel McCallion Line Extension (Downtown Loop) Mississauga.
  • A new transit facility to support the expansion of sustainable public transit in Mississauga, which is critical to increase housing availability in our community and achieve the Government of Ontario’s target of 120,000 new homes over the next 10 years.
  • Expediting the approval of Mississauga’s applications to the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Housing Enabling Core Services Stream to support housing development initiatives and meet urgent community needs while providing flood protection for communities.

  1. Keeping Mississauga affordable for all

  • Addressing the housing crisis demands with feedback from our partnership with more than 30 experts from Ontario’s leading private and not-for-profit housing developers, who have developed actionable solutions. In July 2024, Mississauga launched a Mayor’s Housing Task Force with private and non-profit representatives to address housing supply challenges, building on the 2023 Housing Action Plan with strategic recommendations in development charges, building standards, zoning, and affordable housing funding.
  • Supporting predictable funding for Mississauga by signing a new deal to provide equitable transit funding, recognizing Mississauga’s status as a major economic hub and one of the largest economic centres in both Ontario and Canada.
  • Advocating a fair share deal for the Region of Peel and Mississauga, given the Region currently faces a deficit of $868 million annually, translating to a $578 per-person financial gap across Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon.
  • Reconsider the amount expected from the Mississauga community for the local share needed for a new regional healthcare facility in Mississauga – the Mississauga Hospital rebuild.
  • Removing the 5% payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) cap for the Greater Toronto Airports (GTAA). This ensures a more equitable formula that prevents tax increases on residents and businesses.
  • Investing in solutions to Mississauga’s food insecurity crisis by prioritizing funding to support local food banks in Mississauga and support the Groceries and Essentials Benefit brought forward by Food Banks Canada, aimed to help struggling households afford vital costs like food and shelter.

The Mississauga Matters campaign will run throughout the provincial election as a way for residents to engage with the priorities that affect their lives ahead of voting day. The City is encouraging residents to join the conversation on social media and reach out to local candidates using the #MississaugaMatters hashtag.

Mississauga Matters branded image

For more information on Mississauga’s provincial election priorities, please visit mississaugamatters.ca.

February 4, 2025
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Mississauga seeks input for a convention centre and hotel at the Living Arts Centre

By Announcement, Events, Planning & Development

On January 29, the City of Mississauga opened a Request for Expressions of Interest to reimagine the Living Arts Centre and its surrounding lands.

February 3, 2025

The City of Mississauga is inviting Requests for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to help redevelop the Living Arts Centre (LAC) into a multi-functional hub for the arts, culture, tourism, business and events. The City envisions transforming the lands surrounding the LAC into a modern and sustainable convention centre and hotel, designed to bring even more events for the arts, tourism and business sectors.

The proposed LAC transformation will help Mississauga further solidify its position as a top destination for business, tourism and culture. This development will help fill a gap in Mississauga’s downtown, offering a much-needed venue for world-class conferences and business opportunities, while providing a space for international, national, and local events, as well as cultural showcases.

Located in the heart of Mississauga’s downtown core and near Toronto Pearson International Airport, the LAC is a hub for visitors from all over the world with a rapidly growing population and a strong business community. The City requires modern, versatile spaces to accommodate the demand for local, national and international events. The LAC has long been recognized as a cultural landmark housing performance theatres, an exhibition gallery, eight professional art studios and sophisticated meeting facilities.

The request for expressions of interest is now open to organizations interested in partnering with the City to reimagine the LAC lands. This process will help the City identify the best potential uses for the site.

For more information on how to submit an expression of interest, please visit our website.

Background

  • Mississauga is a leading business and tourism destination, home to more than 100,000 businesses, 1,400 multinational firms, and 77 U.S. Fortune 500 and 66 Global Fortune 500 companies. The City attracts millions of visitors annually with its world-class restaurants, events, parks and experiences. This includes the LAC, which plays a key role in Mississauga’s vibrant arts and tourism scenes.
  • The City is also home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport, which serves more than 50 million passengers annually.
  • Mississauga also boasts the second-largest economy in Ontario and a highly educated workforce, supported by two globally recognized post-secondary institutions located in the city and 32 additional institutions within a one-hour commute.
  • Information gathered during the RFEI process will provide the City with options on how to use the LAC and the surrounding lands for a hotel and convention/conference centre to support the City’s growth.
February 3, 2025
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Mississauga commemorates Black History Month this February

By Announcement, Events, Food for thought

A time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Black communities in Mississauga and beyond, listen to their stories and learn more about their history and contributions to Canadian society.

February 3, 2025

Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Black communities in Mississauga and beyond, listen to their stories and learn more about their history and contributions to Canadian society.

Throughout the month of February, the City of Mississauga, in partnership with the Black Caucus Alliance, will continue to commemorate Mississauga’s Black community through a variety of programs and events.

All are encouraged to visit the Black History Month webpage, which highlights a variety of learning opportunities and engagement activities designed to deepen the understanding of this important month, some of which include:

  • Library author talks, storytelling and book lists
  • Music playlists highlighting local Black artists and musicians
  • Museum tours
  • Community celebrations and events
  • Sports and shows

Celebrating Black Excellence Event

The third annual Celebrating Black Excellence event will take place on Friday, February 28, 2025 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mississauga City Hall. The event will include performances, keynote speakers and an awards ceremony. If you know someone deserving of a Black Excellence Award, please take a moment to submit a nomination – which will be accepted until Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

The community is invited to take part in the conversation and more importantly, learn and develop a deeper understanding of the history of people of African descent in Canada and Mississauga. For more information, visit the webpage.

Background

Discover more about the actions the City is taking to engage Black community members in decision-making processes, ensuring that programs and services are equitable and inclusive for all residents.

  • In 2021, the House of Commons officially designated August 1 as Emancipation Day. Each year, the City of Mississauga raises the Pan-African flag and lights the City Hall clock tower red, black and green to recognize this important day.

 

Designed creative with faces and a title saying "Black History Month"

February 3, 2025
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Peel Regional Paramedic Services is proud to show its solidarity with Peel’s Black communities by introducing Black History Month epaulettes in February

By Announcement

BRAMPTON, ON (January 31, 2025) – Peel Regional Paramedic Services is proud to show its solidarity with Peel’s Black communities by introducing Black History Month epaulettes in February. Designed by a Black Peel paramedic, the ornamental shoulder pieces, which incorporate a yellow, red and green Kente Cloth pattern, honour the strength, culture and excellence of the Black community.

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada.

In August 2021, Peel Region released an anti-racism and systemic discrimination statement affirming its commitment to building a diverse and inclusive Peel. In line with this statement, Peel Regional Paramedic Services included mandatory health equity and cultural competence training for paramedics in its 2024-2028 strategic plan. It is also investing in initiatives that allow staff to show their support for racialized communities, equity-seeking groups and marginalized populations.

“The new epaulettes Peel paramedics can wear during Black History Month are meant to be a conversation starter and carry a message that everyone is safe with us. If you call 911 in an emergency, you’ll receive the best possible care, regardless of your background, status or circumstances,” says Paramedic Chief Brian Gibson.

Wearing special epaulettes is a common way paramedics raise money and awareness for causes important to them. In addition to the Black History Month epaulettes, Peel paramedics also wear rainbow epaulettes in June for Pride Month, pink epaulettes in October for breast cancer awareness, blue epaulettes in November for men’s health and red epaulettes every Friday for Wounded Warriors Canada.

All proceeds from the purchase of the Black History Month epaulettes by Peel paramedics will go to Roots Community Services, a Peel-based organization providing programs and services to primarily Black, African and Caribbean communities.

February 3, 2025
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City Hall is open for business! Everything you need to know about Mississauga’s in-person services

By Announcement, Planning & Development, Resources

Looking to come by for in-person support, register for a program or make a payment? Several services now have a permanent presence in the Great Hall.

January 30, 2025

As 2025 gets underway, you’ll notice more activity on the ground floor of Mississauga City Hall as we bring back in-person services in one place to serve residents better.

Looking to come by for in-person support, register for a program or make a payment? The below services now have a permanent presence in the Great Hall (ground floor of City Hall) and are open during regular City business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Welcome Desk

Our friendly customer service staff from the 311 Citizen Contact Centre are here to assist with wayfinding, inquiries related to City services and assisting with booking appointments at the self-service electronic kiosk. Payments can be dropped off at designated drop boxes, with one located just outside of City Hall at the north entrance and another located at the Welcome Desk. Need additional support? 311 is available to serve residents by phone (dial 311 or 905-615-4311, if outside City limits), email and online.

Legislative Services

Service counters are open and staff are ready to issue marriage licenses, perform civil ceremonies, provide commissioner of oath services and intake liquor licence applications, freedom of information (FOI) requests, claims and liens submissions, formal complaints and burial permits. Residents can also visit to receive assessment roll information and have minor variance and consent applications processed. Visitors are asked to kindly book an appointment prior to visiting City Hall. 

Planning and Building

Members of the public can visit in-person with inquires or requests to schedule meetings for development applications, building permits or related matters. Walk-in appointments for these services are accepted.

Recreation Customer Service Desk

Residents can interact with our Recreation Customer Service Team to book many facilities across the City, including rooms in community centres, gymnasiums and arenas, including outdoor sport and picnic amenities. Residents can also register for recreation and culture programs, sign up for a fitness membership or apply for recreation’s financial assistance program, ActiveAssist. Walk-in appointments are accepted. Questions? Call 905-615-4100 or email.

C Café

Looking to grab breakfast or lunch while visiting? C Café has re-opened with a tasty menu of options for everyone to enjoy.

Security Services

Security staff are onsite to provide support to City staff, customers and visitors through heightened visibility at City Hall.

Model of City Centre

Located in the Great Hall across from C Café is a model of City Centre that was originally constructed in 1989 that took approximately three months to complete. Constructed at a scale of 1:500 (500 times smaller than the real buildings), the model features current and future visions for City Centre. Check it out today!

For more information, please visit the City’s website or call 311.

January 30, 2025
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Peel Region Secures Over $5 Million in Provincial Grants for Energy Efficiency Projects

By Announcement, Resources, Ward 1

January 28, 2025 – Peel Region is pleased to announce the approval of two significant grants from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) under the Industrial Energy Efficiency Program. These grants, totaling $5.19 million, will support energy recovery and energy conservation projects at the G.E. Booth and Clarkson Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs).

The G.E. Booth WRRF will receive $2.39 million to upgrade aeration blowers and implement a more energy-efficient Ammonia-Based Aeration Control (ABAC) process. This project is expected to save 12,000 MWh of electricity annually, equivalent to reducing 456 tonnes of GHG emissions and saving $1.3 million in electricity costs each year.

The Clarkson WRRF will benefit from a $2.8 million grant for a cogeneration (cogen) project that will recover energy from waste gas and an ABAC upgrade for the aeration system. This initiative is projected to save 14,165 MWh annually, cutting 538 tonnes of GHG emissions and reducing electricity costs by $1.8 million yearly.

Both projects are anticipated to be completed by Q4 2026.

Peel Region extends its gratitude to the IESO for their crucial support in making these energy efficiency improvements possible.

January 28, 2025
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Mississauga welcomes federal funding to get more affordable housing built and improve public transit

By Announcement, Resources

With long-term funding, the City can build more affordable homes for residents and modernize critical housing-enabling infrastructure like transit.

January 28, 2025

Today, the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business and MP for Mississauga-Streetsville and Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish together announced federal funding for the second installment of Housing Accelerator Fund as well as transit funding for Mississauga.

Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)

Today’s announcement provides the City with the second installment of HAF. The more than $28.2 million will be used to support the City’s housing incentives as recommended by the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, including:

  • Offsetting the shortfalls relating to reductions to development charges for the 2,700 shovel ready market condo units, and other incentives outlined in the Mayor’s Housing Task Force Motion.
  • Discretionary grants under the City’s Affordable Rental Housing CIP to assist with the construction of 400 new affordable and below market rental apartment units.

The City will use the third HAF installment for the same purposes and will be seeking provincial support through the province’s Building Faster Fund.

Funding to advance key transit priorities

Starting in 2026, the City of Mississauga will receive more than $112 million in funding over ten years, from the federal government’s Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF). This funding comes from the Baseline Funding stream and an additional investment is being provided through the Zero-Emission Transit Fund.

Baseline Funding stream

The majority of the funding the City will receive comes from the CPTF’s Baseline Funding stream. This funding will help advance key improvements to Mississauga’s transit system. This includes assistance with long-term planning as well as public transit and active transportation infrastructure updates.

Zero-Emission Transit Fund

The additional funding announced today, up to $10.9 million, will come from the Zero-Emission Transit Fund to support a project aimed at deploying electric hydrogen fuel cell buses in Mississauga. The funding will allow Mississauga’s transit agency, MiWay to purchase 10 hydrogen fuel cell buses, and install equipment at its Malton transit facility to fuel these buses. Mississauga will be Ontario’s first municipality to pilot hydrogen fuel cell buses in its transit fleet.

 

January 28, 2025
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Time for bold action is now! Mayor’s task force makes recommendations to address the housing crisis

By Announcement, Planning & Development

The Mayor’s Housing Task Force report includes 30 actions to help kick-start development and outlines immediate steps the City is taking to help get homes built more quickly and affordably.

January 22, 2025

Today, Mississauga City Council received Partners in Homebuilding, a report from the Mayor’s Housing Task Force. As the housing crisis continues to worsen, the report challenges all levels of government, including Mississauga, to think and act differently.

The recommendations in the task force report will help guide future housing efforts in Mississauga. As an immediate next step, Mayor Parrish will bring forward a motion next week with actions the City will take to help quickly address housing affordability.

The task force includes more than 30 experts from Ontario’s private and not-for-profit building and development industry. It was assembled by Mayor Parrish two weeks after taking office in June 2024. The Mayor’s goal was to help break down barriers by bringing together those who plan for and approve housing (government) and those who build it (industry).

Over the course of four months, and engagement with federal and provincial ministries, the task force assembled a series of recommendations in four key priority areas:

  1. Reform development charges, taxes and fees to help lower housing costs: Ninety-five per cent of new homes built in Canada are built by the private sector. The Task Force is recommending 14 actions to help balance demand and incentivize more affordable housing developments.
  2. Update building and design standards to help boost supply and make building more affordable: In a housing crisis, the aim of guidelines and standards must be to help – not hinder – good city-building. The Task Force is recommending seven actions that will help create efficiencies across the industry to increase supply.
  3. Transform zoning to unlock more housing: Zoning reform provides certainty for developers and can help streamline the development application process. The Task Force is recommending five actions that will support Mississauga’s transformation into a dynamic urban city.
  4. Create sustainable programs and funding that will mobilize industry to help meet the demand for affordable housing: The private sector can – and is willing to – play a significant role in helping to build affordable housing. The Task Force is recommending four actions to help develop a sustainable, long-term funding program for affordable housing.

The report also outlines 14 actions the City is taking right now to address the housing crisis, including:

  • Increasing housing supply: Adding permissions for another 124,000 units to boost residential growth, making it easier to build mixed-use communities around transit, and finding creative ways to build new housing above or alongside city facilities.
  • Bringing down costs: Offering financial incentives to get more purpose-built rentals built, making it less expensive to build homes on residential lots – like garden suites, triplexes and fourplexes, lowering borrowing costs and costs for non-profit developers.
  • Streamlining processes: Creating a housing-focused team of city-builders at the City to review applications quickly, update urban design guidelines, improve financial policies, and drive efficiencies in the housing development approval process.

In the coming months, staff will update the City’s Housing Action Plan with recommendations that will be advancing from the Mayor’s Housing Task Force.

To read the full report and learn more about the task force members, visit Mississauga.ca/housing-taskforce.

January 22, 2025
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Know an outstanding individual? Nominations are open for Mississauga’s third annual Black Excellence Awards

By Announcement, Events

Presented in partnership with the Black Caucus Alliance, the awards focus on the efforts and achievements of Mississauga’s Black residents and volunteers.

Starting today until February 18, nominations for Mississauga’s 2025 Black Excellence Awards, presented in partnership with the Black Caucus Alliance, are now being accepted. The awards focus on the efforts and achievements of Mississauga’s Black residents and volunteers.

Mississauga residents can be nominated in one of nine categories:

Youth

Nominees must be between the ages of 15 and 24 and have volunteered for at least two consecutive years. They must act as role models for other young people and demonstrate all-around positive community involvement.

Business

Nominees must be currently engaged in business as an owner and/or entrepreneur. Ideal candidates should demonstrate a combination of the following criteria:

  • Entrepreneurial spirit and success in owning and managing a business
  • Significant contribution of new ideas, innovative practices, processes or inventions, or created employment opportunities
  • Demonstrate a commitment to fairness and equality

Community Service

Nominees should possess an outstanding record of significant community involvement and service. Candidates must also demonstrate a strong commitment to enriching the lives of others as well as building relationships and collaborating meaningfully with the individuals and communities they serve.

Education

Nominees for this award are being recognized for exemplary contributions to the well-being of students and/or community members through their active involvement in education at the school, board, in extracurricular activities or at the community level.

Health Services

Nominees for this award are being recognized for their involvement in the creation and/or promotion of methods that keep the physical health or mental wellbeing of Black communities. Ideal candidates must be employed or studying in the field of health sciences. Exhibits leadership in healthcare management administration.

Arts and Culture

Nominees for this award are being recognized for their involvement in and/or promotion of developing arts and culture within the community. Ideal candidates should demonstrate a combination of the following criteria:

  • Have demonstrated a commitment to and/or focus on community-engaged art and/or expressions of culture in Mississauga.
  • Have experience in the area of art and/or culture for a minimum of three years.
  • Have completed and/or been involved in one significant arts and culture project in the last 12 months.

Sports

Nominees for this award are being recognized for their model contribution to sports at the community or national level as an athlete or official.

Hospitality and Food Services

Nominees for this award are being recognized for the best in food, drink and/or hospitality in African-Caribbean products and/or services. The nominee will have received positive reviews and feedback from customers and peers demonstrating their commitment to customer service and satisfaction. The nominee will also have demonstrated leadership and management in hospitality operations, commitment to sustainable and ethical practices in the hospitality industry and be actively involvement in their local community.

Legacy – Lifetime Achievement

This is the highest community-based honour bestowed on an individual whose continued commitment has uplifted the lives of others.

Nominees are individuals who have made significant contributions to the Black community for 15 years or more. Candidates would have improved the quality of life for citizens or brought recognition to the City of Mississauga through their accomplishments.

Eligibility and nomination process

To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Live and/or work in Mississauga
  • Identify as being Black
  • Stand as a role model for others
  • Inspire volunteerism and civic engagement

If you know someone deserving of an award, the steps to recognizing eligible residents include:

  1. Review the award criteria and descriptions above to determine the most appropriate category.
  2. Email the nomination to BlackExcellenceAwards@mississauga.ca
  3. In your email, please include the following information:
    • Full name of the nominee, including their preferred pronouns and phonetic pronunciation.
    • Category for nomination (please only choose one category).
    • A brief explanation indicating why the individual should be nominated.

Please note that only completed nomination forms will be evaluated.

Nominees who qualify will be invited to receive their award during an evening ceremony in honour of Black History Month next month at Mississauga City Hall on Friday, February 28 at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit the webpage.

January 16, 2025
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