Category

Uncategorized

MiWay extends Fare Discount Program for children and seniors until end of 2024

By Announcement, Resources, Uncategorized

The General Committee recently announced plans to extend MiWay’s fare discount pilot program until the end of 2024, as part of its commitment to improving transit accessibility and affordability in Mississauga.

In a move to further support the community and enhance transit accessibility and affordability in Mississauga, it was announced at General Committee, that MiWay will be extending the fare discount pilot program to the end of 2024. Initially set to conclude in April 2024, the pilot program will continue offering free fares for children aged 6 to 12 and all-day $1 fares for seniors 65 and over, until Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

Key highlights and program extension

During the initial pilot phase, MiWay observed a remarkable 109 per cent increase in ridership compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with substantial growth among adult and student fare categories. However, children and senior ridership levels had not fully rebounded to pre-pandemic figures, prompting the need for the program extension to encourage more consistent usage among these demographics.

“With this initiative, our goal is to encourage more families and seniors to adopt MiWay as their main mode of transportation, giving them a firsthand look at how transit can be affordable, safe, reliable and convenient,” said Eve Wiggins, Director of Transit. “For individuals who haven’t tried public transit, we’re encouraging them to participate in this pilot programs if they are eligible. As a reminder, children and seniors need to have their PRESTO cards set to the appropriate fare category for their age group. And for seniors, there’s also the option to pay with a $1 cash fare.”

City Council, upon recommendation from the Commissioner of Transportation and Works, agreed to extend the program until the end of the year. This decision aligns with the City’s strategic goals of developing a transit-oriented city, ensuring affordability and accessibility for all.

Financial impact

The anticipated financial impact of the extended program includes a projected revenue decrease of $950,000, with $200,000 attributed to child fares and $750,000 to senior fares. Despite this, the increase in adult and youth ridership is expected to offset the decrease, maintaining a balanced budget while promoting greater transit use among all age groups.

MiWay is committed to analyzing the extended program’s impact closely, aiming to make informed decisions on future program deliveries as part of the City’s overall budget program.

Wiggins added, “The extension is a testament to MiWay’s dedication to making transit more affordable and accessible, particularly for children and seniors, that prioritizes public transportation for all.”

The final approval for the fare discount pilot program is scheduled to go to Council on Wednesday, April 17.

For more information or for the latest MiWay updates, visit the MiWay website.

April 11, 2024
Love0

Have your say on services in the community

By Uncategorized

Mississauga is planning for the future of community services like libraries, parks, community centres and more.

Based on residents’ input from last year’s surveys, we developed focus areas and recommendations.

Before finalizing plans, the City is reaching out once again to encourage residents to provide feedback.

Take the survey before December 15.

November 26, 2023
Love0

National Housing Day in Mississauga

By Uncategorized

On November 22, the City will mark National Housing Day, a day that recognizes the important work by housing partners across Canada to improve access to housing for all.

Housing affordability continues to be a major issue in Mississauga. The average price of a single-detached home is $1.5 million and the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is approximately $3,000. The City is working to tackle the issue by implementing Growing Mississauga, our action plan for new housing.

“National Housing Day provides an opportunity to reflect on housing affordability in our City,” said Acting Mayor and Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca.  “As a municipality, we’ve made progress in protecting rental stock and requiring more affordable units, but there is more work to do. We are committed to using all the tools we have – and working with all of our partners – to make Mississauga a place that everyone can afford to call home.”

City taking action on housing

The City’s housing plan includes a number of actions to increase the supply of housing and to help improve affordability. Here are some of the actions the City is taking right now to get more housing built:

  • Increasing missing middle housing in residential neighbourhoods by allowing more housing types such as triplexes, fourplexes, garden suites and garage conversions to be built without special zoning permissions
  • Creating opportunities for homes in new mixed-use, transit-friendly communities
  • Overhauling the City’s development application review processes to streamline and expedite approvals

To help make housing more affordable, the City is:

  • Rolling out the City’s affordable rental incentive program
  • Working with the province to ensure rental housing is protected and expanded
  • Continuing to negotiate affordable units through the development application process
  • Implementing our new Inclusionary Zoning policy which requires affordable housing units in new developments in major transit station areas

The City is also making it easier to track housing data with the launch of our new online dashboard. As of October 31, the City has:

  • Approved 4,946 new residential units (through Official Plan Amendments and Rezoning applications)
  • Issued building permits for 3,495 new residential units

Mississauga currently has almost 11,000 new units under construction and more than 33 cranes dotting our skyline.

To learn more about the City’s housing action plan, visit mississauga.ca/housing.

Photo of buildings under construction in Mississauga

November 21, 2023
Love0

Mississauga will be an independent city in 2025

By Uncategorized

The Peel Region is dissolving and the City of Mississauga is becoming an independent, single-tier municipality by January 1, 2025. This means that there will no longer be a Region of Peel and those services provided by the Region will be delivered by the City of Mississauga.

Why is this important to you as a resident?

Being independent helps puts the needs of Mississauga residents first. It will help us make better decisions and focus on our city exclusively. It will eliminate duplication of services and create efficiencies while providing seamless customer service. This means you will have a single point of contact for all municipal services.

We remain committed to exceptional customer service, transparency and a seamless transition. By focusing on Mississauga specifically, we can better address the unique challenges and opportunities we face as a growing city and invest in the things that matter most to our community, without interference. The City currently provides 60% of the funding to the Region. Your property tax dollars will no longer be sent to another level of government, but will stay right here, in Mississauga.

The City is working closely with the province’s Transition Board during this process. As the Transition Board makes decisions, more information will be shared with Council and residents in the upcoming weeks and months. You can stay up to date at Mississauga.ca/OurCityOurFuture

Learn more

November 16, 2023
Love0

Feelin’ gourd about harvest season? Lettuce know what you’ve been growing!

By Food for thought, Uncategorized
From pumpkin patches to apple picking, cool weather and cozy sweaters, Fall is one of our favourite seasons! It’s also the time of harvest, when food and crops are gathered, picked and stored for winter months.

During the season, you can harvest and enjoy in-season fruits (raspberries, blackberries, apples, pumpkins and pears), vegetables (squash, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, corn and beans) and herbs (basil, chives, dill and parsley).

Nothing tastes better than homegrown produce! If you’re interested in growing your own vegetable or herb garden, start with what you’re interested in growing, determine how big of a space you have to plant and do a little research about the best approach and timing.

LEARN MORE

October 31, 2023
Love0