January 2024
Happy New Year and wishing you the very best. 2024 is special for Mississauga because our City turns 50. There are a lot of celebrations planned for the Golden Jubilee. I am just as excited about thinking about the next 50 years as I am about celebrating the last 50. Here is to our city, our home.
MISSISSAUGA TURNS 50: HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN JOIN THE CELEBRATIONS
SUGGEST ITEMS FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY TIME CAPSULE
The City is looking for ideas of what to include in Mississauga’s 50th anniversary time capsule. The time capsule will showcase life in Mississauga today and will be opened in 2049 as part of the city’s 75th-anniversary celebration.
JOIN THE HISTORY HUNT
The Museums of Mississauga has hidden 50 artifacts across the city, each with a unique story. Join the scavenger hunt and discover Mississauga’s hidden stories, one artifact at a time.
GET A CELEBRATION KIT
Plan your own 50th event with the help of this kit
JOIN THE 50 FOR 50 CHALLENGE
Volunteer for a 50-minute clean-up drive or a 50-item food drive or your own custom 50 for 50 event
50 THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Explore must-see local attractions and experiences
Learn more about these Jubilee Events
UPDATE: EXPANSION OF HANCOCK WOODLANDS
While 2182 Corsair Rd was acquired by the City some time back as part of the ongoing expansion of green space in Ward 7 the original house on it was demolished only in 2022. With that done, the approximately half-acre site is finally being rolled into the rest of Hancock Woodlands by:
Connecting the site to the woodlot with a trail
Adding new Seating
Installing Interpretive/ Commemorative Signage and features
Woodland planting and bed preservation
Re-using salvaged stone for trails and planting beds
REGION OF PEEL DISSOLUTION UPDATE
If you are wondering what is going on you are not alone. Here is my take. In the summer of 2023, the provincial government announced that Mississauga would become an independent city by January 1, 2025, and a transition board was established. To the Provincial Government's credit, they specifically asked the transition board to make recommendations on dissolving the Region in a manner that was fair to the taxpayers of all three cities. The mandate was clear - dissolution only if it made sense.
While the transition team was well into the details of trying to figure out the best way to dissolve the regional government, the Mayor of Brampton announced in November on social media that he had a newly updated report saying dissolution would increase taxes for everybody. To date, no one has seen the report or the assumptions behind the report. Assumptions matter.
For example, the savings from the amalgamation of the City of Toronto never materialized in part because upon amalgamation the union contracts of the individual cities were harmonized upwards to match the richest contract in every service area.
In any event, the provincial government chose to reverse its decision without waiting for the Transition board to make its recommendation. The reversal decision is unclear and is being interpreted in different ways. One interpretation is that instead of full dissolution, the transition board will be directed to look at the feasibility of partial dissolution with Planning, Roads, Waste Water, and Garbage collection downloaded to Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon respectively. The other interpretation is that dissolution is completely cancelled and it is business as usual.
The Partial dissolution option does have merit. Downloading Planning, Roads, Waste Water, and Garbage collection to the City of Mississauga will go some way in reducing the duplication of services and the reduced scope of dissolution will materially reduce execution risk.
For now, we are in limbo as we await clarity on what happens next. This much is clear the current Regional governance is unfair to the Mississauga taxpayer. We receive only 50% of regional services, and have only 50 % of the votes at the Regional Council but we pay almost 60% of the Region's property taxes.
CORRECTION: VOTING FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS ENDS JAN 15, 2024.
Thank you, Mississauga for taking the time to nominate 43 local businesses in 10 categories. I was truly overwhelmed by the response for local businesses. In the last newsletter, we had inadvertently said voting ends Dec 15, 2024. It ends on Jan. 15, 2024. The winners in each category will be decided by popular vote. The businesses are ones you already know. Neighborhood coffee shops, barbers, grocery stores, nail salons, restaurants, and car dealerships. Please take a moment to show your support by voting for your favourite local business.
Cooksville Historical Society
I am pleased to say that we now have close to 25 people interested in starting a Historical Society in Cooksville. A big thank you to everyone who has shown an interest. An exploratory meeting has been set for February, 1st at 7 PM - Mississauga City Hall (Committee Room D). All are welcome. Even if you don't want to join the society you are welcome to attend the meeting and hear the discussion.
PS: There are 14 buildings listed on the heritage registry in Cooksville. Under the new legislation, Mississauga has until Dec 31, 2024, to move them into the designated heritage category from the listed category or the buildings will lose their listing. (Historically in Ontario we have had 2 categories. Listed has the potential to be a heritage site and designated meaning it is a heritage site. New legislation is removing the listed category)
WINTER MAINTENANCE FOR ROADS: REFRESHER
A quick reminder of the service levels the City aims for when it comes to snow clearance and winter maintenance. Crews clear residential roads within 24 to 36 hours of the snow stopping. The City plows when 5cm of snow or more accumulates. If there is less than 5cm of snow, locations are salted.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT snow clearing
WINTER FUN WITH OUTDOOR SKATING
Simply lace up your skates, grab your friends and family, and head to Gordon Lummis Park (located at 236 Paisley Blvd West) for some skating on the Natural Ice Rink.
PEEL OUTREACH TEAM SUPPORTING HOMELESS PEOPLE
The Peel outreach team is a responsive, mobile team that meets people where they are. Local businesses, residents, or the homeless can call
1-877-848-8481. The outreach team typically arrives within about 20 minutes and provides support to homeless people.
SAFECITY MISSISSAUGA IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS
Safe City is looking for individuals to join as Volunteer Ward Leads as part of crime prevention at the local level.
The Volunteer Ward Lead tasks may include, but are not limited to:
Support crime prevention activities at the Ward level.
Assist outreach initiatives to help Safe City Mississauga build on partnerships and identify new partnership opportunities.
Support crime prevention approach, strategy, and activities to establish new and re-establish inactive Neighbourhood Watches (ex. canvassing and outreach, CPTED, etc).
Previous experience in crime prevention, law enforcement, or community safety is also a big plus.
Safe City is looking for people with some experience in crime prevention and teamwork. Calling all retired police officers!
If interested please email nsm@safecitymississauga.on.ca