What to know
- Mississauga council approved a one-year pause on new AI data centre developments while staff study their impacts.
- Bonnie Crombie criticized Mayor Carolyn Parrish for not voting on the motion, accusing her of avoiding difficult decisions.
- Parrish defended her decision, saying the chair of council meetings remains neutral and does not vote during debate.
- The heated exchange comes as Crombie campaigns to regain the mayor’s office ahead of Mississauga’s Oct. 26 municipal election.
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish and former mayor Bonnie Crombie clashed on social media after Crombie criticized Parrish for not voting on a contentious data centre motion at city council this week.
On Wednesday, Mississauga city council approved a motion to impose a one-year pause on new AI data centre developments while staff study their potential impacts on the city.
As chair of the meeting, Parrish did not cast a vote, prompting criticism from Crombie, who is seeking to reclaim the mayor’s office in the October municipal election.
“Yesterday, Carolyn Parrish chose not to vote on the data centre issue. This is yet another example of how our city is drifting under her leadership,” Crombie wrote in a post on X. “We need a mayor who leads, makes her position known, and is accountable for the tough decisions.”
Parrish pushed back, arguing that as chair of the meeting she was following council procedure by remaining neutral during debate.
“The chair of a democratically conducted meeting is mandated not to influence the debate. Ergo they don’t speak and they don’t vote. But you never really understood that,” Parrish wrote in response.
The exchange quickly turned personal, with Parrish accusing Crombie of abandoning Mississauga when she resigned as mayor in 2023 to become leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. Crombie led the Liberals into the 2025 provincial election, where the party finished third and she failed to win a seat in the legislature. She stepped down as party leader in January 2026.
Following Crombie’s departure from city hall, Parrish was elected mayor in a 2024 byelection.
“You abandoned our city, failed to win a local riding and ended up turfed by your party. Nice attempt at giving me lessons,” Parrish wrote.
Crombie fired back, arguing Parrish selectively chooses when to vote.
“Carolyn, you vote when it suits you and refuse when the issue is tough. That’s not leadership. Residents know the city is adrift because you’re asleep at the stern,” Crombie said.
When asked by another X user about her position on AI data centres, Parrish said she wants to review a comprehensive staff report outlining both the potential economic benefits and any adverse impacts before taking a position.
The online exchange comes as the campaign for Mississauga’s mayoral race begins to ramp up. Parrish ended the back-and-forth by saying she is looking forward to debating Crombie during the campaign.
So far, 10 candidates have entered the race for mayor. Crombie officially filed her nomination in July, setting up what is expected to be one of the most closely watched municipal contests in the Greater Toronto Area.
Mississauga voters will head to the polls on Oct. 26.
