Mississauga residents are heading to polls to choose their next mayor on Monday, following the resignation of former mayor Bonnie Crombie.
Crombie, who served as the city’s mayor for nine years, stepped down to lead the Ontario Liberal Party on Jan. 12.
In addition to selecting a new mayor, voters will choose a new councillor for Ward 5 after Carolyn Parrish, one of the top mayoral candidates, resigned to join the race.
While 20 candidates are vying for the seat, there are four candidates who have emerged as the top choice as mayor of the third largest city in Ontario and one of the most diverse cities in the country.
Amidst the many challenges ahead for the city, affordability, community safety and housing are top of mind for residents.
MISSISSAUGA’S ACTING MAYOR SPEAKS OUT
Speaking to Now Toronto while out in the community encouraging people to get to the polls, Acting Mayor and Councillor for Ward 9, Martin Reid, expressed the excitement on election day, “People are excited. This is the first time that we’ve had a by-election for the city.”
“Personally, I’m excited to see if we can beat 20 per cent in terms of voter turnout. I’ve been pushing on social media the importance of getting over 30 per cent; letting your voice be heard…I just want as many people out, and engaged as possible,” he added.
Reid identified affordable housing, transit, and well-being as the city’s main challenges, with community safety being the biggest concern.
He is calling for greater engagement from schools to enhance safety for the younger generation, highlighting the need to address the rise in gun violence and auto theft: “I’m not waiting for it to get as bad as somewhere else, I want to address it now.”
As someone who has lived in Mississauga his “whole life,” he wishes for every person coming to the city, and who grew up there to have the same opportunities as him, from riding the bike to school safely or take the bus, and “just enjoy the amazing city that we have.”
He also emphasizes the importance of employability, advocating for attractive facilities and programs to support both employers and the non-profit sector.
“I’m looking for our next mayor, someone who’s going to look holistically at how we improve the city…it’s going to start by us working upstream, and moving forward,” he added.
WHO ARE THE TOP CANDIDATES TO BECOME MAYOR OF MISSISSAUGA AND WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS?
One of the top candidates in the mayoral race, Alvin Tedjo, shared his vision for Mississauga with Now Toronto on Monday.
Tedjo, who was born in Toronto and moved to Mississauga at the age of four, spoke about his parents’ journey from Indonesia and his desire to create a supportive city for all residents, including children like his own and aging seniors like his parents.
“We need to make life more affordable for people who live in the city,” he emphasized, highlighting the need for accessible housing, community safety, and an improved transit network.
On Monday morning, 88 per cent of MiWay, or Mississauga transit workers, rejected the City of Mississauga’s proposed contract. The union representing them indicated that strike action is possible if issues such as wages, benefits, and safety concerns are not addressed.
The city and the union have been bargaining since September 2023.
“This vote sends a powerful message to the City of Mississauga that they must do better if they expect us to ratify a contract,” said Local 1572 President Jack Jackson.
“This contract proposal did not address the fundamental issues crucial to our well-being and the integrity of our work. We stand united in our pursuit of fair wages, improved benefits, and better working conditions.”
Addressing the issue of auto theft, mayoral candidates Tedjo, veteran Mississauga councillor Carolyn Parrish, and Dipika Damerla all support bail reform.
Tedjo and Parrish emphasized the need for stricter inspection of containers before they leave the country to help reduce car thefts and break-ins. Parrish also advocates for harsher penalties for break-ins and thefts, as stated on her campaign website, although she did not respond to our interview request by the deadline.
On transit accessibility, all three candidates aim to build Mississauga as a cycling-friendly city. with Parrish’s website stating she will “advocate for safer cycling lanes and speed humps installed when roads are being regularly resurfaced,” and work closely with MiWay employees to increase bus shelters.
While Damerla promises to build “bike lanes without getting rid of car lanes,” she also plans to make “MiWay free for seniors.”
Calling Mississauga one of the most expensive cities in Canada, Tedjo says lowering the cost of living is essential by pushing for a “freeze on property taxes for the next two years,” especially for low income seniors and small businesses.
Another candidate and Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Dasko said in an interview with City News that he is “one of only two councillors, and quite frankly the only one running for mayor, who voted against the regional budget on the increase of property tax bill of 4.5 per cent on top of Mississauga’s 2.3 per cent.”
Damerla, who recently served on Mississauga City Council is also one of the top candidates in the mayoral race, and previously served as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Health & Long Term Care and then as Minister of Seniors Affairs.
On Monday, she told Now Toronto that she is “the only candidate who has been clear on two things: First no new taxes. I will not introduce any new taxes and second, my first order of business with Premier Ford will be to get a new deal for Mississauga just like the new funding deal Toronto and Ottawa signed with the Province of Ontario.”
“As Ontario’s third-largest city and second-largest economy, it’s time for Mississauga to get a new deal so that we can keep our property taxes affordable,” she added.
On community safety, she plans to “bring back walk-in service at City Hall, cut red tape, and modernize our 311 system so that residents can track the status of their complaints in real time.”
She is also advocating for criminal code reform and bringing back community police stations.
If you are a resident of Mississauga, you can cast your vote by heading to the polls that are open until 8 p.m. on Monday, June 10.
