Aging apartment complex in Mississauga could add 275 new rental units

An aging high-rise apartment community in Mississauga’s Sheridan neighbourhood could soon welcome another tower after city councillors endorsed a proposal to add a 24-storey rental building to the property.

Mississauga’s Planning and Development Committee voted recently to approve official plan and zoning amendments that would allow a 24-storey apartment building containing 275 rental units at 1970 and 1980 Fowler Drive, east of Erin Mills Parkway and north of the QEW, near Roche Court.

The proposal, submitted by IMH 1970 and 1980 Fowler Drive Ltd., would see a new tower built on lands currently occupied by surface parking and outdoor amenity space behind two existing 14-storey rental apartment buildings. The existing towers, which contain a combined 332 rental units, would remain in place.

Planning staff recommended approval, saying the project would increase the city’s rental housing supply while making efficient use of existing infrastructure and services in an area designated for growth.

“The proposed applications will contribute 275 apartment dwelling units to the Sheridan Growth Node, which is a Strategic Growth Area where intensification is directed,” staff wrote in a report presented to the committee.

The Sheridan Growth Node is identified in Mississauga’s planning policies as an area expected to accommodate significant population growth through redevelopment and intensification. While the site’s Residential High-Rise designation permits apartment buildings, the developer required site-specific approvals because the proposed tower exceeds the area’s standard 18-storey height limit.

According to staff, the project was revised following comments from residents and city officials. Changes included reducing the height from an earlier concept, increasing the number of larger family-sized units, modifying vehicle access arrangements and relocating infrastructure outside a regional easement.

The proposed building would contain a mix of unit types, including 34 studio apartments, 120 one-bedroom units, 95 two-bedroom units and 26 three-bedroom units.

City planners concluded that the tower is compatible with the surrounding development, noting that it would maintain more than 30 metres of separation from nearby apartment buildings and be buffered from nearby detached homes by North Sheridan Way.

Although the development would remove an existing basketball court, playground space and other outdoor amenities during construction, the applicant plans to create temporary replacement amenities for current residents. Once construction is complete, new shared outdoor facilities would include a half-basketball court, pickleball court, playground, dog run and landscaped gathering areas accessible to residents of all three buildings.

The site is located near the Sheridan Centre bus terminal and several MiWay routes, including the University Express service. Planning staff also noted that existing water, wastewater and transportation infrastructure is capable of supporting the additional density.

A virtual community meeting held last year attracted limited public participation, with only two residents attending. According to the report, one resident expressed support for a taller building that could provide future tenants with views of Lake Ontario.

The proposal must still receive final approval from Mississauga City Council. The developer will also be required to obtain site plan approval, land severance approval and building permits before construction can begin.