Mississauga says downtown transit loop a top priority as provincial campaign kicks off
Published May 4, 2022 at 12:26 pm
Two major public transit initiatives and housing affordability are at the top of Mississauga’s priority list as it seeks help from the next Ontario government to make the city a better place in which to live.
With today’s (May 4) kickoff of the provincial election campaign, City of Mississauga officials urged residents to vote on June 2 for candidates who understand what Mississauga needs.
It’s part of the City’s ongoing advocacy campaign dubbed Mississauga Matters, which at the moment is asking residents to support candidates and/or parties that show a commitment to four main areas of need for Mississauga:
- housing affordability
- public transit
- funding for cities
- local economy
City officials say the next provincial government must support Mississauga’s priorities to ensure continued recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, in addition to economic growth and investment to build a world-class city that’s accessible and affordable for all people.
“Ontario cities play a critical role in our province’s well-being. But the pressures we face continue to grow. As we head into a provincial election, it’s vital that the next provincial government will support cities in creating more housing that is affordable for everyone, help us in building key transit projects and sustainable infrastructure, and deliver financial support for our hardest-hit businesses and industries,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “The reality is that cities can’t do all of this alone. And as we continue to recover and build our growing city, we need a provincial partner who is fully committed to working with us. Our message to candidates is clear: our priorities should be your priorities.”
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Mississauga officials have made clear what they want in terms of public transit–a provincial commitment to building the Downtown Loop (which would see the planned Hurontario light rail transit route dip into the downtown core area to serve tens of thousands of condo residents near Square One) and provincial investment to provide all-day, two-way GO train service on the Milton line, which travels through Mississauga.
With respect to funding for cities, Mississauga officials want an extension of the Safe Restart program (funding for pandemic recovery) and sustainable funding to keep the city’s infrastructure in a state of good repair.
On the local economy front, Mississauga is looking for continued provincial investment in businesses/industries hardest hit by the pandemic.
The City is hosting a virtual information session on May 17 at 1 p.m. in which provincial candidates and residents are invited to learn more about Mississauga’s top priorities.
Those interested can register here.
“Mississauga is growing. Our City is known for its fiscal responsibility, but our limited revenue streams–primarily property taxes and user fees–do not adequately cover the costs to maintain services and accommodate growth,” said City Manager Paul Mitcham. “Mississauga needs a committed provincial partner to enable us to continue our recovery and build healthy, sustainable communities now and for the future.”
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