Two 12-storey towers proposed to replace apartment building in Mississauga

A plan to build two 12-storey apartment buildings is moving forward in Mississauga.

The property owner of 1470 Williamsport Dr., near Bloor Street and Dixie Road, is proposing the two apartment buildings with a shared six-storey podium. The buildings would have a total of 283 residential units.

The current building is an “aging” six-storey, 53-unit rental apartment tower, said the representative for the owner, Michi McCloskey, a senior associate at Sajecki Planning Inc., at the Planning and Development Committee meeting on Nov. 10.

The existing building at 1470 Williamsport Dr., Mississauga. Photo: Google Maps

The property owner believes the lot is an under-utilized, McCloskey said.

The old building would be demolished if the plans proceed.

Tenants in the 53 rental units will be offered apartments in the new buildings with similar rents for the next 10 years, said Jaspreet Sidhu, city planner. These existing tenants will be offered first right of refusal in the new building, Sidhu said.

An aerial map shows the location of 1470 Williamsport Dr., Mississauga. City of Mississauga submission

But finding a new place to live in the meantime concerns residents, according to one resident who spoke at the meeting. He is also concerned about the timeline and difficulty in finding another three-bedroom apartment in the same neighbourhood.

McCloskey noted that they are still around two years away from moving forward with construction. The tenants could be given a notice to leave in early 2028. They would have at least four months to find another place. She said the property owner will help residents find a new place in one of the other buildings they own in the city.

She added that the client plans to keep tenants updated on the plans.

Responding to concerns about parking, revised plans increased parking to 281 spaces (253 resident and 28 visitor).

Plans for the new towers at 1470 Williamsport Dr.  City of Mississauga submission

Coun. Chris Fonseca said she supports the application, but asked to add that the rental housing protection agreement be settled with the city before approving the rezoning and official plan amendment.

“This is just a reassurance to the tenants,” Fonseca said.

Coun. Brad Butt said this application is a “poster child” and the owner is clearly respecting the rental housing protection act while getting new housing in the community.

“I understand that people living in the existing building now would be concerned about their housing future,” Butt said. “But it sounds to me that this is the kind of thing we need to support in Mississauga.”

Sidhu said the plans will add new purpose-built rental housing while maintaining neighbourhood stability and ensuring full replacement of existing rental units.

The committee agreed and unanimously voted in support of the application.

The next steps will be to settle the rental housing protection agreement, then bring the rezoning and official plan amendment to a future meeting for council approval.

For more information, see the committee meeting here and the application here.

Lead rendering: City of Mississauga submission