Will Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington follow as Toronto to rename Dundas Street?

Published July 15, 2021 at 12:19 am

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Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington have Dundas Street running through it but only time will tell whether or not this will change to another road name in these municipalities because of what happened in Toronto.

Toronto city council has voted to rename Dundas Street. 

The city will also remove Henry Dundas’s name from other public infrastructure such as Dundas Station and Yonge-Dundas Square. 

Khaled Iwamura from insauga.com did ask the mayor of Mississauga Bonnie Crombie about the re-naming of Dundas Street in Mississauga and she had this to say, “A decision will be a difficult one because of the potential repercussions for those who have businesses or live on the street.”

Dundas was an 18th-century Scottish politician who delayed Britain’s abolition of slavery by 15 years. 

Toronto Mayor John Tory says the man never set foot in Canada, and that the city should not celebrate his legacy. 

“This recommendation is the right decision in our continuous path to building a Toronto that is inclusive, equitable and reflects the values of its diverse members,” Tory said in a release Wednesday.

“We acknowledge that this is just the first of many steps to come, but this a genuine step in the right direction of who we are and what we can be. The names of our public streets, parks, and monuments are a reflection of our values as Torontonians.”

The city will hold a public consultation to find a new name for the street, which is expected to wrap up in the second quarter of next year. 

Seventeen councillors voted in favour of the public consultation, while seven voted against. 

The city also plans to make room in its budget to support people and businesses affected by the change. 

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