UPDATE TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE EXTENSION
HYACINTHE BOULEVARD FROM CAWTHRA ROAD TO BRECKENRIDGE ROAD
The Region of Peel has been approved for an extension of the temporary road closure along Hyacinthe Boulevard between the limits mentioned above until June 13th, 2024.
When: Till June 13th, 2024.
Where: Hyacinthe Boulevard from Cawthra Road to Breckenridge Road
Advance warning signs and detour signs are in place. Emergency services access will not be permitted.
The General Committee recently announced plans to extend MiWay’s fare discount pilot program until the end of 2024, as part of its commitment to improving transit accessibility and affordability in Mississauga.
During the initial pilot phase, MiWay observed a remarkable 109 per cent increase in ridership compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with substantial growth among adult and student fare categories. However, children and senior ridership levels had not fully rebounded to pre-pandemic figures, prompting the need for the program extension to encourage more consistent usage among these demographics.
“With this initiative, our goal is to encourage more families and seniors to adopt MiWay as their main mode of transportation, giving them a firsthand look at how transit can be affordable, safe, reliable and convenient,” said Eve Wiggins, Director of Transit. “For individuals who haven’t tried public transit, we’re encouraging them to participate in this pilot programs if they are eligible. As a reminder, children and seniors need to have their PRESTO cards set to the appropriate fare category for their age group. And for seniors, there’s also the option to pay with a $1 cash fare.”
City Council, upon recommendation from the Commissioner of Transportation and Works, agreed to extend the program until the end of the year. This decision aligns with the City’s strategic goals of developing a transit-oriented city, ensuring affordability and accessibility for all.
The anticipated financial impact of the extended program includes a projected revenue decrease of $950,000, with $200,000 attributed to child fares and $750,000 to senior fares. Despite this, the increase in adult and youth ridership is expected to offset the decrease, maintaining a balanced budget while promoting greater transit use among all age groups.
MiWay is committed to analyzing the extended program’s impact closely, aiming to make informed decisions on future program deliveries as part of the City’s overall budget program.
Wiggins added, “The extension is a testament to MiWay’s dedication to making transit more affordable and accessible, particularly for children and seniors, that prioritizes public transportation for all.”
The final approval for the fare discount pilot program is scheduled to go to Council on Wednesday, April 17.
For more information or for the latest MiWay updates, visit the MiWay website.
Andrea Josic has been selected to serve as a literary ambassador for the city to help elevate the status of poetry, literary arts and writers.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Andrea Josic as our new Poet Laureate,” said Kristina Zietsma, Director, Culture and Recreation. “Chosen from an exceptional pool of candidates, Andrea is a talented writer and poet who will inspire aspiring artists and elevate literary arts in Mississauga.”
Andrea Josic is a second-generation Bosnian-Canadian poet, performer and arts educator from Mississauga. She has been competing in international poetry slams for nearly a decade and is a national award-winning poet and journalist with publications at Whippersnapper Gallery, Meridian Arts Centre, Toronto Transit Commission x Poems in Passage, This Magazine and more. She was the champion of the 2020 Toronto Poetry Slam, 2019 Feminine Empowerment Movement Slam and the runner-up in the 2021 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. Andrea has supported her hometown Mississauga in profound ways, including facilitating a writing exhibit with The Woodlands School at the Small Arms Inspection Building and attending the first Sauga Poetry event as the inaugural feature poet. She hopes to cultivate healing, belonging and joy through her work.
Every two years, the City embarks on a search for its new Poet Laureate. This honourary position recognizes a poet who writes excellent poetry or spoken word and has written on themes that are relevant to the residents of Mississauga.
Andrea will take over the role starting on April 10th from the City’s fourth Poet Laureate, Ayomide Bayowa.
The public can expect to see the new Poet Laureate at the City’s fifth annual Poetry Slam on April 24. She will also make an appearance as part of the Canada Day celebrations at Celebration Square on July 1.
As a way to kick off her new role and celebrate National Poetry Month, Andrea read from one of her poems titled, (Almost) Daughter Inherits the Matriarch at today’s General Committee meeting. See verse below.
(Almost) Daughter Inherits the Matriarch
i.
I will always be my mother’s swelling
she says my shell is recipe booking
knees that knock
wrinkle in left cheek
lower back carves
but I am not the “her” she expects me to be
I am but the swallow of a woman
my given name is tongued sandpaper
that undresses the rind out of a drying throat
and rots the girlhood I denounced at 18
ii.
when my mother and I run along the grass
our limbs are harmonious applause, she says
“can you see us in grandmother?
her kiln breaded me and
sunned your yeast for 34 years”
grandma remembers me at 13
a beanstalk child, stretching just like her
old photographs could prove time travel
but I hush regret this inherited matriarch
a lineage that ends, ungendered
away from the bellies that have homed me
iii.
afternoons are the furthest I am from my femme
sun lending my shadow to the pavement
a passing silhouette reflects my boyish frame
not quite of a woman
not much in-between
apologetic that bloodline changes with my other
and on the hottest day
when mist rises to even the slate
my mother’s shadow asks
can I even call you mine?
Andrea Josic, Mississauga’s fifth Poet Laureate: 2024 to 2026
Members of Council stand with fifth Poet Laureate (Andrea Josic), fourth and outgoing Poet Laureate (Ayomide Bayowa) and current Youth Poet (Lisa Shen).
From left to right: Lisa Shen (Mississauga’s current Youth Poet), Andrea Josic (Mississauga’s fifth Poet Laureate) and Ayomide Bayowa (Mississauga’s fourth and outgoing Poet Laureate).
43 per cent of 9-1-1 calls are not emergencies
During 9-1-1 Awareness Week, we recognize our first responders — emergency communicators, Fire, Police and Paramedics — for saving lives and helping residents in immediate need. We are also reminding Peel residents to call 9-1-1 only for emergencies.
In 2023, just over 900,000 calls or nearly half of all calls to 9-1-1 were for non-emergencies. They were misuse, hang-ups, short duration (accidents) or test calls to the 9-1-1 system. These calls take up valuable time and resources and can potentially prevent first responders from attending to real emergencies.
Call 9-1-1 only when someone needs immediate help from Paramedics, Police and Fire. To prevent accidental calls, lock your cell phones and do not program 9-1-1 into your phones. In addition, teach children how to use 9-1-1 correctly and how to recognize an emergency.
Call these numbers for non-emergencies
Go here to learn more about 9-1-1.
New Future Directions plans for Culture, Recreation, Parks, Forestry & Environment, Library and Fire & Emergency Services were approved by Council.
Mississauga’s Future Directions plans help guide decision-making for various community services. Using valuable feedback, demographic information and user data, the City develops plans that address infrastructure and service delivery needs. These long-range plans align with Council priorities and investigate innovative and unique opportunities to enhance existing facilities, as well as programs and services.
“In its 50th year, Mississauga has grown into a vibrant city with a reputation for delivering high quality programs and services to residents,” said Jodi Robillos, Commissioner, Community Services. “We’ve received valuable feedback from residents, and we’re committed to making improvements to our many programs and services to ensure we continue to deliver them at the level residents expect, while at the same time adapting our offerings to meet the needs of a growing and changing community. We’ve listened to residents and customers and we’re making changes.”
Public engagement is an important part of the City’s work on our Future Directions plans. More than 7,000 survey responses helped to inform the draft plans; and a second survey issued after the draft plans were released garnered another 10,900 responses. This level of input from residents, community groups, user groups and other interested parties, combined with other relevant data, and research plays a role in guiding City actions and priorities for the next five to 10 years.
With strategic priorities in mind, there are some notable recommendations mentioned in the Future Directions plans, such as:
Robillos added, “A lot has changed since our last cycle of Future Directions, making these plans more reflective of current life and the demographic in Mississauga. It was essential to get detailed feedback, opinions, and questions from local community members to help shape our future operations. It’s important that residents have access to programs and services in their community that allow them to thrive, in a healthy and sustainable environment.”
The 2024 Future Directions plans build on the work completed since 2019 and identify new recommendations for how the City can advance its strategic priorities for supporting growth and sustainability, while maintaining its strong commitment to Reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion.
About Future Directions:
Future Directions is a planning process undertaken every five years to guide Library, Parks, Forestry & Environment, Recreation, Culture and Fire & Emergency Services. These plans focus on concrete actions that the City will undertake to maintain Mississauga residents’ high quality of life.
WHAT?
In consultation with the public and agencies, the alternative solutions for both the “Dixie Area” and the “Dundas Area” have been evaluated to identify preferred design concepts for each.
“Dundas Area” preferred design:
“Dixie Area” preferred design:
An Environmental Study Report is now available for public review and comment for 30 days on the City’s website:
http://www.mississauga.ca/flooding
Interested persons may provide written comments to our project team by April 30, 2024. All comments are requested to be sent directly to the Project Managers listed below. Previous study information, including the Public Information Centres and the study area expansion bulletin, is available on the above webpage.
Anthony Di Giandomenico, P.Eng.
Project Manager
City of Mississauga
300 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, ON L5B 3C9
(905) 615-3200, ext. 3491
anthony.digiandomenico@mississauga.ca
Amanda McKay, P.Eng., PMP
Consultant Project Manager
Matrix Solutions Inc.
3001-6865 Century Avenue
Mississauga, ON L5N 7K2
(289) 323-3780
amckay@matrix-solutions.com
We are happy to share that our golf courses are gearing up for the new season with the following opening dates:
New benefits for residents
New for 2024, Mississauga residents will get a five percent discount on green fees and can book a tee time online one hour earlier than non-residents. This initiative aims to provide better access and incentives for Mississauga residents to golf at our three City courses. For more information on this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/golf/resident-golf-benefits/
Online tee-time bookings for Braeben’s 18-hole course start on Fri, March 29th, at 8pm for residents and 9pm for non-residents via www.mississauga.ca/golf.
To create the Port Credit Storm Drainage Master Plan, the City is completing a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study. Through the study, the City is looking to address potential drainage system issues within Port Credit. It will also assess the impacts of infill and intensification development and climate change in the study areas.
The City has uploaded the second and final Public Information Centre for the Port Credit Storm Drainage Master Plan. The video can be found online at Port Credit Storm Drainage Master Plan – City of Mississauga
Comments about flooding and drainage issues can be shared with staff from March 20 to April 10, 2024. To submit your feedback, complete the comment form available on the website and email it to muneef.ahmad@mississauga.ca by April 10. Include the date it occurred and any photos of the flooding.
Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc. (TNPI) operates pipelines regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to safely transport the refined petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, aviation, and heating fuel) used by Canadian businesses and consumers every day. These pipelines connect refineries in Nanticoke, Ontario, and Montreal to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), with lateral pipelines to Ottawa as well as to Pearson International Airport and Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport. We are committed to operating in a safe and environmentally responsible manner to protect the public, the environment, and the pipelines.
This letter is being delivered to you because our pipelines are in proximity to your home or business and we would like to advise you of some upcoming work on these pipelines.
Metrolinx is currently building an 18-kilometer light rail transit (LRT) line along the surface of Hurontario Street, between the cities of Mississauga and Brampton. The Hazel McCallion LRT Project will cross two TNPI 273.1 mm and 508 mm (NPS 10 and NPS 20) pipelines at the intersection of Hurontario Street and North Service Road/Harborn Road (refer to attached figure).
In support of Metrolinx’s Hazel McCallion LRT project, there will be some maintenance activities involving the TNPI pipelines in your area. Maintenance activities on the NPS 10 pipeline are expected to be completed in two phases:
• Phase 1 will commence on or around March 18, 2024, to access and assess the pipeline prior to extending the protective casing surrounding the pipeline, taking approximately one week to complete.
• Phase 2 will include construction work for the casing extension and is expected to commence in July 2024. This activity is anticipated to be completed within two weeks.
The maintenance work associated to the NPS 10 will be conducted on the southwest corner of Hurontario Street and Harborn Road and will include limited tree and vegetation pruning/removal near the work area. Crews will use hand tools, such as chainsaws and pruners, to remove trees and other vegetation that grows near the existing pipeline.
Maintenance activities will involve closing the curb lanes, southbound on Hurontario Street and eastbound on Harborn Road, to accommodate the equipment and ensure the safety of the maintenance workers. The lanes will be closed for the duration of the work, which is expected to take a week for the phase one work and 2 – 3 weeks for the phase two work. Please note there will be a potential increase in traffic, dust, and noise during these periods, and additional lighting on the work site may be required during these two phases of work. TNPI will have a full-time presence during these maintenance activities (7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday), either with TNPI personnel and/or a TNPI representative. Both phases of the NPS 10 pipeline maintenance work are anticipated to be completed by late July 2024.
TNPI’s NPS 20 pipeline is expected to be relocated to accommodate the Hazel McCallion LRT project. Design work is ongoing and construction on this pipeline is not expected to begin until 2025. Further communications will be provided for the work associated with the NPS 20 pipeline later this year.
If you have any questions or concerns about this upcoming activity, please contact Lisa Dornan (403-476-1593 or ldornan@tnpi.ca). More information on TNPI can be found at www.tnpi.ca. For details on the overall Hazel McCallion Light Rail Transit project, please contact Metrolinx at peel@metrolinx.com or visit Metrolinx’s website at www.metrolinx.com/hazelmccallionline.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc.
Starting April 1, 2024, Peel Region water bills will look different and the way the community is charged for water and wastewater will change.
Peel Region completed a multi-year financial planning process that included: reviews of industry best practices, community engagement, an examination into the costs to serve the community and extensive financial analysis. The result is a modernization of the billing process that supports bill predictability, increased customer understanding and equity, including:
Peel continues to research and make recommendations to improve systems, technology, and customer experience.
New rate structure
Starting April 1, instead of a single water consumption charge, customer bills will have two parts: a service delivery charge and a consumption charge. Peel is not collecting more overall revenue. Using a service delivery charge to cover fixed costs means the consumption charge will now be lower.
The service delivery charge supports the more than 80% in fixed costs needed to bring water to homes and businesses and to collect and treat wastewater, such as: staff required to maintain pipes and treatment plants, meter reading and billing costs, chemicals needed to provide clean, safe water, and much more.
Water rate charges
Single-unit residential customers will now have a water rate with two levels.
Multi-unit residential customers will continue to have one water rate.
Businesses (industrial, commercial, and institutional) customers will continue to have one water rate.
Wastewater charges
Wastewater billing was also reviewed as part of the financial planning process. Charging for wastewater based on the amount of water used remains the industry standard.
For additional information on the changes, 2024 water and wastewater rates, as well as the programs introduced to support a modernized billing process, visit peelregion.ca/water/billing.
