Category

Food for thought

Driving impaired has consequences: Stay sober to get to your destination safely

By Food for thought, Issues

The City of Mississauga reminds drivers to stay sober while driving to prevent collisions.

December 13, 2024

While there’s a lot to celebrate this time of year, it’s important to do so responsibly. Road collisions due to impaired driving continue to be a problem in Mississauga. Through the holiday season, the rate of collisions due to impaired driving is higher. That’s why the City is partnering with Peel Regional Police to remind drivers to be responsible by staying sober or finding a safe alternative.

Warning! Driving impaired destroys lives. Make the right choice.

Alcohol and drug use

Driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis is dangerous for yourself, your passengers as well as other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. A collision that results in a fatality or serious injury has significant consequences to those involved and their loved ones.

Driving impaired is dangerous as even minimal amounts can affect your driving skills. Driving requires full control over your mind and body, and requires you to be alert so you can make quick decisions. When you drink or consume drugs, it can disrupt your ability to focus, affecting your risk perception, motor skills, reaction time, decision-making abilities and overall co-ordination.

Impaired driving in Mississauga

According to Peel Regional Police, impaired driving (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol) continues to be a concern in Mississauga. From January 1 to November 30, 2024, there were 89 collisions that involved impaired drivers on Mississauga roads.

Peel Regional Police has launched their Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) program to help address impaired driving. R.I.D.E. checks are conducted throughout the year, but the holiday campaign includes increased enforcement levels and additional officer deployment. The program has already checked more than 4,600 vehicles and will continue to early January. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 911 to report it.

Driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or certain drugs is a serious offence. You put yourself at risk of immediate license suspension, hefty fines, education or treatment programs and even vehicle impoundment. Penalties can vary depending on your age, licence type, the amount of alcohol or drugs in your system, and how many times you have been convicted or had your licence suspended.

Stay safe while out on the roads

Whether you’re walking, cycling, taking transit or driving, it’s important that you stay extra alert when travelling around the city to your destination.

If you’re planning to drive – stay sober. If you’d like to consume alcohol or cannabis, plan an alterative way home. You can designate a driver, use MiWay to get around or use a rideshare program or taxi.

If you’re walking, cycling or taking transit, remember to stay alert and be aware, especially when crossing intersections. Make sure to use a crosswalk or crossride when possible.

To learn more about impaired driving, visit peelpolice.ca/en/safety-tips/road-safety.aspx

Learn more about road safety in Mississauga: mississauga.ca/roadsafety

December 20, 2024
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Peel Regional Police Update: 2024 Seasonal R.I.D.E. Campaign Launch

By Events, Food for thought

Peel Regional Police officially launched the Seasonal Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) Campaign in partnership with Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD). This initiative is part of our ongoing and collaborative efforts to reduce impaired driving and enhance road safety across Peel Region.

From November 16 to December 31, 2024, additional officers from Road Safety Services and divisions will be deployed to conduct increased roadside checks to ensure the community is driving safely and responsibly.

Officers will be reminding the public to not drive if they have consumed alcohol or any type of drugs, as well as ensuring they have a plan to get home by having a designated driver, an alternate place to stay, or using public transportation. Road safety is a shared responsibility.

While the Seasonal R.I.D.E. Campaign marks an increase in strategic enforcement, PRP remains committed to year-round education about the dangers of impaired driving.

We encourage you to keep an eye out on our social media to share road safety tips with your communities throughout the holiday season.

December 6, 2024
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For a Growing Skyline By: Andrea Josic, Mississauga’s Poet Laureate

By Food for thought

For a Growing Skyline
By: Andrea Josic

Mississauga—meaning:
“The River of the North of Many Mouths”
A meeting point for the water and land
where the sailboats kiss along the midpoint of its shore
and dance in the hushed haze of the night sky
The people of this land lifelined across the rivers
to their kin and neighbours
and I like to think today’s skyline twinkles for all of us
nearly 1,000,000 shooting stars
every joyous face, like smiles marking pins on a world map
across our brief city limit
For decades, families have fed the ducks in Kariya Park
under summer’s promising breeze
or ice skated in endless circles in our city’s centre
under winter’s subdued skies
In each beautiful season
our community built stronger than the etching skyscrapers
Children’s wonder follow the pinball’s birthday party thwack
teenagers peruse the malls with hopeful $10 pockets
and parents teach their kids to bike ride behind grocery store plazas
I know we used to flow along gentle fields surrounding sparse high rises
and although a growing city brings shade in its afternoons
it never darkens its brightening future
Each corner of this city carries with it a unique melody
Dozens of brick villages led to this present union
all eager to move forward, clutching each other’s hearts
as we grow and develop as a city
Even amidst the busiest highways
where we hurry to reach our community
and the loudest skies
where we fly to bring our loved ones over
all so we can share our special places
with them

November 19, 2024
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This Is It! Poem read at Remembrance Day by Councillor Dasko

By Food for thought

This Is It!

The cannon is muzzled, the planes are nested,

the navies anchored.

The silence breaks to a bird’s song, a child’s laugh.

The assembly line turns from the products of death

to the simple wares of Peace.

The bayonet is put away and the ploughshare lifted again.

 

This is the Peace we have bought

with blood and sweat and tears.

This is the liberty, this is the freedom,

This is the to-morrow of our yesterdays.

 

And this is the lesson learned:

That Freedom must be nurtured or it dies;

That a country’s hunger is a world’s shame;

That brotherhood is not bound by the barriers of tongue.

 

This is our post-war world,

This is the land, the life we’ve won,

The future is now begun.

 

August Sixteenth, Nineteen Fourty-Five

T.Eaton Co. Limited

 

This Poem was posted by Maureen O’Neill on Facebook, found in her Mother’s scrapbook.

T Eaton & Co Ltd. full page ad in the Toronto Star, 1945

November 19, 2024
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Discover what matters: how the Budget empowers you as a resident

By Announcement, Food for thought

Mississauga begins budget process with launch of proposed 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 Budget

Ever wonder how your tax dollars are spent or how the City prioritizes its investments? The City’s proposed 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 Budget, presented in the budget document, can help answer questions including ones commonly asked by residents like, “how will this year’s budget impact my taxes?” or “how does the City prioritize certain projects?”.  

By diving into the budget document, you’ll be able to discover how decisions are made on everything from infrastructure improvements to community programs and transit. The budget helps understand how the City improves quality of life, the services we rely on, and even the future of our neighbourhoods. 

Mississauga plans and budgets for activities and programs through three planning phases: the current budget year, in this case 2025; the four-year plan, 2025–2028; and the 10-year capital program, 2025–2034. This multi-year approach allows the City to respond to political, economic, social and environmental circumstances. 

Find the 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 Budget document here.  

Cover of Proposed Budget Plan

About the City’s 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 Budget  

Mississauga delivers over 200 services to taxpayers including public transit, fire & emergency services, libraries, recreation programs, snow clearing, parks and many more. The corporate priorities which guide the development of the budget are:  

  1. Deliver the right services 
  2. Maintain City Infrastructure 
  3. Advance on the City’s strategic vision 
  4. Implement cost containment strategies

Budget Book Infographic

How to use the budget document

By taking the time to understand the City’s budget, you can gain insights into key priorities that impact you the most. This can help you identify areas of the budget that you might want to provide feedback on or advocate for in our upcoming Budget Committee meetings. The budget plays a significant role in shaping our city, so it’s important to take the time to read and understand it. For the full budget schedule, learn more here. 

Detailed information within the budget document 

Volume I of the budget document introduces the business planning and budgeting process and priorities. It relates the 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 Budget to the City’s Strategic Plan. It provides the big picture including total planned revenue and expenses, the property tax increase required, the capital budget and how it is financed, benchmarking against other municipalities, and information about Mississauga. 

Volume II presents each service area’s business plan and budget and provides a comprehensive overview of the department’s activities and objectives. The business plans share visuals and infographics to convey the proposed 2025 Budget, forecasts for 2025-2028 and the 10-year capital forecast.  

Volume III offers further depth of detail for the information presented in Volumes I and II, as well as information about the City’s reserves and reserve funds. 

Some new initiatives proposed for 2025 

  • Opening of the new Fire Station 124 and adding Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services Communications Operators, Vehicle Technicians and Training Officers. 
  • MiWay service expansion with an additional 120,000+ transit service hours to improve capacity on major routes for increased ridership.
  • Additional By-law Enforcement Officers for Apartment Rental Compliance, Proactive Inspections and other emerging issues.

Next steps 

Residents are invited to provide feedback on the proposed 2025-2028 Business Plan & 2025 budget via scheduled Budget Committee meetings.  

Budget Committee meeting dates 

All Budget Committee meetings are open to the public. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 18, at 9:30 a.m.  

Additional meetings include: 

  • November 19, 25*, 27* (*if required) 

The full schedule of meetings is available online at Council and Committees Calendar Listings. If you miss a live meeting, you can always watch it at a later time as all Budget Committee meetings are recorded and made live for the public. 

 For more information on the City’s Budget process, visit mississauga.ca/budget. 

October 29, 2024
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Mississauga welcomes the BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit, North America’s largest Black tech conference

By Events, Food for thought

The BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit will be held in Mississauga November 6-7 to celebrate Black talent, build partnerships and support local economic growth.

Visit Mississauga is excited to partner with Obsidi® to host the BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit on November 6-7 at The International Centre. Obsidi® is a platform that connects Black talent with job opportunities and events, helping to close the gap between Black professionals and the tech industry.

The BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit is a key initiative for Obsidi®, designed for Black professionals, allies and other stakeholders, aimed at helping them grow their businesses and careers in tech. This summit is North America’s largest Black tech conference, bringing together more than 15,000 Black professionals, 1,200 tech leaders, 100+ inspiring speakers, and 40+ partners, all dedicated to empowerment, connection, learning and growing.

Take your career to the next level with exclusive resources and experiences

Attendees can expect an exciting schedule packed with resources at BFUTR 2024, including:

  • Networking opportunities with Black professionals, allies and executives in tech.
  • Access to more than 70 sessions led by experts on the latest tech trends and practices.
  • Exclusive experiences, including immersive spaces and nine partner lounges showcasing new innovations, career resources and networking tools.
  • Appearances from special guests like Ja Rule, a multi-platinum hip-hop legend.
  • The opportunity to learn more about Obsidi Recruit®, the Obsidi job board® and a mobile app designed to support career growth and networking.

To purchase a ticket and learn more about the event, visit obsidi.com/bfutr/.

Where community, opportunity and tourism unite

Visit Mississauga is proud to partner with Obsidi® for BFUTR 2024, reinforcing our commitment to build partnerships that support diversity and inclusion, and attract high-quality events that benefit residents, businesses, and visitors. BFUTR 2024 supports Visit Mississauga’s vision to enhance the city’s reputation as a top destination for world-renowned conferences, boasting a variety of venues and spaces for corporate events of any size. Hosting events like BFUTR 2024 helps position Mississauga as a go-to location, increasingly recognized for its unique opportunities and dynamic, multicultural environment. In addition to cementing Mississauga’s presence in the conference landscape, the team at Visit Mississauga has been actively promoting the city as a prime destination for sporting events, leisure travel, festivals and business travellers.

Mississauga’s vision for diverse economic growth

IDEA Mississauga is excited to showcase their programs and services at the BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit, demonstrating the City’s dedication to innovation, community building, and promoting diversity. Events like the BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit attract thousands of visitors, helping the City shine a spotlight on why Mississauga is an ideal place to live, invest, work and grow.

By connecting businesses with local talent in the tech sector, this summit also positions Mississauga as a centre for economic growth, aligning with IDEA Mississauga’s mission to support entrepreneurs and foster innovation. Earlier this year, Mississauga honored the contributions of our diverse communities during the Black Excellence Awards, part of our recognition of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent. Through events like the Black Excellence Awards and BFUTR 2024, Mississauga is fostering inclusive growth in our city, creating valuable opportunities for celebration, partnership and mentorship. To add to that, as the second-largest tech hub in North America, Mississauga is home to 12 Fortune 500 tech firms, further enhancing opportunities for our local talent.

About Visit Mississauga

Visit Mississauga is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the City of Mississauga. The organisation is industry-led and responsible for developing a tourism strategy and leading tourism marketing and development efforts for Mississauga. Visit Mississauga is committed to implementing the City of Mississauga’s Tourism Master Plan, promoting local businesses and coordinating large-scale events within the city.

Learn more at visitmississauga.ca.

About IDEA Mississauga

IDEA Mississauga has the essential building blocks that entrepreneurs and innovators need to get started and grow their ventures. IDEA offers startups, scale-ups, investors, and businesses professionals a range of resources designed for success, including a network of mentors, partners, talent, and learning and connections to test, scale and commercialize solutions to global challenges.

IDEA Mississauga is powered by Invest Mississauga, one of Canada’s most trusted economic development organizations. Its mission is to foster a competitive, prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive economy by supporting businesses of all sizes in their growth and success. Learn more at ideamississauga.ca or visit us at IDEA Square One Entrepreneur Centre.

Quotes

“Visit Mississauga is proud to host Obsidi’s® BFUTR 2024 Global Tech Summit, highlighting our city as a hub for world-class meetings and conferences. This summit further highlights our commitment to community building through high-quality events, while enhancing tourism by attracting thousands of visitors. We warmly welcome all BFUTR 2024 attendees, executives, and speakers to explore the vibrant culture and flavours our city has to offer.” – Victoria Clarke, CEO, Visit Mississauga

“BFUTR 2024 is more than just a tech event. It’s a movement focused on empowering professionals and creating meaningful connections with employers of choice, ensuring Black talent can access opportunities across North America’s tech ecosystem. Mississauga’s innovative spirit and diverse community make it the perfect location for this global tech industry gathering.” – Lekan Olawoye, Founder and CEO of Obsidi®

October 29, 2024
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World-renowned artist Saype unveils monumental artwork celebrating Mississauga’s bright future

By Announcement, Food for thought, Parks

The magical piece in Mississauga’s city centre represents the city’s rich diversity.

October 8, 2024

Image of Saype's artwork of a boy playing with Kapla blocks

Last Friday, French artist Saype unveiled his monumental fresco at Community Common Park in downtown Mississauga, in recognition of the City’s 50th anniversary. The piece, titled Citizens, was created on a three-acre lawn “canvas” and features a child playing with Kapla blocks, small wooden planks that have shaped the childhood of many of us, including Saype himself. Through this artwork, Saype seeks to emphasize the importance of coming together as a community for a common goal by acknowledging the amalgamated beginnings of the city and celebrating our unique and diverse cultural make up.

For Saype, this creation embodies the cooperation essential to constructing a community that offers a prosperous future for all. Through this piece, he invites us to reflect on how even the smallest contribution can help shape a better world.

In partnership with Visit Mississauga Saype was invited to come to the city to create the land art fresco in celebration of Mississauga’s diversity and rich past, dynamic present, and promising future. The artwork stands in striking contrast to the modern skyscrapers surrounding the park, highlighting the simplicity of childhood and humanity at work amid the growing urban development of Mississauga’s downtown area.

Using biodegradable paints specially created by Saype, the greyscale mural has since faded away leaving only the everlasting memories of his work with those who were able to witness this once-in-a-lifetime art installation in person. However, despite the passage of his frescoes, images and videos of his work will leave an impact on people around the world for years to come, without leaving an impact on nature.

 

Image of Saype painting

Sharing similar messages around the world, Saype has created more than 50 majestic artworks in international cities including New York, Paris, Dubai, Tokyo and many more. His original work in Mississauga is a first for the province, and for English-speaking Canada.

 Image of Saype painting house

Follow Visit Mississauga on Instagram, Facebook and X to stay up to date on the latest exciting projects and upcoming events.

To learn more about the City of Mississauga’s 50th anniversary visit, mississauga.ca/50

Visit Mississauga

Visit Mississauga is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the City of Mississauga. The organization is industry-led and responsible for developing a tourism strategy and leading tourism marketing and development efforts for Mississauga. Visit Mississauga is committed to implementing the City of Mississauga’s Tourism Master Plan, promoting local businesses and co-ordinating large-scale events within the city. Learn more at visitmississauga.ca.

October 8, 2024
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