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Food for thought

Putting the ‘you’ in youth hubs: your feedback can help shape a new youth hub in Dixie-Bloor

By Food for thought, Resources

The City of Mississauga is converting the former Glenforest Secondary School swimming pool, located at Fieldgate Drive and Burnhamthorpe Road East, into a youth hub.

February 4, 2025

Mississauga is developing another Youth Hub – this time, in the Dixie-Bloor community.

The City has announced plans to convert the former Glenforest Secondary School swimming pool into a youth hub that provides services and programs that reflect the needs of local youth aimed at fostering growth, creativity, and connection. The new Youth Hub will be designed with inclusion at its core, ensuring all young people, can fully participate in the future activities that will be offered.

After the success of the Malton Youth Hub, it’s clear that youth hubs make a positive impact within the neighbourhood it serves. This will be a safe and supportive place where youth can showcase their talent, express themselves, work on projects or engage in physical activities that contribute to their wellbeing.

We want to hear from you!

Feedback from Mississauga residents helps the City shape or develop programs and services that serve the community. Receiving resident feedback is an effective way to determine which activities, programs, resources and services are the most desired and needed by those who live and spend time in the neighbourhood.

Get involved and have your say.

Register to participate in an engagement session:

Take part in a survey

Share your feedback by completing our quick and easy survey, and you’ll have the chance to win a pair of Apple AirPods. Your input is valuable, and by participating, you can help shape the future of your community. Complete the survey by Friday, February 28, online at: yoursay.mississauga.ca/glenforest.

February 4, 2025
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Mississauga commemorates Black History Month this February

By Announcement, Events, Food for thought

A time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Black communities in Mississauga and beyond, listen to their stories and learn more about their history and contributions to Canadian society.

February 3, 2025

Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Black communities in Mississauga and beyond, listen to their stories and learn more about their history and contributions to Canadian society.

Throughout the month of February, the City of Mississauga, in partnership with the Black Caucus Alliance, will continue to commemorate Mississauga’s Black community through a variety of programs and events.

All are encouraged to visit the Black History Month webpage, which highlights a variety of learning opportunities and engagement activities designed to deepen the understanding of this important month, some of which include:

  • Library author talks, storytelling and book lists
  • Music playlists highlighting local Black artists and musicians
  • Museum tours
  • Community celebrations and events
  • Sports and shows

Celebrating Black Excellence Event

The third annual Celebrating Black Excellence event will take place on Friday, February 28, 2025 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mississauga City Hall. The event will include performances, keynote speakers and an awards ceremony. If you know someone deserving of a Black Excellence Award, please take a moment to submit a nomination – which will be accepted until Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

The community is invited to take part in the conversation and more importantly, learn and develop a deeper understanding of the history of people of African descent in Canada and Mississauga. For more information, visit the webpage.

Background

Discover more about the actions the City is taking to engage Black community members in decision-making processes, ensuring that programs and services are equitable and inclusive for all residents.

  • In 2021, the House of Commons officially designated August 1 as Emancipation Day. Each year, the City of Mississauga raises the Pan-African flag and lights the City Hall clock tower red, black and green to recognize this important day.

 

Designed creative with faces and a title saying "Black History Month"

February 3, 2025
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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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