Category

Food for thought

Digital Main Street Helping Small Businesses in Mississauga go Digital!

By Food for thought, Uncategorized

The Digital Main Street (DMS) program continues to support brick-and-mortar small businesses in Mississauga. Through a Digital Main Street grant awarded (to the City) by FedDev Ontario and the Province of Ontario, in partnership with the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) and the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA), the City of Mississauga is proud to be part of providing the Digital Main Street program.

In the past, the Digital Main Street initiative has helped more than 15,000 main street small businesses across Ontario build greater resilience and increase their revenues. The Digital Main Street initiative is also part of Mississauga’s Economic Recovery Plan that outlines opportunities to help the Mississauga business community build back to better.

What is Digital Main Street (DMS)?

Digital Main Street is a program that helps brick-and-mortar businesses achieve their digital transformation goals. This program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of digital experts who help brick-and-mortar businesses grow and manage their operations through digital tools and technologies.

DIGITAL SERVICE SQUAD

Free Digital Help is Here!

Mississauga’s Digital Service Squad (DSS) is here to help your business achieve your digital transformation by building your online brand, helping to market and sell your products and/or services online, and to be competitive globally all through the use of digital tools and technologies.

Mississauga is home to over 90,000 small businesses. Our digital specialists work directly with your business to review your digital footprint and provide guidance and support through digital tools and technologies.

Our DSS can provide one-on-one assistance with:

  • Completing a Digital Assessment of your business
  • Help complete the Digital Transformation Grant application ($2,500)
  • Provide you with a free 360 degree image of your place of business. (value: $300)
  • Teach owners how to enhance their existing web presence through tools such as Google My Business, social media, e-commerce, etc.
  • Provide guidance, resources, and recommendations on growing digitally.

To learn more and apply, click here.

September 27, 2023
Love0

Greening our buildings – Give us your thoughts on green building standards

By Food for thought, Issues

Do you think it’s important that the City works to make sure most new private buildings are energy efficient, don’t create a lot of pollution, and are good for the environment?  If so, don’t miss this opportunity to share your thoughts about Mississauga’s Green Development Standards (GDS).  You can comment on:

  • Performance and resilience: this includes lower energy costs, improved comfort, power during energy outages, and renewable energy use.
  • Climate impacts: including air quality, greenhouse gases and cool temperature materials.
  • Ecology and natural systems: includes tree health, green roofs, biodiversity, and bird-friendly designs.

Buildings are one of the biggest GHG emitters. If we build them better, they will be better for the planet and save everyone money.

Picture of a green roof on a sustainable building

Our Green Development Standards will help our community cut down on harmful emissions and better prepare for climate change impacts. GDS are mandatory and voluntary standards which help ensure new private buildings are good for everyone – nature, people, and our local economy. If you care about our environment, your well-being, and the future of our community, we want to hear from you.

Take part in our GDS survey, tell us your priorities and share your ideas. The survey will be open until October 4, 2023.

We need your help to make our city even better! It’s your city, have your say!

Visit Have Your Say to learn more.

Why are Green Development Standards important?

Extreme weather events and an ever-changing climate need action from many places, people and approaches.

Each of us can make a difference: every person, place and approach is part of the solution.

One of the tools in Mississauga’s toolbox for addressing the climate emergency declared by City Council is The Climate Action Plan that maps out what we need to do and how we need to act.

The good news is that through design, there are ways to significantly reduce emissions and prevent further damage from extreme weather events.  The Mississauga GDS are meant to help private developers when they are designing new residential and office space developments to lower the greenhouse gas emissions.

September 8, 2023
Love0

SCOOP THAT POOP!

By Food for thought, Ward 1

SCOOP THAT POOP!

It’s all about responsibility – As good dog owners, we should set a good example by being courteous and law abiding by leashing, licensing and picking up after our dogs.

There is no excuse for not picking up after your dog. It is not fertilizer, it does not break down quickly, it pollutes our water and it causes harm to humans and the environment. Neglecting to pick up after your dog could mean that someone else picks it up…under their shoes. Respect your community and clean up after your dog to keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dog waste is not recyclable. Place it in a waste container designated for dog waste or take it home and dispose of it responsibly.

Dog waste is not fertilizer – it does not break down naturally. Dog waste takes months to break down, is highly acidic and can harm the soil, killing grass and plants.

Dog waste contains E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans and animals. Diseases can be transmitted by contact with dog waste. Dog waste contaminates beaches and other public spaces, posing serious health hazards to children playing nearby and to other people and animals.

Dog waste can contaminate the water supply. When it rains, dog waste soaks into groundwater and into storm sewers which flow to nearby streams and watersheds, affecting our drinking water and making swimming areas unsafe.

Dog waste can attract wildlife. Dog waste can attract coyotes into residential neighbourhoods and parks, which can lead to pet conflicts and nuisance behaviour.

It’s the law. You can be fined for not picking up after your dog. If you think no one is watching, remember that almost everyone has a camera (including those on smartphones). If you observe someone in your neighbourhood not picking up after their pet please report it by contacting 905-615-3200 extension 2425.

As per the Animal Care and Control By-law 0098-04, as amended, Part VII, Section 25) subsection 1) Every owner of an animal shall remove forthwith any excrement left by the animal on any property including highways. Failing to do so carries a maximum penalty of $100,000.

KNOW WHERE IT GOES!

The average dog produces 274 lbs of pet waste per year, with roughly 60,000 dogs in Mississauga -that’s 16.4 million lbs of pet waste per year!

Dog waste contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans, other animals and the environment. Pet waste left on the ground washes into the stormwater system and pollutes our water too!

Picking up pet waste protects our community health and environment! Clean up after your dog and keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.

SCOOP YOUR POOP

Pet waste is carried by rain into drainage ditches and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION

Keep our water clean and pick up your pet waste

Learn more here: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/home-and-yard/stormwater/stormwater-and-your-home/

You can help improve water quality and your local ecosystem by simply scooping your dogs poop!

How does pet waste end up in our local water systems and cause harmful damage to our environment?

  • Pet waste is carried by rain through street gutters and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION
  • Dog waste does NOT break down on it’s own
  • It is NOT a natural fertilizer and can throw off the balance of an ecosystem
  • Disease-causing bacteria and parasite can spread to OTHER DOGS and spread easily through our waterways to reach Lake Ontario, where it depletes the oxygen that fish and other water-based life need to survive

Picking up your pet waste benefits other dogs, water quality and our overall ecosystem!

August 1, 2023
Love0

Podcast – In Hindsight

By Events, Food for thought

“In Hindsight” is a Weekly Series (Following the Model of Old-Fashioned Radio) on Different Personalities in 19th and 20th Century Canadian History. It is produced by the Ontario Historical Society featuring Professor Donald Smith.

Professor Smith is the author of Sacred Feathers as well as many other books regarding Indigenous history.

A number of episodes focus on Dr. Smith’s research of the history of the Mississaugas, taking you back to historic Mississauga to learn about Canada’s and Mississauga’s Indigenous history.

Click here to listen and subscribe.

July 25, 2023
Love0

Pollution Prevention

By Food for thought, Issues

Stormwater is the rain and melted snow flowing from your property and roads that drains into streets, ditches, storm drains, local creeks and the Credit River into Lake Ontario. Stormwater drains to the natural environment. Preventing pollution from contaminating stormwater protects plants, fish and other animals downstream and also our critical drinking water supply from Lake Ontario.

Here are some ways you can help prevent contaminated water from entering the City’s stormwater system:

  • Does your car need a wash? Consider taking it to a commercial car wash that is connected to the sanitary sewer. Dirt, soap and other pollutants from your car flow into the City’s stormwater system when you wash your car in the driveway.
  • Take active steps to prevent any fertilizer products for your lawn and garden from over-spraying onto the roadway, sidewalk or driveway. Rain washes these pollutants directly into local waterways through the City’s stormwater system. Fertilizer in creeks, rivers and Lake Ontario can cause toxic algal blooms.
  • Store household wastes and chemicals in proper waste containers and take waste chemicals to a Community Recycling Centre.
  • Always pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly. Pet waste contains bacteria, viruses and high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous that make it a serious threat to water quality.

To learn more about Mississauga’s stormwater system and how to prevent stormwater pollution, visit mississauga.ca/stormwater.

To learn more about Mississauga’s parks and amenities, visit mississauga.ca/parks.

July 10, 2023
Love0

The Grown in Peel Local Food Guide is back

By Food for thought

The Grown in Peel Local Food Guide is now available online by visiting www.GrowninPeel.ca. The guide features locally grown products like fruits, vegetables, honey, meats, eggs, nursery stock items and beverages in Peel and shows when they are in season or available year-round. The guide also features many farm and farmers’ market listings through an easy-to-read online map.

The map displays information on the farms and farmers’ markets including available products, contact information, hours of operation, special events, activities, and much more! Peel residents can also find out when farms and farmers’ markets are open during the year.

“Please see this year’s Grown in Peel guide to find farm fresh products and activities that your family will enjoy”, says Gary Mountain, Chair, Peel Agricultural Advisory Working Group. “The Region of Peel is committed to making it easy for Peel residents to find fresh and flavourful locally grown fruits and vegetables. Please visit the online guide to find many healthy, delicious seasonal products and a variety of ways to enjoy a family outing at one of Peel’s farms or farmers’ markets.”

May 23, 2023
Love0

Open Fire Pits

By Food for thought

If a resident thinks someone has an illegal open air fire, or does not have a permit, they can report it by calling the non-emergency dispatch centre at 905-456-5700, ideally when the fire is lit.

Mississauga outdoor fire pits are permitted as long as residents are complying with the Open Air Burning bylaw. There are some restrictions on size of the fire pit, when you can have open flames burning and where the fire pit can be located.

For backyard fire pits, smokers, or other outdoor appliances, you do not require a permit, however, residents may be directed by the fire department to put out any fire that is considered a nuisance.

May 9, 2023
Love0