Category

Parks

Join the Invasive Species Awareness Fair: Learn how the City keeps natural spaces healthy and balanced

By Announcement, Events, Parks

Come out to the Invasive Species Awareness Fair at Erindale Park on May 25.

May 17, 2024

On Saturday, May 25, the City of Mississauga is hosting an Invasive Species Awareness Fair at Erindale Park from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The fair aims to raise awareness about how invasive species affect our natural environment and ways residents can take action. Invasive species are plants, animals or micro-organisms that are not native to Mississauga. In large numbers, invasive species can negatively affect natural environments, habitats, ecosystems and the City’s urban forest.

During the event, residents will learn more about non-native invasive plants and emerging invasive pests. Residents will also have the opportunity to learn how to detect invasive species while exploring Erindale Park on a guided walk, join a garlic mustard pulling competition and participate in other family-friendly activities.

At the fair, there will also be goats to showcase a new and unique approach to managing invasive plant species – goat grazing. The initiative to use goat grazing as an invasive plant control method is new and unique to the area. There will also be baby goats for residents to meet.

Yellow graphic of "Invasive Species Awareness Fair"

Event details

What

The City is hosting the Invasive Species Awareness Fair to share information about invasive species.

Who

Mississauga residents interested in learning more about invasive species in the city.

Registration is not required. If joining the guided nature walk and/or garlic mustard removal, participants must sign a waiver once they arrive (if under 18 years old, a parent or guardian will need to sign the waiver).

When

Saturday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where

Erindale Park
1695 Dundas St W.
Mississauga, ON

The Invasive Species Awareness Fair will be on the west side of the park, across the pedestrian bridge.

Get involved as a Mississauga Nature Steward

Become a Mississauga Nature Steward and help City staff remove invasive plants in parks and natural areas. As a Nature Steward, you will be provided with training and supplies to work independently or have the opportunity to participate in staff-led events to work alongside City staff and other members of the public.

The City is hosting five stewardship events to learn what garlic mustard is and how to properly remove and dispose of the invasive plant while working alongside City staff.

The events include:

Creditview Wetlands

Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to noon | Register

Adamson Estate

Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to noon | Register

Tecumseh Park

Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to noon | Register

Cawthra Woods

Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to noon | Register

Sawmill Valley Trail

Saturday, July 6 from 10 a.m. to noon | Register

Report invasive species

The City’s Invasive Species Management Plan and Implementation Strategy guides the management of priority invasive species in priority natural areas across Mississauga.

If you spot an invasive plant species on City property like a park, trail or boulevard, you can report it using the invasive species reporting form. If you spot spongy moth in Mississauga, you can report it using the online reporting form.

Learn more about the Invasive Species Awareness Fair.

Invasive Species Stewardship Event

By Events, Parks, Resources, Ward 1

Please be aware of  two upcoming invasive species stewardship events in Ward 1 this Spring.

 

Event Location: Adamson Estate Park

Event Date and Time: Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 10:00am to 12:00pm

Activity: Removing invasive Garlic Mustard

Participants can register here: Event link

 

Event Location: Cawthra Woods

Event Date and Time: Wednesday June 26, 2024 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Activity: Removing invasive groundcover plants

Participants can register here: Event link

 

These events support the City’s Invasive Species Management Plan and Implementation Strategy, which aims to reduce the abundance of Invasive Species in Mississauga’s natural areas and collaborate with Mississauga residents to increase the success of invasive species projects.

Feedback from Mississauga residents is helping shape the City’s future

By Announcement, Parks, Resources

New Future Directions plans for Culture, Recreation, Parks, Forestry & Environment, Library and Fire & Emergency Services were approved by Council.

Today at Council(April 3, 2024), the new Future Directions plans for CultureRecreationParks, Forestry & EnvironmentLibrary, and Fire & Emergency Services were approved.

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:

  • Adding new amenities across Mississauga, including but not limited to cricket facilities, spray pads, pickleball courts, and leash-free zones.
  • Exploring fee subsidies for attending and hosting cultural programming to increase access to Recreation and Culture venues, programs and events.
  • Redeveloping or expanding Lakeview Library to service anticipated population growth, and to redevelop or expand Mississauga Valley Library as part of a broader renovation of the community centre.
  • Constructing a new community centre in Service Area E (Cooksville) to include an indoor aquatics centre, library, double gymnasium, fitness studio, and multi-purpose program space.
  • Developing and implementing fire safety public education programming that targets residents ages 65 and above, school aged children ages 6-14 and unregistered daycare and community group homes.

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.

Region of Peel Construction Notice – Project Update – Revised Completion Date

By Announcement, Parks, Planning & Development, Resources

East Trunk Offline Storage Facility
Southcreek Road and Etobicoke Valley Dog Park

Peel Region has been working in your area to install a new sanitary trunk sewer offline storage facility,
and properly retire an existing sanitary trunk sewer, as shown on the attached map.
To respond to climate change and meet the demands of a growing population, we are constructing an
underground facility that will store wastewater during large rain events. (For more information, see
http://peelregion.ca/public-works/environmental-assessments/mississauga/east-trunk-ss-offline-storage-facility.asp for Environmental Assessment.)

Construction schedule

Work is progressing with most of the underground works completed. However, all remaining work and restoration is now scheduled to be completed in Fall 2024. All efforts will be made to open the Dog Park at our earliest opportunity. All work is under warranty for two years from the completion date.

Contractor and working hours

The work is being completed by EBC Inc. and supported by Arcadis (previously known as IBI Group), both under contract to Peel Region. This contractor’s normal working hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday. These hours are consistent with the local municipality’s bylaws. To complete the work on time, there may be times when work will be completed later into the evening or on Saturdays. We understand this may cause some inconvenience, but shorter working days would require your neighbourhood to be under construction for a longer period of time. We will attempt to minimize overnight work whenever possible.

Closure of Etobicoke Valley Dog Park and associated trails

To keep pedestrians and their pets safe, the Etobicoke Valley Dog Park and the trails leading to the dog
park will continue to be closed until all work is completed in Fall 2024. Trail closure signs are posted on
site. Alternate dog park locations can be found by visiting http://mississauga.ca/events-andattractions/ parks/find-a-park/

Once all work is completed and the dog park is reopened, we will notify residents through an advertisement in the local newspaper and by distributing notices to the surrounding area.

Traffic and parking

We will work to manage traffic in the area for the safety of workers, road users and residents.

  • Temporary lane restrictions may be required on Dundas Street East near the active construction area to complete the work safely. As a result, road users may experience delays on Dundas Street East.
  • The south portion of Southcreek Road will remain closed to traffic, as well as the Etobicoke Valley Dog Park’s parking lot. Access to businesses will be maintained.
  • There will be no on-street parking on Southcreek Road during construction.
  • Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times.

Safety during construction

Construction zones require extra caution to keep everyone safe – pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and construction workers. When driving, walking, or biking through the construction area, please be aware of your surroundings, watch for construction crews and other road users, slow down, account for delays, and consider other routes if possible. To learn more about how to stay safe in construction zones, visit
http://peelregion.ca/construction/workzonesafety

Project funding

The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is a cost-shared infrastructure funding program between the Federal and Provincial governments and has committed $8 million of combined funding toward this Peel Region project.

Keeping you informed

We will let you know if there are any major changes to the plans. Receive timely project updates right to your inbox by signing up for e-notices. Visit http://peelregion.ca/construction/signup or scan the QR code below (using your cell phone camera) to start signing up.

Information on this project can also be found peelregion.ca/pw/construction/miss/18-2441.asp
Follow Peel Public Works on Twitter (twitter.com/peelpublicworks) for project updates.
Thank you for your patience as we complete this necessary work. This work will allow us to continue providing you with high quality wastewater services. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Condition Assessment and Rehabilitation
Engineering Services Division
Public Works, Region of Peel
Email: construction@peelregion.ca
Phone: 905-791-7800 ext. 4409

Port Credit Memorial Park Skate Loop Lighting Update

By Announcement, Parks, Resources, Ward 1

Please be advised that the Contractor will return to the skate loop on next Monday, Feb 12 to replace the temporary light poles.

The work will begin at 8am and it is planned to be completed by the evening.

The skate loop will be temporary closed to the public during the light pole installation and resume service in the evening.

This planned closure will be mentioned on the rink hotline message and Notice of service disruption signs will be posted on the weekend by Operations.

311 will be notified by this email.

Coyote Information Session – Thursday February 15th

By Events, Issues, Parks

Mississauga is home to a lot of wildlife, including coyotes. Coyotes are native to North America and live in natural areas, including suburbs and cities. Mississauga residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy and live in harmony with wildlife by not interfering with their natural instincts and behaviours.

Learn more about coyotes and other urban wildlife in Mississauga by visiting mississauga.ca/wildlife.

The City of Mississauga will be hosting a free information session to educate residents on coyotes and how to coexist in urban environments. The session is open to all interested Mississauga residents and will be held on Thursday, February 15. Attendance to the session is being offered either in-person or online.

The session will feature a presentation from Mississauga Animal Services staff who will share information about coyote behaviour, mating season, safety tips and how to report coyote sightings or encounters. The session will also include a Q&A period where residents can ask questions related to coyotes and get answers from the City’s Animal Services team.

What

Coyote information session – hybrid meeting (attend in-person or online)
This information session is open to all Mississauga residents

When

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2024

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Where

Burnhamthorpe Community Centre – Applewood Room

1500 Gulleden Drive
Mississauga, ON

Online session – WebEx virtual meeting (requires registration)

Questions

Residents are encouraged to share their coyotes questions in advance of the session by emailing mypet.info@mississauga.ca.

Port Credit Memorial Park Skating Trail Opening Friday January 19th

By Announcement, Events, Parks, Stephen’s Initiatives, Ward 1

Councillor Stephen Dasko is pleased to announce the opening of an initiative that is near and dear to his heart.

Port Credit Memorial Park Skating Trail
will open starting
Friday January 19th at 4:30 pm

Enjoy a special, inaugural skate and hot chocolate with Councillor Stephen Dasko!  Check out and test the new skating trail prior to the Official Grand Opening.

Mark your calendar

Official Grand Opening Event
will take place on
Saturday February 17th 4:30 to 7 pm 

This FREE event will feature Figure Skating Club performances, ribbon cutting, Fire & Ice demonstrations, ice sculptures, interactive children’s activities, a DJ playing favourite tunes, food vendors, skate rentals, contests and much more!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

2024 Budget moves Mississauga forward

By Announcement, Parks, Planning & Development, Resources

Mississauga’s 2024-2027 Business Plan & 2024 Budget was adopted today by Mayor Bonnie Crombie. The 2024 Budget moves Mississauga forward by prioritizing infrastructure, building and growth while maintaining a safe and healthy community. It outlines how the City will allocate resources to meet service expectations for 13 service areas and more than 300 programs and services over the next four years, ensuring affordability for residents and businesses.

Important investments

Key capital investments in 2024 include:

  • Hybrid bus acquisitions – $87.9 million
  • New fire stations and station renovations – $24.6 million
  • Major road construction – $22.4 million
  • New park development – $41.4 million
  • Road rehabilitation – $44.6 million
  • Storm sewers – $19.2 million

“Mississauga’s 2024 Budget proposes a modest 2.3 per cent increase on the City’s portion of the tax bill compared to 3 per cent last year. This was achieved through finding $3.7 million in savings and efficiencies while being extremely measured when considering anything new,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “The budget remains prudent with tax dollars, with nearly half (2.9 per cent) of the budget increase allocated to maintaining the status quo for the 200 services provided by the City. We are exploring new opportunities to move Mississauga forward like housing, transportation, public safety and mitigating climate change. The largest investment within the budget is for transit as we look to increase service levels and support our community’s growth.”

Property taxes

More than 57 per cent of the City’s revenue comes from property tax from residents and commercial/industrial properties. This is the main revenue tool for municipalities as per the Municipal Act, 2001.

Mississauga residents will see a 2.34 per cent increase on the City portion of the residential tax bill and business owners will see a 1.59 per cent increase on the City portion of the commercial/industrial tax bill.

New initiatives

Of the 21 new initiatives proposed for 2024, 13 are funded by user fees or other revenues, or are funded from capital, and do not impact the tax rate. These initiatives include a MiWay service increase, the opening of a new fire station, parkland growth, and invasive species management programs.

“Of every property tax dollar collected, only 37 cents stays in the City of Mississauga, and we’re putting that money to good use,” said Shari Lichterman, City Manager and Chief Administrative Officer. “We’re committed to keeping costs low by identifying operational efficiencies, securing financial support from other levels of government, and charging user fees where appropriate. At the same time, we continue to make smart investments in making the quality of life for residents better today, and into the future.”

Cost savings

The City has implemented cost containment strategies to help bring down costs. The 2024 Budget contains savings of $3.7 million (a 0.6 per cent reduction in the City’s net costs). Since 2009, the City has achieved $80.8 million in cost savings.

The Business Plan & Budget plays a significant role in shaping our city, so it’s important to take the time to read and understand it. The City’s 2024-2027 Business Plan & 2024 Budget, contains valuable information about how tax dollars are spent and highlights specific projects that will be undertaken throughout the City.

Individuals who are interested to learn more about the City’s adopted 2024 Budget and the budget process can visit mississauga.ca/budget.

2024 Budget Highlights

2024 Budget Book - Moving Mississauga Forward