City of Mississauga Takes Steps to Strengthen Relations with Indigenous Communities

By Issues

November 5, 2020

The City of Mississauga takes another step forward on the path to reaffirming its commitment to building and evolving relations with Indigenous communities in Mississauga.

“Mississauga has a historical and valued relationship with Indigenous communities, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “We respect the ancestral lands on which Mississauga resides, and with Council’s endorsement, we will continue to foster this relationship and look forward to engaging with the Indigenous community as we work together to build a strong future for our City while honouring its rich history.”

In recognition of Treaties’ Week, the Civic Centre clock tower will be lit purple and white tonight.

The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation’s flag will also be permanently installed in the City’s Council Chamber, as a sign of respect for the history of the Treaties that cover the lands of the City of Mississauga. A ceremony to officially introduce the flag will take place in 2021.

According to a report presented to City officials, staff identified seven actionable items in response to the Federal Government’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which is intended to enable further reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.

The City of Mississauga endorses the Declaration of Mutual Commitment and Friendship by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centers (OFIFC). This declaration aims to improve the quality of life of Indigenous peoples in municipalities across all of Ontario.

The City’s name itself descends from the word “Missisakis” in the Anishinaabemowin language used by Indigenous peoples who lived along the banks of the Credit River. As such, a proposed amendment to a City by-law to formally recognize the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Indigenous origin of the City of Mississauga’s name will be brought before City Council next week after being introduced at General Committee yesterday.

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November 5, 2020
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Mississauga to Start Licensing Short-Term Accommodation Operators

By Issues, Resources

November 4, 2020

Today, the City’s General Committee received a staff report on a proposed by-law that will require operators of short-term accommodation rental properties to legally license them with the City. Pending approval at Council, the new by-law will go into effect on January 19, 2021. It will apply to anyone renting out all or part of their home for 30 consecutive days or less.

According to the staff report, short-term accommodation operators will be required to:

  • obtain a licence in order to operate in Mississauga
  • only rent from within their principal residence, which is the location where they live for the majority of the calendar year and the address that is used for bills, identification, taxes and insurance.

“Short-term accommodations are here to stay in Mississauga. It’s important that operators are licensed in order to ensure public safety and maintain community standards across the City,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “By regulating those who rent their homes on a short-term basis, local residents and visitors to the City can be assured that these properties operate safely and in compliance with applicable laws.”

Current operators will have a six-month grace period to obtain a licence. New operators as of January 19, 2021 will need to get a licence before they can set up operation.

“The main objective of the Short-Term Accommodation By-law is to ensure public safety and maintain community standards,” said Sam Rogers, Director, Enforcement. “Officers will be better equipped to respond to public complaints and address nuisance issues such as noise, garbage and parking. We will also improve our ability to remove any high-risk operators from online platforms quickly and permanently.”

To obtain a licence, operators must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Produce proper government-issued identification
  • Provide contact information for the person responsible for short-term accommodation
  • Show evidence that the rental is in a principal residence
  • Post the City-issued licence number in all print or online advertisements
  • Pay an annual licensing fee of $250
  • Comply with the Short-Term Accommodation By-law, coming January 2021

Operators will be able to obtain their licence online at mississauga.ca/STA starting January 19, 2021. More information about short-term accommodation licensing is available at mississauga.ca/STA.

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November 4, 2020
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City’s Annual Budget Recognized with Prestigious Financial Award

By Issues, Resources

November 4, 2020

For the 31st consecutive year, the City of Mississauga received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2020-2023 Business Plan and 2020 Budget Book – the most by a Canadian municipality. This award was presented by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada.

“Receiving this prestigious award over the past three decades confirms our commitment to deliver the services Mississauga residents rely on while delivering value for money. It also reflects the commitment of the City to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting,” said Gary Kent, Commissioner of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer. “The City of Mississauga has a solid track record of sound financial decision-making and good financial planning. Our annual budget is carefully constructed with extensive public consultation, economic forecasting and diligent accounting.”

GFOA award submissions must meet nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation to receive this award. The GFOA assesses each budget submission for its merit as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.

Kent added, “The City’s annual budget provides funding and resources to deliver programs and services while maintaining the infrastructure that residents and businesses rely on. Its an important process to give Council the information they need to make informed decisions as they continue to deliver value for money with the tax dollars we received.”

The GFOA awards are given to municipalities who have met the highest standards of government budgeting and financial reporting.

Review the 2020-2023 Business Plan and 2020 Budget Book.

Background:

The GFOA is a non-profit association serving more than 20,000 government finance professionals throughout North America. The purpose of the GFOA is to enhance and promote the professional management of governments for the public benefit. This is achieved by identifying and developing financial policies and best practices and promoting their use through education, training, facilitation of member networking and leadership. GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 20,500 members and the communities they serve. For more information on their award programs, visit gfoa.org.

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November 4, 2020
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Bill 197 Illustrates the Importance of Municipal Advocacy

By Covid-19, Issues, Resources

November 4, 2020

Today, General Committee received staff reports from Planning and Building and Corporate Services which examined the impacts of the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 (Bill 197) to Mississauga.

As described in the staff reports, the Act contains amendments to several statutes that affect municipal planning, development charges, environmental assessments and transportation infrastructure. Changes to the Planning Act, which replace those previously proposed as part of the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108), are significant to Mississauga and come as the result of strong advocacy efforts from Mississauga and other municipalities across the province.

The changes originally proposed in Bill 108 would have significantly reduced the City’s ability to provide adequate park, recreation and library infrastructure to support new development.  The City advocated for a number of changes to Bill 108, and the province largely listened.

“The amendments to the Planning Act in Bill 197 are generally positive for Mississauga and largely a return to the status quo,” said Andrew Whittemore, Commissioner of Planning and Building. “We are pleased to see that the new legislation maintains the existing provisions for parkland dedication, cash-in-lieu payments, and the alternative parkland rates. In addition, the new structure of the Community Benefit Charge provides us with flexibility to fund growth-related capital costs for services such as affordable housing, public art, community services, parking or other Council priorities.

Bill 197 includes changes to the Development Charges Act. Development Charges are fees collected by the City for the development and redevelopment of land. Development Charges are the City’s primary revenue tool for funding growth-related capital costs. This reduces the overall burden on property taxes.

“These amendments come as welcome news during this challenging year as we continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19 on Mississauga’s budget,” said Gary Kent, Commissioner of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer. “Changes to the Development Charges Act eliminate the 10 per cent discount to soft services (libraries, parks and recreation). These were previously proposed to be recovered through the Community Benefits Charge and are now fully recoverable through development charges. This moves us closer to the ideal that ‘growth should pay for growth’ but is still not an absolute.”

To implement the CBC, a by-law will need to be developed. It is anticipated that this process will occur in tandem with the City’s update to its Development Charges by-law that is set to commence in early 2021.

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November 4, 2020
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Phase 2 Safe Restart Agreement Funding Requested for Transit and Municipal Streams

By Covid-19, Issues, Resources

November 4, 2020

Today, Council approved Mississauga’s submission to the Government of Ontario for Phase 2 of the Safe Restart Agreement Funding to help meet municipal operating shortfalls as a result of COVID-19 pressures.

“We are grateful for the initial funding from Phase 1 of the Safe Restart Agreement Funding. That was a step in the right direction,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “We have reviewed our shortfall and the projected pressures we continue to face during this pandemic. As a result, we are requesting additional funding as offered by the province, to meet our City’s operating needs. We are committed to our recovery efforts and diligently doing our homework to ensure Mississauga receives its fair share in funding.”

The City of Mississauga received $46.1 million in Phase 1 Safe Restart Agreement funding: $15 million through the municipal relief stream and $31 million through the transit relief stream.

“We are grateful to both the federal and provincial governments for their COVID-19 relief funding and welcome the opportunity for further assistance going forward. The $46 million goes a long way to offset our deficit  and our anticipated expenses to December 31, 2020. We do not know with precision what November or December will bring in terms of positive or negative financial performance. In the meantime, staff continue to look for ways to help the City financially, including working diligently to secure funding from other levels of government through these types of programs. It is part of our ongoing actions to prepare for the 2021 budget.”

Safe Restart Agreement Funding

Through the Safe Restart Agreement the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario will provide $4 billion to help Ontario municipalities relieve financial pressures created by COVID-19 and to keep transit systems running through municipal and transit relief streams. Through the Safe Restart Agreement with the federal government, $695 million will help municipalities address operating pressures related to the COVID-19 pandemic through the first round of emergency funding, and over $660 million will support transit systems. Up to $695 million in additional operating funding will be available through Phase 2 to eligible municipalities after they have provided the province with information on their estimated COVID-19- related financial pressures.

November 4, 2020
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SCHEDULED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020 FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M.

By Events, Issues, Resources

November 3, 2020

SCHEDULED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION

Dear Customer:

The Region of Peel Public Works department regularly maintains and repairs the water system to make sure you have a reliable supply of quality drinking water. Sometimes we must turn off your water supply while we do the work. In the next few days, we will be working in your area and will have to turn off your water for a few hours.

Your water will be turned off on Saturday, November 7, 2020 from approximately 09:00 a.m. to 01:00 p.m. However, if the weather is bad or if a problem arises, we will reschedule the work and will let you know the new date and time.

When we turn the water back on, air in the pipes may make the water cloudy and your plumbing may vibrate or make noise. If this happens, you can remove the air by briefly turning on your taps from the lowest to the highest faucet in the building (that is, starting in the basement/first floor and finishing on the top floor). Flush the toilets as well.

You should only have to run the water for 10 to 30 seconds, but keep running it until the water is clear and any vibration or noise has stopped.

If your water meter starts to leak, call Water Meter Installations Dispatch at:

  • (905) 791 – 7800 Ext. 3226 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Monday to Friday)
  • (905) 791 – 7800 Ext. 4409 (After hours or Statutory Holidays)

INTERRUPTION DETAILS

Date: and Time:        Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 09:00 a.m. to 01:00 p.m.

Location:                    21 Park St E, Mississauga

Addresses Affected:  26 Park St E, 12 Park St E & 24 Stavebank

November 3, 2020
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SCHEDULED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020 FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M.

By Events, Issues, Resources

November 3, 2020

SCHEDULED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION

Dear Customer:

The Region of Peel Public Works department regularly maintains and repairs the water system to make sure you have a reliable supply of quality drinking water. Sometimes we must turn off your water supply while we do the work. In the next few days, we will be working in your area and will have to turn off your water for a few hours.

Your water will be turned off on Thursday, November 5, 2020 from approximately 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. However, if the weather is bad or if a problem arises, we will reschedule the work and will let you know the new date and time.

When we turn the water back on, air in the pipes may make the water cloudy and your plumbing may vibrate or make noise. If this happens, you can remove the air by briefly turning on your taps from the lowest to the highest faucet in the building (that is, starting in the basement/first floor and finishing on the top floor). Flush the toilets as well.

You should only have to run the water for 10 to 30 seconds, but keep running it until the water is clear and any vibration or noise has stopped.

If your water meter starts to leak, call Water Meter Installations Dispatch at:

  • (905) 791 – 7800 Ext. 3226 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Monday to Friday)
  • (905) 791 – 7800 Ext. 4409 (After hours or Statutory Holidays)

INTERRUPTION DETAILS 

Date: and Time:        Thursday, November 5, 2020 from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m.

Location:                    1247 North Service Road, Mississauga

Addresses Affected: 

North Service: #’s 1215, 1223, 1229, 1235, 1241, 1247, 1253, 1259, 1265

November 3, 2020
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Giving Tuesday – December 1st, 2020

By Events, Issues

Giving Tuesday is a global movement unlocking the power of generosity to transform communities. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to giving. It started as a simple idea in 2012 and is now celebrated in more than 60 countries around the world.

On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, join Mississauga Gives to celebrate the Giving Tuesday movement in Mississauga and encourage each other to do good. Donate to charity, volunteer, support a small business, fundraise, help spread the word, or perform an act of kindness – especially during these challenging times.

Learn more about the global Giving Tuesday movement at GivingTuesday.org and locally at mississaugagives.ca.

November 3, 2020
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Nominate an Inspirational Cyclist or Group for the Phil Green Recognition Award

By Events

November 2, 2020

Do you know someone who regularly travels by bike and inspires others to do so? Do you know someone who strongly advocated for cycling programs or infrastructure in Mississauga this year? The Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC) is looking for nominations for its annual Phil Green Recognition Award, so that this passion and effort may be recognized and celebrated by the community.

 

The Phil Green Recognition Award is presented by MCAC annually. Residents are invited to nominate a resident or group who showed exceptional effort in 2020 to promote cycling or other forms of sustainable transportation in Mississauga.

See the nomination form for full eligibility details.

What:
Call for nominees – Phil Green Recognition Award

When:
The nomination period starts today. 
The deadline to submit your nomination is Monday, November 30, 2020.

How:
Submit your nomination by email to the address listed on the form, or by using the online form. MCAC will review the nominations and will select the winning resident or group.

The winner will be announced and recognized at a City Council meeting in early 2021.

For more information about the Phil Green Recognition Award, visit mississaugaikes.ca/phil-green-award.

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November 2, 2020
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Virtual Press Conference: Mississauga’s COVID-19 Update for November 4, 2020

By Covid-19, Events, Issues

November 2, 2020

On Wednesday, November 4 at 3:15 p.m., media are invited to virtually attend Mayor Bonnie Crombie’s twenty-eighth weekly press conference focused on the City of Mississauga’s latest COVID-19 recovery plans.

Details

What:
Latest updates and announcements on the City’s COVID-19 plans for recovery in Mississauga

When:
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 3:15 p.m.

Who:
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health at Region of Peel
Tim Beckett, Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management

Where:
Online – the virtual press conference will be streamed on the City’s website at https://web.mississauga.ca/council/council-activities/council-and-committee-videos/press-conferences-and-events/

Media: All media must RSVP to Megan Schabla, megan.schabla@mississauga.ca by noon on November 4 if they would like to participate and ask questions. Confirmed media will be provided with a Webex meeting request and log-in details in order to join the conference.

For more information about the City’s COVID-19 response and service impacts, visit: mississauga.ca/recovery.

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November 2, 2020
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MiWay introduces first-ever 60 foot hybrid-electric buses in Ontario

By Resources

MiWay has introduced 11 new, second-generation 60 foot hybrid-electric buses that are convertible to full battery power, helping to reduce the environmental impacts of public transit advancing the City of Mississauga’s commitment to zero-emission buses in its fleet. These are the first buses of its kind in Ontario and the third in Canada.

Features of the buses include:

Increased green benefits and cost savings

  • Start-stop engine technology that shuts down the engine while stopped at bus stops and automatically restarts when the brake is released – achieving up to 25 per cent fuel savings than conventional diesel-powered buses.
  • Reduced number of drive belts from four to one, reducing the potential of breakdowns on the road and lowering overall maintenance costs.
  • All electrically powered sub systems such as power steering, HVAC, passenger door operation and air brake compressor.

Increased safety

  • Three additional external cameras that provide external rear-views along both sides and rear of the bus.

Increased accessibility

  • All-electric “Smart Rider” accessible wheelchair ramp – capable of lateral kneeling and self-levelling to adjustable heights, assisting with customer safety.

Enhanced mechanical features

  • All-drive control mechanisms and battery storage systems that are mounted on the roof.
  • “Plug and play” components, helping to simplify the maintenance process.

The new buses are expected to be ready for on-street service in early 2021.

November 2, 2020
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Virtual Remembrance Day Ceremony Honours Canada’s Heroes, Past and Present

By Events

November 2, 2020

On November 11, the City of Mississauga invites residents to join City officials online for a virtual Remembrance Day ceremony.

Virtual Remembrance Day Ceremony – Details

When
Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Time
10:40 to 11:15 a.m.

Watch Virtually
Live stream on mississauga.ca/remembranceday or on the City Facebook page.

Wreath-laying
Anyone wishing to provide a wreath to the City to be laid on November 11 can contact lindsay.noronha@mississauga.ca or 905-615-3200 ext.3940 by Thursday, November 5, 2020.

Wreaths must be dropped off to the Civic Centre Great Hall, located on the ground floor of the Civic Centre on Tuesday, November 10 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Mandatory Media RSVP
All media that would like to cover the virtual ceremony in-person must RSVP to bryan.sparks@mississauga.ca by noon on Friday, November 6. Event attendance numbers will follow provincial guidelines. As such, invites may be withdrawn at any time in advance of the ceremony to maintain health and safety guidelines.

Museums of Mississauga Programs and Events:
As the City’s Remembrance Day service provides an opportunity to reflect on Canada’s veterans and current members of the Armed Forces, Museums of Mississauga is offering virtual and in-person programs throughout the fall and into 2021.

Veterans Ride MiWay for Free on Remembrance Day
Canadian Forces veterans and their companion can ride MiWay for free on Remembrance Day, Wednesday, November 11. Veterans should wear items such as uniforms, medals or carry items that identify them as veterans to transit operators. As a mark of respect to Canadian veterans, all transit operators will stop their buses for two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. on November 11.

November 2, 2020
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