Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Mississauga remains fully committed to the Hazel McCallion Act, 2023 and the dissolution of Peel Region, despite warnings from the City of Brampton.
Mayor Bonnie Crombie responded to an “independent” report released by the City of Brampton, with claims about new costs as a result of the dissolution of the Peel Region. This report was not sent to any of the members of the province’s Transition Board or the City of Mississauga. The numbers have not been validated by the City of Mississauga or the province’s Transition Board and are therefore not reliable.
“This is nothing more than a political stunt,” Crombie said. “The province has passed the Hazel McCallion Act. The work on transition continues and is going well. This report is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the tough conversations that Brampton will have to have with its residents and businesses in the months and years to come.
“Mississauga has been ready to stand on its own two feet for some time, and I know Brampton and Caledon are as well. It is time for the politics to stop and for the hard work to continue. Hazel McCallion knew this was the right thing to do for decades and as we know, she always did her homework. Nothing’s changed – it’s still the right thing to do today.”
As the cities have grown, the priorities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon have “diverged in many areas,” the city said in a statement. Single tier status allows each City to make decisions in the best interest of its own residents and businesses. Vital decisions are not left up to the votes of the two other municipalities. A single tier city council would be fully accountable for the decisions made on all matters, so accountability is clear. And, funding and scarce resources can be focused on the most important priorities for each city.
“The work of the Transition Board continues every day and Mississauga is at the table, working through the tough decisions, with a goal of reaching independence,” said Shari Lichterman, City Manager and CAO. “It is a simple fact that eliminating a layer of government will lead to efficiencies overall. There is currently a significant amount of duplication or overlap between the Peel Region and the local municipalities. Now is the time to make a change and I am confident that by working together we will all be better off in the long run. We will not be distracted by unverified reports.”
The report from Brampton has been discredited largely due to its questionable methodology, misguided assumptions, and the fact that there was no input from any of the Region’s member municipalities in its creation.
Mississauga has taken steps to get ready for independence, including appointing an Interim Commissioner of Health and Human Services, and a Director of Municipal Transition and Integration. The city is ready for independence and will continue to work toward this important goal.
For more information visit Mississauga.ca/ourcityourfuture.