On Thursday, the Ontario government introduced the Hazel McCallion Act — a nod to Mississauga's longest-serving mayor — which would begin the process of dissolving the Regional Municipality of Peel if passed. 

Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark tabled the legislation which honours the legacy of McCallion, who was a long-time advocate for the autonomy of Mississauga. If passed, the legislation would effectively make Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon independent municipalities. 

The divorce was welcomed by some and doubted by others who questioned the logistics and financial implications of the transition.

The Region of Peel is the provider of water and sanitary sewer. Neither Mississauga or Brampton & Caledon have any staff or facilities to deal with water and wastewater… how are they going to divide that up? Or will they have to form a third party water/sewer provider? Sounds $$

— BB (@BBMuskoka1) May 17, 2023

Since 1974, the Region has been delivering a wide range of programs and services, including paramedic services, health programs, long-term care, child care support, garbage collection and recycling, water and water treatment, road maintenance, housing, and shelter. 

This is the most pressing problem for the provincial government? Schools, water, sewage, police, paramedics etc. are all shared. Is it really more efficient and cheaper to duplicate all of these?

— Mike B (@TweetsFromBones) May 17, 2023

"Our government is working with our municipal partners to provide the tools and autonomy required to deliver on our shared commitments to the people of Ontario, including addressing the housing supply crisis," said Clark. 

What will happen to Caledon?. I think too small to make it on its own. Property taxes will have to jump insane to make up short fall from the regional system.

— JimBW (@jwilso2416) May 17, 2023

"The Region of Peel includes some of the largest and fastest-growing municipalities in Canada and is poised for significant growth over the next decade. Our government is supporting this growth by cutting red tape and improving efficiency while maintaining and improving the high level of local services Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon residents rightly expect." 

What happens to the police department or the paramedic services run by the region ?

— Magical Lights (@MagicalOfMilton) May 17, 2023

The province would establish a transition board of up to five people to facilitate the change and oversee the financial affairs of Peel to ensure "prudent financial stewardship until dissolution." 

The board would provide recommendations to help Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon prepare to become independent municipalities on Jan. 1, 2025. 

why doesn’t our provincial government actually prioritize the pressing issues in the province??

— ems (@Tacoavocados) May 18, 2023

"This is a historic day for the people of Mississauga and for our future. I want to thank the Minister and the Premier for answering our calls for an independent Mississauga. As Ontario's third-largest city that's home to 100,000 businesses and the province's second-largest economy, we're ready to stand on our own two feet and make our own decisions about the future of our city," said Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga. 

There have been disagreements about governance, but all partners involved continue to respect and value the services Peel delivers to the residents, vulnerable in society and businesses we serve.

There will be no service interruptions for our community.

— Peel Region (@regionofpeel) May 18, 2023

"We expect to work closely with the transition board to achieve a result that respects the taxpayers of Brampton, allows our city to continue its significant growth, and treats all municipalities within Peel Region equitably," said Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton.

The Region of Peel currently serves more than 1.5 million residents and approximately 163,000 businesses.