Mississauga plans to ask Ontario for independence
Mississauga is fighting for independence, and it wants to take that fight to the province.
Earlier this week, Mississauga's city council voted to ask the province for its independence in Peel Region, where it's "tethered" to other cities, including Brampton and Caledon.
As a regional municipality, Peel acts as a single unit in some ways. Mississauga, however, is arguing that this structure no longer suits the region, due to each city's incredible growth since formation.
Mayor Bonnie Crombie, who is on the side of independence, points out that more people are commuting in to the city for work than out of it, and that millions of dollars are being spent by Mississauga to fund other cities.
Today, Council passed in principle my motion requesting the province pass legislation that #Mississauga become independent from the Region of Peel. Analysis shows we send $85M to the Region to fund the growth of others cities. This is not fair to residents and businesses. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/eo2SmPVEcT
— Bonnie Crombie 🇨🇦 (@BonnieCrombie) March 20, 2019
She believes Mississauga should not be paying the bill for infrastructure, growth or services of Brampton and Caledon.
The desire for independence is not a new one, as former mayor Hazel McCallion argued for it since the Region of Peel's creation in 1974.
But, with the passing of the legislation "in principle" in the Mississauga city hall chambers, the plans are at least moving forward in some aspect.
Our money should go towards #Mississauga priorities. We must be able to govern our affairs & set our vision w/o interference. Before finalizing our position, we will host a community meeting. Stay tuned for more info. You can also submit comments here: https://t.co/KyeplDH7Tb 2/2
— Bonnie Crombie 🇨🇦 (@BonnieCrombie) March 20, 2019
Other paths were considered when looking at the region. City staff recommended a few options, including independence, a reforming of the regional government, or an amalgamation of the three cities. Ultimately, Mississauga's city council opted to pursue separation from the region, and a single-tier municipality status.
Various administrative decisions need to be made and passed, and then Mississauga will approach the province for a regional review.
