“Knowledge is power,” Caledon Mayor Annette Groves said, vowing to provide Caledon residents with all the information they need to understand her widely panned development proposal to facilitate the construction of 35,000 units in the town.
Despite this promise, which came after hundreds of angry residents filled Town Hall in protest, the Mayor, CAO and the Town have repeatedly failed to answer critical questions.
The ongoing erosion of public healthcare under the PC government, which continues to mix private delivery models with the universal system of care, was highlighted by those who demonstrated at Brampton’s lone hospital. The lack of frontline capacity to serve the rapidly growing city was also a focus.
Mississauga mayoral candidate and sitting Councillor Dipika Damerla came under fire this week for vowing to cancel the city’s Bloor Street bike lane project if she wins the by-election, despite almost a year of work and substantial funding that has already been invested since the plan was approved.
Residents had their first chance to hear directly from candidates at public events this week, as a new poll showed frontrunner Carolyn Parrish has increased her lead over the field.
A 600-square-foot unit for $800,000; $2.5 million for a 1,600-square-foot unit.
The pre-construction cost of a Lakeview Village condo is out of reach for 80 percent of Peel residents, but the PC government is trying to rush construction claiming a lack of supply is the reason for the current housing crisis. The 16,000 units are being expedited while condo sales across the GTA have crashed. The high prices raise questions about who will benefit from the project being aggressively pushed by the PCs who issued a surprise MZO last year doubling the size of Lakeview Village.
Brampton Councillor Rowena Santos and Mayor Patrick Brown have repeatedly complained about the lack of help from higher levels of government, while pushing budget freezes at City Hall and failing to fund housing support at the Region of Peel. The pair brought forward a successful motion at the Region in March passing the responsibility to Ottawa, despite jurisdiction over housing and shelter support lying at the local level of government in Ontario.
As encampments spread across the city regional staff are hosting a public information session Thursday to address the spread of makeshift shelters popping up across Brampton.
Armagh House, an organization that offers the only transitional housing in the Region of Peel for women and children seeking shelter to escape violence in the home, was recently awarded funding through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. While the PC government has finally agreed to support an NDP motion to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario, it continues to ignore the need for financial support that would help save lives.
Latest Episode
Ceremonies were held across Niagara to mark the United Nations’ World Day for Safety and Health at Work, or as it is more widely known in Canada, the National Day of Mourning.
Memorial services take place nationwide every year on April 28th to remember and honour those lives lost or injured as a result of their employment.
The PC government made the surprise move of supporting an NDP private-member’s bill to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario—something it has repeatedly refused to do. But instead of approving the bill, it has been referred to the justice committee for study ahead of an official declaration. It has some worried that the PC support was just a delay tactic that could continue to leave women and gender-diverse individuals at risk across Ontario.
After promising to listen to residents, and despite blunt communications from the provincial and regional governments that highlight her plan’s non-conformity with overriding policies, Annette Groves launched a web page Friday that suggests she does not care what others think—the Mayor is determined to give developers what they want: unchecked access to land for the construction of 35,000 new homes.
Facer Street, a historic St. Catharines community, is set to be transformed by the twinning of the Garden City Skyway, and maybe not for the better.
Residents are collaborating to ensure they are involved in the project process and that any changes as a result of the massive infrastructure project will be positive for the community.
Nathan Hyde, the Town’s top bureaucrat—hired by Annette Groves who hand-picked him using her Strong Mayor powers in Caledon—has not explained how a secretive scheme to push through the largest development plan in the municipality’s history was put together.
Their disturbing conduct has been described as “anti-democratic” by residents demanding the ill-advised plan, which would create billions of dollars in value for developers, be scrapped. The PC government has criticized what Hyde and Groves have done, raising concerns over the lack of conformity to overriding provincial and regional policies.
As the mayoral and Ward 5 by-elections approaches to fill the two vacant seats on Mississauga City Council, two candidate debates will be held May 6 and 7 to give residents a chance to ask candidates questions on the most pressing issues facing their city. Resident engagement during this final month ahead of the by-election will be critical as recent elections have been dampened by historically low voter levels.
Since a package of 12 zoning bylaws written by a controversial development lawyer showed up unexpectedly on a March 26th Caledon council agenda, Mayor Annette Groves has been defending her position to greenlight the construction of 35,000 units, which would almost double the town’s population.
She claims more homes are needed to meet the municipality’s housing pledge and that her plans will hold developers accountable to build the type of housing Caledon needs. But a series of reports from the Region of Peel — which the Town withheld from the public — shows the mayor’s claims of following sound planning principles are largely misleading. Tens of billions of dollars would be needed just to construct the water infrastructure needed to support the 35,000 homes developers are itching to extract profits from.
Will the Region’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee take on anti-Palestinian Racism? Elected officials at the upper-tier local government continue to face accusations of blatant discrimination for shutting out voices calling for support to help bring an end to the devastation in Gaza.
On the grounds of a former industrial site — first a brickyard then an oil refinery — Port Credit West Village Partners want to do something groundbreaking. Distancing themselves from the narrative that many Ontario developers are greedy and unimaginative, PCWVP sees a different kind of value in the community they are shaping, creating an environmentally sustainable space that will give future residents the kind of lifestyle that aligns with their values.
Global leaders are in Ottawa this week for the fourth round of negotiations toward a global plastics treaty, with environmental organizations demanding that policies include strong guidelines for national legislation and not be watered down by the influence of corporations that continue to pollute the planet.
The City of Brampton has for years faced challenges with litter accumulating around intersections, off highway ramps, in parks and along public spaces where residents are supposed to enjoy the great outdoors.
A group called People Against Littering is working to change this. Focusing on grassroots action, members want to inspire residents to take control of their city’s public spaces, to make sure unsightly debris does not become “normal” in Brampton.
After leaving the PC caucus in September in the wake of an integrity commissioner investigation into the PC government’s Greenbelt land swap scandal, Mississauga East—Cooksville MPP Kaleed Rasheed has vowed to clear his name and rejoin his PC colleagues at Queen’s Park. But he refuses to provide further details about his involvement in the $8.3 billion land deal, which was ultimately reversed by the PCs after their backroom dealings with developers were exposed.
A controversial, excessive $500 filing fee to make a Code of Conduct complaint against a Niagara Falls Council member continues to be criticized by Ontario’s Ombudsman but, with the exception of one member, Niagara Falls Council does not care.
The PC government has once again declined to take action to improve Ontario schools for the deaf and blind. On Monday at Queen’s Park the NDP attempted to accelerate the process for an audit of the school board which has been plagued by accusations of sexual abuse of students and ongoing mismanagement for years.
Without any explanation, the PCs voted the request down, delaying any audit until at least 2025.
As population and infrastructure boom in Mississauga the City's forestry department has found itself facing a significant challenge.
The 2024 budget provides additional funding to implement new technology and work plans that will allow protection of the vast tree cover that is so vital to the well being of the region and its residents.
A recent eviction notice from Chartwell Heritage Glen Retirement Residence has left the seniors who reside in the home and their families in a state of disbelief, scrambling to find living arrangements. Their fixed income puts most alternatives out of reach.
The City of Mississauga has sent a letter to Chartwell and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting measures to assist the tenants who learned a few weeks ago that they will have to leave the facility.
A group of local activists calling themselves Democracy Caledon held a community meeting Wednesday to hear concerns from local residents about a collection of decisions around a huge land development scheme being made by council, particularly Mayor Annette Groves, and her use of Strong Mayor powers to force it through without proper public consultation.
The embattled mayor attended the meeting, appeared on the defensive, and provided little reassurance to residents that she was taking their issues seriously.
The Mississauga byelection is nearing its halfway point. From announcing new endorsements to launching campaign offices and delivering stump speeches, candidates are working hard to grab the attention of local voters.
A new poll shows former councillor Carolyn Parrish remains the frontrunner in the race with a little over seven weeks to go until the June 10th vote.
The trial for Marino Cader, former director of finance for the Peel Children’s Aid Society, has been postponed once again after the court heard Peel Regional Police failed to provide necessary evidence that has been in its possession since at least 2022 in a timely manner. The Justice of the Peace chastized the PRP for delaying a case that has significant public interest involving the region’s most vulnerable.
Updated estimates from the Crown allege Cader defrauded the organization of approximately $180,000.
The City of Brampton has reopened its Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) program after serious pushback earlier this year forced its closure less than a month after launch.
The modified program follows consultation with residents and landlords to refine the registration requirements and program criteria.
Caledon Mayor Annette Groves is using her Strong Mayor powers to push through a collection of zoning changes to facilitate a massive amount of development, with little consultation from residents who will be impacted. The move follows the approval of an updated Official Plan that ignored concerns from citizens about watered-down environmental protections, and the revelation of a secretive contract signed between the mayor and the Town’s new CAO.
Residents are hosting a public forum today, April 17th, to bring awareness to their mounting concerns.
A new agreement between the federal and provincial governments has many Ontarians worried the environmentally damaging Highway 413 has been given the greenlight.
While questions are swirling about a new “working group” being established to study and minimize the proposed highway's environmental impacts, there are numerous pieces of federal legislation still standing in the way of construction.
Through a series of meetings, Niagara Region councillors have blocked residents from speaking, used unorthodox tactics to remove items from agendas and stayed silent amid accusations of racism and discrimination.
Today, the Region’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee will once again hear concerns from the local Palestinian community about the failure of elected officials to show any sign of support or empathy amid a bloody international conflict.
Through a slew of funding announcements last week, the Liberal government outlined its main strategies to fight Canada's housing crisis.
The promises include billions of dollars in new initiatives to protect tenants and stop ballooning rental rates while incentivizing builders to construct more affordable housing. Peel ACORN, a housing advocacy group, says it is waiting on more details, and tighter legislation attached to the announcements, to determine what the impact will be for Peel residents.
The Region has drawn up a plan to help the increasing number of asylum seekers arriving in Peel, but staff say the strategy is contingent on funding from upper levels of government.
To date, Ottawa has only provided funding to reimburse the Region for costs incurred in 2023 after a significant spike in asylum claimants and $7 million for a new reception centre at Pearson Airport.
The City of Mississauga has updated its Green Development Standards in an effort to decrease dangerous climate emissions and protect residents and their homes from weather-related catastrophes.
The decision comes in the wake of a report from the Insurance Bureau of Canada that found the past four years all listed in the Top 10 costliest years for climate disasters in the country.
A city that has, in recent decades, looked past modern urban design, is looking for new ways to deal with a new reality.
As the housing crisis continues and younger consumers embrace modern attitudes about how they want to live, unaffordable prices are driving stakeholders to rethink the types of housing that should be built.
With Mississauga voters set to select a new mayor June 10, frontrunner Carolyn Parrish is starting to enjoy support from some well known leaders in the city.
Rookie councillor Alvin Tedjo has also won the backing of two other first-time councillors and one veteran.
After months of back-and-forth, Niagara-on-the-Lake has approved its 2024 operating budget, the last of Niagara Region’s 13 municipalities to do so.
The stiff increase comes as high inflation and overall affordability continue to create pressure on many homeowners.
A development application that has been on the books in Fort Erie for over ten years might finally move forward through a Ministerial Zoning Order. Town staff do not support the move which cuts the public out of the process.
Niagara Falls hopes the federal government will reconsider critical housing funding after its application was denied.
As Prime Minister Trudeau’s popularity continues to decline, his environmental commitments are being challenged. The federal Conservatives are making false claims about the impacts of policies such as the carbon tax. Will Liberals walk into the trap and alienate many of their core supporters, or hold strong on positions that many Canadians prioritize?
Patrick Brown repeatedly attacked Gurpreet Dhillon, accusing him of sexual misconduct despite no charges ever being laid against the former councillor, and the mayor blamed Dhillon’s alleged conduct for a divide on council that marred the previous term of office.
According to documentation obtained by The Pointer the City of Brampton has known since at least October that Dhillon’s one-time accuser withdrew her allegations against him. He was suspended without pay by Brown and the rest of council in 2020 after controversial Integrity Commissioner Muneeza Sheikh released a report that found Dhillon had committed sexual misconduct, despite no charges by police. Dhillon has always denied the allegations and has now sent officials a draft lawsuit against the City.
On March 7th, Brampton Fire responded to a house fire that left three dead. Less than a week later, Mississauga Fire reported two dead following an early morning fire.
The tragic events are a disturbing statistic for Peel fire services which work tirelessly to educate residents on fire prevention and safety.
Since the Ward 5 council seat was declared vacant on March 20 following the resignation of Carolyn Parrish to enter the mayoral race, seven candidates have registered. The byelection will take place the same day as the one set for the mayoral race, on June 10. The Pointer reached out to the candidates to find out which issues will be a focus as they head out on the campaign trail across Malton and the rest of the ward.
April 8th’s solar eclipse is a once in a lifetime celestial event.
With Niagara Falls in an ideal location to observe the natural phenomenon, local tourism looks to recapture some of the foreign visitation lost during the pandemic, while the Niagara Regional Police prepare for the possible influx of 1 million people, under a “State of Emergency” declaration that was just issued by the Region.
The PC government, after cancelling its controversial plans to dissolve the Region of Peel, is now looking to move some critical services down to the local municipalities. CUPE Local 966, one of the unions which raised concerns over the now-reversed legislation, is once again drawing attention to job security issues and possible privatization, claiming key stakeholders are not being engaged in discussions that could impact long-time Peel employees.
Some Niagara residents have increasing concerns about the inner workings of the aggregate industry which is seldom held accountable for the damage and residual impacts of its operations across the environmentally significant region.
Mississauga's downtown LRT loop, cancelled by the PCs during their previous term of office, made its way back into the Doug Ford government’s budget for 2024. Among the $67.5 billion earmarked over 10 years for public transit, putting the Mississauga loop back into the Hurontario project was highlighted in the budget document as a priority, but there are few details included.
The Northern Tornadoes Project is doing the heavy lifting to provide a better picture of just how many tornadoes touch down across Canada, and where.
This knowledge will prove critical as weather patterns are altered by climate change, informing the creation of valuable life-saving tools.
The City of Toronto has admitted it is not on track to reach its goal of being net zero by 2040. It is not alone, as big cities like Brampton struggle to reach critical targets under a PC government that has pushed policies counter to green municipal goals. A recent study by University of Waterloo researchers concluded many cities are not even reporting their progress on sustainability commitments.
The latest Liaison Strategies poll shows political veteran Carolyn Parrish is still in the lead to become Mississauga’s next mayor. But her margin has narrowed, since a January poll, to five percentage points ahead of her nearest competitor, Dipika Damerla, among decided voters. Residents will go to the ballot box June 10 to decide Bonnie Crombie’s successor.
International students at Algoma University’s Brampton campus currently do not have any housing provided through the institution. It has not yet offered a timeline for any plans, and its current students, like many across the GTA, are struggling to find affordable housing options.
The Drug Awareness Society of Toronto wants to address the link between youth who are exposed to alcohol and drugs at a young age and adults who are dependent on substances. Working for more than a decade to raise awareness around the dangers of alcohol consumption and substance abuse through seminars at schools and Gurdwaras, the organization is once again challenging Punjabi-Canadians to confront an all-too common problem.
A 66-year-old Brampton man who stabbed his wife to death on a city trail during their evening walk together in 2021 has been sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole for 13 years.
According to court documents, increased isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the man’s state of mind when he “snapped” and stabbed his wife more than 30 times.
