From the recent flood of international students who settled in Brampton to the rise in asylum claimants and the decades-long wave of newcomers putting down roots in the city, there is perhaps no place in Canada that has felt the impact of immigration more acutely.
Ahead of the federal election, residents across Brampton want to know what lies in store for the city that attracts an outsized number of newcomers every year, stretching resources thin and raising questions about what is working…and what’s not.
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A federal election is officially underway after Mark Carney won the race to replace former Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau earlier this month. Already enjoying success in the polls, Carney hopes to beat key rival Pierre Poilievre when voters choose a new prime minister April 28th.
The Pointer will be gathering information about the candidates seeking election in Brampton and Mississauga with details about their experience as they vie for a seat in the House of Commons.
Misperceptions of this increasingly common crime, including the false idea that it only happens across borders, contribute to the risks people face in their own community.
Victims are often targeted close to home by people well schooled in identifying and exploiting vulnerable situations others find themselves in.
Local leaders and activists, in both the Niagara Region and Western New York, are encouraging a resumption of the relations and travel patterns that have intrinsically linked the Canadian and U.S. border communities along the Niagara River for decades.
Amid the growing challenges of food insecurity and mental health struggles, many Mississauga residents are finding refuge in gardening, using it for nourishment in many ways. The city's annual Seed Library event is part of this gardening revival, offering free seeds to locals eager to grow their own food and reconnect with nature.
Participants showed that planting seeds goes beyond growing food—it’s about cultivating hope for the future.
Somewhat encouraging words by Mark Carney and Donald Trump following their Friday phone call still create a sense of uncertainty around the escalating trade war triggered by the American President’s chaotic leadership.
Mississauga businesses tell The Pointer that not knowing if Trump actually has a plan at all, leaves them in a state of limbo, freezing many operations while paralyzing efforts to look elsewhere for partners, in hopes that relationships with America will normalize. Carney, meanwhile, is making one thing clear: Canadian businesses, and the country as a whole, need to start thinking beyond the U.S. as a fundamentally different economy of the future takes shape.
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe used his most senior staff at the City of St. Catharines for his plans to attend a campaign event for Doug Ford where he endorsed the PC leader for premier, FOI documents show.
The use of City resources for such purposes is strictly prohibited by Council’s Code of Conduct.
With tariffs on both sides of the border, the organization, which relies heavily on donations from individuals and corporations (many tied to the U.S.) is already feeling the impact.
Prices at the grocery store are being felt, while the budgets of both those who are relied on for donations and those who are on the brink of food insecurity are being stretched.
Despite a harrowing plea from Peel’s only sexual assault crisis centre, Brampton Council made no substantial funding commitment—Mayor Patrick Brown and Councillor Rowena Santos, who have made various claims of supporting advocacy against gender-based violence, have failed to ensure the facility does not close next month.
In the heart of St. Catharines, a group of seniors known as the 'Raging Grannies' is using humour and heart to speak out on issues that matter most.
Born from a rich tradition of activism, the group’s playful protests are packed with powerful messages, addressing everything from the sell off of Ontario Place to climate change.
For five years, Mississauga resident Wolf Ruck has fought to keep his garden. The thriving habitat for pollinators is a haven of biodiversity, and according to City bylaws, it’s illegal. Each time it was mowed down, he replanted, determined to challenge a system that prioritizes aesthetics over ecological health.
Across Canada, environmental advocates and organizations like the David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Wildlife Federation have issued an open letter, urging municipalities to reform outdated bylaws that restrict habitat gardens, and adopt new policies that support biodiversity, environmental well-being and climate action.
Officials with the Metamorphosis Network, a collective of social service agencies in Peel, are hopeful that following the recent provincial election the PCs will address the longstanding funding shortfall that is harming vulnerable individuals and families across the region.
The Pointer contacted the Premier’s office and each of the provincial representatives in Brampton and Mississauga, but they have continued to remain silent on the issue.
In late February, with threatened U.S. tariffs looming, automotive giant Stellantis announced an eight-week pause on its retooling plans to transform the Brampton assembly plant to manufacture electric vehicles.
Thousands of employees, including the head of the local union at the facility, are growing increasingly concerned, as the shutdown comes amid mounting uncertainty across the North American auto sector with the spectre of 25 percent tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
With the spring migration underway, health officials are concerned about their ability to limit the spread of a deadly strain of avian flu after Peel Public Health received several reports of dead birds in Caledon and Brampton over the past month.
The Region is now monitoring any suspected cases of Avian Influenza or ‘bird flu’ in response to the “large number” of dead birds being reported.
Residents across Peel and Niagara, like many across the country, are feeling anxious about the possible impacts of the ongoing trade tensions with the U.S..
The Pointer offers an explainer to show just how connected the two countries are, and the leverage Canada has (and does not have) as we take on an American administration committed to destabilizing our economy to benefit its own.
MiWay ridership increased 14 percent last year and estimates suggest the trend will continue in 2025. Mississauga recently received $112 million from the federal government to be allocated over the next decade to advance key improvements to the city’s transit system as the booming city’s transit service continues to see increased demand.
Stellantis' abrupt pause on the $1.3 billion retooling of its Brampton Assembly Plant comes as U.S. President Donald Trump ramps up threats to impose 25 percent levies on the Canadian industry, sending shockwaves through the auto sector. With the turbulence surrounding North America’s automakers deepening, experts are now warning that Trump’s aggressive trade stance could dismantle Canada’s supply chains, drive up costs and lead to mass layoffs.
Across Canada, the fossil fuel industry has long influenced what children learn about the climate crisis, despite being some of the country’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. In Ontario, schools facing underfunding and shrinking resources become more susceptible to corporate-backed educational materials that downplay the industry’s impact and push false solutions. The recent passage of Bill C-59 aims to hold companies accountable for unproven environmental claims, but stronger action is needed to protect students from industry influence.
With Peel’s reception centre officially operational at Spectrum Way in Mississauga, staff are now working to redirect asylum claimants from the Region’s temporary facility at Leanne Boulevard. But with new revisions to Ottawa’s Interim Housing Assistance Program to support surges of refugees, staff warn the amendments could have “significant financial implications for Peel.”
In response to the changes to the federal government’s funding program and current asylum claimant numbers, the Region is now scaling back service levels and working to acquire a dedicated family site in an effort to reduce reliance on temporary accommodations.
Brampton’s downtown lacks a clear physical boundary, blurring its identity and fragmenting its representation.
A review of the political map of the city could change this, finally creating a true sense of what the city-centre is all about, and where it extends to.
A startling number of teenages of died by suicide after falling victim to sextortion scams. Tricked into sending sensitive images, the scammer threatens to spread it to their family and friends if they don’t send cash.
This crime is exploding across the globe, law enforcement and advocacy groups are clamouring for changes to social media security to put up roadblocks in front of these scammers who are often connected to organized crime groups. Why are government officials moving at a glacial pace as teens continue to die?
Almost a year into operations of its supervised consumption site, a staff report to regional council revealed Peel’s site must now close. The decision was made after Health Canada said it would not be extending the Region’s exemption to operate the site, aligning with the PCs’ recently passed legislation, which ordered the closure of several safe consumption facilities across the province.
The Ministry of Health says any funding or hosting of an SCS on municipal property is deemed “municipal support” under the legislation and that the Region must cease operations by the end of the month.
The crumbling of our long-standing tariff-free relationship with the U.S. is a reminder of the need to leave carbon behind, as much of the world rushes toward a new energy economy.
Donald Trump wants to plunge his country into the past but his leadership represents an opportunity for Canada to accelerate its shift to the energy economy that will shape the future.
Despite Donald Trump’s latest change of heart, claiming his tariffs on Canadian goods will be postponed till April, empty truckloads are becoming the new reality for thousands of Brampton truckers as cross-border trade is disrupted by the erratic behaviour of the U.S. President.
The economic fallout across the city has begun, as many drivers, mechanics and others who support the commercial trucking industry wonder how they will stay afloat while Trump tries to destabilize the Canadian economy.
At Wednesday’s council meeting, the city’s local elected officials adopted policies to provide a measure of support for the local economy while pushing back in a small but symbolic way against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
One councillor had some pointed words for the American leader.
With 25 percent U.S. tariffs hitting Canadian goods, Brampton’s massive trucking industry braces for mass layoffs and financial turmoil. Industry leaders warn that rising costs and declining demand could push businesses to the brink.
With U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 percent on energy, businesses across Canada are fearing what is to come. As an economic hub for several industries, manufacturing top among them, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says Mississauga could see labour disruptions, increased costs and potential downsizing of businesses across the city.
In the peaceful village of Cataract in northwest Caledon, Tony Sevelka and his wife, Eileen Markell, imagined spending their retirement years in the serene haven where they chose to settle down in 1999. But their dreams took an unexpected turn in 2019 when they learned of a proposed blasting quarry just down the road proposed by one of the world’s largest aggregate consortium’s.
The couple has since taken up a fight against the disruptive impacts of the powerful gravel industry in a community known as one of the "greenest towns in Ontario”.
In Peel Region, a quiet green revolution is unfolding, driven by the efforts of students, educators, and administrators committed to sustainability. Amid growing environmental concerns and the reality of climate change, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) is charting a course toward a more sustainable future through a climate action plan in development, a shift to innovative solutions and preparing students for flooding events.
And one Brampton teacher—who doesn’t identify as a "green thumb"—is proving that environmental sustainability doesn’t have to be a chore.
Voters in Brampton have helped Doug Ford on his way to another majority government at Queen’s Park, returning all five PC incumbents to the Legislature.
The early election saw abysmal voter turnout in the city with not a single Brampton riding recording more than 39 percent of voters casting a ballot.
On Friday, the City of Brampton plans to evict Friends of Historic Bovaird House, locking the beloved local volunteer group out from the agricultural museum that its members have cared for over the years.
What appears to be nothing more than a political vendetta by the mayor and one of his closest council allies against a former progressive councillor, has led to the likely end of a deeply respected community organization.
Prior to 2018 Ontario’s electricity grid was 96 percent non-emitting. Under the leadership of Doug Ford, with natural gas now supplying a significant portion of the province’s electricity, the grid has become far dirtier.
As more companies and individuals move to reduce their carbon footprint, Ford is creating more of the required electricity from the worst possible source.
Aura Freedom International hosted its “Disrupting the Tides” symposium on February 20th to raise awareness about human sex trafficking.
A theme of the event was the disturbing lack of interest among governments to confront this rapidly increasing crime.
Since 2018, the PCs under the leadership of Doug Ford have cut billions of dollars from Ontario’s education system.
With infrastructure crumbling, test scores falling and more students struggling, the province’s big teachers’ unions are demanding change.
Days away from the provincial election Thursday, Ontario’s opposition leaders are criticizing Doug Ford for his encroachment on municipal authority, and they would consider taking back the provincial responsibilities that have been downloaded onto towns and cities.
Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie and Green Party leader Mike Schreiner also said they would take a serious look at doing away with strong mayor powers.
Ahead of the provincial election on Thursday, Peel’s Metamorphosis Network is urging local candidates and their party leaders to commit to a pledge that, if elected, they will finally provide fair-share funding for social services across the region.
As of Monday a majority of Liberal, NDP and Green candidates have committed to the pledge. Doug Ford and his PC candidates have failed to respond to the request or acknowledge the funding shortfall.
Ontario's Conservation Authorities have watched Doug Ford drastically curtail their powers in the name of building new homes.
Critics say weakening this critical oversight leaves Ontario vulnerable to the very risks—such as flooding and environmental degradation—that the authorities were created to mitigate.
Since Mississauga City Council rejected a request to fund $450 million as part of a local share contribution required of Trillium Health Partners for the transformation of Mississauga Hospital, the health network has been left on the hook to cover the shortfall. The PCs have maintained they will not allocate funding to cover the gap, despite a recent audit revealing the project is more than $4 billion over budget.
Now, opposition parties are stepping up ahead of the provincial election, pledging to help with the local share contribution and revisit the expectation of municipalities to help fund hospital expansions.
The provincial NDP leader says she understands the burden placed on Ontario municipalities over seven years under Doug Ford. The PC leader has slashed local authority over environmental protection, seized control of local planning decisions and dictated policies that govern where bike lanes can be built and how addiction issues are managed in communities. Stiles says under her leadership Ontario would move to a collaborative approach with municipal leaders who best understand the issues in their communities.
For two months, Callie Love experienced horrific treatment at the hands of her trafficker and the men who paid to have sex with her while she was underage.
Now, she’s using her trauma as a force for good, launching a nonprofit organization she hopes will finally close gaps in Canada’s broken social support system for survivors like her.
Survivors know best. The knowledge of those with first hand traumatic experiences of human trafficking is widely accepted as the best pathway to understand how trafficking operates, how to disrupt it and how to help survivors escape and rebuild their life.
On Human Trafficking Awareness Day, The Pointer is providing a platform for three survivors of human sex trafficking to share what they believe needs to change in Canada, and what candidates in the provincial election and the upcoming federal election should prioritize if elected.
The Metamorphosis Network in Peel has launched its ‘Cut in Half’ campaign, asking candidates in the provincial election to sign a pledge, vowing to dramatically reduce the almost $870 million annual gap in social services funding across the region, created by inequitable allocation of taxpayer dollars by the provincial government.
A young German shepherd is found running down a suburban roadway in Niagara Falls. Her mouth is muzzled shut, she’s bleeding, dragging a rope and metal pipes.
She collapses and dies.
It took months of sustained advocacy by witnesses and animal rights defenders to force the provincial Animal Welfare Service into action.
The case reveals the disturbing reality of a system that is under-resourced, disjointed, hidden from public view and mostly unaccountable to the taxpayer.
Early in the week, Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie strongly condemned the now-former Liberal candidate, after his social media posts published 18 months ago were unearthed, revealing shocking comments by Bansal.
He condoned the 2023 assassination of a Sikh-Canadian advocate, which the Indian government was allegedly behind. He also used a homophobic reference against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Crombie has now dumped him from the Party.
The Green Party leader is pledging to provide Ontario’s municipalities with a new deal that would upload shelter and housing back to the province while also covering 50 percent of the operating cost for transit.
Mike Schreiner spoke with The Pointer about his plan to make life more affordable for Ontarians.
Able-bodied Ontarians might not think twice about walking into their local polling station on February 27. The ability to mark their X with ease, something often taken for granted, is not the same for many living with disabilities across Ontario.
Barriers still exist for some who want to exercise their democratic right. Despite a complaint filed more than six years ago to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal attempting to force improvements, the backlogged system will not be able to hear arguments in the case until September, months after the snap winter election.
A multi-billion dollar highway, a government selling the dream of congestion-free commutes and the reality that so much about Doug Ford’s plan for transportation, has nothing to do with effectively moving Ontarians around.
For opponents, Highway 413 has become a political symbol of everything that’s wrong with today’s politics of smoke and mirrors, as the PCs sell a plan with no benefits, other than the billions of dollars in profits powerful developers playing Ford like a marionette stand to make.
The Freedom of Information process to obtain documents related to the decision to remove 15 parcels of land from the Greenbelt has been rife with delays and questionable denials that possibly violate provincial legislation.
As residents get ready to vote on February 27, party leaders are calling for complete transparency around the Greenbelt scandal after Ontario’s auditor general found some of the province's most wealthy developers, who also happen to be significant PC donors, were favoured.
As the February 27 provincial election fast approaches, Brampton voters are looking for concrete solutions to fix the city’s woefully underfunded healthcare system. While Doug Ford committed to ending hallway healthcare when he was first elected in 2018, Brampton’s situation has only worsened since.
The PCs have left the community to face long wait times in emergency rooms, delayed critical mental health support and have failed to match explosive population growth (pushed by Ford) with desperately needed hospital beds.
Since Doug Ford’s 2018 campaign, when he promised to tackle Ontario's housing crisis, his governments have systematically weakened planning laws and stripped conservation authorities of their power in favour of builders.
A scandal involving backroom dealing with powerful developers, including Greenbelt land swaps and questionable approval processes, exposed Ford’s secretive plans to do what he promised: open up Ontario’s protected greenspace for sprawl development that makes housing even less affordable.
The Ontario NDP and World Sikh Organization are calling for the resignation of Oshawa Liberal candidate Viresh Bansal. In September of 2023 he wrote an outrageous post on his X account, condoning the assassination of Sikh advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar while simultaneously using a homophobic remark against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
He also threatened Conservative MP Tim Uppal. Bansal’s posts, supporting disturbing actions by the Indian government while attacking Canadian politicians who criticized them, raise more concerns about ongoing foreign interference in our politics.
