After obtaining financial documents and other information previously kept from them, councillors at the City of Brampton voted Wednesday to freeze all work on their bid to create a brand new university in Brampton. The plan, trumpeted as a sure thing by Mayor Patrick Brown and his council allies, has seen more than $600,000 in public money (twice the amount approved) go to two consulting firms, one with a personal link to him and the other with a direct connection to Councillor Rowena Santos.
Councillors said they have been kept in the dark while Brown and Santos worked behind the scenes to push a plan that benefited their friends, without producing any tangible results to help get a new university built.
Seven of Brampton’s eleven council members voted Wednesday to have an integrity commissioner investigate the relationship between Councillor Rowena Santos and a man who was given more than $100,000 of taxpayer money to work on an ill conceived plan to create Brampton University, which is now dead in the water.
David Wheeler has said he was a mentor to Santos and in 2017 she worked to get him elected in Nova Scotia, calling him a “dear friend”.
Instead of declaring a conflict and leaving the council chamber Santos voted to defeat the motion calling for an investigation into her connections with Wheeler, which will now go forward.
A long-term care facility designed specifically to cater to South Asian-Canadian seniors does not exist in Ontario. A bold plan from a local organization could bring such a facility to Brampton.
But the initiative has hit a snag after land initially promised by City Hall has been pulled without explanation. With a provincial deadline fast approaching, Indus Community Services is worried its dream may disappear.
Mississauga staff have strong words for the recommendations listed in Ontario's Housing Affordability Task Force report, noting that many of them won’t contribute to the stated goal of improving housing affordability.
In Brampton, council is considering alternative voting methods for the upcoming municipal election, and is looking to have the interim CAO identify departments in need of auditing.
The TRCA provides an update on a number of critical watershed plans.
One in four Ontarians are now seeking help for their mental health needs, according to a new survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
In the Region of Peel, which receives disproportionately less funding per capita than other areas of the province, the jump in demand adds more pressure to a sector that is already sprinting to keep up.
A wave of Minister’s Zoning Orders from developers across Ontario has raised concerns among environmentalists and urban planners. They say developers are using the tool to sidestep the proper process and ram through projects without adequate consultation with experts and the public.
A motion adopted by Caledon council could restore some order to the process in the town. Will the rest of Peel follow suit?
Russian missiles and bombs are falling across Ukraine and on its capital city, Kyiv, as Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Europe’s largest country continues.
In Peel, a large Ukrainian diaspora is watching on in horror. Friends and relatives are worried for loved ones stuck among the chaos, while also trying to process a war unfolding on European soil for the first time in decades.
In January 2021, Brampton councillors slammed the brakes on a plan to create an arms-length body to manage the City’s real estate portfolio after it was revealed a consultant working on the project had close ties to Mayor Patrick Brown.
An audit of the City’s realty department, which would have been folded into the proposed corporation, has also been repeatedly delayed. It will now move forward, a decision that appears to have been made without following proper procedure.
Trade unions are shouldering the responsibility of combating anti-Black racism on construction sites across the GTA, while promoting an equitable, diverse and safe workspace for skilled tradespeople in Ontario.
During Black History Month, the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario along with the Carpenters’ National Office shares a message of solidarity with workers of colour.
Robert D’Amboise, whose corrupt behaviour in Niagara was highlighted in a provincial Ombudsman’s investigation report before he was hired in Brampton, is no longer employed by City Hall.
He and another man recruited under former CAO David Barrick have now exited the City, after interim CAO Paul Morrison was given a mandate to restore good government in Brampton.
The Ontario Nurses’ Association has succeeded in securing a $5,000 “good faith” retention bonus for frontline nurses. The ounce of relief comes for nurses exhausted by close to two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizations representing nurses across the province are welcoming this “first-step”, but are expecting more from the Ford government.
Brampton City Council will hold a special meeting this week to deal with its procedural bylaw—a point of contention throughout a tumultuous period that culminated in the departure of the City’s disgraced CAO on February 11.
In Mississauga, the City is launching a new blueprint for attracting tech businesses to try and bolster itself as a leader in the innovation sector. A motion being discussed at the Region of Peel on Thursday could trigger more development activity on Mayfield Road. Regional council will also deal with numerous reports on homelessness and the housing crisis.
Inclusionary zoning has been branded by developers as a tool to download new housing costs onto buyers. With the adoption of the powerful planning tool in Toronto, Mississauga is inching closer to its own version, with wealthy builders kicking and screaming. The public is left in the middle, many adopting a NIMBY attitude against the idea while others are desperate to create a more mixed housing supply in the booming city.
Last week, controversial former Brampton CAO David Barrick was replaced by Paul Morrison, after a majority of councillors alleged democracy under the CAO and Mayor Patrick Brown, who brought the man here despite his scandalous past in Niagara, was “under siege”.
There has been a series of allegations, investigations and shocking conduct inside City Hall, but Brown has a history of trying to rewrite the truth. His shameful tactics place the public sector across Ontario at risk.
Described as a “highway of habitat”, an ongoing initiative by the David Suzuki Foundation looks to reconnect Ontario’s fragmented greenspaces, one wildflower at a time.
The Butterflyway Project urges volunteers to take agency over the spaces they enjoy: front lawn, backyard, or balcony, and create an environment welcoming to butterflies and other pollinators.
The MZO bug has caught Mississauga. The sometimes controversial minister’s zoning orders spark debate among stakeholders, especially when the tool is used to strip powers from the City. In a different set of circumstances, Mississauga has requested an enhanced MZO to help expedite a portion of the Mississauga Hospital expansion.
The president of Peel CAS’ board of directors will step down this summer after serving two terms. Juliet Jackson, who is also employed by the Region of Peel as a director, has grappled for the past year with an organization that staff and provincially-appointed investigators say is “seriously troubled”.
In November, the board placed CEO Rav Bains on administrative leave. The decision came after allegations of anti-Black racism, a toxic work culture and questionable spending by the head of the organization.
Sandeep Aujla, the City of Brampton director of human resources, has been fired. She worked in the high-ranking role under controversial former CAO David Barrick and has now been removed by his interim successor, Paul Morrison, who just took the helm of the corporation Friday.
Aujla was implicated in some of the controversies under Barrick’s disastrous leadership, but an independent probe sided with Aujla who denied she used discriminatory language to describe Black employees. Her lawyer says he believes the sudden termination of employment “is unlawful.”
Waterways connect land masses and municipalities, making it the responsibility of all involved governments to protect their health. In a small rural town north of Peel, a wastewater treatment facility project being pushed by the municipality in the middle of one of Ontario’s most majestic greenspaces could have adverse effects on the region’s drinking water, and a popular fish known to Southern Ontario.
After cancelling the downtown loop of the Hurontario LRT, which will be named after former mayor Hazel McCallion, Premier Doug Ford is reversing course, committing to build the section that his government axed shortly after taking power.
Brampton council faces its first meeting since controversial CAO David Barrick departed, with an uncosted plan to retain a recruitment firm on the agenda, suggesting staffing moves; Mississauga councillors will attend a smudging ceremony and consider recognizing a historical Indigenous site; Caledon could introduce rules to govern Minister's Zoning Order requests and may oppose the GTA West Highway, a possible election move as the mayor and certain councillors have aggressively supported the unpopular project; Region of Peel staff have confirmed Peel Pride celebrations will, once again, take place in June.
The Doug Ford PC government refuses to take responsibility for failing to protect Ontario’s species at risk. In replying to The Pointer and environmental advocates, the government is attempting to brush off criticism, providing misleading responses and claiming it is a “leader in species at risk protection”, when an auditor general probe found the exact opposite.
As more growth is being planned upward, the new buildings pose a unique set of challenges for Mississauga firefighters. The department already struggles to arrive at the scene within established national targets because of the dire lack of stations and increasing traffic, but responding to an emergency in a high rise takes even longer. Future vertical growth, as the maturing city now grows upward, has to ensure emergency responders are not faced with more barriers when trying to keep residents safe.
Brampton council members have called two special council meetings Friday morning, one requested by the mayor, the other by a majority bloc who allege Patrick Brown and his allies have undermined trust in local government.
They have vowed to take action to restore good government in Brampton after a series of controversies under Brown’s questionable leadership that has shaken City Hall, with steps to begin Friday morning.
The man who was driven out of Niagara Region by citizens there, following a series of scandals, before Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown orchestrated his hiring for City Hall’s top job, is no longer the CAO.
David Barrick is out, and will be replaced by Paul Morrison, the man who for years has been in charge of enforcing rules across the city.
Six Brampton councillors have called out Mayor Patrick Brown and senior staff after two years of controversy, an external investigation and widespread allegations of abuse inside City Hall under the leadership of CAO David Barrick.
After a heated special council meeting Tuesday evening, where Brown was accused of blocking votes from taking place during closed session meetings, the majority bloc of councillors is vowing dramatic action.
Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s new weekly feature designed to help increase political involvement and awareness in the Region of Peel by highlighting important decisions.
This week, Brampton is considering a motion to request an investigation by the Ontario Ombudsman regarding a closed meeting at the end of January. In Mississauga, councillors will discuss the Dundas Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project following a report detailing potentially negative environmental impacts to wildlife habitat and species at risk.
Mississauga’s integrity commissioner is also set to provide further details Wednesday about the decision to not investigate complaints of harassment and vandalism made by former councillor Karen Ras.
Dr. Naveed Mohammad is no longer the president and CEO of William Osler effective immediately, the hospital’s board told staff Monday. Mohammad took over the role in April 2020, overseeing pandemic response in Brampton and Etobicoke.
Brutal conditions endured by patients and staff inside Brampton Civic Hospital for years were exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic; sources say Mohammad lost the trust of staff when a popular doctor was pushed out after going public about the deplorable conditions.
The City of Brampton could soon see electric scooters zipping along its vast suburban roads and parked on its sidewalks. The move was confirmed by council members Wednesday, after presentations from companies pushing the idea.
However, accessibility campaigners are vehemently opposed to the plan and what it could mean for people living with disabilities. Early data from the United States, Sweden and Calgary show the scooters could pose safety risks.
An idea that was first raised in Brampton’s 2040 Vision has moved closer to being realized after funding from City Hall. A commitment of $300,000 by council members will help create a new arms-length body responsible for energy and retrofits in the Flower City.
The move represents a possible shift on an environmental file that has been repeatedly sidelined to accommodate Mayor Patrick Brown’s budget cuts and backward policies. It also falls far short of solving Brampton’s climate woes and leaves many difficult decisions in the months and years ahead.
A decision by Brampton City Council to support another request to bypass the local planning process with a Minister’s Zoning Order could backfire.
The latest request, if approved, would allow Rogers Communication to build housing and a warehouse on the land that currently hosts its offices. The move would reduce the number of jobs on land designated for employment growth and make it harder for Peel to reach targets set by Queen’s Park.
It’s no secret Peel is struggling to build affordable housing, especially in the City of Mississauga where only infill sites are available. When the opportunity to buy land comes up it would only make sense for the Region to negotiate for desperately needed housing, especially if the seller is the government of Ontario.
Peel and Mississauga let a prime plot of land slip by without trying to secure affordable housing on it, sold instead by provincial agency Metrolinx to a developer. It raises questions about how committed local government is to solving the ongoing housing problem.
In a new series, The Pointer breaks down the 10 themes of the global movement launched by the United Nations—the Decade of Restoration—which hopes to reverse the trend of wide-scale degradation of our planet.
Part 1 looks at what is at stake over the next 10 years. How can a global movement that looks to preserve oceans, rainforests and coral reefs be relevant in Peel?
Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s new weekly feature.
It is designed to help increase political involvement and awareness in the Region of Peel by highlighting important decisions. The feature will act as a summary of local public meeting agendas to keep residents informed about issues they may wish to follow more closely.
This week Brampton will hear numerous delegates on the City's new green energy leadership and how to improve its carbon emissions. Mississauga debates how to fill the Ward 2 councillor vacancy after the departure of Karen Ras and has some big asks for Ottawa and Queen’s Park ahead of their annual budgets.
Peel Region is polishing off its planning review for the next 30 years while Caledon has another conversation around the controversial Highway 413 backed by its mayor and his allies.
Brampton has struggled for years to meet thousands of requests it receives to legalize secondary dwellings in the city, in the absence of proper housing stock in the booming municipality.
With a desperate lack of affordable housing options, illegal secondary suites in existing homes have proliferated, creating a number of safety risks for those who choose to live in these spaces. Now, councillors have approved the use of a private firm to help clear an unmanageable backlog of applications to legally register secondary units.
Six council members, including Mayor Patrick Brown, blocked an attempt to reject the GTA West Highway on Wednesday.
A day later, Region of Peel, which has already called for the highway’s cancellation, initiated a conversation with the provincial government to explore alternatives to the controversial GTA West Corridor.
Councillors in Brampton have sent two more requests for Minister’s Zoning Orders to the Province, circumventing the traditional planning process that involves the direct input of local residents and other stakeholders.
Telecom giant Rogers wants to build a new office downtown, a plan that could finally makeover the decaying city centre. Rogers does not own the land it wants rezoned. The area identified for a downtown office belongs to Metrolinx and no official offer to purchase has been submitted.
Being buried in a blanket of white snow was peaceful…until residents went out to bear the elements in Mississauga.
Peel Regional police urged residents to stay home if they could while officers attended multiple collisions throughout the blizzard. If extreme weather events are going to continue how should we prepare ourselves for different winter conditions?
Hundreds of Peel residents lost their battles with addiction over the last two years as the pandemic shuttered services and hit the stop button on critical programming designed to support them.
Now, Peel Public Health is returning its attention to a coordinated strategy to solve the crisis of overdose deaths, providing a much needed boost to frontline organizations who have been carrying the burden for years.
In April and May of this year, the terms of two members of the Peel Police Services Board will expire.
Community advocates hope the Province has been paying attention to fundamental issues of trust and representation so anti-Black racism within the force will finally be eradicated, allowing officers, the public and the board to work toward common goals, together.
Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s new weekly feature.
It is designed to help increase political involvement and awareness in the Region of Peel by highlighting important decisions. The feature will act as a summary of local agendas to keep residents informed about public issues they may wish to follow more closely.
This week there are high-profile decisions to be made by Brampton’s Committee of Council regarding more controversial Minister’s Zoning Orders and the rejection of the GTA West Highway. The Region of Peel is considering a $300,000 investment to push forward a vacant home tax. The Peel District School Board is reporting progress on equity issues.
The Bradford Bypass will be an environmental nightmare for the Holland Marsh wetland complex, but newly discovered evidence shows the highway could also destroy one of the most significant archaeological sites in all of Canada.
The Lower Landing was a historic meeting point for First Nations around Lake Simcoe, a popular post for fur traders, and later a significant naval depot during the War of 1812. But Doug Ford, his PC government and the developers pushing the highway, have ignored the immeasurable importance of the historic site.
The local healthcare professional has decided to run for the NDP in June’s provincial election, after watching her hospital suffer for years under successive governments that have put Brampton residents at risk due to the appalling lack of funding for local health care.
Gord Miller, Chair of Earthroots Canada and the province’s environmental commissioner from 2000 to 2015, has lost hope in the PC government.
It’s now up to the federal Liberals to step up and stop construction of the Bradford Bypass, he writes, to protect the natural world that will be destroyed if Doug Ford and the developers pushing the project get their way.
The absence of any vision from Brampton City Council about how the city should accommodate hundreds of thousands of new residents in the next two-to-three decades is allowing developers to target the last remaining tracts of land for more subdivision-style growth.
The City’s most recent planning meeting dealt with four separate public sessions to address the construction of almost 6,000 new units. Every single one would be built on untouched land, many in the Heritage Heights area, which represents the last chance to grow responsibly and build the future politicians have promised.
The City of Brampton has effectively cancelled half of its Transit Advisory Committee’s inquiries in one fell swoop by scrapping a meeting that was set to take place at the beginning of February. The City claims there were not enough items to discuss.
Meanwhile, the city’s transit future is in disarray under the current administration, as projects and funding needs have been neglected. The cancelled meeting could also have been used to ensure proper recovery planning to rebuild ridership following the crippling pandemic.
Local and global data show Omicron is less severe than the Delta variant of COVID-19 and vaccines are working. Patients in Mississauga are now spending 83 percent less time in intensive care than they did during the worst of the pandemic.
Front line healthcare professionals and provincial officials are now expressing optimism that current medical data are trending in the right direction.
Globally, energy derived from LNG, or natural gas, has sparked controversy. While industry players claim it is a cleaner alternative to oil, with methane as its key component, its emissions can trap heat in the atmosphere at nearly 90 times the rate of CO2.
Regardless, the Ford government has hitched much of its energy policy to natural gas, making it difficult for Peel to reach its own emissions reduction targets.
A disaster from top to bottom.
That’s how conservationists and other environmental stakeholders describe the Ontario PCs’ handling of species at risk, as corporate lobbyists set on removing habitat have been handed much of the power by the government.
Laws put in place to limit development in the habitat of endangered species continue to be ignored, says Ontario’s Auditor General.
Those trying to save the province’s most threatened species are left to fight their own government.
The number of private career colleges in Brampton has increased dramatically in the past few years. These schools offer vocational training ranging from hairstyling to truck driving, and in some cases even promise to help anyone with a high school diploma become a doctor, for the right price.
A lax system of oversight by the provincial government means standards can be hard to guarantee, while some of these businesses add to the difficulties facing international students in the city.
