Cyber crime, violence against women and auto thefts are part of the complex world of policing in the 21st century. Issues around eroding mental health also have to be dealt with by frontline officers, who lack training for such calls. How will Mississauga’s next mayor help set a modern public safety agenda while reining in police budgets that have become unsustainable?
To help voters ahead of the June 10th by-election The Pointer is publishing a series on the five biggest issues facing residents.
Staff and elected officials are addressing a crisis that has been worsening in Peel for decades as local responses to affordable housing have been largely ignored. A recent report to regional council laid out strategies to support those who are unhoused.
Makeshift tent encampments continue to pop up across Brampton and Mississauga while emergency shelters remain overwhelmed.
The Region’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee grapples with its mandate and desire to deal with Anti-Palestinian racism… but not before having its meeting virtually hijacked. Meanwhile, Regional Council revisits its controversial January 25th meeting, behind closed doors.
It is estimated that $600 billion is required across Canada to provide the infrastructure needed to support new home construction in cities mandated by provinces and Ottawa. This comes as the price of building materials and labour costs steadily increase.
Mississauga’s next mayor also has to fund the hundreds of millions needed to transition the transit system to a cleaner, greener operation, while finding a billion dollars to operate the soon to be launched Hurontario Street LRT.
To help Mississauga voters ahead of the June 10th mayoral by-election The Pointer is publishing a series on five pressing issues identified by residents.
Following the May 23 mayoral debate hosted by Food Banks Mississauga, the organization’s CEO Meghan Nicholls told The Pointer the city’s next leader needs to explain ‘how’ local government will help residents with affordability.
According to the latest polls frontrunner Carolyn Parrish is still in the lead but her main opponents have made gains.
After removing her 12 zoning bylaws from the April 30th council agenda, the Mayor of Caledon promised four public information meetings to get community feedback on her snap decision to force the construction of 35,000 new homes which would double the size of the rural municipality.
The first two meetings featured blanket presentations by Town staff while residents continue to voice opposition over the surprise developer-driven plan.
As Brampton’s population continues to increase over the next decade, so will the need to create new parks and recreation spaces. The City’s new Parks and Recreation Master Plan illustrates Brampton’s lackluster track record, meanwhile Brown’s numerous promises, like most of his misleading claims, to add features like a world class cricket facility have drowned in a series of budget freezes forced by a mayor who instead spends lavishly on questionable practices funded by taxpayers.
In an effort to curb the housing crisis and promote more affordable rentals across the city, Mississauga’s planning and development committee approved the City’s latest strategy to jumpstart affordability. The Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan will provide incentives to developers for higher density rental projects and affordable rental units in Mississauga’s lower-density neighbourhoods.
In 2018, Peel became one of the first municipalities in the country to approve a strategy to address human sex trafficking after evidence clearly showed the region was becoming the Canadian epicentre of this heinous crime.
The Region of Peel is creating a framework for compensating survivors who assist officials with expertise, using their lived experience of trafficking—which is often ignored by organizations and institutions.
Tenants of 507 Balmoral Drive and Peel ACORN organizers gathered outside the building recently to rally against a possible “demoviction”. The tenants rights group says one of the remaining affordable housing properties left in Brampton could join others that no longer provide desperately needed apartments in the city.
Environmental groups have criticized governments for allowing the fossil fuel industry to claim the use of carbon capture and storage technology is justification for the continued burning of fossil fuels. Experts say its potential benefits are miniscule.
University of Ottawa professor Handan Tezel says while carbon capture is viable, and increasingly becoming cheaper, it should not distract governments from investing in the best solutions.
The PC government is moving ahead with its controversial Bradford Bypass highway through the provincially significant Holland Marsh, despite omitting key studies and refusing to consider any alternatives.
The provincial government needs to reimburse Peel taxpayers approximately $4.2 million for costs including $1.5 million for the Transition Board’s work up to March 15th and $2.7 million spent by the Region in its scramble to shut down regional government before Ford pulled the plug, wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.
Peel’s Community Climate Council has launched a new resource, the Climate Hub, a database of resources to educate the community on environmental and climate change issues specific to the Region. In its infancy, the library has already garnered a lot of buzz for helping access vital information and creating community engagement.
To keep residents of Mississauga informed ahead of the upcoming mayoral by-election The Pointer is publishing a series on the five most pressing issues voters have identified.
With the city built out, the dilemma for the next mayor is how to balance the history of and demand for traditional family housing in Mississauga, with the reality of an affordability crisis best solved by building a better mix of home types. How can Mississauga have it all: the suburban appeal of larger homes and more space; alongside much more dense, complete communities that are better for our environment and more conducive to lifestyles that eschew the car and nesting inside homes that are no longer affordable?
On May 3 the Crown Attorney revealed the charges against Marino Cader, the Peel Children’s Aid Society’s former director of finance who allegedly defrauded the organization, were being withdrawn. The 18-month limit for an accused to be tried within a reasonable time had expired. Peel Police failed to gather and deliver documents in the case in a timely manner, leaving numerous questions about widespread financial mismanagement within the public organization unanswered, after multiple investigations by the union, the province and The Pointer exposed alarming conduct.
While the criminal charges have been dropped due to police incompetence, allegations of widespread financial fraud by the former CEO made in a civil claim filed by the former finance director, have yet to be proven.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
