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'It's time': Mississauga residents weigh in on planned divorce from Peel Region at town hall meeting

Mississauga residents have an opportunity at a town hall meeting Monday night to weigh in on the council's plan to separate from Peel Region.

In many areas, city cannot proceed without asking Brampton and Caledon for permission, mayor says

CBC News ·
Residents voiced support but concerns about the plan and asked for more details about disadvantages at a town hall in Mississauga on Monday night.
The meeting at Mississauga's City Council — was the only public town hall meeting at this time and was expected to attract more than 300 people. (Natalie Nanowski/CBC)

Mississauga residents have an opportunity at a town hall meeting Monday night to weigh in on the council's plan to separate from Peel Region.

"Missi-Exit, Peel Off, M-Exit, or Prexit, whatever you choose to call it, it's time for Mississauga to leave the Region of Peel and become an independent city," Mayor Bonnie Crombie said in a news release Monday.

"Together, we will become one unified city, with one unified, powerful voice. The world will know Mississauga."

Mississauga, a city of nearly 800,000,  is currently a part of the Region of Peel along with Brampton and Caledon. In late March, Crombie's bid for the city to separate from Peel Region won the support of council. The provincial government is currently reviewing motion by council in favour of the move and would have to approve the request.

At Monday night's meeting, the only public town hall on the subject expected so far, a clearer picture began to emerge about what an exit from Peel might look like.

If the motion were passed, Mississauga would be considered a "single-tier" municipality, governed municipally and not be subject to a second layer of regional governance.

Mayor Bonnie Crombie's motion cites 'competing priorities' among member municipalities in Peel, which includes Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga. Mississauga, the motion says, is Ontario's third-largest city and the sixth largest in Canada.
In late March, Mayor Bonnie Crombie's bid for the city of nearly 800,000 to separate from Peel Region won the support of council. (Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC)

The city would still intend to share the Peel Regional Police service with Brampton, though the exact terms of that relationship would need to be renegotiated. 

Mississauga may be Ontario's third-largest city and the sixth largest in Canada, but argues Crombie, in many areas, Mississauga cannot proceed without asking Brampton and Caledon for permission.

"From growth and planning, to transit planning and building affordable housing, the region, Brampton and Caledon get to tell us how and what to do," she said.

"This prevents Mississauga from achieving our goals and building a world-class city. It's time for Mississauga to be one city, with one voice."

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