ADVOCACY IN ACTION
ADVOCACY
IN ACTION
Local & Regional MISSISSAUGA TO BE AN INDEPENDENT CITY After many years of debate under Mayor Bonnie Crombie and former Mayor Hazel McCallion, Mississauga will become a stand-alone, independent city. On January 1, 2025, the Region of Peel will be dissolved while Brampton and Caledon will also become stand-alone, independent municipalities. There are many topics to address in the coming 15 months. What will happen to the key areas of responsibility at the Region of Peel? These include the police, water, and waste management. Leaders of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon have spoken in favour of continued joint oversight of currently shared responsibilities, but time will tell whether local leaders can find common ground to fund these services.
PEEL TRANSITION BOARD APPOINTED To provide guidance on how to navigate the dissolution of Peel and the creation of three independent cities, the Government of Ontario appointed a five-person transition board. The members of the Board are professional in their respective fields which include municipal government, law, policing and government finances. MBOT will be actively engaged in issues to be addressed by the Peel Transition Board. Watch for a planned MBOT
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submission to the Board on areas of concern to the Mississauga business community.
MISSISSAUGA COMMERCIAL TAXES One of the issues that MBOT will watch closely during the process to become an independent city is property taxes. Commercial property taxes were increased 4.04% in January 2023 while the inflation rate was 6% at that time. With anticipated savings for the City of Mississauga as a result of Peel dissolution, MBOT will continue to advocate for commercial tax increases no greater than the rate of inflation. Inflation numbers in 2023 have fluctuated between 2.8% and 5.9% with the annual inflation rate registering in July at 3.3%. There are many factors that influence property tax rates; amidst all the economic pressures domestically and globally, MBOT will continue to push for fair and reasonable increases for commercial property taxpayers.
PROVINCIAL MINIMUM WAGE INCREASED On October 1, Ontario’s general minimum wage increased from $15.50 per hour to $16.55 per hour. The $1.05 per hour increase represents a 6.8% increase; this compares with an inflation rate that ranged from 2.8% to 6.9% during the 12 months from October 2022 to July 2023. The Mississauga Board of Trade supports the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s advocacy at Queen’s Park on this issue where they have made the case that the minimum wage should be increased roughly at the rate of inflation.
CONNECT | 2023 ISSUE 4
