The Mississauga Board of Trade submitted the following response to the City of Mississauga’s public consultations:

Increasing Housing Choices in Neighbourhoods

MBOT supports the City of Mississauga establishing as many housing options as possible in the City to ensure that people can both live and work in Mississauga.  MBOT highly encourages the City to work with the builder/developer sector to support a wide-range of new housing to be built in both ownership and rental housing.

The City of Mississauga should examine through its Official Plan Review the options for a range of housing, infill housing and densities to allow new and innovative housing concepts to be built.

Transit and Road Infrastructure Plan

A strong and efficient public transit system is integral to support business and its workers get to and from workplaces across the City.  MBOT supports plans that improve transit infrastructure, build new routes to better access employment areas in the City and the development of operation of the Hurontario LRT, Dundas Bus Rapid Transit and Lakeshore Bus Rapid Transit routes.

The City must continue to invest in road infrastructure for both existing and future roadways particularly as they support employment lands.  Goods movement continues to be a very significant industry sector in Mississauga and needs to be supported by a strong road infrastructure.

Official Plan Review

MBOT has been involved in the Official Plan Review including meetings with staff to discuss a number of items.  Of particular concern is the conversion of employment lands to residential use which we strongly oppose in most circumstances.  The loss of employment lands in Mississauga affects the business base of the City and the property tax revenue accrued from business.

The City of Mississauga should develop very specific criteria that must be met to convert employment lands to any other use including full replacement of employment uses should a mixed-use development be proposed.

Downtown Strategy

MBOT has been very active on the Downtown Mississauga Strategy to ensure that Mississauga’s city centre has a strong balance of employment and residential uses.  There continues to be many opportunities for building and development in Downtown Mississauga that must include a variety of retail, commercial, office and employment uses.  Downtown Mississauga cannot be just highrise apartment uses.

The City of Mississauga must include strong policies in the Downtown Mississauga strategy that incent and encourage office, commercial and retail development in the City Centre.  MBOT is fully supportive of the decision to designate Downtown Mississauga in a Community Improvement Plan (CIP).

Introduction to Shared Micro-mobility Systems

MBOT recently wrote to Mississauga City Council in support of this system as another mode of transportation within the City.

City-wide Major Transit Areas

MBOT supports the Province of Ontario directing this growth to areas that can support it. These areas include Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) in Peel and Mississauga.  MBOT supports increased densities in these areas that support both the growth needs and proximity to major transit areas.

Dundas Corridor Policy Implementation

Dundas Street throughout Mississauga from the Etobicoke Creek to the Oakville border constitutes one of the major roadways in the City of Mississauga.  Many businesses front on to or are in very close proximity to Dundas Street.  It is a major employment land corridor.

MBOT supports all efforts to support and improve Dundas Street including public transit, protection of employment lands and increased densities that would permit a strong balance of future residential and commercial development.

MBOT strongly supports the creation of the Dundas Bus Rapid Transit line.

Parking Matters 2.0

The City of Mississauga continues to be a highly car-friendly city.  Many workers and customers to businesses use personal vehicles and require adequate parking.  Further internal goods movement in the City also requires adequate spacing for parking for the delivery of those goods.

MBOT supports the City looking at its parking requirements to ensure it is adequate for the needs.  In some cases, the required parking is significantly greater than the need resulting in increased costs to business particularly in the Payment-in-lieu of Parking charges.

Any paid parking within the City should be appropriate for those needs and utilize the best technology available for ease of payment.

Inclusionary Zoning and Affordable Housing Study

MBOT is supportive of any measures the City can implement to create “affordable housing.”  We do caution the City on inclusionary zoning but encourage the City to explore eliminating “exclusionary zoning”.

The City should also incent all rental housing developments through development levies and building permit fees and the time for processing applications.  The City desperately needs new purpose-built rental housing and should create a “fast-track” system for approvals.

District Energy in Downtown

MBOT is very supportive of any and all efforts to bring District Energy to Mississauga’s downtown.  District Energy areas have been very successful in the City of Toronto and other areas and should be encouraged and supported in Mississauga.

Smart City Policy

The City of Mississauga’s Smart City Policy aims to “re-imagine a city where technology can help support a healthy environment, an innovative economy, vibrant communities, efficient and safe modes of transportation, and a connected government.” MBOT is very supportive of the Smart City Policy for the City of Mississauga.

Parking Regulations Study

MBOT has been participating and is supportive of Mississauga’s Parking Regulations Study.  Different areas of the City need different approaches to parking regulations including the Business Improvement Association districts and Downtown Mississauga.

Re-imaging the Mall

MBOT has been very supportive of the Re-imaging the Mall Directions Report and the opportunities for these malls to redevelop these properties while maintaining the focus on retail shopping.  These properties can transition into mixed-use developments but must maintain a focus on the retail-commercial and employment uses.

Climate Change Action Plan

MBOT has been very supportive of the City of Mississauga Climate Change Action Plan.  We continue to work with City staff on ways in which the business community can participate and be involved in possible training and workshops on what they can do to support and contribute to the goals of the plan to reduce GHG emissions, energy and water conservation and environmental sustainability.