Local and Regional
The Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) is the voice of business at the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel orders of government.
COVID19 Response
Both the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel have returned to basically a “pre-COVID” system of operations for most programs and services. Some meetings continue to be on a hybrid or online system and some services that converted to completely online service will continue indefinitely.
Outdoor Business Operations, Patios & Signs
Mississauga City Council has approved an extension to both the temporary patio and temporary outdoor business programs until December 31, 2023. These program extensions will allow Mississauga restaurants and bars to continue using their patios and other outdoor businesses to use outdoor spaces as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is very likely that Council will decide to make these exemptions permanent after the October 2022 municipal election.
Region of Peel Official Plan
Peel Region has adopted a new Official Plan which will guide the growth and development, infrastructure investment, transportation and social services planning for the next several decades. The three local municipalities that make up Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon) will be updating their plans to align with the Regional Plan within the next year.
Mississauga Official Plan Review
The City of Mississauga is conducting a formal review of its Official Plan and Policies as required by law. The Mississauga Board of Trade continues to advocate for the protection of important employment lands in the city to ensure they are not lost to future residential development.
The City is also reviewing and updating its Development Charges By-law, Community Benefits by-law and Parks Plan/Payment in lieu of Parkland policy. Each of these revenue tools for the City of Mississauga are required for new developments and designed to fund important infrastructure related to the developments.
IDEA Innovation District
The City of Mississauga has announced the creation of an Innovation District called “IDEA Mississauga” that will include an innovation centre to be built in Square One with an opening planned for late Fall 2022. However, IDEA Mississauga does not represent one specific location in Mississauga – rather, it represents the city’s entire ecosystem made up of industry, government, education, and providers of space and programs that support innovation.
Mississauga has also committed to work with Lakeview Partners Developments to work on establishing an Innovation District complex on their lands abutting Lake Ontario.
Mississauga Urban Agriculture Strategy
The City of Mississauga has adopted an Urban Agriculture Strategy that also includes encouraging businesses to get involved. Over the next 10 years, the strategy will help to
enhance and grow urban agriculture efforts, promote and support inclusive, culturally relevant local food options expand, improve food security and support climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Downtown Mississauga Community Improvement Plan
Mississauga City Council has extended a by-law that created a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the city centre area which means almost double the grant benefits for qualifying office developments through the City’s Tax Increment Equivalent Grant (TIEG). Together with incentives from the Region of Peel, the City’s TIEG will make it more cost effective to build office space in Downtown Mississauga. The Downtown CIP is a tool designed to help attract new office development to the downtown core. By providing incentives such as Tax Increment Equivalent Grants, Development Processing Fees Grants and Municipally-Funded Parking Assistance, the City is balancing residential and employment development to build a complete community where people can live, work and play.
Municipal Elections
Municipal elections are scheduled for October 24, 2022 to elect the Mayor, Members of Council and School Board Trustees.
Provincial Government
MBOT works very closely with our partners at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) on issues with the Ontario Government. Our Committees work hard looking at resolutions, policy documents, government announcements on consultations to ensure the voice of Mississauga businesses is advanced on provincial issues. Members of MBOT are automatic members of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on the OCC, please visit www.occ.ca.
Ontario General Election – June 2, 2022
A Provincial Election was held on June 2, 2022 resulting in a re-elected Progressive Conservative majority Government led by Premier Doug Ford.
In Mississauga, the six incumbent Progressive Conservative MPPs were all re-elected as well. The MPPs for the 43rd Parliament are:
Natalia Kusendova – Mississauga Centre
Kaleed Rasheed – Mississauga East-Cooksville
Sheref Sabawy – Mississauga-Erin Mills
Rudy Cuzzetto – Mississauga-Lakeshore
Deepak Anand – Mississauga-Malton
Nina Tangri – Mississauga-Streetsville
The Mississauga Board of Trade looks forward to continuing to work with our MPPs on issues important to business and working on the continued economic growth, development and job creation needed in the Province of Ontario.
Significant Labour Reforms Implemented in Ontario
Through the Working for Workers Act 1 and 2, the Ontario Government has enacted several worker protection regulations which employers should be concerned about. These include:
- require workplaces that are at risk of a worker opioid overdose to have naloxone kits
- paying the minimum wage to anyone employed in the “gig” economy
- establishing a “disconnect” policy for workers
- banning non-compete agreements
- mandatory licensing of employment recruiters and temporary employment agencies
- increasing the general minimum wage on October 1, 2022 to $15.50/hour for all workers
Highway 413
With the re-election of the Ford Government in Ontario, plans for the development of Highway 413 are likely to be full speed ahead. The MBOT expressed its support for the development of another much needed west-east transportation corridor so long as it is not a toll highway. The Government has publicly said that future Highway 413 will not be tolled.
Federal Government
MBOT members are also members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) which is the national voice of business to the federal government. MBOT staff and Committees examine issues and resolutions of the CCC and provide Mississauga’s input. More information on the CCC is at www.chamber.ca.
COVID19 Federal Response
The Government of Canada has begun to wind down the financial support programs for business affected by the COVID pandemic. In some cases loans and grants have been extended or deferred for re-payments.
Canada Digital Adoption Program
The Government of Canada has established the Canada Digital Adoption Program to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) realize their full potential by adopting digital technologies. The $4 billion program is an investment of $1.4 billion in grants and advisory services to SMEs from the Government of Canada and up to $2.6 billion in loans from the Business Development Bank of Canada to help businesses cover the costs of implementing new digital technologies. For more information go to www.ic.gc.ca.
Locally in Ontario, the program is being administered by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. If you have any additional questions or would like to participate in the program, please contact us at [email protected].
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The Chamber of Commerce Network across Canada has stepped up to help Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees to Canada particularly those who wish to find employment. MBOT has more information on how businesses can help on its website at www.mbot.com.
Interest Rates/Inflation/Economy
These issues continue to be monitored very closely by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and others on their impact to business in both the short and longer terms. Affordability issues continue to be front and centre for most Canadians which impacts economic growth and jobs.
