The Ford government announced Peel Region will cease to exist from Jan. 1, 2025, as Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon become three separate single-tier municipalities.
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark tabled Thursday afternoon Bill 112, named after late Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion who had long advocated for her city’s independence.
The dissolution will provide tools the three municipalities need to support future population and housing growth, Clark said in a joint press conference with Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie, Brampton mayor Patrick Brown, and Caledon mayor Annette Groves.
A five-member transition board will recommend on details of the dissolution from financial sustainability to allocation of assets and liabilities, he said.
He also said it’s up for the board and the three mayors to decide on how to provide public services in the future.
“I think the transition board, in collaboration with the mayors, could ultimately decide that some of those regional services could be provided in a shared service format,” Clark said.
Crombie called the day a historic moment.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for many years,” she said. “I hope that our tax dollars continue to be invested in our city, for our growth and infrastructure, our programs and services.”
Brown said while he isn’t against breaking the Peel Region apart, he’s concerned about its financial implications.
“We have to rebuild our water treatment facility, our wastewater on our own,” he said. “That’s $6,000 per resident.”
Brown also said Brampton has funded infrastructure in Mississauga since 1974 when the region was formed, and he will ensure his citizens won’t be taken advantage of it.
“I appreciate the tone the premier has (taken) on this, that we’ll be made whole and no one will be able to walk away from their bill,” he said.
Members of the transition board will all be picked by Clark, without the involvement of the three municipalities, according to the proposed legislation.
Crombie said she’s confident the provincial government will appoint individuals who can handle the transition fairly and equitably for all people.
“I just want to be sure that on that transition committee, there’s no conflict of interest, there’s no one that can present any influence, peddling,” she said.
Crombie said she and Brown have a professional relationship and can work the dissolution out amicably.
“I look forward to opening our book so everyone can see for themselves the status of our finances and our reserves, and what exactly Mississauga paid for the past 50 years towards the growth and the development of not only Mississauga, but Brampton and Caledon,” she said.
But in a separate media conference, Brown said he’s concerned about Crombie’s rhetoric.
“In recent days we’ve heard Mayor Crombie speak about how Mississauga subsidizes policing,” he said. “The numbers put out yesterday by the chief of police and the Peel Police showed that is factually incorrect, and I hope it wasn’t intentionally an effort to mislead or to confuse residents about the cost.”
Brown said he hoped Mississauga will do its homework, referring to the famous line from McCallion.
“This is a request of the city of Mississauga,” he said. “I want to see the homework done on how this is going to be paid for. It doesn’t look like Mississauga has the financial capacity to pay for it, so who is paying for it?”