Ward 11 E-Newsletter

Coldest Night of the Year Walk 2023



Each year, for many years now, I have participated as part of the Streetsville United Church team in the Coldest Night of the Year walk in support of The DAM Youth Centre, which serves young people in Ward 11. This year's event is on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

If you would like to sponsor me as part of this initiative, please go to https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=5161369&langPref=en-CA.  

2023 Approved City Budget

City Council approved the City of Mississauga’s 2023-2025 Business Plan and 2023 Budget at the City Council meeting held on February 1, 2023. 

I want to assure you that City Council has made every effort to keep tax increases to a minimum, while also funding the critical municipal services and infrastructure that residents rely upon, such as snow clearing, transit, recreation, parks, emergency services, and roadways, to name a few. I also voted against a 3% infrastructure levy in an effort to further reduce the tax impact; however, this vote did not pass at Council. As we move forward with next year’s budget process, I want to assure you that Council will strive to continue to keep tax increases to a minimum and provide the best value for your tax dollars.

The 2023 City budget is focused on maintaining a safe and healthy community and investing in infrastructure, building and growth. This is a no-frills budget that is designed to maintain service levels while minimizing the impacts on residents as we address ongoing pressures from inflation and the lagging effects of COVID-19.

This year’s budget makes important investments including:

·        $83.8 million for hybrid bus acquisitions

·        $25.6 million for winter maintenance

·        $3.6 million for sidewalks

·        $21.5 million for road rehabilitation

·        $11 million for fire prevention activities

·        $1.9 million for new and replacement tree plantings

Mississauga residents will see a 3 per cent increase on the City portion of the Residential Tax Bill and business owners will see a 2 per cent increase on the City portion of the Commercial/Industrial Tax Bill. 

The City has implemented cost containment strategies to help bring down costs. The 2023 Budget contains savings of $3.5 million (a 0.6 per cent reduction in the City’s net costs) achieved through continuous improvement and cost containment initiatives. For more information on the City’s budget, please visit www.mississauga.ca/budget

Spring into City of Mississauga’s Program Registration



To help you get thinking of warmer days, what better way than to check out the programs, classes, activities and summer camps being offered by the City of Mississauga!

Official registration opens online and in-person on Tuesday, February 21 at 6 a.m. for Mississauga residents and Monday, February 27 at 6 a.m. for non-residents. You will be able to register for spring programs, summer programs and summer camps at the same time. Those interested are encouraged to register for both seasonal programs and summer camps as early as possible as spots are in high demand and will fill up fast! Please note that during this sign-up period Library programs will only be available through June, with summer programs available for registration at a later date. Please visit Active Mississauga for more information and be sure to follow on social media.

Recreation, Culture and Library spring programs start the week of March 25. They will take place at various facilities across the city including: community centres, pools, libraries, museums and the Living Arts Centre.

The City of Mississauga offers a wide selection of programs. Swimming, summer fun camps, story time at the library and art classes are always enjoyable and in high demand. In addition, discover some hidden gems like Photography for Beginners and Outdoor Explorers for kids.

2023 Approved Region Budget

Regional Council approved the 2023 Region of Peel Operating and Capital Budget at the Regional Council meeting held on February 2, 2023.

The 2023 Budget focuses on the challenges Peel is facing as a growing community with increased service demands, while aiming to address ongoing challenges, such as heightened inflation, supply chain issues, and changing legislation (specifically Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 which will see changes to the way that municipalities can collect development charges to fund infrastructure).

The 2023 Budget includes a property tax increase of 2.8 per cent for the Regional portion. This will contribute an annual increase to the typical residential property and commercial/industrial property tax bills of $144 and $255 respectively. The average home will also see an increase to their utility bill of 16¢ per day (or $58 per year), while the average commercial/industrial property will see an increase of 42¢ per day (or $152 per year).

The 2023 Budget also reflects $4.0 million in savings and cost avoidances found through continuous improvement efforts and cost containment measures to lower costs.

The 2023 Budget includes investments of $5.0 billion to maintain current service levels for a growing population, while addressing priority community needs, such as public health, safety, housing, and waste management, to name a few. Some highlights of the 2023 region budget are as follows:

Peel Regional Police

·        Increased investment in public safety through the addition of 70 uniformed officers

·        Capital investments to replace infrastructure, vehicles and equipment, expansion of facilities and advancing technological innovation

Paramedic Services

·        Addition of 44 new paramedics to address the growth in call volume and four more 24/7 ambulances on the road

·        Land acquisition for sixth reporting station and one additional satellite station

·        Enhancements and state of good repair for ambulances, other fleet, and equipment

·        New ambulances and equipment replacements to support growth

Housing Support

·        Implementing the Housing Master Plan to create more affordable housing

·        Grants for developers to create more affordable rental housing units

·        Ensuring the state of good repair of the Peel Living housing stock

Waste Management

·        Design and construction of a new Mixed Waste Processing Facility

·        Zero Emissions Vehicle pilot to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

·        Maintenance of facilities and equipment to ensure a state of good repair

Seniors Services

·        Expansion of the virtual delivery of Adult Day Services and introduction of short-stay respite, supporting the operationalization of the Seniors Health and Wellness Village

·        Replacement of kitchen appliances, flooring, washrooms, and furniture across various Long Term Care Homes

Public Health

·        A new immunization program to prevent and control COVID-19 and provide stability to meet projected COVID-19 vaccination demands

·        Increased capacity to work with community partners on Community Safety and Wellbeing

·        Three clinics for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program

Early Years and Child Care

·        Roll out Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan to reduce the cost of child care by 2025

·        Maintain Workforce Strategy to address staff shortages and meet the demand for child care in Peel

·        State of good repair projects for child care facilities

Water and Wastewater

·        Additional operating resources to address growth demands

·        A health and safety specialist to ensure the effective management of Health and Safety requirements

·        Installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at various Public Works facilities to support Peel’s greenhouse gas reduction targets

·        Various water main replacements and construction, pumping station rehabilitation and expansions, and expansion of Water Resource Recovery Facilities

Transportation

·        Support to negotiate agreements with Metrolinx to expedite the implementation of higher order transit, and protect Regional infrastructure

·        Funding for road construction, road resurfacing, intersection improvements, and active transportation

·        Rehabilitation and upgrades to the Region’s stormwater system to adapt to climate change impacts

·        Conversions and replacements of various Noise Walls abutting Regional Roads across Peel

For more information on the Region’s budget, please visit www.peelregion.ca/budget

Donations to Heart House Hospice will be matched Until February 28th



Until February 28^th, all donations made to Heart House Hospice up to $15,000 will be matched by their partner, John Brooks Company Ltd. All proceeds will go to Heart House Hospice’s Help Us Understand Grief (HUUG) Program.

The Help Us Understand Grief (HUUG) Program provides short term supports and counselling to children, youth, and families living with serious illness, dying, death, and grief. Like all of the services offered at Heart House Hospice, HUUG is available to families at no cost. If you would like to support Heart House Hospice, please visit https://hearthousegiving.com.  

Book Donations Needed



The Mississauga Symphony Used Book Sale Group is looking for new or used books, records (33s & 45s), CDs, DVDs, puzzles, games, and sheet music in good, sellable condition.

Unfortunately, they cannot accept videos (VHS), 78s, cassette tapes, textbooks, magazines, encyclopaedias, boxed classical & opera records, readers digest condensed books, or any item in poor condition

Donation hours are: Tuesday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm,Thursday from 9 am to noon.

Donation Centre:     Sheridan Centre/Sherwood Village Mall – Lower Level, 2225 Erin Mills Parkway (North of the QEW)

Closest entry door is Door 25 on the P2 covered parking level – behind Metro

All monies raised in their Spring and Fall Sales support the Activities of the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra and the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra. For more information, please visit https://www.mississaugasymphony.ca/book-sale.  

Take Action: How Will You Cut your Carbon Emissions in 2023?

Have you noticed more intense weather events, severe flooding and extreme storms in the last five years? These storms cause damage to homes, businesses, shorelines, roads and other infrastructure, costing millions of dollars in clean-up and repairs.

The City of Mississauga has been working to tackle climate change by implementing its first-ever Climate Change Action Plan. The plan outlines corporate and community actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and make Mississauga more resilient to climate change. To reduce its carbon footprint, the City has installed electric vehicle chargers, switched some transit to hybrid-electric MiWay buses and launched Mississauga’s first Urban Agriculture Strategy.

If you’re interested in finding out more about your carbon footprint, try the carbon calculator developed in partnership with Project Neutral. In five minutes or less, you’ll get a snapshot of your household’s carbon footprint and can learn which actions will have the most significant impact.

Looking for other climate actions you can take? Here are ways you can start:



Start small – how to implement meaningful actions into your lifestyle

1.   Use active or public transportation more: Any trip under one kilometre is considered walkable. For longer trips, consider using active transportation or transit to work, school or run errands instead of relying on a personal vehicle. Gas vehicles contribute to climate change due to the greenhouse gas emissions they emit.

2.   Turn down your thermostat: This winter, consider turning down the thermostat 1.5 degrees to reduce energy emissions by as much as five per cent. Not only does it help with fighting climate change, it also helps lower your hydro bill.

3.   Reduce your food waste: Food waste often ends up in landfills. It decomposes, producing large volumes of methane gas – which is harmful to the environment. If you have food scraps like bones, fruit peels or veggie skins – compost them! Plan your meals in advance, properly store food and save leftovers to help prevent food waste.

4.   Increase your number of plant-based meals: Consider swapping meat for a plant-based meal to help reduce your carbon footprint. Animal agriculture produces large amounts of methane gas and it requires large land requirements for livestock, which can lead to deforestation.

5.   Shop local: Shop at the closest store to your house or a convenient supermarket on the way home. Visit your local markets on the weekend and support your local grocers and farmers. Buying local is a great way to avoid unnecessary plastic packaging and reduces the need to transport produce across long distances.

6.   Refuse, reduce and reuse items: Items that end up in landfills contribute to climate change due to large quantities of methane emissions. Instead, consider refusing, reducing and reusing items. You can try to:

·        Avoid purchasing or using single-use plastics

·        Bring reusable bags

·        Request reusable dishware – like forks and spoons

·        Reuse or donate clothing

·        Repair items like appliances

·        Recycle paper, plastic, glass and metal containers. Check the Region of Peel’s guidelines on sorting your waste.

7.   Install a smart thermostat: Installing a smart thermostat is an easy alternative that offers a variety of financial and environmental benefits. You will be able to pre-set temperature schedules to adjust the temperature in your home to turn on only when you need it. This can help you maximize energy savings and reduce your carbon footprint. You can install a smart thermostat in your home at any time, on your own, or with the help of a contractor.

Go big – Long-term actions with big returns

1.   Commit to an electric vehicle: Looking to replace your vehicle? Consider switching to an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles reduce your carbon footprint by relying on electricity instead of an internal combustion engine. In Mississauga, transportation-related emissions account for more than 30 per cent of total community emissions. In Ontario, our electricity grid is relatively clean (not a lot of GHG emissions are produced). As long as the electricity grid in Ontario stays clean, switching to an electric vehicle can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 90 per cent.

2.   Switch to a heat pump for heating and cooling: The number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in Mississauga is from buildings. This is due to the natural gas used to heat homes and provide hot water. Replacing a natural gas furnace with an electric heat pump will significantly reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. A heat pump is a mechanical system powered by electricity that provides heating and cooling to your home.

Not sure where to start on climate action? Use Project Neutral’s carbon footprint calculator to understand your climate impact and ways you can take action.

Learn more about the City’s Climate Change Action Plan and its progress by visiting: mississauga.ca/projects-and-strategies/city-projects/climate-change-action-plan

Want to learn how you can get involved with the City’s climate change initiatives? Follow @saugaparksrec via social media for more information each season.