Incumbent Mayor Hazel McCallion is running for her 12th term this year as Mayor of Mississauga. Ever since she was first elected in November 1978, Mississauga has never had to borrow money and is one of the few debt-free cities in Canada. McCallion has high approval ratings and is expected to win over the other sixteen mayoral hopefuls.
Mississauga’s population has been increasing over the years, which has also led to a change in demographics. Presently, immigrants count for more than forty per cent of the population. As the population continues to grow, Mississauga faces issues such as inadequate public transportation, residential intensification and gridlock that need to be solved. Mississauga’s mass development and overpopulation are issues that have been criticized by mayoral candidates George Winter and Paul Fromm.
The media has been focusing on McCallion’s conflict of interest judicial inquiry, which is still ongoing. Opponents have also criticized her for not releasing a campaign platform and accusing her of stifling debate among her council colleagues.
Mersiha Gadzo 