McCallion always had a vision for Mississauga’s success
I had the good fortune to speak with Hazel McCallion, arguably Canada’s greatest city builder, on the eve of her 100th birthday this Valentine’s Day.
Under her 36-year leadership as mayor, Mississauga grew from a suburb and a grouping of towns of around a quarter of a million people to Canada’s sixth largest city with a population approaching 800,000.
Mississauga is a great example of why it is inaccurate to think of the GTA as consisting of the City of Toronto surrounded by suburbs.
Rather, we should think of the GTA as a collection of distinct cities and municipalities, each growing at its own pace and in its own unique manner.
Mississauga is now home to the Canadian headquarters of more than 50 Fortune 500 companies. Prior to the pandemic, more people commuted to Mississauga every day for work than the other way around.
McCallion attributes Mississauga’s success to very deliberate planning of a city with complete communities that provide residential, work and commercial spaces, along with parks, recreational facilities, schools and amenities.
With a background in largescale industrial construction, she came to elected life with a solid understanding of what it takes to keep projects moving.
According to McCallion, teamwork, partnership and community engagement are the key ingredients of effective city building.
She points to Mississauga’s dedicated team of municipal professionals who have worked with elected officials with a clear vision, partnered with top residential, industrial and commercial builders and developers, kept the community informed and addressed valid concerns.
The results achieved in Mississauga show that the approach works.
McCallion says a culture change is necessary to address the current supply and affordability challenge in the GTA. We need to view every development application in terms of new roofs over people’s heads or new employment spaces, jobs, economic growth and value to the community.
When I asked McCallion which community she is most proud of in Mississauga, the former mayor of Streetsville named the community she and her late husband called home, served, supported and promoted.
Happy 100th birthday, Hazel McCallion — city builder, community supporter and mayor — and congratulations on your recent appointment to the Order of Ontario. We owe you a debt of gratitude.