Ontario Tables Legislation to Split Peel Region, Looks at Splitting Other Regions

Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a press conference in Ottawa, on Feb. 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press

Doug Ford’s government tabled legislation on Thursday to split Peel Region into the separate municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon by Jan. 1, 2025. In the coming weeks, the government will also look at whether several other fast-growing cities still need to have a regional level of government.

Other regions the province is eyeing for dissolution include Durham, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe, Waterloo, and York.

If the legislation passes, a five-person transition board will “ensure a fair outcome for the three municipalities that prioritizes the preservation of frontline services and workers, respect for taxpayers and government efficiency,” the announcement said.

“Where there are shared assets and services, the dissolution process would help ensure an equitable outcome,” it said.

As the idea of dissolution has been discussed leading up to Thursday’s announcement, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has expressed concern that it would be too costly to separate the region’s services—such as police and water treatment—and that his city would lose the money it has invested in joint infrastructure.

However, he said in a statement following the announcement, “I want to thank Premier Ford for assuring the residents of Brampton they will not be shortchanged during this process.”

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has long called for the dissolution, as did the late long-time former mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion. The legislation is called the Hazel McCallion Act in her honour.

“This is an historic day for the people of Mississauga and for our future,” Crombie said in a statement. “As Ontario’s third-largest city that’s home to 100,000 businesses and the province’s second-largest economy, we’re ready to stand on our own two feet and make our own decisions about the future of our city.”

Caledon Mayor Annette Groves has also been wary of dissolution, but said in a statement after the announcement, “We will work with the province to ensure a fair transition for our town that protects our financial security and makes sure residents continue to receive the high levels of service that they need and have come to expect.”

The Ford government has emphasized it will place special focus on ensuring all three cities can still meet goals for building affordable housing.

In the coming weeks, the province will name regional facilitators to look at whether communities within the regions of Durham, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe, Waterloo and York “are mature enough to pursue dissolution.”

If a two-tier government is still recommended, the facilitators will look at how the regional governments can better meet the needs of the municipalities, “particularly when it comes to meeting municipal housing pledges and tackling the housing supply crisis.”