Today, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued a Mayoral Directive to move forward with the necessary steps to allow residents to build four residential units on low-rise residential lots.

“Given the scale and urgency of the housing crisis, it is critical that leadership at all levels of government work together. Issuing this directive will ensure that Mississauga continues to be eligible for $120 million in important federal funding for housing and community infrastructure while allowing for much-needed housing to be built in our neighbourhoods for the next generation.”

Mayor Bonnie Crombie

In response to the Mayoral Directive, staff will:

• Prepare the required Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments to permit “as-of-right” development for up to four residential units on low-rise residential lots in neighbourhoods city-wide, with such provisions as staff deem appropriate.
• Schedule and notify the public of a statutory public meeting to be held at a Planning and Development Committee meeting before the end of 2023.
• Undertake the necessary steps to bring forward the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments through the municipal planning process.

“This is about increasing the supply of housing and providing greater opportunity for those who want to live in our city, including families and older adults who want to age in place,” Mayor Crombie added. “It is one of many ways we are working to build the ‘missing middle’ in our city and communicate to residents that Mississauga is tackling the housing crisis.”

Mississauga City Council has long supported exploring policies to introduce gentle density and build more housing.

• The City’s Increasing Housing Choices in Neighbourhoods work, which began in 2021, has established new zoning and Official Plan regulations for additional residential units such as garden suites, garage conversions and laneway suites and allows up to three residential units on a lot.
• Staff are working to simplify the City’s single-detached neighbourhood zones to eliminate barriers and allow more housing to be built in residential areas that currently allow single-detached homes only.

Increasing ‘Missing Middle’ housing is also a key action in the City’s housing plan. Read Growing Mississauga: An Action Plan for New Housing to learn more about how the City plans to meet the province’s goal of building 120,000 new homes while streamlining building approvals and making homes more affordable.

Background

While on leave, Mayor Crombie is permitted as Head of Council to issue Mayoral Directives under s.284.11.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001.  Today’s directive provides notice that upon returning to her role as Mayor during the November budget process, the Mayor intends to issue a motion to enact Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments that will permit four-unit housing in Mississauga.