Housing is a top priority for Mississauga. Growing Mississauga: An Action Plan for New Housing will help us get more homes built, streamline building approvals and make homes more affordable.
The plan outlines five goals and 23 actions the City will take over the next four years and identifies where we need private sector and government support.
Growing Mississauga builds on the success of the City’s previous housing plans which have positioned Mississauga to meet the Province’s 2051 growth target, helped improve housing affordability, streamlined approval processes and led to the issuance of a record number of building permits in 2022.
Goals and actions
Find out how the City will work to deliver more housing. Review the full plan for detailed information about each goal and related actions.
The Province’s new home target for Mississauga is 120,000 units over 10 years. The City has long been planning for intensive growth and can accommodate this amount of development as long as the necessary infrastructure (transit, parks, sewers, water and public spaces) is in place to support it. The development community will also need to commit to fund and build the housing the City approves.
Growing Mississauga outlines five actions to get more homes built, which include:
- Allowing more housing types, such as semi-detached homes, triplexes and garden suites to be built without special zoning permissions
- Encouraging more transit-friendly development
- Creating opportunities for new residential housing in employment areas
Increasing the supply of housing requires a commitment from the Province and its agencies to fund and accelerate the construction of large transit projects such as the Hurontario LRT Downtown Loop and two-way, all-day service on the Milton GO transit line.
When launched in 2017, Mississauga’s Making Room for the Middle: Affordable Housing Strategy was one of the first of its kind in Canada. Today, 90% of the strategy’s actions are complete or underway, but there is more work to do.
Growing Mississauga outlines four actions to improve housing affordability, which include:
- Implementing new policies to bring affordable housing units to major transit station areas
- Working with the Province to protect and expand rental housing
Mississauga uses many tools to get housing built more quickly and was the first city in Canada to offer an online approvals system for building permits and development applications.
Growing Mississauga outlines five actions that will continue the City’s commitment to streamlining processes and improving customer service, which include:
- Launching a permit approval team to expedite approvals
- Piloting new approvals processes to meet Bill 109 timelines
- Upgrading our online applications portal
Increasing development will require considerable new funding for major infrastructure to support growth. The City will play a big role in realizing this plan but will need support from our partners to prepare for rapid expansion.
Growing Mississauga outlines four actions to help make the plan happen, which include:
- Exploring funding options
- Integrating housing and the delivery of new infrastructure
- Acquiring land for much needed parks and open space
As we grow Mississauga, we are committed to working with the community and all stakeholders to build complete communities. The City will also continue to explore and adopt new and innovate ways to engage, inform and report on Mississauga’s growth and development.
Growing Mississauga outlines five actions to support the City’s work to educate, engage and report on housing, which include:
- Establishing a housing panel
- Expanding online planning tools
- Increasing online self-serve housing data
Municipal housing target
The Province of Ontario has set a goal of delivering 1.5 million homes over the next decade. To meet this, municipal housing targets have been issued to cities across Ontario.
Mississauga’s housing target is 120,000 new units. This means Mississauga will need about the same number of new homes in 10 years that we were planning to deliver over 30 years. That’s like adding the population of Guelph or Waterloo to our city in 10 years.
Accommodating this level of growth will require government and industry support. We can only make it happen if:
- Infrastructure and services like parks, roads, transit, sewers, community centres, fire stations and libraries are in place to service new residents; and
- The development and building industry has the desire and capacity to build the new homes.
As a city, we can plan and approve housing, but the development and building industry gets them built. We all have a role to play and must work together.
Housing pledge
Municipalities were asked to submit a housing pledge to the Province to confirm they will meet their target. On March 1, 2023, Mississauga City Council endorsed Growing Mississauga as the City’s housing pledge.
Housing progress
The City is committed to reporting back in a meaningful and transparent way. The City’s Development Data dashboard includes a Housing Update highlighting key figures such as the number of housing units approved and under construction in Mississauga.
News and updates
Mississauga approves $44 million program to encourage more affordable rental housing
On July 31, 2024, Council approved a $44 million Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to boost the city’s affordable rental housing supply.
The CIP aims to increase affordable and below-market rental units for moderate-income renter households ($54,000 to $96,000). The plan offers incentives for both multi-unit buildings and gentle density rental units such as basement apartments, garden suites, triplexes and fourplexes in lower density areas. The CIP is a key action under Growing Mississauga: An Action Plan for New Housing and it is expected to deliver over 300 new affordable rental and gentle density units over three years.
The City will begin accepting applications from Fall 2024 to 2027, or until funds are exhausted.
For more information about the program, read the announcement.
Mississauga launches pre-approved design plans
The City is offering free pre-approved garden suite design plans for Mississauga homeowners. Garden suites are small homes that can be built in many backyards citywide.
The pre-approved plans make it easier to build more homes and help residents save time and money.
Increasing the number and variety of homes in existing residential neighbourhoods and streamlining building approvals processes are key actions under the City’s housing plan.
Visit mississauga.ca/garden-suites to learn more, view renderings and download the pre-approved plans.
City of Mississauga responds to province’s 2023 housing targets performance
Mississauga is encouraging the province to reconsider how it distributes housing funding to cities. Recently, the province deemed the City is ineligible for the Building Faster Fund due to insufficient housing starts in 2023. The province deemed this despite the City having more than 12,000 residential units under construction right now.
In response to this decision, the City wrote a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, noting its concerns. The Building Faster Fund is an important funding source that can help the City make sure infrastructure and services are in place to welcome all of the new development coming to our City.
Read the full letter to learn more about the City’s response.
December 18, 2023: Funding announcement
The federal government and the City of Mississauga announced a $112.9 million agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund to help deliver more homes and improve affordability.
Read about the announcement or watch as the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, announces the Housing Accelerator Fund agreement alongside Mayor Bonnie Crombie.
December 6, 2023: Fourplex approvals
Council approved new zoning and official plan rules for fourplexes on low-rise residential lots. Increasing the number and variety of homes in existing residential neighbourhoods will help create more options for families, older adults and young people city-wide.
Council approved new zoning and official plan rules for additional residential units, which are homes such as triplexes, garden suites, garage conversions and laneways suites. The new zoning allows up to three residential units on one lot.
Increasing the number and variety of homes in existing residential neighbourhoods is an important action under Goal 1: Increase Supply.
The City has submitted an updated response to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report recommendations. The response was prepared following a request from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH).
Housing affordability is a key priority for the City. The City’s top five recommendations support actions that have the potential to deliver the most impact to address housing demand and supply in the shortest timeframe.
For information and background on the City’s response, read the Corporate Report staff prepared for City Council. The City’s full response to each recommendation can be found in this table prepared by MMAH staff.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued two Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) for the following Mississauga locations:
- 1082 Lakeshore Road for the Lakeview Village Development – learn more about the Lakeview Village MZO
- 3355 and 5645 Hurontario Street – the City has not received a development application for either of these sites
An MZO is a tool, permitted under the Planning Act, which allows the Minister to change the use of land, buildings or structures anywhere in Ontario. The City cannot appeal an MZO.
The City has committed to meeting the Province’s housing target through our housing plan. The City does not support these MZOs – and they are not required for Mississauga to meet its housing targets.
Watch as Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Members of Council unveil Mississauga’s plan for new housing, including actions the City will take to help the province meet their target of building 1.5 million new homes in the next 10 years.
- News release: Mississauga Approves Action Plan for New Housing
- Download the one page infographic for an overview of key facts
Housing panel
The City established a housing panel to help implement our action plan. The panel includes representation from Council, the construction and development industry, not-for-profit groups and the academic community. The panel provides a forum for creative ideas, opportunities for improved coordination, process improvements, data sharing, feedback and advice.