City of Mississauga Signs Memo of Understanding with University of Toronto Mississauga for Future Collaborations

The City of Mississauga and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) will build on past successes and explore new ways of partnering together through a newly-signed Memorandum of Understanding – Collaborating for the Future.

“This agreement represents a significant milestone in our longstanding and positive relationship, further solidifying our commitment to collaboration and partnership,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “By working together, the City of Mississauga and the University of Toronto Mississauga have already achieved great things, and now we are paving the way for even greater opportunities and shared priorities. This partnership will serve as a foundation for our future relationship, allowing us to work hand-in-hand towards the betterment of Mississauga residents and businesses, and the continued success of UTM students. Together, we will drive innovation, foster academic excellence, and enhance the quality of life for all who live, work and study in our great city.”

This memorandum of understanding (MOU) takes effect on June 1, 2023 and will see the City and UTM move forward on shared goals and potential strategic collaborations. Together, they will seek opportunities for promoting Truth and Reconciliation, combatting racism, building sustainable communities, fostering healthy populations and advancing a prosperous future. Structured around a five-year renewable term period, the MOU will be implemented through strategic collaborations and operational tables led by City and UTM directors.

“A world-class university is a major draw for employers, investors, and firms of every description looking for talent, ideas, energy, and ambition. And a city with a high quality of life is a major draw for families, students and researchers,” said Meric S. Gertler, president of University of Toronto (U of T). “This kind of synergy is at the heart of the relationship between Mississauga and the University of Toronto, and it is propelling us toward a great future.”

The Strategic Collaborations Table shall focus on planning for strategic initiatives around equity, diversity and inclusion, supporting innovation and research across the University’s three campuses, exploring opportunities for capacity building and experiential learning as well as promoting connections of the teaching mission with local economy needs and expanding the entrepreneur ecosystem. The Table will also aim at aligning industry and business engagement internationally and inspiring student engagement and forums for thought leaders and experts.

The other area for collaboration will be centred around local operational matters related to the UTM “neighbourhood” that require attention, such as creating positive experiences for students through affordable transit and housing, controlled noise levels, and improved health and safety, and fire and enforcement.

“Our connection with the City of Mississauga is the heart of UTM’s identity: we’re U of T for Mississauga. We believe in sharing the strength of one of the world’s great universities in this community; and we know how much strength we draw from the power of this community in turn,” said Alexandra Gillespie, vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga. “Together, Mississauga and U of T will drive life science discovery and create new technologies and jobs in robotics. We’ll strengthen a pipeline of industry-ready talent, accelerate a climate positive future, and promote mental health supports for every child to flourish. Our community will advance truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Nations, share new stories and arts, and make our city safer for everyone.”

The City of Mississauga and UTM have nurtured a positive working relationship since the university’s establishment in Mississauga. The execution of an MOU is an important milestone to harness the significant innovation potential of UTM and build on its significant contributions within the city’s social, economic and urban landscapes; it will enable the City and UTM to leverage future collaboration opportunities to meet shared priorities.

Background

Mississauga is the third largest city in Ontario with 1,400 multinational firms and more than 75 Fortune 500 companies making it a robust and diverse business community comprised of some of the largest knowledge-based industries in Canada. Mississauga, as part of the Greater Toronto Area, is at the centre of one of the most stable and competitive business environments in the world. With a thriving population of more than 750,000 people, the city offers unlimited possibilities of growth and development to more than 400,000 students within the region including international students.

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) was established in 1967, with one temporary academic building, 155 students, 28 faculty and 40 staff members. The campus has grown to become the second-largest division of U of T (Canada’s largest university). UTM now includes more than 15,200 undergraduate students and 900 graduate students, more than 3,400 full- and part-time employees (including 1,250 permanent faculty and staff) as well as more than 69,000 alumni. U of T Mississauga has 18 academic units (15 departments and three institutions), 180+ programs and 90 areas of study, and includes: the Institute for Management & Innovation; the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy; the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology; the Centre for South Asian Civilizations; and the Centre for Urban Environments. The Mississauga Academy of Medicine is located on campus in the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex.

Tags

• Economic Development
• Entrepreneurship
• Innovation