Mississauga Mourns the Passing of Former Mayor Hazel McCallion

It is with much sadness and a very heavy heart that the City of Mississauga announces the passing of former mayor and the City’s biggest champion, Hazel McCallion. She passed away peacefully shortly after 6:30 a.m. today, January 29, 2023 at home with her family by her side. Hazel McCallion was 101 years old.

Hazel was married to Sam McCallion, who passed away in 1997. She is survived by her three children, Paul (Marie), Linda Burgess (the late Peter) and Peter McCallion, and her grand daughter, Erika.

“Today, I stand alongside our residents, staff and my Council colleagues as we grieve the passing of Mississauga’s matriarch Hazel McCallion, the longest serving mayor of our beautiful city,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Hazel was not only my mentor and political role model but the reason why so many Canadian women were inspired to enter politics. She has left an indelible mark on our City and her legacy will continue to be felt for generations to come. We should all strive to follow her example. Today, I join all Mississauga residents in expressing my sincere condolences to Hazel’s family and friends.” See Mayor’s full statement.

Hazel McCallion served the City of Mississauga as mayor for 36 years from November 1978 to November 2014. Since leaving the Mayor’s office, she has taken on roles with University of Toronto Mississauga, Sheridan College, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Ontario Women’s Hockey Association, the Ontario Government, and Revera Incorporated, among others.

“This is a loss that the city will feel for some time,” said Paul Mitcham, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and City Manager. “Thanks to her hard work and passion, Mississauga is the seventh largest City in Canada. We are strong, growing and welcoming to all. This is the legacy that Hazel leaves us with and for that, I am truly grateful.”

Memorial arrangements and details will be provided once they are available. In lieu of flowers, the McCallion family has asked that donations be made to Trillium Health Partners Foundation or to the Hazel McCallion Charitable Foundation for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Memorial information is available at mississauga.ca/hazel.

Background
Hazel McCallion was born on February 14, 1921 in Port Daniel, Quebec, a small fishing community on the Gaspe Peninsula. She played professional hockey until moving to Toronto to work with Canadian Kellogg for 19 years.

In 1967 she left the corporate world to devote her career to politics. She was mayor of Streetsville from 1970-1973. In 1974, Streetsville, Port Credit and the town of Mississauga amalgamated to form the City of Mississauga. McCallion was elected as Mississauga’s third mayor in 1978.

In 1979, only one year as mayor, McCallion evacuated more than 230,000 city residents due to chlorine and chemicals emitted from the explosion of train cars in what became known as the “Mississauga Miracle.” McCallion was successful in 12 straight municipal elections and was nicknamed “Hurricane Hazel” for her tenacity and desire to create change in her city. While in office as Mayor of Mississauga, she tripled the population, while operating the City debt free. She is the past chair, honourary chair and honourary member of many committees and associations across Canada, such as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and World Conference of Mayors and Women’s World Hockey Tournament.

She was inducted into the Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2005, to the Order of Ontario in 2021, and was runner up as World Mayor in 2005. In 2014, McCallion authored her autobiography, Hurricane Hazel – A Life with Purpose. Since stepping down at the end of her term in 2014, she worked as the Chief Elder Officer of Revera Incorporated, was appointed as Special Advisor to the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), and was named the first Chancellor of Sheridan College. In 2016, February 14 was renamed Hazel McCallion Day across the province of Ontario in honour of McCallion’s birthday. She made many causes her passion, but throughout her life, she always supported youth and their development, championing many causes to provide young people with opportunity.

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