Who does what? Making housing more affordable in Mississauga

It’s no secret, housing is too expensive in Mississauga. According to the Mayor’s Housing Task Force report, first-time homebuyers need to be in the top 20 per cent of income earners to afford the average Mississauga home. It’s a similar story for renters. Average rents for a one-bedroom unit are more than $2,000 a month.

So, what can the City do to make housing more affordable? It’s important to understand that Mississauga and the Region of Peel work together on housing. In general, each focus on making housing more affordable for different income levels.

Housing Mississauga’s most vulnerable

The Region of Peel oversees the affordable housing system in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. This involves working with partners to develop and implement Peel’s 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan and administering federal and provincial funding programs. The region provides housing options and supports to residents who are homeless, unstably housed or unable to afford housing within the private market. This includes offering temporary shelters, housing subsidies and access to safe, affordable community housing to almost 17,000 households with 50 community housing providers and Peel Living.

The Region estimates that one in five – or 93,000 – households in Peel region are in core housing need. This means their housing is unaffordable or inadequate to meet their needs. In 2024, the region opened six new housing projects, adding 381 new beds and homes to Peel’s affordable housing system. Despite these efforts, the need for more affordable housing is large and the gap is growing. According to regional estimates, Peel’s housing supports are currently meeting only 19 per cent of the community’s need.

The Region uses federal, provincial and municipal funds for its housing programs and services. It also partners with private developers, non-profit organizations and other community agencies to help build affordable housing. It has allocated nearly $1 billion in its 10-year capital plan to maintain and create new community housing. An ‘all of government’ approach is needed to effectively address the affordable housing crisis.  More investment in community housing is required from the federal and provincial governments to close the gap.

Making housing more affordable for the middle

While the region generally focuses on lower income residents, the City is working on making housing more affordable for the middle. But what does “middle” mean?

Housing is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30 per cent of income. Spending more than 30 per cent on housing means less for necessities like food, transportation and savings.

• The average annual income for moderate – or middle – income renter households in Mississauga is $54,000 to $96,000 per year.
• These households could afford to spend about $1,350 to $2,390 per month without spending more than 30 per cent of income on housing.
• With rents averaging more than $3,000 for a 2-bedroom apartment, these homes are out of reach for most middle-income families in Mississauga.

Here are some of the ways the City is working to make housing more affordable:

• Incentives for shovel-ready projects: The City has approved important financial changes to help kick-start development for Mississauga families. These changes, including eliminating development charges for family-sized units, are part of the bold housing changes recommended by the Mayor’s Housing Task Force.
• Making it easier and less expensive to build in neighbourhoods: The City is offering rebates for residents who want to build additional residential units such as fourplexes, triplexes, basement apartments or garden suites. This helps add more types of homes for all income levels in Mississauga neighbourhoods.
• Offering free garden suite design plans: Garden suites are small homes that can be built in many backyards citywide. They are a good option for homeowners who want to downsize, need a separate space for family members or who want a rental unit for extra income. The City offers free, pre-approved design plans for an open-concept studio or one bedroom garden suite.
• Encouraging more affordable rental units: Council has approved a $44 million financial incentive program for developers who agree to build new rental units. The rent for these new units must be at or below the program’s affordable rent threshold for at least 25 years.

Learn more about the actions Mississauga is taking to make housing more affordable. Or visit housing and social supports for information about the Region of Peel’s services.

Tags

• Housing
• Planning and Building