2024 Ward 5 Candidate Profile - Jordan Gray
With the upcoming 2024 Ward 5 election happening on June 10th, Modern Mississauga Media has reached out to all candidates inviting them to answer the same five questions so voters can become more familiar with them.
Invitations went out to all candidates.
Click here to read all of the Ward 5 candidate profiles and check back often as responses will be posted within 72 hours of receipt.
Candidate answers are unedited and their contact information is at the bottom if you’d like to connect with them.
Click here to learn how to vote in the Ward 5 election.
1. Why are you running for Councillor of Ward 5?
To make Mississauga better.
I was born in Mississauga and raised in Ward 5. I graduated from St. Jude on Nahani Way and St. Francis Xavier on Bristol Road. Growing up, I saw friends, family, and neighbours do what they were supposed to.
They went to work. They raised their children. They paid their taxes.
But now, those long-time residents can't afford to stay. The Mississauga they helped build is not there for them when they need City support. Their children are moving to other cities and provinces. Rising property taxes are making aging in place impractical and impossible.
I am running for council to stand up for Ward 5 residents at City Hall. Mississauga residents deserve to stay in Mississauga. My plan is clear:
Bring in a property tax rebate for seniors.
Remove the stormwater charge.
Crackdown on auto theft.
Clean up construction so residents can move about our Ward efficiently and conveniently.
2. What are your top 3 campaign priorities and why?
My priorities are those that I hear at the doorstep. Every day since we began our campaign, I have had the opportunity to listen to directly from Ward 5 residents. Many say they are worried about how they will keep up with rising prices and what that means for their children. People are concerned that condo developments seem to be going up every other day without thinking about how that affects traffic, parking, and community character.
I am standing up for:
1. Fair Taxes & Affordability
Like so many in our Ward, my family also faces the pressure of increased gas and grocery prices and overall inflation. I am with Ward 5 in making taxes more affordable for you and your family by voting against large tax hikes, fighting for a property tax rebate for seniors and low-income households, and removing the stormwater charge.
2. Getting Traffic Moving
Ward 5 is home to over 78,000 residents and counting! I share residents' frustration with the heavy construction on Hurontario, traffic jams, and buses that don't run on time. I am advocating for increased frequency on bus routes and synchronizing city lights to get cars moving. Los Angeles, a city notorious for dense traffic, lowered its commute time by implementing this initiative. We have the technology and the resources to do better; I will not let that go to waste.
3. A Crime-Free Ward
Police services across the country have been clear—auto theft is on the rise. I personally have friends and neighbours who have had their cars stolen, broken into, or vandalized in the last several months. We must say enough is enough. At City Hall, I plan to work with Peel Regional Police and other government agencies to stop auto theft.
You can read our entire plan on my website.
3. How do you plan to actively involve and include residents in community decisions?
The other day, I was speaking to residents on Thornwood Drive. One gentleman alerted me that speeding continues to be an issue on this street. It can be unsafe for their children to walk to school or play on their driveways. In 2014, I worked with then-Councillor Crombie to lower speeds on Bristol Road, and my attention is now firmly on Thornwood.
That gentleman on Thornwood said he had not voted in over 30 years. However, when I spoke with him, he was engaged in direct community decision-making that is not captured at the ballot box.
Residents deserve to have their ideas not only heard but actioned. I am committed to hosting regular office hours at the Malton Community Centre and the Frank McKechnie Library to continue to discuss important community decisions directly with residents outside an election period. No appointment needed.
4. How will you be actively supporting our local businesses if elected?
Ward 5 is home to growing businesses that face inflation pressures. They contribute actively to our community and create local jobs for you and your family. As Councillor, I am committed to supporting our business community by:
Advocating for zoning rule amendments to ensure that new developments in Ward 5 are mixed-use and include space for storefronts and offices.
Work to make Uptown and the Malton business area pedestrian-friendly. Businesses need access customers and residents need access to services. Bringing the two closer together will improve consumer convenience and help stimulate business growth.
Push for City procurement to favour local businesses where possible.
5. What does Ward 5 currently excel at?|
Ward 5 excels at service! We are home to an international airport and international corporation headquarters, generating 24% of city revenue.
The residents of Ward 5 exude a type of service that my grandmother instilled in me. My grandmother, Barbara Loppie, was a little girl born on a First Nation reservation in Nova Scotia before Indigenous Peoples in this country had the right to vote. She became a prominent educator within the Nova Scotia public school system. She believed that if you wanted better, you must work for it. And if you want those efforts to be worthwhile, do better in service to others.
She has passed on now, but I owe it to her and the residents of Ward 5 to improve things for them and their families today.