2024 Mississauga Mayoral Candidate Profile - Carolyn Parrish
/With the upcoming 2024 Mayoral By-election happening on June 10th, Modern Mississauga Media has reached out to all candidates inviting them to answer the same questions so voters can become more familiar with them.
Invitations went out to all candidates on Friday, May 3rd.
Click here to read all of the Mississauga Mayoral 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 Mayoral election.
1. Why are you running for Mayor?
2. What makes you stand out over other candidates?
Please look through https://www.carolynparrish.ca website with particular attention to the incredible park under construction north of Eglinton between Fairwind and Hurontario. The playground is custom designed around a nautical theme with a massive shipwreck at it’s centre, a lighthouse and a series of extras including a whale and other beautifully crafted ocean-side objects for interactive play. Not only will children be able to enjoy physical exercise on completely accessible equipment, their imaginations will be stimulated as they climb over the pirate ship and bounce in the surrounding lifeboats.
Further north in the Village of Malton there are two projects underway – the construction of a full scale AVRO Arrow to be installed on a massive arm, high above the Flight Garden in Paul Coffey Park on Derry Road. This $3 million dollar project, financed through Tourism Mississauga, Federal Gas Tax money and private donations will be a tribute to the incredible aerospace industry that got its start in Malton and continues today with over 300 individual flight-related industries.
Also under construction we have the Jonathan Davis Youth Hub attached to Lincoln Alexander Secondary School, repurposing the space formerly occupied by an indoor swimming pool. Again, funding in the amount of $3.6 million from the City of Mississauga, the Region of Peel and private donors will create an incredible space exclusively for youth programming including a fully equipped teaching kitchen and a recording studio for budding artists.
Please take a tour through to appreciate the result of the work we’ve done throughout my time as Councillor for Ward 5. Take time to enjoy glimpses of past Fall Fairs, Santa Claus Parades and Malton Canada Day Celebrations – events we look forward to once again enjoying in the very near future.
Ward 5 is an extremely diverse ward with two distinct but complementary sections that make an incredible challenge for those who would serve it well.
Filled with warm, friendly and hard-working people, Ward 5 residents deserve to be treated with respect and provided with excellent service from their Councillor.
My commitments to you:
I bring my experience and my ability to attract private sector donations and senior government grants to Ward 5.
I ensure we get our fair share of the huge tax base that is produced in Ward 5.
I watch carefully, every week at City and regional Council, ensuring not one penny of your hard-earned tax dollars is wasted.
Most importantly, I ensure your calls are returned promptly, your questions answered and your opinions valued.
3. What are your campaign priorities and what's your approach to tackling them?
Housing Affordability
Over 40,000 residents have moved out of Mississauga since the last census. A shortage of housing has increased prices to levels that are unaffordable to many, both for rental or purchase. In fact they are amongst the highest in the country. We pride ourselves on welcoming people from all over the world and from all walks of life so we must find a wide range of solutions to our housing shortage. Fourplexes and other gentle infill approaches need very unique lots and won’t solve our problem. Vast stretches of vacant land designated “Office” need to be rezoned “Mixed Use” with an “Affordable Housing“ component, some commercial and green space. Huge malls are already applying for partial conversions. To make approvals efficient and speedy, the process has to be streamlined. A Mayor’s Advisory Panel made up of our best developers will be selected to help with that process. Mississauga needs housing in a wide range of prices to keep our residents and our young people where they prefer to live.
Cost of Living
Mississauga residents are struggling with an ever-increasing cost of living. Much of the problem is as a result of the high cost of rent and the burden of mortgage renewal at often double the initial cost. Food and other necessities are escalating. Some who were formerly managing household costs are being forced to use food banks for the first time. It’s time for a full evaluation of the City’s part in assisting citizens with coping in these difficult times. The City must play its part by keeping the property taxes down as well as the costs of city and regional services. I propose quarterly budget consultations within each ward to monitor necessary expenses based on priorities regularly confirmed by those we serve. I commit to controlling City and Regional budgets to close to the rate of inflation while maintaining infrastructure such as roads and community centres, at the standards we have come to expect in our city. Services valued by our residents must also be delivered at reasonable, affordable rates. I will also strive to ensure Mississauga gets its fair share of federal and provincial funding to reduce the increasing burden on local property taxes.
Improving Transportation
Public transit is the backbone of any progressive and affordable city. Reliable, quality service increases ridership, reduces road congestion and provides a safe, cost-effective means of moving around our city. We must meet this challenge and make transit an agreeable alternative to the car by making excellent service paramount. No closed door buses speeding by in rush hour, increased clean and well lit bus shelters and efficient transfers to connecting routes. Consultations with our front-line workers, the transit drivers, who best know how to increase efficiency and service are a must. A significant East-West connector to the LRT is also essential for efficient travel within the GTA as is all day GO to Milton. Funding from senior levels of government will be a priority. Lines of paint do not make our busy roads safe for cyclists. Before repaving any roads serious consultations must be had to evaluate the need for speed humps and cycling curbs for the safety of those who choose cycling as their mode of transportation.
Creating Community
To build and enhance more inclusive communities in a big city such as ours, we need to foster friendly and inclusive neighbourhoods where neighbours live, shop, enjoy arts and participate in recreational activities. Where residents of all ages and backgrounds feel connected to where they live. As the third largest city in Ontario, we must make an effort to address the sense of isolation felt by some, particularly our seniors. To promote seniors ability to connect easily with others we need free transit passes and greatly reduced costs for recreation activities – getting them out and about for better physical and mental health. Nothing feels better than “belonging”. I intend to also take care of our youth, attracting private donations to replicate the recently opened Malton Youth Hunger Jonathan David Centre. Over 1450 members making 50,000 visits since October. Trained young people prepare over 200 hot, ethically relevant lunches for kids every day who come to school hungry. I intend to build three more where they are most needed over the next six years.
Safety: A Growing Concern
Public safety is a growing concern in Mississauga. While still rated as one of Canada’s safest large cities, the recent doubling of car thefts with the associated incidents of break-ins and assaults has made our citizens feel vulnerable. We have also seen the creation of specialized teams of police officers with accompanying mental health specialists to respond to increased calls for assistance with gender-based and intimate partner violence. I am committed to working with Peel Regional Police expand specialized response teams to deal with today’s changing community needs. I will lobby the federal government to address the equipment needed in our ports to close down the market for stolen cars and the changes needed in our courts to deter such crimes.
4. What budget item is the most important for Mississauga?
The budget must work as a whole unit to ensure that the services of the city are delivered and the needs of the community are met. The budget must be seen as a total picture.
5. What are your three favourite aspects of Mississauga?
Multiculturalism, good repair and excellent services.
6. How will you be actively supporting our local businesses if elected?
Streamline yearly applications for licenses and attract as many new businesses as possible.
7. What does Mississauga currently excel at?
Peaceful co-existence with people from all corners of the world.
8. How would you communicate with residents and what communication standards can voters expect?
There are a number of ways residents can reach out to me. Email, Social media and phone calls are a few. I look forward to working with the residents of Mississauga.
