Ridgeway Plaza in west Mississauga has been the target of numerous complaints from residents in the past few years.
Residents who didn’t get the chance to attend a public meeting last week about a large plaza in Mississauga’s west end that’s become known for “dangerous nuisance gatherings,” excessive noise, parking concerns and other issues will get another opportunity to be heard, their city councillor says.
Though the March 11 gathering held to inform the community about what’s being done to address “long-standing issues at Ridgeway Plaza” and how the popular destination spot is being made “safer” attracted more than 100 residents, many more missed the meeting.
Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden, who hosted the public session, said she’s “investigating the feasibility” of setting up a second community meeting on the same topic for various reasons.
For one, advance registration for the meeting was closed “when we reached capacity for the room and there were more residents who wanted to come that couldn’t,” the councillor said in a summary of the session sent to constituents via her community newsletter.
In addition, “there were many questions at the first meeting that were not asked because we ran out of time,” continued McFadden. “And many residents of Islamic faith expressed dismay at the timing of the meeting as it conflicted with Ramadan and their Iftar gatherings.”
“Underestimated this community’s interest in the topic”
Ramadan, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community, continues until March 19 in Canada.
McFadden said she “underestimated this community’s interest in the topic,” adding “I recognize the unfortunate timing of this meeting with respect to the Muslim community. I had been working to organize this meeting for several months dating back to the end of 2025. Between sourcing an available venue and aligning the schedules of key presenters and stakeholders, the week of March 9 was the only option between February and mid-April. I also wanted to provide this update ahead of the change in weather to ensure residents were aware of what’s been done, that we’re not ignoring the concerns that have been raised and that monitoring and enforcement will continue into the upcoming warm-weather season.”
A second meeting date has not yet been determined.
More than 100 residents attended a March 11 public meeting. (Photo: Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden community newsletter)
The purpose of last week’s gathering, McFadden said, was to provide an update on the “coordinated and multi-pronged effort undertaken by police, city council and (city) staff to address the myriad concerns raised by residents about some of the activities taking place at the plaza.”
Essentially, officials wanted to let residents know “… what is being done to make the commercial area safer and restore peace and order to the surrounding residential neighbourhood.”
The community’s concerns centre around ongoing “noise, littering, parking, traffic, illegal fireworks and the like,” McFadden said.
Peel Regional Police officers, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services in addition to officials with the city’s planning, parking, traffic and enforcement divisions attended the March 11 meeting to make presentations and answer questions about their work related to the Eglinton Avenue West/Ridgeway Drive plaza.
The plaza, located just outside McFadden’s ward in west Erin Mills, has become known since opening in 2022 for “dangerous nuisance gatherings,” excessive noise, street racing, parking concerns and other issues, City of Mississauga officials have said.
“The plaza is located in Ward 8; however, many Ward 10 residents living in the adjacent neighbourhood are impacted,” the Mississauga councillor said in an earlier update to the community.
Mississauga Deputy Mayor and Ward 8 Coun. Matt Mahoney was also at the meeting last week. In addition to working with McFadden on the issue, Mahoney has “taken the lead on these efforts” at city council, she noted.
Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden says she’s looking into hosting a second public meeting about Ridgeway Plaza.
McFadden told those in attendance at last week’s meeting, particularly those who live next to the plaza, that she acknowledges their “frustration with the many unwanted activities over the past several years and the negative impact these have had on your home and quality of life.
“I want to assure you that we have been listening and have been working hard to make things better,” she added.
The councillor said “our multi-pronged investments in terms of regulation, policy, engineering and enforcement are paying off. Last year was better than the year before and we anticipate that trend continuing as we prepare for the next warm-weather season.”
McFadden said she wanted to be clear that she also supports the businesses at the plaza and wants to see them thrive.
“It is indeed a marvel that so many restaurants have been able to operate profitably in such close proximity to each other, and that collectively they are able to attract customers from far and wide to come and experience international cuisine in one location,” she said. “These establishments create jobs and are a boon to our economy. We want their customers to have a safe, healthy and enjoyable experience.
“What we don’t want are the nuisance gatherings. Or the car meet-ups, with revving engines. Or the loud music or illegal fireworks.”
City council took action in January
Mississauga city council unanimously approved in mid-January a move to change zoning bylaws that, moving forward, will limit the number of restaurants allowed to operate at Ridgeway Plaza.
Under the new rules, a Ridgeway Special Area will be established that will see a 15 per cent reduction in number of restaurants at the plaza. Existing establishments will be allowed to stay, but they cannot expand their floor space, and gradually the balance will shift as businesses close, City of Mississauga staff noted in an earlier report.
Ridgeway Plaza (it’s actually two plazas — Erin Mills Centre and Platinum Centre) has been the subject of 112 public complaints since 2022, and the city has been looking at options to solve various issues at the location.
Known as a foodie destination, the plaza currently numbers 115 restaurants, according to a report presented earlier to the city’s planning and development committee.
That’s too many restaurants in one spot and it’s leading to parking, traffic, noise and other safety concerns, the Ridgeway Plaza Parking Study, conducted by Paradigm Transportation Solutions Ltd. on behalf of the city, found.
Image shows location of Ridgeway Plaza (centre) and surrounding area.
The city approved the restriction on number of new restaurants despite being presented with a petition signed by more than 140 business owners, employees, restaurant customers and area residents who stood opposed to the changes.
The petition, formally presented to Mississauga city council prior to its meeting on Jan. 14, urged the city to “pursue alternative parking solutions” at Ridgeway Plaza instead of the business-limiting measures adopted.
“Hundreds of jobs, significant business revenue and the long-term viability of local establishments are at risk” if proposed zoning changes are implemented, the petition contended.
The petition had asked city officials to instead consider other options including allowing parking on nearby Platinum Drive and Odyssey Drive, and seeking agreements with neighbouring businesses to allow overflow parking on their property.
City council can lift the restriction in future once a more desirable number of food establishments has been achieved.
Numerous and varied complaints since plaza opened
Over the past several years, various events staged at Ridgeway Plaza have brought with them numerous problems that include loud music and other noise well into the late-night and early-morning hours, parking lot and street racing, fights, parking, the use of illegal fireworks and many other disturbances.
Numerous public complaints related to such late-night gatherings and traffic concerns at the plaza have been received since it opened.
Activities at the plaza have also drawn the eye of Peel Regional Police, who’ve paid considerable attention enforcement-wise to the plaza and surrounding neighbourhood in the past several years as disturbances, stunt driving, speeding and street racing have become regular occurrences.
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