\u201cThis is one that we\u2019re watching closely \u2026 from our last round of polling, a two-way horse race between Ms. Parrish and Ms. Crombie \u2014 both strong name recognition candidates in Mississauga and certainly there\u2019s been no shortage of exchange of of jabs between both campaigns,\u201d Alex Nanoff, a partner with the polling firm Liaison Strategies, told CityNews on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to the company\u2019s mid-August poll<\/a> involving 1,000 residents with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20, Carolyn Parrish and Bonnie Crombie were tied at 26 per cent, Dipika Damerla was at 13 per cent, Alvin Tedjo was at nine per cent and 26 per cent of those surveyed were undecided. <\/p>\n When looking at decided voters, Nanoff said Parrish and Crombie had 35 per cent each, Damerla had 18 per cent and Tedjo had 12 per cent.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s lots of wiggle room to to start capturing people\u2019s attention on what it is that you\u2019re proposing that might differentiate you from your other candidate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Elected in a mid-2024 byelection 31 per cent of the vote following Crombie\u2019s resignation, Parrish \u2014 who had lengthy stints as a councillor and an MP \u2014 is seeking a return to the mayor\u2019s chair but this time for a full term. Travelling in a small car wrapped with her photo, she said she\u2019s making her case to community gatherings of 100 or 200 people at a time.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of these backyard events that take place are very good because people get to ask you questions face to face; that\u2019s how I won the last election,\u201d Parrish told CityNews.<\/p>\n When asked about her biggest successes, she pointed to a housing task force she created after becoming mayor.<\/p>\n \u201cWe put together 30 recommendations. The province picked up and put some of them in legislation. For example, not paying development charges until they have occupancy in their hands, borrowing from the bank, and keeps the price of the housing down,\u201d Parrish said, noting approximately 1,800 units are currently being built.<\/p>\n She also touted investments in driveway snow windrow clearing as well as fare-free transit and community centre access for seniors<\/p>\n However, occasional sharp exchanges between Parrish and Crombie on social media highlight the tension of a bid by Crombie to return to the office she was elected to three times before stepping down to become the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party<\/a>. She ended up resigning as the party\u2019s leader<\/a>, in part, because she failed to win the Mississauga riding she was running in. <\/p>\n CityNews asked Parrish and Crombie about the exchange of words mainly between their campaigns. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t comment on my opponents. So what she did and what she\u2019s doing is her business. She\u2019s the past. I am the future,\u201d Parrish said.<\/p>\n \u201cI will say that I\u2019m a very positive, energetic person, but I\u2019ll call it out when I see something that\u2019s inaccurate,\u2019\u201d Crombie told CityNews.<\/p>\n When asked about questions raised by critics and some residents about her decision to seek the job she left in 2024, Crombie said she\u2019s received encouragement by others to return.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lack of direction and there\u2019s a lack of leadership, and that\u2019s why people come to me and say, \u2018Bonnie, you\u2019re experienced. You are a strong leader,\u2019\u201d she said, noting she was most proud of economic development initiatives and attracting investment under her tenure. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I the last election I ran for mayor, I got 78 per cent support. Obviously, in the riding I ran in, they weren\u2019t ready for a Bonnie Crombie Liberal, but the reality is I\u2019m pretty centrist and right of centre.\u201d<\/p>\n Alvin Tedjo, the current Ward 2 councillor who lost the 2024 byelection to Parrish by six percentage points, said he will bring a different approach to the job.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are hopeful for for something different, and people want change. We\u2019ve got lots of our own research that says people are tired of the of the old way of doing politics,\u201d he told CityNews, adding he questions some of the more recent polling.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the last election, I literally polled at two per cent which was within the margin of error and that\u2019s nowhere any politician wants to be, and so the fact that we were able to finish second in that race just two years ago shows h\u2026 the polls got it wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Tedjo said when it came to his council record, he was proud about advancing affordability measures like fare-free transit for seniors, children and veterans as well as water billing discounts for seniors, low water users and low-income earners.<\/p>\n Dipika Damera, the current Ward 7 councillor and former Liberal MPP who came third in the 2024 byelection with just over 19 per cent support, also argued she would be an agent of change.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s working at the doors. It\u2019s really, really positive, and we have momentum,\u201d she told CityNews.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want the same old, same old, you have a choice: You have an ex-mayor and a current mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about what she was proud of during her time as councillor for the Cooksville area, she cited improving green spaces and businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I became a councillor, I was told, \u2018Everyone\u2019s tried to create a BIA in Cooksville, it\u2019s not possible,\u2019 and I was able to really establish the BIA and it\u2019s thriving. The other thing is the Taste of Cooksville festival,\u201d Damerla said.<\/p>\n Where do the candidates stand on some of the major Mississauga issues?<\/p>\n When CityNews interviewed the four candidates, it appeared none of the their full platforms were released nor were fully costed documents outlining how all promises would be paid for. Some said they were choosing to release it in a gradual fashion, so the policy positions below might be updated and expanded upon by the campaigns as the election period goes on. <\/p>\n CityNews recently spoke with people living in, or visiting, Port Credit to see what was top of mind. Several issues came up, which were posed to the candidates asking what they would do to address those concerns. Here are the summaries of their responses:<\/p>\n Crime and policing<\/p>\n Crombie said if elected, she would opt to return to the Peel Police Service Board instead of a councillor taking the seat \u2014 noting Parrish is not on the board. She said she\u2019s in favour of adding extra police resources in order to deal with \u201chot pockets\u201c of crime that need additional focus. Crombie also broadly acknowledged affordability is an issue with the policing budget. <\/p>\n Damerla took issue with the current funding model for Peel Regional Police, arguing Mississauga residents are paying 20 per cent more than Brampton despite having a smaller population total relative to Brampton. She said she would advocate for the Ontario government to address the formula. Damerla also called for a large expansion of CCTV cameras at major intersections to help gather evidence and track suspects. She advocated for a greater use of technology in policing. Lastly, she said she would advocate for the upper levels of government to stiffen sentences for crimes as a deterrent. <\/p>\n Parrish reiterated support for Peel Regional Police and said violent crime and property crimes like vehicle thefts are down in the city and that many communities are dealing with social and mental health issues. She said \u201ca lot\u201c has been done, but \u201cthere\u2019s a lot more to do.\u201c Parrish said she has been advocating for Ford government to correct the current Peel Regional Police funding model that is seeing Mississauga residents collectively paying more than Brampton residents.<\/p>\n Tedjo said there haven\u2019t been enough officers to address things like property crime, arguing there hasn\u2019t been enough funding under Parrish and Crombie. He said he would work boost resources where needed. Tedjo also said he wants to see mental health and social workers paired with officers responding to calls where someone is in crisis. <\/p>\n Housing<\/p>\n Damerla said she wants to see \u201ca better job\u201c of ensuring more types of housing are getting built such as townhouses, noting that there has been too much focus on high-rise structures. <\/p>\n Parrish said there has been a push to get developers to build apartments on rapid transit corridors in Mississauga. She also said she wants to keep working on implementing recommendations put forward by her housing task force in order to get more housing built. Parrish also mentioned a more recent push to develop 12 acres of land beside Mississauga city hall, which includes proposed ideas like a new hotel.<\/p>\n Tedjo said he wants to see more housing developments that haven\u2019t come to fruition due to a lack of the correct incentives and regulations. He said he wants to make creating units easier \u201cas of right.\u201c Tedjo said he wants to work more with non-profits and affordable agencies to build more units in existing structures. He said six-storey buildings should be allowed \u201cas of right\u201c if next to six-lane-wide, major arterial roads. <\/p>\n Crombie said she wants to see more affordable rental buildings created and programs to address \u201cover-housing\u201c and allow people to retrofit and add units. She said she wants to see wider variety of housing options built, including single-level and accessible units. Crombie also called for an elimination of development charges, arguing lower costs for builders would help property buyers.<\/p>\n Taxes and affordability<\/p>\n Parrish said she is against a municipal tax freeze. She said by reducing housing costs it will reduce property taxes. Parrish said she has advocated the provincial government to reverse previously downloaded services such as certain roads. She touted recent investments in no-cost access to community centres and transit for seniors. <\/p>\n Tedjo said would move to freeze property taxes for up to a couple of years to help with affordability concerns since it is the municipality\u2019s \u201cnumber one tool that we have available.\u201c He said he would release a fully costed plan reviewed by experts later in the election campaign, but would look at \u201cmore efficiencies\u201c and lobby the upper levels of government for more funding. He noted there would be \u201cdifficult choices.\u201c If elected, he said he would enact the freeze within 100 days and create a new overall annual budget. Tedjo noted in the event of a future tax increase, he wouldn\u2019t make an increase above inflation. <\/p>\n Crombie said she would keep any potential tax increases at or below inflation, criticizing recent larger tax increases. She said she wants to look at ways to lower tax rates, attracting commercial investments to the city, and providing tax relief for seniors. Crombie said she is against a tax freeze because of increases built into things like labour contracts, potentially forcing the use of reserve funds. She said she wants to see an auditor general\u2019s office created to help identify savings.<\/p>\n Damerla said her number one priority is getting \u201cMississauga\u2019s fiscal house in order.\u201c She said after a 28-per-cent increase in city and regional taxes over four years, she wants a freeze in 2027 and any further potential increases capped at or below inflation. Damerla said she wants an independent auditor general\u2019s office created to help find savings. She said she will be releasing a funding plan.<\/p>\n Transportation<\/p>\n Tedjo said he would push for implementing a broader rapid transit network, including the use of dedicated bus lanes. He said he would like to see quicker and more frequent services on dedicated bus lanes on streets like Dundas, Lakeshore, Derry, Erin Mills, Winston Churchill, Dixie and Cawthra. Tedjo said other fixes could include more bus laybys and queue-jumping technology. He said he would like to see more bus operators to boost existing MiWay routes. He said he wants to expand the cycling network across the city on boulevards or dedicated infrastructure.<\/p>\n Crombie said she would like to see the TTC\u2019S Line 2 Bloor-Danforth subway line extended all the way to Square One, noting the expansions of Line 1 Yonge-University to Vaughan and Richmond Hill. Crombie said she would call on the Ford government to fund the extension without confirming if she would back municipal funding. She said she would want to see Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, another location in southern Mississauga and in downtown Mississauga near Celebration Square and Square One. She said she is frustrated with the delays on the Hazel McCallion line and would argue the Province for greater accountability. Crombie reiterated past calls on Metrolinx and the Ford government to expand the GO Transit Milton train line to all-day, two-way service.<\/p>\n Damerla said she would push for her OFF (on-time, fast, frequent) transit plan, which would improve reliability and speed of bus services. She said she would support bike lanes but only on boulevards or dedicated infrastrcture and improved walkability measures. <\/p>\n Parrish touted the recent addition of 120,000 MiWay transit service hours to try to get drivers out of vehicles. She said LRT construction along the Hurontario corridor has impacted several adjacent north-south roads and as soon as that wraps up, it will help reduce some congestion. Parrish also said the municipality is using technology to better coordinate traffic lights.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tComposite photo shows the four leading candidates in the race for Mississauga mayor. (L-R) Alvin Tedjo, Bonnie Crombie, Dipika Demerla, Carolyn Parrish. CITYNEWS <\/p>\n \t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n Add CityNews Toronto as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789471333_168_mississauga-mayor-race-1024x548.jpg\")
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