3 shopping centres look to add residential development in Mississauga

Three shopping centres have requested a change to allow housing developments on their properties in Mississauga but city staff has recommended rejecting one.

In 2022, SmartCentres asked Peel Region and Mississauga to remove three sites from employment area designations to allow for residential, mixed-use development. Employment lands are normally set aside for industry and commercial uses such as shops, services and restaurants.

The three SmartCentres sites in Mississauga are: site 1 at Winston Churchill Boulevard and Argentia Road near Lisgar GO Station in Meadowvale; site 2 at Burnhamthorpe Road and Central Parkway West near Erindale GO Station; and site 3 at Burnhamthorpe and Mavis roads.

A recent review found that sites 1 and 2 could be supported for conversion subject to conditions such as good planning and response to community feedback. But planning staff recommended against converting site 3 as it is beside heavy industry facilities.

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Over 2,000 residents signed a petition opposing the change at site 1 due to concerns over the loss of grocery stores and shopping in the area.

The request to change the land use is part of a Canada-wide vision for SmartCentres to create livable, vibrant mixed-use developments, Christine Fang-Denissov, a partner with Urban Strategies Inc. said at Mississauga’s Planning and Development Committee meeting on Monday.

The company is looking at their landholdings to find “the ideal sites to transform from shopping centres to city centres,” said Fang-Denissov.

No development applications have been submitted — this is a long-range plan to see if any of the sites could become mixed-use developments, she added.

While staff suggested sites 1 and 2 could be converted, some residents are still concerned. Sean Ramitt, a resident who lives near the site 1 SmartCentre said people come from outside the community to shop at there.

“Any change here does impact more than just Ward 9,” Ramitt told the committee on Monday.

Less retail on site 1 will impact the area and Mississauga is growing, he added.

“Where are people going to go for retail and employment?” he asked.

He also wanted to make sure there would be enough affordable housing in the community.

Harbinder Khangura, who started the petition against the conversion, suggested the planned housing exceeds growth forecasts. Khangura asked why the conversion is still being considered given the community opposition.

“The community overwhelming opposes the conversion,” Khangura told the committee. “There is no need for the conversion.”

In response to community feedback, staff recommended giving the community the chance to provide input in shaping a future vision and set of policies for how the site should be redeveloped.

Councillors suggested the community should guide the changes not just provide input that could be ignored.

In addition, the policy review will include a phased development with parkland, community infrastructure, appropriate building heights and density, and at least 10 per cent affordable housing, the staff report stated.

The meeting was for informational purposes — no decisions were made. Policy changes for sites 1 and 2 will be incorporated into the new Official Plan that is currently being finalized.

A recommendation report on the new Official Plan is expected in early 2025.

The developments could be several years away.

For more information on the changes see the Planning and Development Committee meeting here or the City of Mississauga’s Have Your Say site here.