Council veteran joins Peel police board to fill former mayor Bonnie Crombie’s Mississauga seat

Veteran Mississauga councillor Matt Mahoney will join the Peel police board to fill former mayor Bonnie Crombie’s vacant seat now that she’s left for Queen’s Park and the Liberal Party leadership.

The Peel Police Service Board, a civilian agency that oversees Peel Regional Police, was left with one seat empty when Crombie officially stepped down from her role as Mississauga mayor earlier this month, following her successful bid for leadership of the Ontario Liberals.

That vacancy has now been filled as Mahoney, longtime Ward 8 councillor, has been appointed by Peel Regional Council to succeed Crombie as Mississauga’s representative on the board.

A lifelong resident of Mississauga, Mahoney will bring “a rich background in community service and over 20 years of experience in the private sector” to the role, Peel police said in a statement.

In a release, Mahoney said he is deeply honoured “to contribute to the Peel Police Service Board and remain committed to working collaboratively for the safety and well-being of our community.”

On top of the addition of Mahoney, Peel Regional Chair Nando Iannicca was re-elected as chair of the police services board and Sumeeta Kohli was re-elected as vice-chair.

The civilian board saw some shake-ups last year when board Chair Ron Chatha was abruptly dismissed from the position. The board also added Len Carby in 2023, a Brampton resident and as co-chair on the Peel Regional Police Anti-Racism Advisory Committee, following calls for representation for the Black community.

The PPSB is a civilian body governing the Peel Regional Police, and is responsible “for the provision of effective police services, law enforcement and crime prevention,” the board’s mandate reads. The Board does not direct the chief of police with day to day operations of the police service, or specific operational decisions.