Fourplexes get the green light in Mississauga

In an effort to fight the housing crisis, Mississauga has decided to allow fourplexes in Canada’s seventh-largest city.

At a special meeting of council on Wednesday afternoon, councillors voted 8-4 in favour of an earlier Mayor Bonnie Crombie directive calling for amendments to Mississauga’s Official Plan and zoning bylaws to permit four-unit housing.

Crombie’s directive, issued on Oct. 20 after council had narrowly shot down the idea of fourplexes one week earlier by a 6-5 vote (with Crombie on a leave of absence to pursue the Liberal leadership), was permitted under the Municipal Act, which gave her the right to invoke strong mayor powers and issue such mayoral directives.

Immediately after council’s initial “no” vote on Oct. 13, Crombie stated via social media her displeasure with that decision. She said later that her directive put in motion the “necessary steps” to allow residents to build four residential units on low-rise residential lots.

Crombie’s directive meant that the matter would be revisited by council, and that came today.

Under the Municipal Act, such mayoral directives lead to votes in which the motion/directive needs only four affirmative votes to pass (and not the normally required six, or seven if all members of council are present).

Crombie said after today’s proceedings that she was pleased her directive received eight votes, “…so it passed as a normal motion would have.”

Councillors Brad Butt and Matt Mahoney voted against the directive while councillors John Kovac and Stephen Dasko abstained.

Back in October, Crombie explained her motivation for pushing forward with fourplexes.

“Given the scale and urgency of the housing crisis, it is critical that leadership at all levels of government work together,” she said in a news release. “Issuing this directive will ensure that Mississauga continues to be eligible for $120 million in important federal funding for housing and community infrastructure while allowing for much-needed housing to be built in our neighbourhoods for the next generation.”

Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued a directive on Oct. 20 that fourplexes be permitted in Mississauga.

“This is about increasing the supply of housing and providing greater opportunity for those who want to live in our city, including families and older adults who want to age in place,” she continued. “It is one of many ways we are working to build the ‘missing middle’ in our city and communicate to residents that Mississauga is tackling the housing crisis.”