Massive 4,000 unit development could be coming to Mississauga

A major building project could turn parts of a large Mississauga shopping centre into a neighbourhood with thousands of residential units.

The plan calls for a major overhaul of Heartland Town Centre that will see 4,000 units added to a large area in the south of the property along Matheson Blvd.. between Mavis Rd. to McLaughlin Rd.

As well, a large dedicated park or green space is also part of the plan that would connect the housing to the shopping.

Although in the early stages of consideration, the proposal would eventually see the 220 acres of Heartland become a mixed-use complex of both commercial and residential properties as the owners of the land come to terms with the shifting trends that have led customers to online shopping.

The housing plan includes both large and small towers as well as townhouses and other units.

In a recent presentation to Peel Regional Council, planners representing the Orlando Corporation said with many commercial tenants looking for short-term leases and much of the mall set aside for parking spaces, a new strategy is needed for the future of the land.

“Retail as we know it today…will be changing,” pointed urban planner Glen Broll of Glen Schnarr and Associates.

Stating the pandemic has showed shoppers how easy it is to shop online, the planners suggested the long-range future of Heartland Town Centre needs to be re-evaluated and re-considered and housing, at this point, appears to be the best solution.

So far Mississauga politicians and staff appear to be open to the concept and expect the plan will also include a number of low-cost housing units which has become a major priority for the municipality.

The timeframe for the project is several years in the future as all parties including the land owner, their planners, City staff and politicians work over the details.

The expectation is that presenting the project for public consultation is two years away and several more years after that before the concept takes physical shape.