Mississauga delivers plan that seeks to build parks where they’re needed

Mississauga has delivered a plan that city officials say will ensure enough parkland is developed where it’s needed most in the decades to come.

City council today (March 23) approved Mississauga’s new Parks Plan, a comprehensive document that outlines city-wide parkland needs now and in the future.

As the city continues to intensify, the blueprint will guide how much parkland Mississauga requires, where it is needed and how to acquire it, officials say.

City of Mississauga staff say the Parks Plan builds on the public and stakeholder consultation undertaken for the 2019 Future Directions Parks Master Plan and incorporates recent input from consultations with school boards and the development industry.

It updates parkland provisions, or the amount of parkland required across the city based on population/existing parkland, to better reflect and respond to current conditions, emerging needs and future demands, staff says.

The plan also establishes ways to prioritize parkland acquisition going forward.

“We know the value our connected, vibrant outdoor public spaces bring to the residents of Mississauga. While we’re very proud of our parks system, our analysis shows that parkland deficits exist across the city,” said Jodi Robillos, the City’s commissioner of community services. “As land values increase and our population intensifies, our Parks Plan will be a key tool in ensuring that we continue to grow, connect and develop parkland for all Mississauga residents.”

Mayor Bonnie Crombie said the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things, demonstrated how important Mississauga’s parks and public spaces are to the health and well-being of people.

“As Mississauga continues to grow, we need to make sure we have a way to deliver new vibrant parks and recreational amenities in our communities. It’s critical to the long-term health of our residents and our city,” said Crombie.

Meanwhile, the Parkland Conveyance Bylaw, which outlines the City’s process to acquire parks and collect cash-in-lieu of parkland when development occurs, is being updated based on projected growth in Mississauga and recent changes to the Planning Act.

The Parks Plan, a requirement of the Planning Act, is an important step in the bylaw review process, the City notes. It will support the updated bylaw by demonstrating the need for land dedication and/or cash-in lieu of parkland for new developments. Cash in-lieu is a cash payment in place of dedicating land for parks within a development.

Funds collected through this policy are used to purchase parkland in key areas that will be underserved given the population growth.

The draft Parkland Conveyance Bylaw will come to Council for approval in May.