New $75-million marina in Mississauga will attract money, not extra traffic, City says

A new, full-service and modern Port Credit marina will bring huge economic benefits to Mississauga, but no additional traffic headaches to an already-busy area, project leaders say. 

In the midst of completing a provincially-mandated environmental assessment (EA) before more specific details about the $75-million (estimated) project can be decided upon, City of Mississauga officials recently provided residents with answers to many of their questions via an online public engagement session.

The mandated virtual Public Information Centre (PIC), through which residents, businesses and others provided input and asked questions in February and March, brought queries related to a number of issues including traffic impact, final cost of the project and what the finished site will look like.

Project officials say that no matter which of several design options being considered is chosen, traffic impact upon completion of the site will be the same.

“No significant change to current or past traffic patterns associated with the marina operation is anticipated,” officials said in an online report summarizing the PIC session.

Parking for the marina will be created as part of the site development.

During construction, officials add, “consideration will be given to using barges to bring some of the fill material to the site” to minimize the road traffic impact.

Though specific design details for the new marina are lacking at this stage of the process, City officials say they’re considering the following:

• Small Lakefill Alternative: estimated parkland is small (about one-fourteenth of a football field), will accommodate 200 slips (boats) and cost is described as “low capital cost”
• Medium Lakefill Alternative: estimated parkland is just under a football field in size, will accommodate 200 slips and cost is described as “moderate capital cost”
• Large Lakefill Alternative: estimated parkland is two-and-a-half football fields in size, will accommodates 450 slips and price tag is described as “highest capital cost”

The existing marina accommodates 250 slips.

Project officials say more details about design and cost will be available at the next stage of the EA.

They added that public feedback will help them determine which design option they’ll move forward with.

Once the EA is completed, the new marina will be one step closer to becoming a reality.

For now, City officials are urging people to continue to take part in future public engagement sessions. The next PIC is scheduled for sometime this summer.

After a year-long wait, Mississauga officials got word last September that Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment had approved terms of reference for the required environmental assessment of the massive undertaking.

The waterfront overhaul seeks to maximize the location’s advantage as Lake Ontario’s deepest natural harbour in making a new-look Port Credit Harbour a destination place, City officials say.

They hope a new marina will attract boaters from all over who will, ideally, spend the day in Port Credit shopping and dining.  

As it moves forward with the EA, which when completed must be approved by the Ontario government, Mississauga is looking to provincial and federal governments for money to complete the redevelopment plan, termed by City staff the 1 Port Street East Proposed Marina Project.  

Mayor Bonnie Crombie has identified the Port Credit marina undertaking as one of Mississauga’s top two infrastructure priorities, the other being the re-instatement of a downtown loop as part of the Hurontario light rail transit project.  

She added last fall that the surrounding community is “incredibly supportive” of the plan, and that beyond the marina, the City is looking to create new land for parks and access to the waterfront. 

“Our goal is to create a new destination for recreation, tourism and economic development,” Crombie said last September. 

Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Dasko earlier described the waterfront as the “jewel in the crown of Mississauga” and said Port Credit, most notably with its deep harbour, is the perfect spot for a new, modern marina. 

He added funding is needed quickly, though. 

“It’s imperative to keep a marina in Port Credit…it’s a positive in terms of business, as a tourist mecca. It checks all the boxes.” 

Last fall, Dasko formed an advocacy group comprised of local merchants, residents and others to keep the project on people’s minds and push senior levels of government for cash. 

City staff say the natural advantages of a deep harbour cannot be overstated. Port Credit is one of the few Lake Ontario deep-water harbours capable of accommodating big boats, they say.  

“That’s a unique advantage of this site as the harbour does not require regular dredging,” staff said last year. “There is a trend towards bigger boats and this site can accommodate and capitalize on that trend because of the deep waters.” 

Staff add that transient boaters coming to the marina could spend the day in Port Credit eating, shopping and spending money. 

“Potential economic benefits are significant,” they said. 

The EA will study proposed expanded land base for additional waterfront parkland and examine marina alternatives for the site, City staff say. 

The existing marina will see its lease expire in 2023. It will not remain as it’s coming to the end of its life cycle, and does not provide public access, City staff say. In its place, a mixed-use neighbourhood is proposed on the wharf. 

The new marina will be built on the eastern portion of the site, between Elizabeth and Helene streets.  

The 1 Port Street East project is a key element of the City’s much broader Inspiration Port Credit Charting the Future Course Master Plan. It’s intended to help fulfill the Master Plan vision “to ensure that an iconic and vibrant mixed-use waterfront neighbourhood and destination with a full-service marina is developed at the 1 Port St. E. site.”  

City officials say the project provides an opportunity to: 

• enable the continuation of the site’s historic marina function, which is key to the cultural identity of the Port Credit community
• support marina and other business activity, for the benefit of Mississauga and residents
• create new waterfront parkland with safe public access
• allow for improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat

Mississauga operates two other marinas in the city—Lakefront Promenade and Credit Village marinas.