Ward 11 E-Newsletter - December 2019
Councillor's Message

Welcome to the December 2019 issue of my Ward 11 E-Newsletter!  I hope you find this newsletter informative.  

On behalf of myself and my staff, Anita A. Solomon and Kim Duarte, I would like to sincerely wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, joyous holiday season, and a wonderful, prosperous 2020!  I look forward to serving you and your family in the coming New Year!  
 
As always, I am pleased to assist you and your family with any municipal issue that you may have.  Please don't hesitate to contact my office directly at any time at 905-896-5011 or  george.carlson@mississauga.ca .
In This Issue...
Follow Safe Rideshare Habits This Holiday Season

The holiday season is now upon us, and during this busy time of parties and celebrations, many people will use rideshare to travel to and from holiday events. The City of Mississauga is reminding everyone to follow safe ridesharing habits this holiday season as follows:
  • Confirm the vehicle's plate number as shown in the app
  • Match the driver profile with the description provided in the app
  • Ask your driver "what's my name?" before getting into the vehicle
  • Wait for your ride indoors
  • Tell a friend where you're going
  • Ride in the back seat
  • Map your own route during the ride
  • Don't share private information with the driver
Following safe rideshare habits will help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season this year. Residents are encouraged to report any rideshare concerns by calling 311. In an emergency, always call 911.
 
The City regulates rideshare companies operating in Mississauga through the Transportation Network Company Licensing By-law . For more information about this by-law, please visit www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/bylaws .   Top  
Winter On-Street Parking

The winter season is now upon us, so this is just a friendly reminder to please keep roads free of vehicles when it snows. Parked vehicles make it challenging to efficiently clear roads for emergency vehicles and transit to travel.
 
On-Street Parking Restriction
An on-street parking restriction is in effect year round between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Parked or stopped vehicles in contravention of the City's Traffic By-law or on-street parking restriction will be issued a penalty notice and will be subject to towing and storage fees at the expense of the owner. The operational condition of a vehicle is not an exemption to these requirements.
 
Suspension of Temporary Parking Requests
Temporary parking requests can be suspended at any time during snow events to allow staff and machinery to safely clear roads. New temporary parking requests will not be issued and current ones will not be recognized for the duration of snow clearing operations. Residents are asked to remove vehicles from City streets in order for crews to complete salting and snow clearing operations within our service standards timelines.
 
Vehicles that are found on City streets will be enforced in accordance with the City's Traffic By-law and will be issued a penalty notice and subject to towing and storage fees at the expense of the owner.
 
To find out if temporary parking requests have been suspended follow @MississaugaSnow or call 311 (905-615-4311 if outside city limits).

Snow Removal
The removal of snow may be necessary after a winter storm. This is typically limited to bridge decks, business improvement areas (BIA's), or emergency situations. In the event snow removal operations may impact an area used for public parking, temporary 'No Parking' signs will be installed 24 hours prior to snow removal operations. Vehicles in contravention of the Traffic By-law will be issued a penalty notice and will be subject to towing and storage fees at the expense of the owner. For more information about the City's snow clearing operations, visit www.mississauga.ca/snowclearingoperations .   Top  
City of Mississauga Holiday Hours Schedule 2019/2020

Please be advised that the City of Mississauga administrative offices will be closed starting at noon on December 24, 2019 and will reopen on January 2, 2020.
 
Some City services will be available during the closure period. To view the full holiday hours schedule, please visit www.mississauga.ca/contactus.
 
3-1-1 Citizen Contact Centre
  • Dial 3-1-1 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, to speak to a Customer Service Advisor who will assist with your call.
  • Open: December 24, 27, 30 and 31
  • Closed: December 25, 26 and January 1
  • Regular hours resume January 2, 2020.
Snow Clearing at the City
  • Follow @MississaugaSnow on Twitter, call 3-1-1 (or 905-615-4311 outside City limits) or visit www.mississauga.ca/snow.
Transportation and Works Dispatch - Open 24/7
  • (For emergency calls regarding animal services, parking enforcement, roads, sidewalks, traffic, winter maintenance, forestry and other emergency City services)
  • Dial 3-1-1 and select Option 2 or call 905-615-3000.
For more information about the City's Christmas and holiday hours of operation, please visit www.mississauga.ca/contactus.   Top  
City's First Comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan

I am very pleased to report that Council approved the City's first comprehensive  Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) . The plan focuses on both mitigation and adaptation and sets out actions for the City and the community to take over the next 10 years.
 
The plan contains ambitious yet practical steps to address climate change. There are two main goals:
  1. Mitigation: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, with a long-term goal of becoming a net-zero community
  2. Adaptation: Increase resilience and the capacity of the city to withstand and respond to current and future climate events
The Climate Change Action Plan is our 10-year road map to support Mississauga's long-term vision of being a low carbon and resilient community by 2050. The action plan takes a holistic approach, and includes actions to be taken by the City as a corporation, as well as actions for the community. The CCAP includes 21 key actions to be implemented within the next 10 years. Actions are grouped into five 'action pathways':
  1. Buildings and Clean Energy
  2. Resilient and Green Infrastructure
  3. Accelerating Discovery and Innovation
  4. Low Emissions Mobility
  5. Engagement and Partnerships
Based on current technologies and cost premiums, the City estimates that the plan's actions will cost at least $460 million over the next 10 years. Implementation and funding of CCAP actions will be done through the City's annual business planning and budget process.
 
The City will play an important role in tackling climate change. The plan features a number of specific actions including implementing a new Corporate Green Building standard that will help improve environmental performance, reduce costs and position Mississauga as a leader in green buildings. This new standard will see the City take a low carbon approach for new construction and major renovation building projects beginning in 2021. 

In addition, the Plan's actions also focus on replacing the transit bus and corporate fleets with low or zero emission vehicles, installing renewable energy at municipal buildings, supporting our businesses to take action, and developing a public education program on climate change and emergency preparedness for our residents. The City has already taken important actions on climate change:
  • One Million Trees - Trees are essential in the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to a changing climate. The City's goal is to plant one million trees by 2032. To date, over 340,000 trees have been planted as a part of this program.
  • MiWay Hybrid Buses - The City has 10 new, next-generation hybrid-electric buses that are convertible to full battery power. These new buses are a key step on the road to electrification of the MiWay fleet.
  • Street light LED conversion program - In 2013, the City started an LED Street Lighting Retrofit Project, by converting approximately 50,000 street lights to LED light bulbs. This has reduced emissions from streetlights by 97 per cent.
For more information about the CCAP, please visit theclimatechangeproject.ca .   Top  
New Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP)

Please be advised that the Region of Peel Seniors' Dental Program will now be replaced by the Province's new Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP). The program will provide low-income seniors access to essential dental care they may not otherwise be able to afford. Ontario residents are eligible for the OSDCP if they:
  • Are 65 years or older.
  • Are a resident of Ontario.
  • Have an annual net income of $19,300 or less for a single person or a combined annual net income of $32,300 or less for a couple.
  • Have no access to any other form of dental benefits like  private insurance or other provincial or federal government program.
The following dental services are provided to OSDCP clients:
  • examinations and assessments
  • preventive services
  • restorative services to repair broken teeth and cavities
  • X-rays
  • oral surgery to remove teeth or abnormal tissue
  • anesthesia
  • endodontic services to treat infection and pain
  • periodontal services to treat gum conditions and diseases
  • Prosthodontic services, including dentures, will be partially covered.
You may apply to the OSDCP online or via mail. For more information about this program, please visit  www.ontario.ca/seniorsdental .   Top  
Electronic Waste and Clothing Drive

If you have electronics items that you would like to recycle or clothing that you would like to donate, the Rotary Club of Mississauga Meadowvale and the Rotaract Club of Mississauga will be organizing an electronic waste and clothing drive.  The details of this event are as follows:
 
Electronic Waste and Clothing Drive
Saturday, January 18, 2020
10 AM - 4PM
Trinity Church Streetsville
69 Queen Street South,
Mississauga
 
The following electronics items are suitable for recycling:
Televisions monitors, non-cellular telephones, desktop computers, portable computers, computer peripherals, desktop printers, personal/portable audio/video systems, home audio/video systems, home theatre in-a-box systems, floor-standing photocopiers/multi-function devices, vehicle audio/video systems, and cellular devices.
 
For more information about this event, please visit www.rotarymeadowvale.ca.    
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City Financial Assistance Programs for Older Adults

If you are an older adult living in Mississauga and you meet financial assistance criteria, you may be eligible for City financial assistance programs for older adults. Here is a snapshot of the City financial assistance programs for older adults:
 
Property Tax Rebate Program
The City of Mississauga offers a tax rebate on annual property taxes for low income seniors and low income persons with disabilities who own and occupy their own home. The rebate is applied to your tax account to offset property taxes.The annual rebate will now be set by Council each spring at the time Council approves the final tax rates. The rebate amount for the 2019 taxation year is $423. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/taxassistance .
 
Stormwater Subsidy Program
Low-income seniors and low-income persons with disabilities may be eligible for a subsidy to offset their stormwater charge. The subsidy is based on the City's Tax Rebate Program and staff will use the existing property tax rebate process and eligibility to automatically identify property owners who will be eligible. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/portal/stormwater/residential-charge .
 
Outdoor Maintenance Subsidy Program
Beginning in 2019 the maximum annual subsidy will be $350 per year for outdoor maintenance services paid for by eligible applicants. Outdoor maintenance means garden work including the care of lawns, plants and trees in the yard of a residence and snow removal. The program is for financial assistance only; the City does not perform any maintenance service for residents. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/outdoor-maintenance-subsidy .

Active Assist Program
The City of Mississauga's fee assistance program gives residents living in low-income households the chance to participate in Recreation and Culture activities. Each eligible family member will receive a non-refundable credit of $275. It is valid for one year and you may apply and receive credit once per year. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/activeassist .

Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing Program
This program helps residents by clearing space in the snow windrow at the end of their driveway after a snowplow has cleared the road. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/drivewaywindrowprogram .

MiWay Affordable Transit Program
The MiWay Affordable Transit Program provides low-income residents living in Mississauga with access to affordable public transit. The program subsidizes the cost of adult and senior monthly passes by 50% for residents that fall within the Low Income Measure (LIM) thresholds reported by Statistics Canada. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/affordable-transit-program .
 
MiWay Senior One Dollar Cash Fare - Off-Peak Program
MiWay offers a $1.00 cash fare to seniors during off-peak hours on Weekdays (from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and after 7 p.m.) and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. On request, senior riders (age 65+) must present a piece of valid Government issued photo identification or a MiWay issued senior identification card to the bus driver to receive the one-dollar fare. For more information about this program, please visit www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/busfares .   Top  
New Bombardier Global Manufacturing Centre

Bombardier has announced that  Mississauga  will be home to a new Global Manufacturing Centre for its Global business jets. The 41.2 acre facility will be located on Toronto Pearson Lands.
 
The new one million square foot facility will see the final assembly line for the manufacturing of Bombardier's Global business jets and includes a hangar space for pre-flight activities. The new facility will have the capacity to build up to 100 aircraft a year and will support thousands of jobs.
 
Mississauga's vibrant business community is made up of over 98,000 businesses, 1,400 multi-national firms and 76 Fortune 500 companies. Mississauga is one of the largest business centres in Canada, and a net importer of employment, with over 230,000 people coming into Mississauga for work each day.
 
Mississauga has a robust and diverse business community that makes up some of the largest knowledge-based sectors in Canada. These sectors include Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing (Aerospace, Automotive, Clean Tech and Food and Beverage), Information and Communications Technology and Financial Services and Real Estate.
 
Mississauga's aerospace cluster is the largest in Canada with more than 345 aerospace companies employing 28,000 employees. Mississauga's aerospace cluster is comprised of airlines, aerospace manufacturing, airport services and support services for aerospace manufacturers. To learn more about Mississauga's Aerospace Business Community, visit  thefutureisunlimited.ca .   Top  
Councillor George Carlson| | george.carlson@mississauga.ca | 300 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, ON   L5B 3C1