Support Chris today!

I’m running for re-election as Councillor for Ward 3 on October 24, 2022!

As a proud Mississauga Ward 3 resident, it has been an incredible privilege to serve you, advocate for our community and represent you at Mississauga City Hall and at the Region of Peel.  I believe that government works best when it puts local communities and businesses first. Over the past twelve years, I have worked hard, alongside you, listening to you, to bring positive change to our community and ensure investments are made in our community. Together, we continue to build safe, vibrant, resilient Ward 3 neighbourhoods!

The greatest days I have had as your Councillor have been meeting you at your homes, places of work, or in my office when you come to visit me to resolve many issues that you may have. And when the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the ability for us to gather together and impacted so many of the things that we cherish, I was extremely proud and thankful for how Ward 3 came together to support one another.  THANK YOU, for stepping forward, selflessly, to support family, friends and neighbours facing significant challenges through the course of this global pandemic.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my office pivoted services and supported the community to help those in need.  I advocated to invest in technology and virtual supports and services across every sector. We supported the Mississauga Food Bank, Peel Public Health and the many, many front line workers by helping them secure supplies and services to support the community.  We collaborated with and supported local organizations like MIAG, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre, the Lions Club, and Knights of Columbus, along with high school students and community members, residents associations, seniors organizations and local business owners to support the most vulnerable in our community.

At City Hall and at the Region of Peel I advocated and supported keeping property taxes low throughout the pandemic years of 2020, 2021 and into the 2022 budgets, finding efficiencies, deferring eligible tax payments and adapting permitting processes, to support residents and local businesses, as well as ensuring that Ward 3 residents had open access to vaccine locations within the Ward. I advocated to ensure that local businesses were supported in every way possible.  Through strong advocacy efforts, we secured $56 million recovery and relief funding from the federal and provincial Safe Restart Agreement, $113.5 million in federal and provincial funding for transit and $44.5 million to create more accessible and sustainable transit.

Despite the many challenges of the pandemic on City resources, I advocated to make sure that very important Ward 3 infrastructure projects were completed, started or advanced.

The Hanlan, Mississauga Watermain, and Burnhamthorpe Water Projects and Silverthorn Pumping Station projects were significantly advanced.  The Cawthra and Ponytrail/Rathburn sanitary sewer projects were completed to prevent neighbourhood flooding.  

Burnhamthorpe Road Redevelopment was completed, Rathburn and Ponytrail Integrated Project advanced to be completed in 2023.  I continue to look forward to you having the opportunity to have your say on the vision for the Bloor Integrated Project, all with a vision zero and safe streets and communities approach.

The Dundas Street Corridor is a vibrant street and is a vital part of the City’s transportation network and also the Ward 3 community.  I am proud that we have advanced the Dundas Corridor Policy Implementation, Dundas Connects, Dundas Bus Rapid Transit, Dixie-Dundas Flood Mitigation and Etobicoke Creek Flood Evaluation Study to support residents and businesses along the Dundas Corridor, make this “a place to be”.   We successfully secured federal and provincial funding for the Dundas Street Corridor, including $675 million from the federal and provincial governments to help fund the Dundas Bus Rapid Transit.

When the community came to me with rodent related complaints, I took the challenge head on and successfully moved a pilot for an integrated pest management program at the Region of Peel to support residents and prevent rats in homes and businesses. And with community input, I supported an invasive species program that will protect the incredible tree canopy that we have throughout the Rathwood, Applewood, Rockwood, Fleetwood and Dixie neighbourhoods in Ward 3.

When the community came to me to address proactive property standards clean up of neighbourhoods and multi-residential property standards matters, I advocated and worked with the community, staff and Council on MARC - the Mississauga Apartment Rental Compliance 5 year pilot, as well as keep in place, flexible options for waste cart programs and we have advanced a review of our property standards by-law to keep our neighbourhoods beautiful.

With your input, Hawkins Glen Park, Beechwood Park, Bough Beeches Park, Garnetwood Park, Bethesda Commons Park, and Burnhamdale Park have and will all see significant amenity improvements.  Shelby Park and Woodlot and Dixie Woods have been revitalized. Trail 11 and Etobicoke Creek Trail have been re-development, Applewood Heights and Silverthorn Trails are in the process of being reconstructed and Eastgate Parkway and Eglington trails have been advanced.  We broke ground on the redevelopment of Burnhamthorpe Community Centre, set to re-open in 2023, and Gulleden Park redevelopment has been advanced.

I have worked hard to keep our communities safe by advocating and supporting vision zero, neighbourhood area safety and school zones, and safe walk to school routes throughout Ward 3, including rolling out ASE cameras in every location eligible in phase one of this program and have completed traffic calming programs throughout the ward.  

I have heard the community loud and clear that more work remains when it comes to addressing speeding, driver behaviour, street racing and modified mufflers and am actively working with Council and have supported Peel Regional Police on Project Erase and Project Noisemaker.

I am very proud that I have stayed focused on the commitments I made to you when you elected me in 2010 and  re-elected me in 2014 and 2018. I have kept you INFORMED about what is going on in our community and wonderful City of Mississauga through individual and community meetings, newsletters, e-updates, and community events. I take great pride in knowing that I get back to everybody that calls my office or emails me as quickly as possible to answer your questions, understand what the problem is that you are facing, and do all I can to fix it.  

I heard from you that you wanted more interactive ways to stay “up to the minute” informed about projects, and am proud that at both the Region of Peel and City of Mississauga, we now have interactive tools and maps and dashboards to keep residents up to date on ward specific projects.

I have, and will remain focused on COMMUNITY BUILDING - PROTECTING & ENHANCING OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS. As I go door-to-door through Ward 3, you tell me that your priorities continue to be having a safe community, a green and clean community, and a place where seniors, youth and everybody in between is able to enjoy all that we have to offer and to succeed at whatever they are doing.  

You have my commitment that I will continue to prioritize making sure our INFRASTRUCTURE is keeping pace with our needs, whether road and water main work, noise reduction walls, flood mitigation of the creeks and trails, parks being re-developed with appropriate amenities, trees and gardens being planted, and brighter, more efficient LED lights being put into our neighbourhoods and community centres.

I have also stayed committed to getting the best possible RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR. My voting record has been based on what my parents always taught me: That every dollar that is being spent should be spent wisely and you should know what the return on that dollar will be for the community. I have advocated for a fair share of funding for Ward 3, for the City of Mississauga, and predictable funding from the Federal and Provincial government for infrastructure, housing, and social service supports for youth, seniors and families. I have voted in favour of finding savings in all areas of each budget cycle, with a focus on efficient, asset management planning and a LEAN budgeting process that looks for ways to save money so that we can use the tax dollars that we do have to focus on the priorities of the citizens of Ward 3.  

I have more work to do, and I want to see numerous projects through to completion.  

With your help and your support, I would like to continue to help build our community, continue to make it a vibrant place to live, work and raise our families. 

I would like to invite you to please feel free to call me at 289-633-3502 if you have questions for me or would like to get involved in my campaign. Again, it has been an honour serving you, I am asking for your support to VOTE CHRIS FONSECA on ELECTION DAY, Monday October 24th, 2022.  

Respectfully,

Chris Fonseca