Local Views Split on Mississauga’s Future Before Election

Residents of Mississauga are sharply divided over whether the city is moving in the right direction or not, based on a recent poll.

The Canada Pulse Insights poll for City News revealed that 51 percent believe Mississauga is headed in the right direction, while 49 percent feel it’s going down the wrong path.

This survey comes just weeks ahead of the municipal election, where incumbent Carolyn Parrish will compete against Ward 2 councillor Alvin Tedjo and former mayor and Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in what’s shaping up to be a competitive race.

A large portion of those surveyed think their local representatives are performing well. About 57 percent approved of the Mayor’s performance, 70 percent gave their local councillor positive feedback, and 61 percent expressed satisfaction with city council overall.

However, nearly two-thirds of residents feel that both the mayor and city council aren’t in tune with their needs and desires.

Pollster John Wright noted that this indicates residents want more assurance from their leaders regarding crucial issues.

“What we’re seeing here is that while City Council and the mayor and individual councillors are receiving decent approval ratings, they’re lukewarm. People don’t feel like they’re addressing specific concerns, which mainly revolve around affordability and cost of living,” Wright explained.

The same poll asked residents to identify the three most pressing issues facing the city. Forty-five percent cited affordability and cost of living as top concerns, followed by 30 percent who pointed out housing affordability and home ownership, with 29 percent mentioning crime, policing, and public safety.

“People are looking at them saying, ‘Do you represent my issues to get me action at City Hall?’ That’s where we see a split reflected in actual voting preferences for candidates,” Wright added.

‘A lot can be done for Mississauga’

In conversations with locals in Mississauga, one teenager shared with City News that “a lot more” could be accomplished for the city.

“A lot can be done for Mississauga compared to what’s being done right now,” said the 16-year-old student.

When asked about her vision for Mississauga’s future, she highlighted housing as a key concern.

“Better housing, cheaper housing, less condensed condos,” she mentioned. “I think the city could achieve so much more; there just isn’t enough movement or traction happening.”

City News is set to host a mayoral debate on Thursday Oct. 1 featuring Parrish, Tedjo, Crombie, and Dipika Damerla from Ward 7. The event will be moderated by City News journalist Mark Mc Allister and streamed live starting at 7 p. m. on City News 24/7.

The municipal election is planned for Oct. 26. Voters will soon receive their voting cards by mail. Advance voting in Mississauga will occur from Tuesday Oct. 6 to Sunday Oct. 11.

This survey was conducted among 514 adult residents of Mississauga in Ontario by Canada Pulse Insights between September 14 and September 25,2026 through an online panel platform managed by Sago. The margin of error for a probability-based sample of this size is ±4.3 percentage points at a confidence level of 95% (19 times out of every twenty).