A Mississauga mayoral candidate wants to bring an NHL team to the city, saying “Mississauga is no longer the little brother or sister of Toronto.”
Peter McCallion, the son of former late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, announced the bold intention Monday to draft a bid for an NHL team in the city if he wins the June byelection.
“It’s time to get a team of our own,” Peter McCallion said in a statement.
“It’s an idea whose time has come.”
McCallion said he’ll bring together members of the business community to draft an NHL bid if he becomes the city’s new mayor. He said he also wants the city to have a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) team.
In terms of a possible NHL team name, McCallion seemed to suggest “Mississauga Hurricanes” — a tribute to his mother, who was often referred to as “Hurricane Hazel.”
Of course, the NHL already has a team with the “Hurricanes” name in North Carolina.
McCallion noted that his late mother, who served as the mayor of Mississauga for 36 years, championed women’s hockey and even played into her 90s.
She died in 2023 at the age of 101.
“Our city can support a team and we are hockey crazy,” McCallion said.
“Mississauga has more population now than when Toronto got its NHL team,” he said.
“A Toronto/Mississauga rivalry would keep a lot of the sports entertainment dollars in the GTA. I know there are a lot of hurdles, but Mississauga needs bold vision and new ideas.”
In terms of a home arena, McCallion said it should be integrated into a mixed-use area of residential, retail and commercial space.
He insisted that the cost of an arena would be paid for by the private sector.
McCallion said he would use “strong mayor” powers from the province to get an arena built faster.
He is one of 18 candidates currently running to become the mayor of Mississauga.
The byelection was triggered after Bonnie Crombie resigned from the position following her election as the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.
Advance polls will be held at Mississauga city hall on May 24 and 25. On June 1 and 2, advance polls will open at locations across the city.
Election day is June 10.