As the future of Peel Region hangs in the balance, two local mayors have taken contrasting approaches to provincial relations ahead of a Ford government decision that could have a long-lasting impact on the makeup of the Greater Toronto Area.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, who desperately wants Ontario Premier Doug Ford to allow her city to separate from the region, has been fiercely critical of recent municipally-focused legislation.
Her Brampton counterpart Mayor Patrick Brown – who is not normally shy about making political statements – has stayed quiet.
Some figures, both at Brampton City Hall and Queen’s Park have noted Brown’s lack of pushback against provincial policy, and interpreted it as part of a broader campaign.
Multiple sources close to both the provincial and municipal governments, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Global News they believed Brown was in the midst of lobbying over Peel’s future.
One provincial source called the Brampton mayor’s recent actions a “charm offensive” which some at Queen’s Park understood to relate to the future of the region and the potential to create one massive City of Peel.
Brown emphatically denied he was pushing for amalgamation behind the scenes. However, the idea, Progressive Conservative sources say, is being “entertained” at the provincial level.
At the same time, Mississauga’s Mayor Crombie believes Premier Ford is “favourably inclined” to grant her wish for a separated city – drawing a line in the sand that leaves Ford squarely in the middle.
In late 2022, the Ford government announced that it would appoint facilitators to review a number of regional governments, including Peel, to “assess the best mix of roles and responsibilities between upper and lower-tier municipalities.”
Mississauga wanted to use the opportunity to fulfil a long-standing desire to separate from Peel region, but many believe Brown has a very different plan.
“Patrick is doing a really good job of lobbying,” a Progressive Conservative insider told Global News of the behind-the-scenes machinations.
Brown denied any lobbying efforts have taken place and said Brampton city council has yet to declare a stance on the issue.
“There have been no lobbying efforts,” the mayor said in an email to Global News. “We have not taken a position yet on the provincial review.”
In response to follow-up questions, Brown said he had “never spoken to the premier about an amalgamated city.”
Additional PC party insiders, however, are under the impression a “charm offensive is real” and that Brown has been “playing ball” with the province in order to further his cause in relation to amalgamation.
“There is definitely a behind-the-scenes lobbying effort that is taking place,” the insider said.
Sources at Brampton City Hall pointed to Brown’s lack of pushback against the Ontario government’s Bill 23 as evidence of the effort.
The much-maligned legislation, which reduces the fees municipalities can charge developers, was decried by Ontario’s Big City Mayors over concerns that it would reduce their ability to make developers pay for future growth.
The source said Brown was “cozying up to Ford” by refusing to complain about the new rules, standing in contrast to other mayors, particularly Crombie in Mississauga who launched a campaign against the legislation warning of higher property taxes.
Provincial sources indicated the same, telling Global News that while “Patrick’s never spoken out against Bill 23,” Mayor Crombie “doesn’t play ball.”
“She’s not supportive — ever,” the PC insider said.
Another Brampton source said they believed Brown was happy to remain local mayor, but was potentially positioning himself to be ready to run for mayor of an amalgamated city if Ford decided to create the City of Peel.
The source said staff were “dusting off the files” on previous studies into amalgamation.
Talk of the region’s future comes as Mississauga renews its efforts to divorce itself entirely from Peel.
“The City of Mississauga continues to be opposed to the amalgamation of the City of Mississauga with any other municipality,” the motion, introduced by Crombie and passed unanimously, read.
Speaking to Global News at Queen’s Park, the Mississauga mayor — who ran for a third term with independence as a key priority — said she had heard positive suggestions from Ford.
“I think the mayor (Patrick Brown) is hedging his bets,” she said of reports around the alleged charm offensive. “I think he knows the premier is very much inclined to letting us stand as freestanding cities, both of us to take control of our own destinies.”
Crombie has extolled the virtues of separation for years. She said amalgamation would not deal with the “underlying problems” and “inefficiencies” of the Region of Peel.
“The City of Mississauga would continue to fund the costs of development and growth,” she said. “And we lose our identities as communities and my residents feel very passionately, very connected to their identity as residents of the City of Mississauga.”
Trevor McPherson, president of the Mississauga Board of Trade, where Ford discussed the issue of independence and amalgamation in January, said the city had “earned the right to chart its own path.”
He said it was “prudent” for the province to “do its homework” and investigate the best system, reiterating the board of trade’s position in favour of an independent Mississauga if a change is to come.
Brampton City Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor told Global News the city is against the idea of a firm separation owing to the financial ties that have bound the regions together for decades.
“The status quo has its pros and cons but it is working for Brampton right now,” the councillor said. “We definitely don’t want to see a city of Brampton independent, outside of the region.”
One Brampton source theorized an argument that could be made to Ford in favour of amalgamation is growth and development.
The unbuilt areas of Brampton and Caledon — which they described as “the new frontier” — would need property tax dollars from Mississauga or the province to compensate for the lack of development charges, the source said. To avoid coughing up provincial dollars, the premier could lean into the idea of amalgamation.
While repeating that he has not pushed for amalgamation, Brown said the province — or Mississauga — could be on the hook if a divorce went through.
“We have spoken about the fact that if there was (an) end of the Region of Peel, then Brampton would have to be compensated for the infrastructure we built in Mississauga which is significant,” Brown told Global News in an email.
The source called the new development costs for Brampton and Caledon “astronomical.”
While the final decision could be months away, and Brown says he has not made a request, PC Party sources have indicated the mayor may have the Premier’s attention.
“They have a really good relationship right now,” the source said. “It will be a big move, but there’s some real teeth to it.”
At a news conference Wednesday, Premier Ford said he had “always supported” communities the size of Mississauga and Brampton “to be a standalone city.”
“This is going to be a conversation that we’re going to have with the mayors in the region,” he said, speaking in Brampton. “We’ll all sit down collectively and make that decision.”
A source close to the Region of Peel told Global News facilitation discussions had not started with the province, but said they would come to the table as an “honest broker” when they do work out the most cost-effective and efficient way to deliver infrastructure and services to Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga.
To keep her plan for separation alive, however, Crombie is invoking the memory of Hazel Mccallion, Mississauga’s long-serving mayor and “matriarch” whose funeral on Feb. 14 highlighted her close relationship with Premier Ford.
“Her spirit is alive and well in our city and I will do whatever I can to protect that,” Crombie said.
“Her name — Hazel McCallion — is synonymous with the name Mississauga and I intend to protect that.”