City of Mississauga councillors today approved a motion brought forward by Mayor Bonnie Crombie to study the impact of Mississauga leaving Peel Region.

The independent study will look at the long-standing issue about whether or not Mississauga – Canada’s sixth largest city – should continue to be a part of the Region of Peel, which also includes Brampton and Caledon.

“We are currently undertaking a review of the governance of the Region of Peel and I think it is important that Council and the residents of Mississauga understand what Regional governance means for them and whether a change would mean a better deal for Mississauga. An independent study will provide us with clarity and all of the facts needed to make an informed decision about our place in the Region of Peel,” she said. “I think it is critically important that we control our own destiny and that we are able to make decisions that are in the best interests of Mississauga residents. I look forward to seeing the results of this study and to speaking further with residents about their vision for the future of Mississauga.”

Crombie added that, if the study supports it, separation from Peel should be on the ballot as a referendum item in the 2018 election.

Back in 2004, then-mayor Hazel McCallion led a campaign asking Queen’s Park to separate Mississauga from Peel region and become a stand-alone municipality. She and others have maintained the city contributes more money to the region than its counterparts in Brampton and Caledon and that the city is far too big to be in a two-tier system of government, with tens of millions of dollars wasted each year because of the duplication in services.

In 2006, the provincial government passed legislation that revised the composition of Peel council, assigning an additional seat to Brampton and two additional seats to Mississauga.

Updated Wednesday, April 6 at 5:12 p.m.

~with files from Louie Rosella