The mayor said Mississauga and Peel Region did “our part” by funding an increase to the 2020 Peel police budget, which will add 35 more officers to the region.

While the 2020 police budget was approved for $445.8 million, a 5.4 per cent increase from last year, Crombie and all 11 Mississauga councillors voted to pass a Dec. 12 motion asking police find reductions in their budget.

A lot depends on the Trudeau and Ford governments

In addition to the guns and gangs unit, Crombie said that federal and provincial support was needed for several projects planned for the city.

She said that it’s “critical that the provincial and federal governments join us to invest $847 million” in transit and transportation infrastructure in the city, including planned rapid bus transit lines on Dundas Street and Lakeshore.

The mayor said the city requires more funding and legislative change from the Ford and Trudeau governments to bring more affordable units to market and help ensure housing costs in Mississauga “stays within reach.”

Crombie also said that work on the city’s waterfront revitalization, including plans for a public marina, can’t be done without “our federal and provincial partners.”

Who’s who

Crombie’s speech drew a relative who’s who of Mississauga-involved politicians and business people. Liberal MPs such as Omar Alghabra and Iqra Khalid attended the event, as well as several Mississauga city councillors and staff.

Sitting at the head table with the mayor were representatives from several sponsor companies, including Bell Canada, developer’s Lakeview Community Partners, CN Rail and Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Tickets for the March 3 event were $90 for MBOT members, $110 for non-members and $729 for a table of eight.

MBOT president David Wojcik said the event was sold out.