FAQs

There are several reasons why the City is looking to implement this policy and provide more housing choices in Mississauga’s neighbourhoods.

Policy and strategy-driven:

• Municipalities are directed by the Planning Act to permit up to two additional residential units on lots currently containing a detached house, semi-detached house, or rowhouse. One of these units is in the main unit (e.g. basement apartment) and the other is separate from the main unit and accessory to it.

• Municipalities are also directed by the Provincial Policy Statement to provide for an appropriate range and mix of housing options. Housing options include different housing types like duplexes as well as different housing arrangements like co-ownership.

• Municipalities have broad authority on how to implement these directions and will consider factors like lot size, location, and servicing infrastructure in order to permit it.

• The City has the ‘Making Room for the Middle’ strategy with the following actions to create a supportive policy environment for affordable housing.

  1. Action #2: Review Development Standards and Requirements

  2. Action #8: Investigate Infill Opportunities.

• These actions are endorsed by Council to remove barriers to affordable housing for middle-income households.

Limited diverse housing types and growing affordability concerns:

• Existing housing types in Mississauga’s neighbourhoods are single or semi-detached and the majority of new development are high-rise apartments that are in different parts of the city. This leaves few options in neighbourhoods for families to choose from as they go through different life cycles.

• The current housing stock in Mississauga is becoming more unaffordable – 1 out of 3 households is spending more than a third of their income on housing and the rental vacancy rate (1.8%) continues to remain below a healthy rate of 3%. In addition, in December 2020, the average resale price for a single-detached home in the city reached a record $1.4 million.

No decisions have been made. We need your input.

As the study proceeds, staff will be exploring housing opportunities that are the best fit for Mississauga neighbourhoods while balancing a number of priorities including affordability, appropriate development scale, adequate servicing and parking.

The feedback we receive from residents and stakeholders will also inform where different housing types are most appropriate and under what conditions, while considering neighbourhood context.

This study is complex.  There are many things to consider including:

• How do we add more and different types of housing in new and existing neighbourhoods?

• What is or will be affordable? 

• How do we support the character of neighbourhoods?

•  What services, like parking and water and wastewater, are needed?
  
  

We do not anticipate this will lead to the same level of growth as what we are seeing in the city’s downtown or community nodes.  

Although there is a strong demand for more ground-related units, potential changes to the City’s policies are not anticipated to lead to large shifts in the number of infill units created each year. The study will look at approximately how many new infill units may be expected should policies be amended and the most likely locations.