FAQs, Terms and Definitions
- Locations of MTSAs
- Land use designations and uses
- Building height requirements
- Minimum MTSA wide density represented in Floor Space Index
- All MTSAs classified as Protected
- Requirement for development to provide a balanced mix of residential and non-residential uses
- Policies to maintain existing non-residential and employment uses
- The need for public realm improvements, community amenities, land use compatibility, and increased connectivity within MTSAs.
- Update City policies to conform to Regional and Provincial requirements
- Set the geographic area where Inclusionary Zoning can apply. Inclusionary zoning is a policy tool that enables municipalities to require affordable housing units in new residential development. More information is available on the City's Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing Study website.
- Provide policy protection for land uses, heights, and densities that will further strengthen the City's long-term vision for growth. Within MTSAs, these policies will be protected from appeal and amendment, making sure future growth and development respects the policies that have been approved by City Council.
- Support transit investment by managing growth along corridors to promote transit ridership, making efficient use of transit infrastructure, and improving access to transit.
- Website: https://yoursay.mississauga.ca/major-transit-station-areas
- Project Lead: Bashar Al-Hussaini, Planner: bashar.al-hussaini@mississauga.ca
- 200 residents and jobs combined per hectare for those that are served by subways
- 160 residents and jobs combined per hectare for those that are served by light rail transit or bus rapid transit, or
- 150 residents and jobs combined per hectare for those that are served by the GO Transit rail network.
- Identify the minimum people and jobs combined per hectare within each MTSA, as defined by the Region of Peel.
- Identify the authorized uses of land and of buildings or structures in each MTSA. Land use designations and permitted uses within the Mississauga Official Plan will define this.
1. What is a Major Transit Station Area (MTSA)?
Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) will support future development around transit stations on existing or planned higher order transit corridors (such as Light Rail Transit (LRT), Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and GO rail corridors).
They are required under the Province's "A Place To Grow" as amended, and will encourage mixed-use, transit-supportive neighbourhoods that provide easy access to local amenities, jobs, housing, and recreation opportunities.
The Region of Peel has worked with the City of Mississauga to identify the boundaries for each MTSA which will be included in the Regional Official Plan along with general policies and requirements. The City is required to develop detailed policies for MTSAs in the City's Official Plan to bring them into line with the Regional work.
2. Where are MTSAs Located?
Currently the Region of Peel is suggesting 54 stations within the City of Mississauga. The stations are along current transit corridors such as Hurontario, Highways 403 and 407 as well as the Kitchener, Milton and Lakeshore West GO Rail lines. They are found along future transit corridors along Lakeshore East and Dundas Street.
The proposed boundaries and locations of the MTSAs are available on the Regional website (shown in Schedule E-5 pf Peel 2051). Please send any questions on the proposed locations and density targets to the Region through their website.
3. What do the City of Mississauga MTSA policies include?
Based on the Region of Peel's MTSA policy requirements, the City is proposing an amendment to the Mississauga Official Plan that will include new policies and mapping, that identify:
4. Will MTSAs mean higher densities in each MTSA?
No. The City has done detailed analysis, which has shown that in most MTSAs the current policies can achieve the minimum density targets and no significant changes are required. In some MTSAs, primarily those along the 403 Transitway, there are limited opportunities to achieve certain density targets, and the Region has identified alternative targets.
The City is also undertaking studies for specific MTSAs to review current policies. Once completed and approved, the recommended changes related to land use designations and building heights will be included as part of the MTSA official plan amendment. Current studies include:
5. Will there be more MTSA's in the future?
There are currently 8 planned MTSAs identified by the Region of Peel with no defined boundaries or density targets. There may be more MTSAs that will be defined and outlined as additional transit stations and transit corridors are developed. This will require the Region of Peel to amend their Official Plan before the City adds any other MTSAs.
6. How will MTSAs benefit the City?
Creating MTSA policies within the Mississauga Official Plan will help reach several goals for the City, which will:
Create common City-wide MTSA objectives, such as requiring a balanced mix of uses including employment, replacing existing non-residential uses, prioritizing pedestrian and cycling access to stations, improving access to public amenities, and providing for high quality public realm improvements and land use compatibility, among others.
7. When do the MTSAs come into effect?
Two things must happen before the City's MTSA policies can take effect. First, the Province must approve the Peel 2051 Regional Official Plan (2051 PROP) containing the Region's MTSA policies which were adopted by Peel Regional Council on April 28, 2022. Second, the City’s MTSA polices must be approved by Mississauga Council before the Region of Peel can give approval and the City’s MTSA policies can take affect. The City is targeting to bring the final version of the policies to Mississauga Council by the summer of 2022.
8. Who do I contact for more information?
City of Mississauga MTSA Information:
Region of Peel MTSA Information:
Terms and Definitions
Transit Oriented Development
Development that makes transit viable and improves the quality of the experience of using transit. It often refers to compact, mixed-use development that has a high level of employment and residential densities. Transit-supportive development will be consistent with Ontario's Transit Supportive Guidelines. (Source: A Place To Grow 2020).
Higher order transit corridors
Higher order transit corridors are transit lines that generally operate in partially or completely dedicated rights-of-way, outside mixed traffic, and therefore can achieve levels of speed and reliability greater than mixed-traffic transit. Higher order transit can include heavy rail (such as subways and inter-city rail), light rail, and buses in dedicated rights-of-way (Source: A Place To Grow 2020).
Minimum Density Targets
In Mississauga, Peel Region as the upper tier municipality has the responsibility to identify MTSA locations, delineate their boundaries, and set minimum densities per Provincial targets. The Provincial targets are:
Where Provincial targets are difficult to achieve due to limited development opportunities, alternative density targets can be asked for by the Region.
MTSA and Protected MTSA
All 54 MTSAs with set boundaries within the City of Mississauga will be Protected MTSAs. To be a Protected MTSA the following criteria are required by the Province and must be included in the Mississauga Official Plan:
Identify the minimum densities that are authorized for buildings and structures in each MTSA, which will be defined in the Mississauga Official Plan.