Negotiations to dissolve Peel region have yet to start, but Brampton fired the first shot Tuesday in its fight over the provincially imposed divorce by taking direct aim at the Ford government’s own ambitious housing goals.
While Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie celebrated the split she has long championed, Brown has expressed concern that Brampton — which is in the midst of a population and economic boom — would be left on the hook for infrastructure costs that were once shared between the three cities. In a statement, Victoria Podbielski, spokesperson for Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said the government is “committed to a dissolution process for Peel Region that is fair for all residents.”
She accused Brown of using misinformation to “scare people” by using “hypothetical units in areas of his city that are not part of the Region’s servicing plan to raise concerns,” and added that Brampton has “many areas that are already serviced where building can happen.” Mary L. Flynn-Guglietti, partner and co-chair of the municipal law group with the law firm McMillan LLP, said Brown’s comments are understandable, given the lack of clarity in the legislation on how things will play out.