Crombie outlines first 100 days plan to push Mississauga subway

Bonnie Crombie has unveiled a seven-point transit plan that would start with partner meetings, a council motion and a public schedule for the Hazel McCallion Line if she wins the Mississauga mayoral race. The proposal puts subway planning, funding and timelines at the center of the campaign as residents head to the polls Oct. 26.

Why it matters: - Mississauga has no subway station today, even though it is Canada’s seventh most populous municipality and home to 717,961 people. - Crombie’s plan would restart the political and technical work needed to extend Line 2 Bloor-Danforth west from Kipling station into Mississauga City Centre. - The proposal also tries to put Mississauga on a firmer transit timeline, including a public schedule for the Hazel McCallion Line.

What happened: - Mississauga mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie released a seven-point subway action plan on Oct. 20 as part of her Mississauga Moves 2.0 transportation platform. - The plan lays out milestones for her first 100 days in office and for the rest of a 2026-2030 term. - Residents vote on Monday, Oct. 26. - Crombie said, “Building a subway takes planning and partnerships. It starts with a mayor who believes Mississauga deserves one.”

The details: - In her first 100 days, Crombie would meet with the Government of Ontario, Metrolinx, the City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission to advance a joint business case. - Crombie would also meet with federal representatives to seek support for planning and a path to federal funding. - Crombie would bring a motion to Mississauga City Council to start the City’s part in the business case, direct staff to negotiate partnership agreements and identify funding for Mississauga’s share of planning. - Within her first 100 days, Crombie would request a public milestone schedule for the Hazel McCallion Line covering construction, vehicle testing, systems integration, safety certification and opening requirements. - Her platform makes passenger service on the initial line by Dec. 31, 2028 a formal City priority. - The Hazel McCallion Line, formerly the Hurontario LRT, is an 18-kilometre light rail line with 19 stops from Port Credit to Steeles Avenue in Brampton. - Construction on the line began in 2020. - Metrolinx has not publicly confirmed a final completion date. - The line was originally scheduled to open in 2024. - Crombie’s request would put the remaining milestones on the public record and require regular progress reports. - Within the first year, Crombie would seek a formal partnership agreement and launch the jointly funded study. - The initial business case is targeted for completion within two years of taking office, with findings and recommended next steps brought to council. - For the rest of the term, the plan calls for agreement with partners on a preferred route and delivery approach, along with design, environmental work and funding talks for later stages. - The business case would assess elevated sections, including along the Dundas corridor, tunnelling and combinations of both. - That work would compare cost, schedule, reliability, noise, visual impact and effects on nearby properties. - The study would also examine how a City Centre station could serve the Downtown Mobility Hub and connect with the Hazel McCallion Line and downtown loop, the Mississauga Transitway, MiWay and regional buses. - The plan says the work should coordinate with the Dundas bus rapid transit project to avoid duplication. - The City would publish a quarterly progress report showing completed work, spending, upcoming decisions, funding commitments and outstanding responsibilities. - Crombie said, “We need to start the planning now, examine every reasonable construction option and build the partnerships and funding necessary to make it happen.” - Crombie also said, “Vaughan is on the subway map. Scarborough is getting a major subway extension. Mississauga should be part of that conversation too.”

Between the lines: - The plan frames subway planning as both a transit issue and a political one, tying progress to a mayor who can coordinate multiple governments and agencies. - By pushing public milestones and quarterly reporting, Crombie is signaling that delays and accountability around major transit projects are campaign issues. - The proposal also tries to connect subway planning to everyday transit reliability, not just long-term capital projects. - Mississauga Moves 2.0 also calls for MiWay service every 15 minutes or better all day on major corridors and every 10 minutes or better on the busiest routes where ridership supports it. - The platform proposes an Airport Workforce Transit Network linking Pearson and nearby employment areas, with service designed around early mornings, late evenings, weekends and shift changes. - It would seek a Milton Line Capacity Plan with Ontario, Metrolinx and Canadian Pacific Kansas City to increase counter-peak, midday, evening and weekend service on a GO line with six stations in Mississauga. - The plan also would launch a Traffic Flow First program with an annual Mississauga Congestion Report Card on travel times, delays and transit reliability.

What's next: - If elected, Crombie would move first on partner meetings, a council motion and the Hazel McCallion Line schedule request during her opening 100 days. - Over the longer term, the city would need a completed business case, a preferred route, delivery strategy and funding commitments before any subway construction could move ahead. - More information is available on the City’s website for Mississauga election 2026, including where to vote. - More information is available at bonniecrombie.ca.