Mississauga mayoral candidates face off in first major debate

Four leading candidates for the mayoralty of Mississauga participated in their first major campaign debate on September 25. The contenders included incumbent Mayor Carolyn Parrish, former mayor Bonnie Crombie, and councillors Alvin Tedjo and Dipika Damerla.

The debate, organized by the Mississauga Board of Trade and CBC News, focused on business, leadership, economic growth, investment, and infrastructure. These issues are central to the upcoming election on October 26 for the 2026–2030 term.

A significant point of contention involved the Peel Police Services Board. All four candidates agreed that the current regional police funding model is disadvantageous to Mississauga, as the city pays more than it receives compared to Brampton and Caledon. Crombie and Tedjo criticized Parrish for her resignation from the police board two years ago following opposition to a budget increase, with Crombie stating that Parrish had “abdicated” her fiduciary duties as mayor. Parrish defended her position by noting the board is an independent institution.

Recent polling shows a close race, with Parrish holding a slight lead over Crombie in September data.