Mississauga, ON — Bryan Purcell, VP Policy and Programs, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) made the following statement in response to the City of Mississauga Planning and Development Committee’s approval of Green Development Standards.
“Today’s unanimous committee approval demonstrates leadership by the City of Mississauga and a valuable opportunity for one of Canada’s fastest-growing regions.
“Buildings make up 43% of Peel Region’s carbon emissions. The approved standards follow recommendations from Mississauga’s 2019 Climate Change Action Plan and will support the city in achieving its goal of becoming a net-zero carbon community by 2050.
“We are pleased to see a requirement within the Standards that will ensure all new residential parking spaces in 2028/2029 will be equipped with either EV charging equipment or EV-ready infrastructure. We urge council to consider reducing or eliminating parking minimums in addition to this requirement, to bring down construction costs and to promote affordability for future residents that will own EVs.
“New low-carbon development provides a local economic opportunity through demand for specialized skills and new jobs. For housing to be truly affordable, it must be affordable over the long term, meaning it should be built with efficiency in mind. As a complimentary measure to ensure all housing is affordable to operate, TAF encourages Mississauga to begin developing mandatory performance standards for existing buildings.
“We expect Mississauga’s action will encourage others in the region to follow suit, including the Town of Caledon, where a similar policy is coming up next month. TAF applauds City of Mississauga staff and councillors for their hard work and leadership in advancing Green Development Standards and looks forward to collaborating with the City and community and industry stakeholders on its implementation in the coming months.”
Media Contact
Julie Leach
Senior Manager, Communications
jleach@taf.ca | 416-393-6382
