The mayoral race in Mississauga is among the most interesting in the entire province with polls suggesting that any of the top three candidates could end up victorious in Monday’s election.
Will Alvin Tedjo knock off the city’s current and former mayors? Will Carolyn Parrish hold off her challengers? Or will Bonnie Crombie complete her comeback and reclaim the top job at City Hall?
Crombie vacated her spot as Mississauga’s mayor in 2024 in order to run for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. After failing to win a seat in the last provincial election, she formally resigned as the party leader in January 2026, only to enter the Mississauga mayor’s race in July. As election day draws near, she appears to have an edge in some of the polls.
“I’m quietly confident, looking forward to [Monday]. I have worked so hard these past couple of months,” said Crombie. “We’ve been at every GO Train, every mosque, every church, I’ve met with every community group I possibly could.”
However, recent polling shows that support is almost evenly split among the three top candidates, including incumbent Carolyn Parrish.
“I feel fantastic. We’ve got over 2,500 signs and they’re on lawns and properties, not scattered all over. And if I can take that as support, I’m very thrilled,” she said.
City councillor Alvin Tedjo has gained significant momentum throughout the campaign, putting him right up there in the polls with Crombie and Parrish. He says the city is ready for a fresh face.
“They’re really desperate for change. People are sick and tired of the politicians of the past, especially when they’re fighting each other more than fighting for us, and right now people are looking for something new, something different. New ideas, fresh energy,” he said.
While property taxes are a hot topic for many voters, a lot of the residents CityNews spoke with also said transit is a top priority.
While Parrish does not have any major transit promises in her platform, Crombie has put forth an ambitious plan.
“Subway, subway, subway,” she said, borrowing a refrain from late Toronto mayor Rob Ford. “I’m just putting the premier on notice now. Should I win, they’ll be a subway mandate behind me and I’ll be coming forward to him asking for funding for subways for Mississauga. After all, Vaughan has one, why shouldn’t we – we’re bigger!”
“It’s nice to have dreams and wishes and sunshine and rainbows, but we are talking about a realistic plan that we can build this term,” countered Tedjo. “I’m talking about five new rapid transit bus lines here in the City of Mississauga along Derry, Dundas, Dixie, Lakeshore and Erin Mills, and we know that we can get that work done right away and we know that it’s up to the City of Mississauga to inititate it.”
Mississauga voters can begin casting their ballots starting at 9 a.m. Monday, though the city says a record number of residents have already marked their choice in advance polls with 57 per cent more early votes than in 2022.
