Mississauga mayoral race draws attention as Toronto election dominates headlines
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In Ontario's municipal elections, the Mississauga mayoral contest features incumbent councillor Carolyn Parrish and former mayor Bonnie Crombie, with a heated debate highlighting personal attacks between the candidates.
Ontario voters are heading to the polls in what is the country's busiest day for municipal elections, with 444 cities and towns choosing leaders for the next four years. While Toronto's mayoral race is expected to dominate media coverage, the contest in Mississauga is also attracting interest.
Incumbent city councillor Carolyn Parrish, a former four-term Liberal MP, is seeking her first full term as mayor after taking over the office from Bonnie Crombie in 2024. Crombie, who previously served as mayor and as a Liberal MP, failed to win a seat in the 2025 Ontario general election and is running to reclaim the mayoralty. Councillor Alvin Tedjo and councillor Dipika Damerla are among the other candidates on the ballot.
During a leaders’ debate on Oct. 1 at the Food Banks Mississauga warehouse, Parrish and Crombie exchanged sharp remarks. > "She can be very Trumpian," Crombie said of Parrish, adding that she had taken issue with Parrish’s comments but avoided name-calling. Parrish later acknowledged she may have "lost her cool a bit," but said she did not believe anyone behaved particularly well.
The race underscores recurring voter concerns across Ontario municipalities, including taxes, transit, housing, homelessness, infrastructure and public safety.