Bonnie Crombie victorious in Mississauga, Patrick Brown wins in Brampton
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie was in the win column Monday night, crushed her opponents with more than 75,000 votes to secure a third term.
In her victory speech Crombie vowed to tackle "the housing affordability crisis" and move ahead with plans "to build more middle-income housing and provide more housing options."
"You have my word that I will do what is in my power and pocketbook to make life easier for Mississauga and the sky-high inflation rates by being your voice and pressing for change at the provincial and the federal levels of government."
Crombie also promised to advocate for measures that make a difference — from rent relief to a freeze on staple food items and working to ensure that $10-a-day childcare makes its way into the hands of families.
Meanwhile, Patrick Brown won a second term as Brampton mayor, but he still faces the challenge of bringing together a divided city council.
Brown's closest rival was Nikki Kaur, who captured just under 26 per cent of the vote.
"This is a win against the politics of negativity," said Brown in his victory speech Monday evening to a room full of cheering supporters.
"We ran a positive campaign. We refused to engage in the ugly side of politics and focused on what we achieved in Brampton in the last four years, and what we hope to achieve in the next four."
After launching his campaign, Brown promised voters he'd commit to fending off city property tax increases, attracting new businesses, creating new jobs, and appealing to Peel Region for more police officers to deal with crime.
He said he'd return to city hall with a "larger mandate," with plans to increase recreation and green space and to fight for Brampton's fair share of provincial and federal investments.
Brown first became mayor in 2018, when he won by a few thousand votes against the incumbent Linda Jeffrey.
He has touted a range of achievements since his first term, including free transit for seniors and funding for an expanded Brampton hospital. He garnered numerous endorsements, including from local community groups, unions, professional associations and even former politicians.
Brown's mayoralty dogged by controversy
But his time as Brampton's mayor hasn't come without controversy.
He launched his re-election bid in mid-July, weeks after he was disqualified from the federal Conservative Party leadership contest. Party officials alleged he used money orders to purchase memberships and allowed non-compliant membership sales, which Brown has denied.
He's most recently been on one side of a split at city hall. Before the election, Brown's council opponents alleged there was a lack of transparency surrounding financial discrepancies in his push to bring a university to Brampton.
About 40 per cent of the city's population is South Asian. Ahead of the election, concerns emerged around Diwali falling on the municipal election day and putting some voters at a disadvantage.
