"We are strengthening the foundation to build Mississauga for the next fifty years," Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said during her keynote 2017 State of the City Address delivered at a business networking event hosted by the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) last week.

“I stand before you today to say the state of the City of Mississauga is strong,” Mayor Crombie said. “Our future is bright, proud and promising. We are achieving real results for the entrepreneurs, businesses and people of Canada’s sixth-largest City,” Mayor Crombie added.

In 2024, Mississauga turns 50, Mayor Crombie said, adding that “the work of Council and staff is proof Mississauga’s next 50 years, will not look like our first 50.”

“There’s a buzz about our City. It’s being felt around the country. The headlines speak for themselves. All eyes are on Mississauga. But make no mistake: in Mississauga, we don’t leave success to chance. We plan for it. We see it through.”

“Mississauga is working,” Crombie said.

Mayor Crombie made the following announcements during her keynote address:

• Mayor Crombie will represent Ontario this week at the 2017 Federal-Provincial-Territorial meeting of infrastructure ministers;
• September 2017 Investment Mission to Japan – Mississauga has nearly 100 Japanese companies, more than any other Canadian city;
• UTM scientist and researcher – Dr. Patrick Gunning – will deliver the keynote address during the Mayor’s 2017 Youth Speaker Series event;
• 4th Annual First Look Angel Investor Networking Event planned for Spring 2018;
• City-Wide Small Business Town Hall planned for October 2017;
• 2nd Annual Mayor’s Youth Employment Expo – taking place on November 19th at City Hall;

Mayor Crombie also discussed at length city-building accomplishments and opportunities including:

• Projected nearly $52 million in savings of tax dollars over the past decade;
• For the fourteenth straight year, Mississauga retains its Triple-A credit rating;
• Implementation of an accountable and transparent Stormwater Charge to build modern and reliable infrastructure;
• City of Mississauga’s Five-Year Life Sciences Cluster Strategy;
• Planned opening of BioLab’s new R&D centre – a job-creating investment secured in large part by the Mayor’s 2015 South American Investment Mission;
• The Economic Development Office’s Building Skilled Talent Together Forum – which led to partnerships with the Mayor’s Office to launch two new youth employment programs: one in aerospace the other in information technology (IT);The development of Mississauga’s first-ever 25-year Transportation Master Plan;
• Planned opening of the Renforth Gateway Transitway stop;
• Ongoing progress with Metrolinx to build the Hurontario LRT;
• Ongoing advocacy for Council-approved priorities including the Missing Link all-day, two-way GO Train plan and Making Room for the Middle – Mississauga’s housing affordability plan;
• Tech and the City Hackathon on October 21 at UTM’s Innovation Complex;
• Council and staff are developing a made-in-Mississauga Climate Change Action Plan; this follows Council’s approval to join the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and a vote to designate the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin – as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve;

Mayor Crombie informed the participants that the city surpassed its target for the 2017 Mayor’s City-Wide Food Drive. “Since this current Council was sworn in, we all have so much to be proud of,” Mayor Crombie said. “We’re doing what we said we would do.”

Mayor Crombie concluded “It is an honour to serve as your mayor. As we look ahead, there is more to be done. We’ve only just begun. And I’m ready for the hard work that’s ahead of us.”

In his remarks, ICCC President Kanwar Dhanjal informed the Mayor of Mississauga that the ICCC is planning a major program in the next couple of months – the Winter Expo will be a first of its kind event that will showcase the businesses of Canadian small businesses and simultaneously focus on pertinent issues pertaining to small businesses through panel discussions involving specialists and experts.

He said, in the New Year, the ICCC will have its traditional multi-city, multisector trade mission to India that will once again focus on a mix of sunrise and traditional sectors of bilateral trade between Canada and India. “We will also have our annual Canada – India Business symposium in June that will coincide with our Annual Gala.”

Mr. Dhanjal enumerated the Chamber’s new plan. He said the under new leadership is young and is giving a new direction and impetus to the 40-year-old institution. “India is booming with a sustained growth averaging at around 7 percent,” he said.

Canada – India trade is also steadily growing and the two-way merchandise trade has reached $8billion, and will enhance at a faster pace when the CEPA is signed, bilateral investment is also steadily growing and will enhance exponentially when the FIPPA is signed.