Former MP and local councillor Carolyn Parrish has been elected as Mississauga’s new mayor, succeeding Bonnie Crombie. The city’s unofficial results confirmed Parrish’s victory after a competitive campaign involving four councillors.
The municipal byelections, which concluded at 8 p.m. on Monday, also led to the selection of a new Ward 5 councillor.
Parrish received over 43,000 votes, leading the race, followed by Alvin Tedjo with more than 34,000 votes. Dipika Damerla and Stephen Dasko placed third and fourth, respectively.
In her victory speech, Parrish expressed her appreciation: “First and foremost I want to thank the citizens of Mississauga for placing their trust in me. Your voices have been heard, and together we will build a brighter, more inclusive future for our city.”
Parrish highlighted her positive campaign approach and pledged to work closely with the mayors of Brampton and Caledon to advocate for the entire region. “The region will be stronger now because you’re going to have three mayors that actually get along,” she said. “And we will be formidable when we go to Queen’s Park or to Ottawa to tell them we need our fair share of funding.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford congratulated Parrish on social media, looking forward to collaborating with her to strengthen Mississauga and Ontario.
During her campaign, Parrish resigned her local council seat to focus on the election, despite facing scrutiny for her comments on refugees at one event.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also extended his congratulations: “I am thrilled to work alongside Carolyn Parrish to further strengthen our communities. Her dedication to positive change will undoubtedly benefit Mississauga and the broader region.”
Mississauga MP Shafqat Ali praised Parrish’s victory as well: “Carolyn Parrish’s commitment to inclusivity and community building makes her the ideal leader for Mississauga. I look forward to seeing the positive impact she will bring to our city.”
Dipika Damerla, a former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister, focused her campaign on changing a controversial bike lane plan on Bloor Street, while Alvin Tedjo proposed a two-year tax freeze.
Following the unofficial results, Damerla congratulated Parrish and celebrated her own campaign: “It’s still a win because of this team. We put forward a vision for Mississauga that I’m proud of… it was a very good vision we put forward.”
Tedjo, who finished second, also congratulated Parrish and expressed his eagerness to continue working on her council. “Six months ago we were at four per cent in the polls and we came this close because of all of you,” Tedjo said, acknowledging Parrish’s dedication to her community and thanking his rivals for the invigorating debate.