2026 Mississauga Election Candidate Profile: Ward 1 - Olivia Gannon

With the upcoming 2026 Municipal elections happening on Monday, October 26th, Modern Mississauga Media has reached out to all candidates inviting them to answer the same questions so voters can familiarize themselves with them.

With the 2022 Mississauga election having a paltry 21.84% voter turnout, this series is to educate the community and hopefully increase voter turnout for 2026.
Low voter turnout means that the voices of a few make decisions for all.

Candidate’s were also asked to provide at least four images and their answers are unedited.

Click here to read all candidate profiles and check back often as responses will be posted within 72 hours of receipt.

Click here to learn how to vote in the 2026 Mississauga Election.

1. Why are you running for Ward 1 Councillor?
I am running because I believe Ward 1 deserves a councillor who listens, asks difficult questions and brings residents into the conversation. I was born and raised in Mississauga, went through Peel schools, and am raising my children here as well. I have watched Mississauga grow from the community I knew as a child into the city it is today.

I believe our biggest challenges cannot be solved one at a time. Housing affects affordability; development affects infrastructure; infrastructure affects traffic and transit; and all of these issues affect safety, taxes and quality of life.

I want to bring a fresh perspective to Council and work collaboratively with residents, businesses, City staff, developers, community organizations and other levels of government to find practical solutions for Ward 1.

Most importantly, I believe everything is connected — and our decisions should reflect that.

2. What makes you stand out over other candidates?
I bring a combination of lived experience, community advocacy and a willingness to look at problems differently.

I am not running simply to maintain the status quo. I want to ask: What is working? What isn't? What can we do better?

I believe a councillor's role is to represent residents, not simply make decisions for them. I want to create stronger conversations between residents, businesses, City planners, developers, community organizations and Council.

I also believe in looking at the long-term consequences of decisions. Whether we are discussing housing, roads, policing, taxes, development or the environment, we need to understand how one decision affects another.

My approach is simple:

LISTEN. CONNECT. ACT.

3. What are your key campaign priorities?

1. Responsible and thoughtful development

Growth needs to happen with the infrastructure required to support it. Developers should pay a greater share of the infrastructure costs created by new development, while City planning should consider future demands before projects move forward.

2. Housing choices and affordability

Ward 1 needs more housing options, including multi-unit, cooperative, community and supportive housing. We should make better use of underused spaces, older plazas, vacant properties and parking areas while protecting existing green space.

3. Safer communities

Safety requires more than enforcement. I want to work with Peel Regional Police and community partners to address root causes, improve prevention and ensure policing resources are being used effectively.

4. Responsible spending and taxes

Residents deserve transparency for every tax dollar. Before increasing taxes, the City should continue reviewing its services for efficiencies, duplication and cost savings. I also support targeted relief for eligible low-income and fixed-income seniors.

5. Stronger local communities

Libraries, community centres, parks, green spaces and public gathering places are essential to creating connected neighbourhoods. I want to see these spaces used to their full potential.

4. What budget item is the most important for Mississauga?
Rather than identifying one isolated budget line, I believe the most important priority is getting the greatest community value from every tax dollar.

A strong municipal budget must balance infrastructure, roads, transit, housing, public safety, community services, parks, libraries and environmental priorities.

For Ward 1, I would particularly focus on infrastructure and housing, because these investments affect so many other areas. New housing requires roads, water, energy, transit and community infrastructure. Those costs need to be considered from the beginning rather than after development occurs.

Good budgeting means asking not only “What does this cost?” but also “What will this save or provide for our community over the long term?”

5. What are your three favourite aspects of Mississauga?

1. Our diversity and multicultural community.

Mississauga brings together people from around the world, and that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

2. Our parks and green spaces.

I value the ability to enjoy nature within our city. I want us to protect those spaces while creating more biodiverse, climate-resilient public areas.

3. Our potential.

Mississauga has grown enormously, but I believe we are still becoming the city we can be. Our downtown, neighbourhoods, businesses and community spaces all have opportunities to become stronger and more connected.

6. How will you be actively supporting our locally owned businesses if elected?
I want Ward 1 to be a place where local businesses can start, grow and stay.

I support targeted incentives that attract responsible investment, particularly in green and sustainable industries, while strengthening local supply chains and creating good local jobs. I also support a Community Wealth-Building approach that prioritizes local businesses and worker cooperatives.

At the municipal level, I would also advocate for better communication between businesses and the City, easier navigation of municipal processes and development decisions that consider the needs of existing local businesses.

Economic development should create lasting community value — not simply outside investment.

7. What does Mississauga currently excel at?
Mississauga excels at building a diverse, connected and economically active community.

We have strong neighbourhoods, an international population, established businesses, parks and community facilities, and significant potential for further growth.

I also believe Mississauga has done a good job of evolving. But success should never mean we stop asking how we can improve.

Our next stage should be about moving from simply growing to growing thoughtfully — protecting what residents value while creating the infrastructure, housing, businesses and community spaces needed for the future.

8. How would you communicate with residents and what communication standards will you be setting and following?
I would use multiple channels, because residents communicate in different ways.

That would include regular community updates, social media, email, in-person meetings, community events, newsletters and opportunities for residents to contact my office directly.

My communication standards would be:

RESPONSIVE — acknowledge residents' concerns and provide follow-up.

TRANSPARENT — explain what I know, what I don't know and why decisions are being made.

ACCESSIBLE — make information understandable rather than relying on municipal jargon.

ACCOUNTABLE — report back to residents about issues they have raised and decisions made at Council.

And importantly, I would communicate with residents before decisions are made whenever meaningful public input is possible, rather than simply explaining decisions afterward.

9. How do you plan to actively involve and include residents in decisions?
I want residents to be part of the process, not just the audience.

I would create regular opportunities for Ward 1 residents to provide input through community meetings, surveys, online engagement, neighbourhood discussions and direct communication with my office.

I would also make an effort to hear from people who are sometimes less represented in municipal conversations — including seniors, youth, renters, families, local businesses and residents who may not normally attend Council or public meetings.

When residents provide feedback, I believe they deserve to know what happened with their input.

Not every suggestion will be possible, but every legitimate concern deserves to be heard, considered and answered.

10. Please provide your campaign website.
oliviagannon.ca