In less than two weeks, Mississauga’s new mayor will officially assume office. Carolyn Parrish, a seasoned politician who resigned from the Ward 5 council seat in March to contest the mayoral byelection, will be sworn in at a special council meeting on June 24 at City Hall. This gathering, marking the inaugural council meeting post-byelection, will also witness Natalie Hart taking the oath as the new Ward 5 councillor.

Following this event, Parrish will convene her first regular council meeting as Mississauga’s seventh mayor (fifth since the city’s official designation in 1974) on June 26. Having served 13 years on Mississauga city council and an equal amount of time as an MP in Ottawa, Parrish emerged victorious in Monday’s mayoral byelection, securing a comfortable lead over three incumbent city councillors.

Unofficial election results show Parrish garnering 43,494 votes out of a record field of 20 candidates for the city’s top position. Meanwhile, Hart secured victory in the ward seat race with 3,707 votes among 15 contenders. The city is expected to confirm the byelection results shortly.

During a recent council meeting, the city clerk reported a smooth byelection process, with over 100,000 ballots cast on election day alone and a total of 140,243 votes, indicating a 25.7% voter turnout, surpassing the 2022 municipal election turnout of 21.8%.

Parrish expressed her priorities as mayor, including collaborating with Brampton and Caledon mayors to advocate for increased social services funding from senior levels of government and expediting the construction of affordable housing in Mississauga. She succeeds Bonnie Crombie, who vacated the mayoral seat in January to lead the Ontario Liberal Party.

Parrish’s term extends until the fall of 2026, making her Mississauga’s seventh mayor.