Reinvigorating Mississauga’s Waterfront

← An aerial rendering of the new development that will emerge on the former site of the Lakeview Generating Station.
A new community emerges on the former Lakeview Generating Station lands.
By Fabio Mazzocco and Brian Sutherland
For 43 years, the future Lakeview Village lands in Mississauga were home to the Lakeview Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant that provided electricity—and pollution—to the region and blocked access to the Lake Ontario waterfront. The generating station was shut down in 2005 as the Government of Ontario moved towards more environmentally-friendly sources of energy. In a striking symbol of the transformation to follow, the Four Sisters—the plant’s iconic smokestacks that could be seen from Burlington to downtown Toronto—were demolished in 2006.
When the plant was shut down, late Mississauga councillor Jim Tovey spearheaded a bold vision for the site, Inspiration Lakeview. The plan called to remediate the former brownfield site, open the waterfront to the people of Mississauga, and to create a vibrant, complete community on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Lakeview Community Partners Limited (LCPL) purchased the 177-acre site from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in 2018 to build upon the groundwork laid by Councillor Tovey. Once completed, Lakeview Village will be a sustainable mixed-use development with potential for as many as 10,000 residential units, 825,000 square feet available for employment, 130,000 square feet of retail, an innovation corridor, a public square, a brand-new conservation area, and more than three kilometers of uninterrupted lakefront trails. As a part of the purchase, 67 acres of waterfront land will be remediated and transferred back to the city for citizens and visitors to enjoy.
Remediation is one of the main challenges when transforming a former industrial brownfield site into a livable community. OPG began the process of cleaning up the site, and when Lakeview Community Partners acquired the property a lot of progress had already been made. Initial soil samples showed minimal amounts of contaminants.
The uniqueness of the site cannot be overstated—a large blank canvas on Lake Ontario, within easy commuting distance to downtown Toronto. Given the history of the site, there is a huge responsibility to create a sustainable, green community that will stand the test of time and create a model for future waterfront developments. That responsibility largely falls to Lakeview Community Partners, but it must be done in collaboration with all levels of government. It takes a true public-private partnership for these environmental initiatives to take hold.

LCPL is currently exploring several green initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of the development. Given the proximity to a Peel Region wastewater treatment plant, district energy may make sense. The system would take effluent water from the plant and harness the energy to heat and cool the development.
Also, in a development of this scale, vacuum waste collection maybe a viable solution. In essence, a series of pneumatic tubes collects waste and transports refuse to a central location where it can be sorted and disposed of. This would majorly decrease the number of garbage trucks required to service the community, significantly reducing emissions and truck traffic. It would also change the way people think about their waste, promoting recycling, and reducing the amount of garbage generated within the development.
The key to a sustainable, modern development is transit. Lakeview Village currently sits between two GO Train commuter stations. LCPL is working with the city on options to transport residents from the development to those stations, whether that’s city buses, bus rapid transit, light rail, or innovative shuttles. Another benefit with opening up the waterfront is an additional three kilometers of a newly constructed uninterrupted segment of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail that will be a conduit of active transportation connecting from Burlington to Toronto, allowing people to travel efficiently without a car. How people move in and out of the development is an area where Lakeview Community Partners is relying on leadership and collaboration with various levels of government.

While government buy-in is necessary, density is also a requirement for a development of this size. Waterfront parks and retail need a critical mass to be viable; transit solutions don’t work if there isn’t adequate ridership. District energy doesn’t make sense if there aren’t enough homes to heat and cool. These green endeavors require a critical mass of users, as well as enough people to make them economically viable. However, the need for critical mass needs to be balanced with the availability of services and a pedestrian scaled public realm. As an entirely new community is being created on Mississauga’s waterfront, people require transit, utilities, garbage collection, and all of the other services provided by local government. These needs highlight the importance of finding the correct balance of density and public support. As Councillor Jim Tovey used to say, the development needs to earn the sky.
As LCPL moves through the planning process, the question of density is one of the many considerations. How much density is required to reach a critical mass of people that will ensure the success of the retail, environmental, transportation, and cultural facets of Lakeview? Where are the optimal locations to place density on the site? What is the most responsible housing mix to create that density? Lakeview Village will mainly be a mid-rise community, with some higher elements and urban townhomes. There will be homes for the missing middle—affordable units for working people, seniors, and families. Density will be clustered around green features, creating natural paths down to the lake while maintaining and enhancing views of the water. The development will bring a whole new population to the area, and it’s important that it is done in a responsible way.
Creating a vibrant complete community destination and a model for future waterfront developments, requires a balance of private and public investment to ensure the former brownfield site is ready for new residents. It also requires that transit is available and that the community is built in a sustainable way that will stand the test of time. Remediating the former site of a coal fired power plant will give acres of prime waterfront back to the citizens of Mississauga, and that’s something that is worth investing in.
LAKEVIEW VILLAGE
LAKEVIEW VILLAGE
MISSISSAUGA






















ABOUT
Lakeview Village promises to breathe new life into Mississauga’s waterfront as it transforms an abandoned coal-fired power plant into a vibrant, sustainable and more connected community. Lakeview Village will deliver a diverse mix of residential offerings, as well as institutional, cultural, office and retail spaces that will draw visitors from the region to the heart of this new community. For more information, visit Lakeview Village.
LAND DETAILS
Status:
Active Development
Acres:
176.1
Units:
8,000 +/-
AMENITIES
- Port Credit and Long Branch Go Stations
- 67 acres of a continuous linked waterfront trail
- Future Serson Innovation Corridor and Campus
- Port Credit Yacht Club
- Lakefront Promenade Park
- Marie Curtis Park
- Adamson Estate
- Port Credit Memorial Park
- St. Lawrence Park
- Dixie Outlet Mall
- Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre
- Square One Shopping Centre
- Trillium Health Partners Hospital
- Long Branch Library
- Port Credit Library
- Lakeside Montessori School
- Cawthra Park Secondary School – Peel District School Board
- St. Paul Secondary School – Dufferin-Peel District School Board
- Gordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School – Peel District School Board
- Mentor College
- Blyth Academy
NEWS
Your Business with David Wojcik | Air Date: Jan 22, 2020
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Former Coal Plant to Become $4.6 Billion Oasis on Lake Ontario
Bringing Nature Back to The Waterfront – Lakeview, Mississauga
Plan to build massive new neighbourhood moving forward in Mississauga
PHOTOS: A Look at a Stunning Waterside Oasis Coming to Mississauga
Ontario Power Generation sells Lakeview lands in Mississauga for $275 million
Consortium Launches Mississauga’s Lakeview Village
Lakeview Lands Sold to Developers for $275M
Lakeview Village set to transform Mississauga’s waterfront
OPG sells Mississauga Lakeview lands to consortium for mixed-use project
$5B Lakeview Village names Sasaki lead Architect
Lakeview Village Awarded Best New Community
Developers are Working Together
Plan to build massive new neighbourhood moving forward in Mississauga
VIDEOS










CHURCHILL WOODS
CHURCHILL WOODS
MISSISSAUGA















ABOUT
Churchill Woods is located within Churchill Meadows, an established, master-planned community in west Mississauga. Churchill Woods is focused around the McCracken Community Park, a family-friendly space that was recently doubled in size to offer more features for area residents. The community is well serviced by MiWay transit and is in close proximity to the Streetsville and Lisgar GO stations with easy access to Highways 403 and 407. A wide variety of community amenities are available nearby including the Erin Mills Town Center and Credit Valley Hospital.
LAND DETAILS
Status:
Active development
Acres:
59
Units:
492
AMENITIES
- Streetsville and Lisgar GO Station (with MiWay service)
- Churchill Meadows Library
- Erin Meadows Community Centre
- South Common Community Centre
- YMCA of Greater Toronto-Mississauga
- Stephen Lewis Secondary School – Peel District School Board
- McKinnon Public School (Grades 1-5) – Peel District School Board
- Ruth Thompson Middle School – Peel District School Board
- Aquinas Park
- Marco Muzzo Senior Memorial Woods and Park
- Mississauga Meadowvale Rotary Park
- O’Connor Park
- Streetsville Memorial Park
- Sugar Maple Woods Park
- Credit River
- Credit Valley Hospital
LISGAR
LISGAR
MISSISSAUGA
















ABOUT
Located in northwest Mississauga, Lisgar is a part of the bigger community of Meadowvale, a well-established neighbourhood that offers a small-town feel with big-city conveniences. This community offers an abundance of parks and trails, including the Osprey Marsh and a neighbouring community pond. A wide variety of amenities are nearby including Meadowvale Town Centre, Lisgar GO Station, and access to provincial highways 407 and 401 are just moments away.
LAND DETAILS
Status:
Active development
Acres:
2
Units:
18
AMENITIES
- Lisgar GO Station (with MiWay service)
- Churchill Meadows Library
- Meadowvale Library
- Erin Meadows Community Centre
- Trelawny Public School – Peel District School Board
- Lisgar Middle School – Peel District School Board
- Meadowvale Secondary School – Peel District School Board
- Eden Woods Park
- Trelawny Wood
- Lisgar Fields Community Park
- Stonewood Park
- Lisgar Meadow Brook Trail
- Milgrove Trail
- Osprey Marsh