Massive development on former power plant lands in Mississauga closer to reality

The 177-acre Lakeview Village development is progressing with continued construction along Mississauga’s waterfront, while awaiting the next stage of planning approvals from the city.

Since the land where the former coal-burning power plant once stood was sold by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in 2018, plans for a future community are being brought to life.

However local residents continue to raise concerns about an increase in density from the original vision.

The consortium of Lakeview Community Partners (LCP) has developed a mixed-use concept, with a variety of residential and commercial spaces, park land and green spaces along an active waterfront.

At this point, it’s anticipated that Lakeview Village will have more than 8,000 residential units in townhomes, mid-rise and taller condo buildings — a significant increase from the approximately 5,000 units in previous plans.

The Lakeview Ratepayers Association had originally been in discussions with the city about how the site would be redeveloped. The group has since been involved in the process, but residents feel they’ve taken a back seat.

The most recent concerns surround the height of buildings planned closer to the lake.

“The concern has been that the development has gone to more of a high-rise than a mid-rise,” said Deborah Goss, the president of the Lakeview Ratepayers Association. “We’ve gone through some compromises as a community. We’ve won a few battles and we’ve lost a few.”

The association has asked that those buildings currently slated to be 25 storeys be reduced by half, so that views aren’t blocked and towers aren’t casting shadows over the public space.

“When you live in a community you can look around and know what it’s like to live here,” said Goss. “So you can understand what works and what doesn’t.”

LCP maintains that it will continue to work with the community to try and find something that suits everyone’s wants and needs.

“We’re going to bring architects in from around the world to ensure that we are creating something that can really be  celebrated,” said Brian Sutherland, a vice-president with ARGO Development.

In addition to residential units, nearly two million square feet of employment space is planned as a big part of the community. An ‘Innovation District’ is being promoted to attract businesses from a variety of sectors. Common spaces, including a public square, could be used for events and recreational programming.

Access along the water would include a repurposing of the existing pier in Lake Ontario, along with the 64-acre Jim Tovey Conservation Area currently being developed to the east.

“I believe there is going to be a destination in tourism component,” said Sutherland. “People are going to want to come here to take a walk a kilometre out into Lake Ontario and get those views of both Toronto to the east and Mississauga and beyond to the west.”

Until now, LCP has been digging up the concrete and underground infrastructure left over from the power plant. It’s also been redirecting the flow of Serson Creek, which had been buried, by creating a new channel to the east.

The development consortium is also currently building what it calls a “discovery centre” nearby to act as a community hub and meeting place for those who want to find out more. It’s scheduled to open in the next few months.