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Brampton council voted to demolish the historic Heritage Theatre in the city’s downtown six years ago, but the condemned building remains standing while neighbouring structures have been demolished.

Downtown Brampton has undergone a major facelift over the past year, with the city demolishing several older city-owned buildings from 30-60 Main St. N. to make way for new development.

The first phase of the project, dubbed the “Heritage Theatre Block redevelopment,” started last summer and includes the interim expansion of Garden Square, which is set to open to the public in time for the city’s planned 2026 FIFA World Cup events starting next month.

However, demolition of the Heritage Theatre, which has been shuttered since 2006, has yet to begin and the building now sits conspicuously on its own.

Council voted to demolish the iconic theatre in 2019 after city staff advised the structure was unsafe and that it would be prohibitively costly to repair. It was originally slated to be demolished in 2020.

According to Wards 1 and 5 Coun. Paul Vicente, the holdup is due to CN Rail, which owns the railroad tracks next to the theatre and has legislated oversight over any development occurring within a certain range of its infrastructure.

“They have a right to impede development unless they’re satisfied in every way, shape or form,” Vicente told the Brampton Guardian, adding that the city remains in negotiations with CN as plans for the newly cleared area continue to be ironed out.

The expansion of Garden Square is only temporary, with the city currently reviewing proposals to turn the space into a “landmark development.”

“The vision is to reimagine the potential of these strategic properties in the heart of the City of Brampton as a landmark development at the historic Four Corners complementing the Rose Theatre, Garden Square, and the Innovation District,” the city said on its website.

“The landmark property shall be an anchor of activity for residents and visitors alike to support the economic vitality of the City with arts and culture entertainment attractions, office, post-secondary institutional uses, commercial and retail uses, restaurants, and accommodate housing needs in the downtown,” it added.

Since the city has yet to finalize its plans, CN hasn’t yet signed off on the old theatre’s demolition.

The once-iconic theatre opened as the Capitol Theatre in 1923 as a venue for vaudeville shows and silent films. It was purchased by the Odeon Corporation in 1946 and converted into a movie theatre.

The Odeon Corporation sold the theatre to the city in 1981. The city renamed it and used the space for various arts-related purposes until closing it down in 2006.

Community efforts in the intervening years to have the theatre designated under the Ontario Heritage Act fell short, and its fate remained uncertain until council finally pulled the plug on trying to save it.

The city made efforts to sell the property after deciding it wasn’t worth saving, but despite multiple offers from developers, staff said none of the proposals fit with council’s downtown revitalization plans.

The city added that efforts would be made to save items of historic or cultural significance from the theatre before its demolition.

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Brampton’s planning and development committee has given the green light to a massive development proposal that would bring hundreds of homes to the northeast part of the city.

An application by KLM Planning Inc. on behalf of West Humber River Developments Inc. and Boston Group Genesis seeks to amend the official plan and zoning bylaw to permit the development, at 10309-10434 McVean Dr.

The application also includes a draft plan of subdivision.

While residents voiced concerns over the proposal at a Jan. 19 statutory public meeting, an April 13 city staff report recommended approving the application, noting the proposal represents a “comprehensive approach to building a complete, vibrant and sustainable community.”

The report concluded the plan “demonstrates a high degree of co-ordination across key planning considerations, including land use compatibility, infrastructure capacity, transportation connectivity, environmental stewardship, and the provision of community services and amenities,” adding the project “represents an appropriate and well-justified form of development that will contribute positively to the continued growth and evolution of the city.”

The planning and development committee approved the application without debate on May 11.

The 57-hectare site (141 acres), which the city refers to as the Gore Meadows West Precinct Plan, is currently vacant land.

Here are key components of the proposal:

• 410 single-detached homes.
• 185 townhouses.
• A medium-density block slated for apartments and townhouses.
• Three public parks.
• Two places of worship.
• Three stormwater management ponds.
• A public road network with two new streets from McVean Drive.
• 14 hectares of land dedicated to the city to protect the natural heritage system.

Someone recently posted about rebuilding the Chinguacousy Park Band Shell to restore lost arts spaces in Bramalea which I think is a great idea. My friends used to perform there weekly in the Greenbriar School Band back in the 1990's.

We need more residents coming up with good ideas and bringing them forward to the city through our Councillors

On this note, I wanted to publicly share the process I have been undergoing to try and get ideas like this that I feel passionate about into reality.

I have engaged several Councillors since early 2023 at the start of this term. All showed initial support, but I have not seen any progress or funding in the budgets 3 years later in 2026 near the end of the term now. I have followed up and don't get any concrete answers, feels like it's a forgotten item. Providing essential drinking water to residents in busy areas should be a priority rather than put on the backburner.

City Hall monitors r/Brampton as I have seen comments and content here ricochet back to me in texts and calls from officials.

I hope our community sees value in this initative, especially if something like this would make sense in your neighbourhood park/trail system beyond our 3 major parks in Brampton.

I want to see candidates support these new ideas from residents in their platforms for the benefit of everyone.

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E-Mail to the City

Water Drinking Fountains

Below is the only outdoor drinking fountain at Chinguacousy Park at the concession stand near the main children's playground.

All residents avoid it (warm, no pressure, gross overall. I have only seen dogs drink from it in recent years.).  There's a Dasani/Coke Machine next to it that some resort to purchasing. We can do better for Park visitors across the city.

Terrible Chinguacousy Park Water Drinking Fountain

The indoor fountains at the rec centres and city buildings have limited accessibility depending on their operating hours. We should have multiple fountains across our largest parks accessible anytime during operational seasons.

Few people know about the fountain at Ken Whillans square, it's also poor with similar issues.
Gage Park no longer has ANY drinking fountains despite a splash park installed there with water pipes in the ground.

Downtown Brampton is a thirst desert, City Hall locks their doors often.

Ken Whillans Square Drinking Fountain soon to be removed with redevelopment plans

Our 2 main outdoor summer festival areas in Brampton that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors are lacking. 

I believe Chinguacousy Park, Gage Park, Creditview Park with a high number of users/visitors should have reasonable outdoor water fountain amenities.

Even smaller parks like Terrick Road Park in Brampton West with splash pads, trail system connection, where it might be simple to deploy with existing water pipes has a valid use case.

Greenbriar Recreation Centre is closing all summer long from budget cuts, nobody will be able to get water in this park when needed. It is surrounded by half a dozen soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, needing a bottle filling station 24/7.

Hamilton's Solution

The City of Hamilton has a portal with an interactive map showing ~100 various outdoor water drinking fountain locations and their operational status.

Hamilton managed to deploy them citywide, even in small neighbourhood parks and recreational trail systems >>>>>

https://www.hamilton.ca/things-do/parks-green-space/parks-trails/water-drinking-fountains

Below are pictures of water fountains around Hamilton I have seen. From my experience visiting in person, they seem to work well and I like the variety of customized wraps. They shut them off in the winter months as shown on the map currently.

Hamilton has many 3 stage fountains that have dog bowls for pets and bottle filling stations for sports/recreation users. Consider deployment around dog parks.

https://preview.redd.it/j5looews261h1.png?width=594&format=png&auto=webp&s=2797be733ad8e24870f7fded53dad29e8c5805f1

Here is one in a park just off Barton street in a rougher area.

We know how scorching summers have become with climate change and the demand around sports fields for bottle filling. These Hamilton examples are near Brampton, we would not be pioneering something unproven.

I have engaged 3 other members of Brampton City Council since 2023 to get water drinking fountains deployed.  

It's been disappointing to see no progress or budget items after 3 years with the increasing demand at locations mentioned.

I hope you can assist with getting outdoor water drinking fountains to residents across our city, this is something everyone in Brampton can be excited about. 

Anytime I bring up this idea to residents, it's a universal positive response.

Please let me know if you need any other information.

News Release Text:

The City of Brampton is welcoming a $200,000 investment from Tennis Canada and Rogers Communications to help expand year-round racquet sport opportunities at Gore Meadows Community Centre. Through their national community tennis initiative, the project will receive seed funding to support six new tennis courts inside an air-supported dome, giving more residents in Brampton’s growing northeast community a place to play, train and stay active throughout the year.

Mayor Patrick Brown was joined by Councillors and representatives from Tennis Canada to recognize the investment and mark another milestone in the City’s work to expand access to recreation across Brampton. This initiative supports continued investment in year-round recreation, including the winterization of outdoor amenities and aligns with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan's​ goals to connect residents with high-quality spaces for sport, outdoor activity and active living.

Mayor Brown was joined by Commissioner Boyes, Councillor Toor, Premier Racquet Clubs CEO Karl Hale, Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv, Councillor Power, Deputy Mayor Singh and Councillor Santos to celebrate a $200,000 investment supporting expanded year-round tennis opportunities at Gore Meadows Community Centre. Credit: City of Brampton.

The new indoor tennis courts will add another layer to Gore Meadows’ role as a major recreation destination in northeast Brampton. The facility is already a cornerstone in the community, offering aquatic, fitness and library services, and is currently being expanded through the development of Gore Meadows East Community Park​. Once complete, these investments will create a fuller recreation experience, with indoor and outdoor amenities supporting sport, wellness, neighbourhood connection and inclusive programming for residents of all ages.

The Gore Meadows tennis facility will feature:

• 6 tennis courts under one permanent dome
• 6 pickleball and two padel courts under one permanent dome
• 6 outdoor pickleball courts
• A clubhouse with change rooms and washrooms

The year-round tennis facility will be operated by Premier Racquet Clubs, which also operates the Rosalea Park Tennis Facility, and is expected to advance the broader vision for Gore Meadows as one of Brampton’s largest multi-use recreation hubs.

The project is also supported by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF).

Supporting year-round tennis access across Canada

The investment at Gore Meadows is part of Tennis Canada’s Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program presented by Rogers, a national initiative launched in 2021 to expand access to indoor tennis infrastructure across the country. Through the program, Tennis Canada and Rogers are working toward a goal of building 160 new year-round courts at up to 30 facilities across Canada by 2029.

Since 2022, the program has supported 17 completed and ongoing projects representing 93 year-round courts across Canada, with facilities in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Gore Meadows project is one of four additional facilities anticipated to open in 2026.

Track progress with the Parks and Recreation Construction Map

Residents can follow the project’s progress through the Interactive Parks and Recreation Construction Map, which provides real-time updates on park and facility projects across Brampton. The map highlights key milestones and allows users to explore projects by neighbourhood or type, including new playgrounds and splash pads, as well as upgrades to recreation centres and walkways, helping residents see how recreation improvements are taking shape across the city.

Explore the map and learn more about projects in your neighbourhood at brampton.ca/parksplanning​​.

Quotes

>“This generous contribution from Tennis Canada and Rogers is an investment in the health, energy and future of our community. The new year-round tennis facility at Gore Meadows will expand access to sport, support active living and give more residents a welcoming place to play, learn and stay connected through every season.” - Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

>“Access to recreational amenities directly supports residents’ daily quality of life. Building on the success and strong community uptake of the Rosalea Tennis Dome, and with support from partners like Tennis Canada and Rogers Communications, we are creating more inclusive, high-quality spaces where residents of all ages and abilities can be active, build confidence, strengthen relationships and improve their overall well-being. - Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 and 5; Chair, Community Services Section, City of Brampton

>“This project is an exciting addition to Gore Meadows and the surrounding neighbourhoods. As this part of Brampton continues to grow, modern and accessible recreation spaces are essential. This partnership helps respond to community needs while creating more opportunities for residents to enjoy sport close to home." - Harkirat Singh, Deputy Mayor; City Councillor, Wards 9 and 10, City of Brampton

>“Northeast Brampton continues to experience significant growth, and projects like this help our recreation infrastructure keep pace. This investment will support a year-round tennis facility at Gore Meadows and create more opportunities for residents to play, compete, learn new skills and stay active throughout the year.” - Gurpartap Singh Toor, Regional Councillor, Wards 9 and 10, City of Brampton

>“Today’s announcement reflects our shared commitment with Rogers to build accessible, year-round tennis facilities that strengthen communities, grow the game, and create opportunities for Canadians of all ages and abilities to play, compete and connect. We are delighted to once again partner with the City of Brampton on a project which will grow the game in the community via improved infrastructure. We look forward to seeing the facility once it is complete." - Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer, Tennis Canada.

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The Save Max name is coming off a Brampton sportsplex now that the brokerage’s sponsorship has been terminated, not long after its accounts were frozen by the Real Estate Council of Ontario.

A spokesperson for the City of Brampton confirmed to INsauga.com that the Save Max Sports Centre will be going back to its previous name of the Brampton Soccer Centre, and that the sponsorship agreement with Save Max Real Estate Inc. “has been terminated in accordance with the terms of the agreement.”

The name change comes after RECO said several Save Max real estate brokerages in Mississauga and Brampton used $2.7 million in client funds to pay off expenses – allegations that Save Max has disputed.

RECO says funds held in trust for real estate sales were instead used for loan payments, property management fees, taxes, credit card balances and vendor services.

Save Max and the city inked a 15-year $2,512,500 sponsorship deal in 2020 for exterior naming rights. Listings on the city’s website show sponsorship and naming rights opportunities for the Brampton Soccer Centre field and gymnasium.

The city didn’t specifically say whether the sponsorship was terminated due to the allegations against Save Max, but says signage updates and online references are currently underway.

Between 100 to 150 active Save Max listings were frozen by RECO, and some 400 registered real estate salespeople left brokerages across the broader Save Max network following the freeze.

But the RECO has agreed to lift the freeze if strict conditions are met, including the appointment of a third-party monitor to oversee the management of two accounts and the suspension of Raman Dua, Save Max’s broker of record and sole director.

Suspensions are also still in place for Nidhi Dua (broker of record of Save Max First Choice Real Estate Inc.), Save Max First Choice Real Estate Inc., Save Max Supreme Real Estate Inc., and Save Max Ace Real Estate, the RECO says.

“The Freeze Order pertaining to Save Max Real Estate Inc.’s Commission Trust Account continues to apply until a comprehensive audit is completed to RECO’s satisfaction,” the council said in March.

Lawyers for Save Max filed an appeal of the freeze, admitting investigations by the RECO did find “incorrect disbursements,” but claim most were “reversed promptly within 30 days – a number of them within 24 to 48 hours, and one within a matter of minutes.”

The largest of the disputed transactions was a transfer of $700,000, which was “reversed the next day,” according to the appeal.

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Why do so many of Canada’s great soccer players come from Brampton?

The Ontario city has produced a roster of homegrown talents, including Atiba Hutchinson, Jonathan Osorio

While Edmonton waits anxiously to see whether adopted son Alphonso Davies will be fit enough to play at BMO Field when Canada’s World Cup team kicks off in Toronto next month, there are no such worries a few kilometres down the road from the stadium.

Brampton’s representation at the world’s biggest sporting event is all but assured: It’s a strong possibility that the Ontario city, with a population of just 777,759, will lay claim to a quarter of the 26-man squad when head coach Jesse Marsch announces his roster on May 30.

“I remember when I first joined the team, and the guys asked me where I was from and I said Brampton, the first thing they said to me was, oh, not another one,” said Liam Millar, who began playing soccer at age four for Brampton Youth. “So many guys from this team have been in Brampton. It’s a real identity of our team.”

Mr. Millar, who left the city at 13 to pursue his soccer dreams in England, made his national-team debut in 2018 and got on the field at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coming on as a substitute against Belgium. (That tournament’s team featured seven players from Brampton.)

The 26-year-old, who now plays for Hull City in England’s Championship – one rung below the Premier League – credits his globe-trotting career in part to what he feels is a uniquely Brampton upbringing in a country that is traditionally obsessed with winter sports, especially hockey.

“In many different parts of Canada, I don’t feel like everyone was playing soccer all the time,” he said. “And I felt like always at my school and where I was, there was always a soccer ball, there was always someone trying to play. We just had that soccer-first mentality.”

Blazing a trail Long before Mr. Millar pulled on a national-team jersey, other Bramptonians – such as Iain Hume and Paul Stalteri – were putting the city on the soccer map. But among past and present players from the area, one name stands above the rest: Atiba Hutchinson.

“He’s one of the most important people in football in our country,” said former national team defender Doneil Henry of Mr. Hutchinson, who skippered Canada in Qatar. “He’s cap. He’s played at the highest level, of course, but he’s also an amazing human being. So there’s so much to take from Atiba and what he’s done in the game.”

Mr. Hutchinson, who made a record 104 appearances for the national team before retiring three years ago, started playing just like Mr. Millar: as a four-year-old at Brampton Youth. He left Canada at 19 to try his hand in Europe, ultimately playing his way into the Champions League and rubbing shoulders with the best players on the planet. In 2021, he captained Turkey’s Besiktas JK to a league and cup double – alongside fellow Brampton native Cyle Larin.

Despite the accolades, Mr. Hutchinson has never forgotten the place where he grew up. Two years ago, he gave his name to the drop-in Atiba Hutchinson Soccer Court at Century Gardens – the first fully lit soccer court in the country.

“This city played a huge role in shaping us as players and as people,” Mr. Hutchinson told a Brampton soccer rally earlier this year. “The lessons we learn here – hard work, resilience and believing in yourself – stay with you your entire career. Brampton has always been full of talent, passion and diversity. That’s what makes this city a very special community, and why so many players have come from here.”

Creating a brotherhood For Mr. Henry, who played alongside Mr. Hutchinson on the national team for a few years, being able to literally touch someone who was living the dreams he aspired to helped instill the self-belief that he could do the same.

Growing up in a family of hard-working Jamaican immigrants, Mr. Henry started playing for Brampton Youth at age 10, beginning a lifelong friendship with current Toronto FC captain and national-team midfielder Jonathan Osorio. He trained at the Toronto FC Academy, then embarked on a itinerant career that took him to England, Denmark, South Korea and the United States, before retiring in 2023.

And just as Mr. Hutchinson played a role in his journey, Mr. Henry has influenced other Brampton players now in contention for Canada’s World Cup squad, including Jayden Nelson and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty.

“These interactions are the biggest thing,” Mr. Henry said. “You might not see the impact while you’re playing, but when I see Jahkeele, and I see these guys, and they’re like, yo fam, you remember when you saw me here? … You changed my life.”

Mr. Marshall-Rutty, who also went through the TFC Academy, now plays for Red Bull New York. He made his national-team debut in March with a substitute appearance against Tunisia. The winger had previously broken Mr. Davies’s record for the youngest men’s national-team call-up when he was included on the Canada squad in 2021 as a 16-year-old.

Now 21, Mr. Marshall-Rutty grew up playing for Brampton East, and credits the city’s youth clubs for allowing him to have a professional career.

“I think they did so well to kind of set us up for our next step,” he said. “And for me, that was Brampton East for two, three years.”

Building a foundation With the World Cup less than a month away, there is understandable pride at Brampton City Hall in the way these players have represented the city.

Brampton has long been known as the cricket capital of Canada – it has often played host to international tournaments – and Mayor Patrick Brown is more than happy to add soccer to that moniker.

As to whether the city itself laid the foundations for that title, or whether its superstars greased the wheels, Mr. Brown doesn’t hesitate to credit people such as Mr. Hutchinson.

“Honestly, looking at Atiba’s journey, I think the great players developed first, and we’ve made investments into recreation after the fact, really, in their honour and to inspire the next generation,” he said.

To cater to more than 153,000 people between the ages of 15 and 29, the city has 100 outdoor soccer fields, according to city officials. Last year, its young people recorded more than 31,000 hours of soccer play on those pitches.

Bill Boyes, Brampton’s commissioner of community services, says there are between 2,500 and 3,000 registrations for outdoor soccer in the city, with a similar number opting to play the game indoors.

The city also offers an “active assist program,” which subsidizes children’s sports programs for families of a certain income.

It helps that soccer doesn’t have a high cost of entry in the way that hockey does, says Chrys Chrysanthou, who coached national-team winger Tajon Buchanan with the Brampton Blast and Mississauga Falcons.

“They may be living paycheque to paycheque, they may be living hand to mouth,” Mr. Chrysanthou said. “… They may not be able to do very much, but they have just enough to be able to get their kids into the sport.”

Coming together Others Bramptonians note that the city’s sporting successes extend beyond the soccer pitch.

Mr. Chrysanthou points to athletes such as Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett, who played for the Brampton Warriors, and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Josh Palmer, who attended the city’s St. Roch Catholic Secondary School.

“If you look demographically, who are the best athletes in the world, that kind of population base is concentrated in Brampton,” he said. “You’ve got a large Jamaican population. Jamaican sprinters, they’re all quick, some quicker than others, but all of these guys were quick.”

In sports, as the saying goes, iron sharpens iron. Putting all this talent together, to be forged in the crucible of sports, can only be beneficial in producing skilled players.

“The city has 271 different cultures, okay, and we speak 171 different languages,” city councillor Rowena Santos said. “And so when you have that level of diversity in a small footprint in Brampton, in a city, you’re bound to have tremendous talent.”

Case in point is Mr. Osorio, who grew up in a Spanish-speaking home after his parents immigrated from Colombia. At one point, the Toronto FC captain was coached in Brampton by Argentine Juan Cruz Real – who currently coaches the Nicaraguan national team.

Greg Spagnoli, the soccer coach at Brampton’s St. Edmund Campion Catholic School until 2024, had Mr. Osorio on his team for four years – during which time they won a provincial title. He also coached Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Larin during his almost two-decade tenure at the high-school soccer powerhouse, and feels that the city’s melting pot has paid dividends on the pitch.

“Brampton was a hotbed for large immigrant populations,” Mr. Spagnoli said. “... I think when you share that commonality of something, just the ball and being able to play anywhere – parking lot, grass field, wherever – I think you can just find that sense of belonging, inclusivity, to where you can just elevate and do what you love. And it’s a cheap sport to play.”

Performing for the world Before joining up with Canada for a World Cup training camp in Charlotte, N.C., later this month, Mr. Millar has another important appointment – at England’s Wembley Stadium. Fittingly, given Brampton’s outsized impact on the global game, it will be against a fellow Bramptonian, as Mr. Millar’s Hull City takes on Mr. Larin’s Southampton FC for a place in next season’s Premier League, the world’s richest soccer league.

But whether a game is taking place at the world’s most famous soccer stadium or in front of billions on TV this summer, people in Brampton want everyone to know exactly where their hometown heroes are from.

“When we are playing on those fields at the World Cup or anywhere you go, please say you’re from Brampton, not from Toronto, okay?” Ms. Santos said. “Brampton represent.”

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France-based manufacturer Socomec has marked the grand opening of its third Brampton facility, a move it said is creating 170 new jobs.

The company’s new 148,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing plant, located at 201 Westcreek Blvd., is Socomec’s largest in Canada. 

Although operations began in October, local politicians and company officials marked the official grand opening on May 4.

“The multiplier effect of Socomec’s expansion means that these jobs and the products that they’re manufacturing here will have a spinoff effect and encourage other investments that are clustered around it,” Coun. Rowena Santos, vice-chair of economic development, said in an interview.

“Brampton’s economy continues to be resilient and in many ways, especially (in) advanced manufacturing, is bouncing back with investments like this.”

Santos said the advanced manufacturing sector in Brampton is booming and growing.

Coun. Gurpartap Singh Toor, chair of economic development, said the new plant created “high-tech engineering” jobs. He said the city provided support for Socomec’s Brampton expansion though no financial incentives were given.

“We provide that white-glove service from economic development that helps them overcome any challenges, whether it’s with utility services, transit services (or) building permits,” Toor said in an interview. “We made sure that we can provide appropriate transit service to this facility.” 

Socomec’s two other Brampton plants are at 8985 Airport Rd. and 5 Parkshore Dr.

Jean Guay, the company’s subsidiary director, said the new Brampton site is a “direct answer” to the rapid growth in data‑centre demand by “bringing critical power manufacturing” closer to where it’s needed.

“By expanding local production capacity, we’re better positioned to meet rising demand for PDUs (power distribution units) and high‑efficiency transformers, while getting closer to our customers,” Guay said in a written statement.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said Socomec’s Brampton expansion is a “powerful example” of how global companies are choosing Brampton to grow.

“This new facility is creating quality jobs, strengthening our advanced manufacturing sector and supporting the infrastructure behind today’s digital economy,” the mayor said in a news release. “Brampton continues to stand out as a competitive destination for businesses looking to scale, innovate and succeed.”

The city said Socomec’s Brampton sites manufacture high-efficiency transformers and PDUs, which are essential technologies that enable reliable and efficient power distribution for data centres, hospitals and other high-demand environments.

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Six development proposals are on the agenda for Brampton’s next planning and development committee meeting.

The hybrid meeting is slated for 7 p.m. May 11. 

Here are the developments on the agenda:

1. 8799 Heritage Rd.: City staff are hosting a statutory public meeting on a proposal to build a 10-storey apartment building with 162 residential units and 225 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor. The plan also includes 48 stacked townhouse units.
2. 0 Mayfield Rd. (at McLaughlin Rd. N.): City staff have prepared a report recommending approving an application by Glen Schnarr and Associates Inc. on behalf of McLaughlin Developments Inc. to amend the official plan and zoning bylaw to permit 102 townhouses, a commercial block with 4,186 square metres of commercial gross floor area, and a natural heritage system block.
3. 3407 Countryside Dr.: City staff have prepared a report recommending refusal of an application by Gagnon Walker Domes Ltd. on behalf of Surinder Malhi and Charanjit Dhaliwal to amend the official plan and zoning bylaw to permit a 12-storey residential building, consisting of 128 residential units with ground-floor commercial space and 175 parking spaces.
4. 6875 — 6889 Mayfield Rd.: City staff have prepared a report recommending refusal of an application by Glenn Schnarr and Associates Inc./Georgian Mayfield Inc. to amend the official plan and zoning bylaw to facilitate the development of 178 townhouses.
5. 8550 Goreway Dr.: City staff have prepared a report recommending approval of an application by Zelinka Priamo Ltd c/o 8550 Goreway Portfolio Inc. and Canadian Tire Corporation to amend the zoning bylaw to permit outdoor storage consisting of shipping containers, oversized motor vehicles and transport trailers.
6. 10309 — 10434 McVean Dr.: City staff have prepared a report on an application by West Humber River Developments Inc. and Boston Group Genesis c/o KLM Planning Partners Inc. to amend the official plan and zoning bylaw to facilitate the development of 595 residential units consisting of detached homes and townhouses. The proposal also includes public parks, two places of worship, three stormwater management ponds and a public road network. The report wasn’t publicly available as of the afternoon of May 8.

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The number of international students living in Brampton strained the city’s ability to provide services, according to Mayor Patrick Brown.

Speaking on the Greg Brady Show on 640 Toronto on May 5, Brown said the international student population grew rapidly as thousands arrived to attend dozens of private colleges that opened in a short period of time.

He estimated that at one point, as many as 100,000 international students were living in the city.

Brown said the surge, which peaked near the end of 2023, created challenges for municipal services and affected the quality of life residents had come to expect.

“Frankly, international students, for several years, were out of control in terms of what was coming into Canada,” Brown said.

Canada admitted high numbers of international students during and after the pandemic, partly to address labour shortages through pathways to permanent residency. Colleges and universities expanded intake amid funding pressures, as international students pay higher fees. As a result, many small private colleges opened in Brampton to capitalize on demand from students seeking to immigrate.

Brown said the rapid population growth put pressure on housing, health care and other local services. City officials have previously raised concerns about issues including overcrowded housing, increased waste, and strains on social supports.

“It just wasn’t sustainable,” he said. “The system was broken. At one point, we had 80 officially recognized colleges in Brampton, and I think only a handful were reputable.”

Brown said responsibility for the situation was often debated between levels of government.

“The federal government said it was up to the province to accredit schools, and the province would say it is the federal government that admits the international students,” he said.

He added that both levels of government have since taken steps to address the issue, with Ontario tightening oversight of colleges and the federal government placing limits on international student intake.

Brown said the City of Brampton is advocating for future policies that tie international student numbers to available housing.

“Obviously, there are still a large number of international students in Canada,” he said. “But going forward, I think we are going to see visas linked to credible institutions that can provide housing.”