New and expanded restaurants at Mississauga’s Ridgeway Plaza could face tighter space limits under a proposal heading to city council Jan. 14, while existing restaurants would be unaffected.
The city’s planning and development committee unanimously voted Monday to send the staff recommendations to council for ratification, Global News reported. The proposed zoning bylaw change would reduce permitted restaurant space by 15 per cent from current levels.
The proposal responds to parking pressures at the plaza at Ridgeway Drive and Eglinton Avenue West. A staff report first presented last year found parking was nearing capacity, particularly during evenings and weekends.
The study covered Erin Mills Centre on the north side and Platinum Centre to the south, which together make up Ridgeway Plaza. Staff described the proposed change as temporary, with adjustments planned as conditions are monitored.
The plaza has 115 restaurants: 63 among Erin Mills Centre’s 151 units and 52 among Platinum Centre’s 126 units. The report identified restaurants as the plaza’s predominant land use.
According to the City of Mississauga, it has received 112 complaints since 2022 related to issues at the plaza. Those complaints have included congestion, unauthorized uses, waste storage and noise.
Business association seeks pause
Restaurant owners and community members raised concerns at Monday’s committee meeting about the potential effect of the proposed reduction on businesses. Ward 8 Coun. Matt Mahoney and city staff stressed that existing restaurants would not be subject to the change.
Mahoney said the aim was to maintain adequate parking and safety within the plaza without harming businesses already operating there.
The Ridgeway Business Association acknowledged that the proposed limits would apply only to new and expanded businesses. However, it said some owners had been told they were responsible for managing traffic and crowds, even when people in the area were not their customers.
The association asked for the proposal to be paused to allow discussions with directly affected owners. It also said it would work with the city to address the plaza’s issues.
Council previously adopted an interim control bylaw on Sept. 11, 2024, temporarily prohibiting new restaurants, entertainment businesses and other uses with high parking demand at the plaza and surrounding lands. Originally intended to last a year, the restriction was extended until Jan. 16, 2026, while the study continued.
Monday’s committee decision also calls for staff to keep monitoring parking activity, the mix of land uses and operating conditions in the Ridgeway Special Area. Staff would report back to council if further changes were needed.
