The City of Mississauga is moving to expropriate two residential properties in its Port Credit neighbourhood following a year-and-a-half period that saw hundreds of emergency service responses. Municipal officials say the level of police, firefighter, and bylaw interventions at the site left them with no other viable path to restore public order.
Situated a few doors down from the Mississauga Long Term Care Facility and directly across the street from Riverside Public School, the real estate parcels are designated as 34 and 36 Peter Street North. Land registry files show that 2855277 Ontario Inc. holds the title for 34 Peter Street North, whereas 2855270 Ontario Inc. is registered as the owner of 36 Peter Street North. Stephen Dasko stated last month that the municipality exhausted all other options to address a continuous stream of complaints stemming from the addresses over an 18-month span.
Emergency Calls and Public Safety Concerns at Peter Street Properties
Peel Regional Police reported that between January 2025 and August 2026, officers responded to “hundreds of calls for service relating to the two properties.” These incidents involved “disturbances, assaults, weapons, thefts, and drug-related activity,” leading to more than 50 arrests and numerous criminal charges.
The local impact extended directly to neighbouring facilities. Stephanie Howell, a parent of a student at Riverside Public School, recounted that the elementary school was placed under two hold-and-secure orders last year due to activity originating near the homes. During an incident on December 17, 2025, police activity clustered outside the Peter Street properties while the school restricted all entry and exit.
Neighbourhood resident Tom Jonaitis told a public meeting in August that more than 100 community members turned out to voice their concerns. Jonaitis noted that trash frequently piled up at the homes while police cars and ambulances visited with high frequency, bringing noise and screaming in the middle of the night.
Did You Know? Investigators estimated that roughly two dozen individuals were temporarily residing across the pair of houses concurrently, with some occupants even sleeping outdoors in the backyards.
City officials reject closing order over backlog risks
Domenic Tudino, the director of strategic legal projects for the City of Mississauga, explained that the municipality evaluated alternative measures, including a closing order under section 447.1 of the Municipal Act. However, the city concluded that a closing order was not the “best remedy,” citing procedural issues such as required consent from the chief of police, a potential 12-month backlog in the Superior Court, and the risk of defence-requested adjournments.
Barry Cox, who represented the City of St. Catharines in a prior residential closing order case, noted that municipalities must meet a “fairly high bar” for the property to be closed. Ajay Gajaria, a municipal and land use planning lawyer, observed that using expropriation to tackle a public nuisance is not common, though it has been used in the past for issues like salvage yards.
Expert Insight: Expropriation laws are more commonly used to clear the way for the development of major infrastructure projects, like subways. Applying this mechanism to address chronic nuisance is not common.
Ava Kanner, a lawyer representing the property owners, stated that her clients have “made every effort to resolve the situation at 34 and 36 Peter Street for some time, without success” and are currently working with the city toward a solution. Meanwhile, city officials intend to demolish the homes if the expropriation succeeds, converting the land into a parking lot to address a parking deficit in the area.
Mississauga plans to demolish houses for parking
What specific plans does Mississauga have for the Peter Street land?
If the expropriation succeeds, the City of Mississauga plans to demolish the houses at 34 and 36 Peter Street North and convert the property into a parking lot to address a parking deficit in the area.
How many arrests occurred at the properties?
Peel Regional Police recorded more than 50 arrests resulting from hundreds of service calls between January 2025 and August 2026.
What legal steps are the property owners taking?
Ava Kanner, the lawyer representing the owners, confirmed that her clients requested a hearing of necessity at the Ontario Land Tribunal while continuing discussions with the city.
How will the outcome of this expropriation process alter community safety standards for residential neighbourhoods across Ontario?
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