Mississauga to seek public input on Living Arts Centre redevelopment
Mississauga residents will soon have the opportunity to help shape the future of one of the city’s most prominent downtown sites as council launches public consultations on an ambitious plan to redevelop the Living Arts Centre and nearly 12 acres of surrounding City-owned land.
The proposed redevelopment would transform the aging Living Arts Centre (LAC) and four neighbouring parcels—currently occupied by surface parking lots and underused open space—into a mixed-use district featuring new cultural attractions, public spaces, residential and commercial development, and tourism facilities.
City officials say the Living Arts Centre remains a cornerstone of Mississauga’s cultural identity, but the more than two-decade-old building requires significant investment to remain viable and meet the needs of a rapidly growing city.
Rather than upgrading the facility in isolation, staff are proposing a comprehensive redevelopment of the entire precinct.
“The lands represent a rare opportunity to reimagine almost 12 acres in the heart of downtown through a coordinated planning approach,” the report says.
The site occupies a strategic location between the Civic Centre precinct, including Sheridan College, and the high-density neighbourhoods surrounding Square One and Confederation Parkway. The redevelopment would also improve connections to major public green spaces, including a planned urban park and the recently revitalized Zonta Meadows Park.
The vision approved in principle by council in March envisions a new downtown destination anchored by cultural, tourism and business facilities. Preliminary concepts include a music venue, convention centre, hotel, expanded parkland, a Sky Park, new office and residential buildings, and enhanced public spaces designed to support year-round events and community activity.
Council endorsed the vision and strategic framework on March 11, directing staff to return with a public engagement strategy before advancing the project.
Under that plan, consultations will begin in the fall of 2026 and continue into early 2027 through a two-stream engagement process.
One stream will focus on industry and market outreach, bringing together developers, investors, tourism organizations and cultural stakeholders to examine project feasibility, delivery models and partnership opportunities.
The second stream will focus on educating residents about the proposal while gathering public feedback through information sessions, community pop-up events, online engagement tools and other consultation activities.
Staff say public input will help refine the redevelopment vision while informing future recommendations to council.
The first phase of engagement will conclude with a “What We Heard” report summarizing community feedback and stakeholder input.
At the same time, the City will undertake detailed business cases for the proposed convention centre, hotel and music venue. The studies will evaluate financial feasibility, economic impacts, market demand and potential partnership opportunities before staff return to council with recommendations in the second quarter of 2027.
To support that work, council is being asked to approve a new $300,000 capital project funded through the City’s Municipal Accommodation Tax Reserve Fund. The funding would pay for third-party planning studies, financial analysis and due diligence needed to determine whether the project can move forward.
If ultimately approved, the redevelopment would represent one of the most significant transformations of downtown Mississauga in decades, creating a new cultural and tourism hub while strengthening connections between the city’s civic institutions, growing residential neighbourhoods and expanding network of public spaces.
By Special to Ontario Construction News
