Carolyn Parrish Elected Mayor in Historic Mississauga Byelection

Carolyn Parrish celebrated a significant “victory” as she was elected the new mayor of Mississauga in a byelection that saw a voter turnout of just over 25 percent.

Final results:

There were a total of 35 candidates. A total of 138,500 votes were polled. Voter turnout was 25.71%.

1.⁠ ⁠Carolyn Parish – 43494
2.⁠ ⁠Alvin Tedjo – 35005
3.⁠ ⁠Dipika Damerla – 27119
4.⁠ ⁠Stephen Dasko – 22408
So Carolyn Parish won by around 8000 votes.

“Today we celebrate not just a victory at the polls but a victory for the future of our city,” Parrish declared in her victory speech. “This victory is your victory.”

Parrish, who has a 35-year career in politics, consistently led the polls throughout her campaign. Despite criticism from her rivals for declining most debates and media appearances, her popularity remained strong. She has promised to address the rising cost of living by constraining the city budget, although she has not provided detailed plans or targets.

Housing and affordability emerged as key concerns among voters, reflecting Mississauga’s rapid growth into Ontario’s third-largest city and Canada’s seventh-largest. Tedjo, who finished second with 35,005 votes to Parrish’s 43,494, congratulated her on her win and emphasized the need for unity.

“She is now the leader of all of us and it is in our interest to work together to make sure that we have the best city,” Tedjo said. “She has spent her life fighting for our community and I look forward to continuing to work with her on council.”

Dipika Damerla and Stephen Dasko, who came in third and fourth place respectively, are set to return to their roles as city councillors. The byelection was called following former mayor Bonnie Crombie’s resignation in January to lead the Ontario Liberal Party. Parrish now becomes only the third person to hold the mayoral office since 1978, following Crombie and the long-serving Hazel McCallion.

In her impromptu victory speech, Parrish expressed optimism about regional cooperation. “We will be formidable when we go to Queen’s Park or to Ottawa to tell them we need our fair share of funding,” she stated. “We’re going to mix charm and force and we’re going to take over the world!”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford congratulated Parrish, saying, “I’m looking forward to working with you as we build a stronger Mississauga and a stronger Ontario.” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also extended their congratulations, emphasizing collaboration on regional issues.

The byelection winner will serve as mayor for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term, leading Mississauga through its ongoing period of expansion and development.