Mississauga East—Cooksville

Mississauga East—Cooksville is a densifying suburban riding in the eastern part of Mississauga, centered on the historic Cooksville neighbourhood along Hurontario Street and Dundas Street. The riding was previously held by Liberal Dipika Damerla, who served as MPP from 2011 to 2018 and as Minister of Seniors Affairs in the Wynne government. Progressive Conservative Kaleed Rasheed defeated Damerla in the 2018 election and was subsequently appointed Associate Minister of Digital Government. In 2022, the two faced a rematch, with Damerla seeking to reclaim the seat while also serving as a Mississauga city councillor for Ward 7.

Candidates

Kaleed Rasheed (Progressive Conservative) — Rasheed was born in Pakistan and moved to Canada as a young adult, settling in the Mississauga East—Cooksville area. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Guelph-Humber and an MBA from the University of Bradford. Before entering politics, he worked in banking, telecommunications, and the service sector, including a role as an Enterprise Account Executive at BlackBerry. He served as Associate Minister of Digital Government from 2019 to 2022.

Dipika Damerla (Liberal) — Damerla previously served as the Liberal MPP for the riding from 2011 to 2018 and held the cabinet post of Minister of Seniors Affairs. After her defeat in 2018, she was elected as the Ward 7 Mississauga city councillor, becoming the first new councillor for that ward in over 30 years. She holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and previously worked in corporate banking at the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia.

Khawar Hussain (NDP) — Hussain came to Canada with his family 19 years prior and earned a degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. He worked as a public health inspector after spending 14 years in the public relations and food industries.

The remaining candidates included Mark Morrissey for the New Blue Party, James Hea for the Green Party, Gregory Tomchyshyn for the Ontario Party, and Wiktor Jachtholtz for the Ontario Moderate Party.

Local Issues

Public transportation was a defining issue in Mississauga East—Cooksville. The Hurontario Light Rail Transit line, under construction along Hurontario Street through the heart of the riding, promised to transform north-south transit connectivity. Residents hoped the LRT, together with the planned Dundas Street bus rapid transit system, would reduce car dependency in parts of the riding that lacked the density to support frequent local bus service. Candidates were expected to advocate for continued provincial investment in transit infrastructure.

Development and density were contentious topics. Developers had proposed numerous high-rise projects in and around Cooksville, and many residents sought an MPP who would advocate for infrastructure funding that matched the pace of densification, while also preserving the character of established neighbourhoods. Affordable housing was a particular concern, as some residents resisted higher-density developments while advocates pointed to the need for more affordable units.

Long-term care and seniors’ services were also prominent in the local debate. The pandemic had devastated long-term care homes across Peel Region, and seniors in the riding wanted options to age in place or access assisted living arrangements close to their community.