Mississauga Centre

Mississauga Centre encompasses Mississauga’s downtown core around the Square One district, a landscape increasingly defined by condominium towers and rapid urban densification. Progressive Conservative Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, a registered nurse by profession, had held the seat since 2018. During the 43rd Parliament, she was elevated to cabinet in June 2024 as Minister of Long-Term Care, having previously served as parliamentary assistant in the same portfolio. Heading into the February 2025 election, Kusendova-Bashta carried both the advantage of a cabinet profile and the burden of defending the Ford government’s health care record in a riding where access to family physicians was a persistent concern.

Candidates

Natalia Kusendova-Bashta (Progressive Conservative) — Kusendova-Bashta immigrated to Canada at the age of 12 and is of Slovak and Polish descent. She holds degrees in human and molecular biology from the University of Toronto and in nursing from Nipissing University. Before entering politics, she worked in the emergency department at Etobicoke General Hospital. She speaks five languages.

Sumira Malik (Liberal) — Malik is a mental health advocate and policy advisor who served as Regional Vice President for Central West at the Ontario Women’s Commission. She co-founded VAIYZ, a company focused on AI-driven medical imaging solutions, and holds degrees in neuropsychology and management. She had also run as the Liberal candidate in Mississauga Centre in 2022.

Waseem Ahmed (NDP) — Ahmed is an entrepreneur and community leader in Mississauga. He had previously run as the NDP candidate in Mississauga—Malton in the 2022 provincial election.

The remaining candidates included Robert Chan for the Green Party, Audrey Simpson for the New Blue Party, Greg Vezina for the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party, and Zulfiqar Ali as an independent.

Local Issues

Health care access remained a dominant concern in Mississauga Centre. The riding’s growing population of condo residents struggled to find family doctors, and the broader Trillium Health Partners hospital system serving Mississauga contended with persistent capacity pressures. With the incumbent serving as Minister of Long-Term Care, seniors’ care issues were also front of mind, particularly the pace of construction of new long-term care beds promised by the provincial government.

Construction of the Hazel McCallion Line, the light rail transit project running along Hurontario Street, entered its most disruptive phase during this term. Originally expected to open by late 2024, the project experienced significant delays, with completion pushed to 2028. Businesses along the Hurontario corridor reported severe revenue losses from years of road closures and construction disruption, and residents expressed frustration with traffic detours and noise.

Housing affordability remained acute in a riding where a large proportion of residents are renters. The Square One district continued to add condominium towers, but advocates pressed for more affordable units within new developments.