Mississauga—Lakeshore

Mississauga—Lakeshore stretches along Mississauga’s waterfront, from the village of Port Credit in the west through the Lakeview community in the east. Progressive Conservative Rudy Cuzzetto had represented the riding since 2018 and was acclaimed as the PC candidate for a third run in February 2025. The 2022–2025 term was defined by the acceleration of massive waterfront redevelopment projects that would fundamentally reshape the riding’s landscape in the years ahead. Liberal candidate Elizabeth Mendes, who had also challenged Cuzzetto in 2022, returned for a second contest that was expected to be competitive.

Candidates

Rudy Cuzzetto (Progressive Conservative) — Cuzzetto is a lifelong resident of the Mississauga lakefront area whose family’s roots in the community span four generations. He grew up in Port Credit, where his original family home is designated as a heritage property. Before entering politics, he worked at Ford Motor Company of Canada for 31 years as a vehicle auditor.

Elizabeth Mendes (Liberal) — Mendes grew up in the riding and previously worked at the Ontario Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, and as Director of Policy and Budget at the Ministry of Finance. She operates a small business that helps local businesses access government support programs.

Spencer Yang Ki (NDP) — Ki has been active with the NDP since the age of 17, volunteering as a canvasser, phone bank caller, and youth volunteer coordinator in multiple federal and provincial campaigns.

The remaining candidates included Julia Budahazy for the Green Party, Renata Cynarska for the New Blue Party, Oleksii Avdeiev for the Ontario Moderate Party, and Ayoub Bumbia as an independent.

Local Issues

Waterfront redevelopment was the defining issue in the riding during the 2022–2025 term. Lakeview Village, the massive redevelopment of the former Lakeview Generating Station site, saw a Ministerial Zoning Order in May 2023 that doubled the approved number of residential units from approximately 8,000 to 16,000. Construction on the first residential building launched in October 2024. The Brightwater development on a former Imperial Oil refinery site continued to advance alongside ongoing redevelopment in Port Credit. Residents welcomed the investment but expressed persistent concern about whether road infrastructure, transit, schools, and health services could accommodate the anticipated population influx.

Traffic congestion along Lakeshore Road remained a daily source of frustration, and residents looked to the province for higher-order transit investment to serve the waterfront communities. The Hazel McCallion LRT being built on Hurontario Street, while not running directly through the riding, was expected to provide north-south transit connections that would benefit Lakeshore residents once completed.

Seniors’ services and health care access continued to be important to the riding’s established communities, which include a significant aging population. Cuzzetto had advocated for expanded long-term care capacity and hospital investment during his time in office.